Tsing Tao Awesomeness

[oldzey]

I was thinking the whiskey bottle looked like a large store display bottle for some kind of perfume. Either that or it was a modified violin bottle.

[andy]

I had some some perfume bottles that were close too, and that idea had crossed my mind as well. But I could find a match for the perfume bottle when I looked for them, but there are literally millions of them.

[Art Deckard]

I'm kind of leaning towards the JW bottle being a found item. It does make sense that a prop buyer grabbed an unusual-looking commemorative or limited edition whisky (or whatever) bottle. When I was hunting down the pics of Sisko drinking from the CIBI glass in DS9, I found that 'Saurian Brandy' containers (you can see them in Quarks bar) are rejigged 'Dickel' Whisky bottles.

[Art Deckard]

Back to the Vodka bottle and to clarify my own confused earlier post.

Smirnoffs USA distributers issued Smirnoff De Czar Special reserve in 1980 in the US and it was later discontinued in 1982 due to poor sales.

This 1980 - 82 bottle IS the bottle featured in BR and its a replica of a pre Russian Revolution design which, as the label around the neck states, was authenticated by Christies.

And Nick is correct there was one on Ebay and the auction ended with no bids and a starting price of $7.99!

[BeastMaster]

"I also asked abouot there being a badge in the wallet. He said he is 95% sure there was no badge in the wallet. Only an ID card photos and various other cards, but no badge. Pretty much what Tom Southwell had told me."

Ah yes, thats what I thought at the very begining For all we know they could have just used existing currency for the money too.

Anyway, isn't there two versions of the JW bottle in the movie? a large and smaller one?

[Once-bitten]

I don't know about there being a size difference in the JW Bottles Beast, perhaps you are thinking of all those that don't have labels?

Anyway, other than the "HERO" Bottles,i.e.-those shown close-up or in someones hand that had to be glass, the duplicates that appear in various scenes look to be plastic.
Anyone have info to the contrary?

[SSB]

As an affordable alternative, "Xango" bottles are similar-looking.


-Mike

[Art Deckard]

Some 'Ching Dow' related images for you.











And the Russian Smirnoff site seem to be selling this look alike:

[SSB]

This pic seems to show the smooth area where the large label was removed:




-Mike

[Phil]

Hi, don't mean to derail, but that pic above - Ford isn't wearing that shirt or that tie in the "tell him I'm eating" scene in the film, so I'm wondering what that shot is from. Is it a deleted scene?

[andy]

It could be the scene were he is supposed to first think of the fish scale. It was in the script and storyboards and seemes to have been filmed. Parts of it may have been mixed into the first noodle stand scene too.

[SSB]

I didn't recognize it as one of the common pics from the noodle bar scene. I didn't know about a cut fish scale scene.

It'll probably turn up on the DVDs ...

... I think I found it Google image searching for 'blade runner car' or 'blade runner model'.


-Mike

[repdetect]

Precinct, could you give us the link where this smirnoff vodka is sold please ?
Many thanks

Phil

[IGNITERS]

if thats the clairity of the new copy I cant wait to see the stills that'll come out of this edition ....man thats clear !
_________________
I've seen things ....you people appear to be intrested in ...

[Phil]

That shot isn't in the film...

[IGNITERS]

well I'm sure the film is as goog though ...right ? ,any way ya look at it the bottle info as of late really puts to rest the years of mystery
_________________
I've seen things ....you people appear to be intrested in ...

[SSB]

Big News! - But Probably Not!

So, I was poking around at the US Patent & Trademark Office website ... can't recall exactly why ... but I put 'Smirnoff de Czar' into the trademark search engine & get three hits.

The first two are circa 1978 - no surprise there. Smirnoff staked it's claim very early in the game, well before the public roll-out. Those two claims are now 'dead' - trademarks expire after a certain period unless they are in use, and the product hasn't been in production for over twenty years.

But then there's this one:

http://tarr.uspto.gov/servlet/tarr?regser=serial&entry=77319155

Filed November 1, 2007.

....

I sent an email off to Smirnoff (now owned by Diageo) asking if the new trademark application means they plan to re-release "de Czar". I've waited 48 hours, I ain't heard nothing, and I feel like talking.

Here's what I think happened: All That Blade Runner breaks the news about the bottle October 30th. Diageo is flooded with emails regarding "de Czar". They get curious, and send a lawyer or two out to re-assert their claim on the name & prevent any enterprising individuals from creating knock-offs.

Incidentally, I also searched the patent database for terms like 'Smirnoff' and 'glass' or 'container' or 'bottle' – no dice. I was hoping there might have been a design patent on the bottle shape.

... I'd like to propose a toast – to dead ends!


-Mike

[Once-bitten]

I'd have to say that congrats are in order Mike!
Wow, very resourceful of you AND you turned up info concerning a possible future run of the bottle!
Nice work if you ask me...

Diageo also appears on the back label of Johnny Walker...Hmmmmm.

[moogybaby]

Interesting eBay auction.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Smirnoff-de-Czar-Vodka-Bottle-Art-Photo-1981-Ad_W0QQitemZ130090712597QQihZ003QQcategoryZ37838QQcmdZViewItem

Apparently, the Smirnoff de Czar bottles were available in mini-bottles as well, presumably for airlines and cheapskates.

[Once-bitten]

That's a good ad...I bought it from another vendor about a month ago.
There was also a miniature de Czar bottle up for sale earlier...but I didn't want to pay $30.00 bucks for it! It didn't sell...