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OUTLAND : CON-AM 27 SPACESUITS
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SKIN JOB 66
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 20, 2011 3:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

More pics...






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Gaff87
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 20, 2011 5:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Awesome stuff Fred.
Was looking for the Prop Store photo earlier but couldn't find it Sad

The top pic reminds me of the famous photo of all the Stormtrooper helmets piled up.

Neil
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Mike Rush
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 21, 2011 2:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wow, I hadn't seen that yellow suit recently. If you go to Propstore now they have a blue suit in their 'collection'.

There's something odd about that yellow suit though - the right sleeve seems to be backwards! The elbow patch is on the front. Confused And I don't think it's just been twisted round for the photo, because the League of Industrial Nations patch is in the right place.

Perhaps when the suits were being assembled/stitched together, someone reached for a left arm instead of a right arm and that's how it stayed?

Also I'm quite surprised at how 'flat' the clear faceplate looks, especially in profile. They always seemed much more rounded, like a fishbowl. Perhaps this one has been replaced? Or, having seen some of Andrew Ainsworth's techniques in his videos, maybe some came out more rounded than others. Who knows.
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joberg
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 21, 2011 7:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Very good pics Fred (kills me when I see those kind of pics Shocked )...too many goodies Wink ).
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Mike Rush
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 21, 2011 5:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Looks like the Outland fever has died down a bit Wink but did anybody happen to see this backpack on eBay?

Shocked

I didn't until it was too late. (Not that I could have afforded it anyway.)

Also it appears to have been painted silver at some point - presumably for use in another production.
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SKIN JOB 66
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 21, 2011 9:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It broke my heart to see one of the original props in such poor condition !

Shocked

Fred
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nexus42
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 21, 2011 11:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The Outland suits have been used a few times in various UK film and tv shows in some form. Most notably Red Dwarf the cult 80's Sci-fi comedy series and Mike Hodges 1985 film comedy "Morons from Outer Space" which also starred James B Sikking from Outland? They also appeared in a short run British Airways commercial in 1989, generally just the helmet and backpack have been used, these helmets have been modified slightly.

Morons

Red Dwarf


Last edited by nexus42 on Mon Aug 29, 2011 2:59 am; edited 1 time in total
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SKIN JOB 66
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 22, 2011 5:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I didn't know they were used in so many productions after OUTLAND !

Shocked

Thank you Nex for the photos and info !

Fred
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Space Jockey
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 23, 2011 12:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'll have to check out this movie again...it's been a loooong time since I saw it. I cannot even remember what it's about....the suits look good, though.
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nexus42
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 25, 2011 4:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Your welcome Fred,
it seems Andrew Ainsworth who created the helmets allowed them to be used in several other film and tv productions........I recall seeing these in a childrens television show about 83-84? they had sprayed the helmets silver and added silly "deely boppers" ontop! I recognised them from Outland, but couldn't figure out why the films creators had allowed them to be used in this way? they then popped up in Morons 85, Red Dwarf 88-99, the British Airways commercial around 89 and a few others along the way.

SJ the plot of Morons entails the misadventures of four inept humanoid aliens, Bernard, Sandra, Desmond and Julian. whilst refuelling at a space service station, they accidentally leave Bernard behind, ( Mel Smith the guy in the suit pictured above ) unable to pilot the ship without Bernard they crash on earth, and become instantly famous superstars, courted by the media, despite being complete morons without a shred of intelligence or talent, they are assigned a manager and courted as the next big thing! Meanwhile the stranded Bernard, the most competent of the four is picked up by a passing alien pilot, the alien makes a pass at Bernard mistaking him for a female of his species, Bernard spurns his advances and is ejected from the ship into a passing planets upper atmosphere.....earth!
he survives a fiery re-entry and on landing in the deep south of America attempts to communicate with a post box/rubbish bin? before being locked up for vagrancy and placed in a mental asylum for claiming to be from outer space.....Bernard then sees his friends on tv and attempts to make contact! they realise that here on earth they are famous celebrties and decide to ignore Bernard and ride the gravy train! Bernard remains locked away!

It's been quite a few years since I last watched this, but it's a fairly enjoyable movie from the director of.....Get Carter! and Flash Gordon!
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"995"victor-d
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 27, 2011 6:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

and the hits keep coming! When ever I was home on leave in the early "80's...Id NEVER miss a screening of "OUTLAND". Its still huge FAV with me..

1. The technology is believable
2. Well casted...SEAN CONNERY is totally cool...and the bad guys are just GREASY enough.
3. Its not over-acted
4. familiar theme..CORPORATE GREED
5. DRUGS that make you feel great...and then bug out Shocked ...say it aint so!!!
6. Its DIRTY FILTHY and NASTY... CO-AM27 is a SH*T Hole...LUV IT remains me of places I was stationed
7.The realities of life in/on such an assignment are NOT apologized for: Company issued Tranquilizers; Company Hookers, Booze, Bar Fights...as Long as we ALL make money. " My People work HARD Marshall, and I LET them PLAY HARD"

8. Love the suits..only crits:
A. Helmet a Bit too Big, bring it down maybe 30%
B. Boots..UGG or "80's "Moon " snow boots ..in a Mine???..Ok production costs..and your not really looking at the boots...
C. Gloves...again...cost effective..costume SPACE SUIT gloves are HELL to make...almost as difficult as real ones...

9. Like the Coverall Concept..the actual pressure bearing assembly would be under it.

10. Simple suit easy to don and doff

11.The moon IO is CREEPY to start with............

Cool topic...
Cool

Vito
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ukwookie
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 2:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hmmm... Did someone mention spacesuits?

This is me, 25 years ago...

[/img]



Tony
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Mark Sheppard
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 3:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

FANTASTIC PICS TONY!!!! JUST WOW!... Now I know why I love this movie as much if not more as the Original ALIEN. What a cool industrial issue Pressure Suit. Holy Cow! Thanks for posting that, and please more when you can
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ukwookie
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 3:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

More pics... Laughing




Tony
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Mark Sheppard
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 5:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

HOLY S**T... Those are incredible..... Shocked

This is the best thing to come to this forum in a long time.. I am not kidding.

Beautiful shots Tony.. Just stunning!!!!! WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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ukwookie
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 5:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have a few more shots which I'll post later. And a few notes on how it was put together, if anyone is interested...

Tony Laughing
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joberg
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 6:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wow Tony, you don't post often but when you do mate!! Shocked
Excellent ref shots for sure (the ones we like in here)...pray tell about your role getting that suit: it would be fun. Cool
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ukwookie
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PostPosted: Mon Aug 01, 2011 2:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I wish I could say the spacesuit belonged to me, but sadly not... Crying or Very sad

Back in the mid 80s I was in contact with a friend of a friend who had a small but select original prop collection (original Nostromo beer can, anyone?)

Among his items was this Outland suit for which he had paid the hefty sum of £50 a few years earlier. I was fortunate to borrow it for a few months to do some test filming for a little video project I was planning (which sadly never got made.)

Unbelievably, I took only about a dozen or so photos of the suit all the time I had it, so I apologise for the poor quality of my "documentation" efforts! The pics I have posted are from fuzzy 25-year old prints, so if I ever find the original 35mm negatives I might rig up my film scanner and see if I can get any better quality images from them.

The suit:


This was made from a heavy, quite coarse cotton-like material, almost like canvas. VERY oversize, baggy, one-size fits all approach, with a long back zip which extended forward and up over the crotch area. Cotton tape was threaded and knotted through the zipper pull to make a more easily-grasped "tab". Press fasteners were used at the cuffs.

At the neck inside the suit was a heavy vac-formed plastic "yoke" which formed the neck ring and shoulder area of the suit. The metal neck ring was riveted to this, trapping the suit material between it and the yoke and holding the yoke in place. Suiting up involved putting your legs into the suit legs, then climbing in from the back, ducking to avoid the back edge of the yoke... then finally zipping up (possible to do without help, but only just!)



Detailing on the suit comprised a couple of pockets with velcro-secured flaps, quilted knee and elbow pads, and some off-white strapping at the knees, elbows and shoulders.

Further detailing was provided by 4 "technical" attachments which appeared to be cast in heavy (metal-filled?) resin - masters appeared to have been made from wood with attached kit parts. These had embedded machine screws protruding from the back and were glued with contact adhesive to the material - the screws protruded into the suit through thick styrene backing plates and were secured with matching nuts covered with electrical tape. The top two details were bolted to the plastic shell of the yoke.

There was a detail below the neckring which appeared to represent a nametag, but this just looked like a piece of masking tape. Con-Am 27 and League of Industrial Nations badges on the upper arms completed the detailing.

The boots:

I didn't get to borrow these as I used my own boots for the filming, but I saw the originals - moon boots, with attached foam rubber detail panels (which had all become brittle and had fallen off.) I'm pretty sure one of the ribbed panels had the Con-Am logo embossed in it.

The Gloves:


Again, I didn't get to borrow these, but they were thick, heavy gauntlets - I was told they were welding gloves.


Next up: the helmet and backpack


Tony
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nexus42
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PostPosted: Tue Aug 02, 2011 11:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Great photo's and information, ukwookie....I've always loved the design of this suit, although not as complex as the Alien surface suits, it's still got a great design simplicity to it!
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ukwookie
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 03, 2011 2:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The Backpack
...or Fun With Plumbing Supplies!

The backpack was a masterpiece of combining custom-made pieces with found objects and it really opened my eyes to the way prop-makers (and production/costume designers) work...

The main shell was vac-formed from thick (3-4mm) white plastic and comprised a main body with underslung 'pod' - each of which was a two-part shell. The two halves of each part joined at the ridge running around the circumference, the back part slotting inside the front, detailed part so that no seams were visible. These were glued together using ordinary styrene tube cement. The bottom pod assembled in the same way and this had a tubular extension on top which slid up inside the main body of the pack where it was secured by two self-tapping screws. A truncated cone detail was then glued to the bottom of this pod.

The orange canister at the left side appeared to be a found item - a "Martindale Positive Pressure Powered Respirator" according to the markings embossed on the shell. I think the production must have sourced a batch of these from the manufacturer as it was an empty shell with no sign of use - or indeed of ever having contained any mechanism. This was attached to the pack using three small bolts.

The screw-on grey plastic covers were blocked with thin pieces of plastic card, through which thick black corrugated hoses extended to connect the top and bottom sections of the pack. The thinner corrugated hose which extended from the front of the unit was the same hose used on the helmet connections and this appeared to be some type of high-pressure hose.

Pipe fittings (top of pack for helmet hose and front of pack for pressure hose) were simply standard 1" plastic tank connectors - domestic plumbing fittings. (You can see the end of the pressure hose connector in the view showing the access hole in the back of the pack.)

The silver tube on the right side was a length of light aluminium tubing glued in place. The red tube at upper right was simply a length of 22mm plumbing pipe cut to length, with vac-formed top and bottom caps. The pipe was spray painted red and then coloured electrical tape was used for the black and green/yellow markings. The tube was attached to the pack using standard plastic pipe clamps secured with small bolts and nuts. A couple of coloured wires led from the bottom of the tube and were pushed through two holes in the pack which had rubber grommets inserted.





The small dome-shaped details to the right of the CON-AM badge were plastic mirror screw covers secured with small machine screws. (These were also used on the helmets.)

Three rocker switches were set onto the base of the bottom pod. These controlled the helmet lights and fan - the batteries were carried in the backpack and the wiring extended into the helmet via the main air hose.




Pack markings:

The red stripes on the bottom pod were strips of electricians' tape applied into depressions moulded into the plastic. The CON-AM badge was simply printed onto paper and stuck in place. The silver label on the Martindale casing seemed to be the original information sticker for that item. The various 'technical' markings were printed on paper and appeared to be photocopied from some sort of technical specification - possibly the instructions for the Martindale respirator? These were also used on the helmet. At the time I copied them as best I could -



Harness:

This was heavy silver/grey webbing with VERY heavy roll-pin buckles for adjustment. The centre connection was a side release buckle covered with custom shells which were vac-formed pieces screwed together - the back piece slotting into the front piece to hide the join.

The whole assembly was quite heavy (though not uncomfortably so) and remarkably sturdy. The roll-pin buckles allowed the harness to be quickly adjusted to fit a wide variety of wearers. What impressed me most, though, was that the thing had been designed to be very quick and simple to assemble and detail, with parts easily replacable in case of breakage. I estimate that a very small team could easily have made all the packs for the film in a day or two.

Oh, and of course whenever I visit the local DIY store I always think of Outland - especially when I'm in the plumbing section!

Next time - the helmet...

Tony
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