Quantum Mechanix (QMx) put us on notice that their new license by way of NBC-Universal will lead to reproducing a complete line of replicas from SYFY’s hit show Warehouse 13. Warehouse 13 follows two Secret Service Agents that specialize in the retrieval and safe storage of supernatural objects.  Fans of the show know that it features great steampunk-inspired designs and is a prop collector's d... more.

Boba Fett is hard.  Many try to recreate these pieces and many fall short.  When Boba Fett first walked on set in 1979, jaws hit the floor and paralyzed shooting for the moment.  It is a long hard road to replicate that magic, but no matter how close we can come with a helmet piece, there will always be goods and others on which to evaluate how close it comes to the original. The Boba Fett Hel... more.

"Only watch your step. This place can be a little rough." Even before the Master Replicas Boba Fett helmet made its debut, the helmet was a prime recasting target. There is enough to be said for these recasts that they get their own mention here – an adjunct to the series kick-off Master Replicas helmet review. The goods and others won't be detailed as in previous reviews because, while ther... more.

"I'm out of it for a little while, and everybody gets delusions of grandeur."  The Fettpride Helmet, or "FPH" is a cast that was exclusively offered on thedentedhelmet forum pages.  It is said to be a collaborative group effort, but was constructed and sold by site member "Fettpride" in mid-late 2007 until the molds passed to another member in late 2009.  The helmet came after a succession of p... more.

"This bounty hunter is my kind of scum.  Fearless and inventive."  After a few years without any new fan-made sculpts entering the market, the Terminal Fettler, or "TF" became available in 2006.  The TF was constructed solely in the UK from the dome basics of a Bell BMX bike helmet, card stock, and automotive body filler with some basic proportions of Mystery helmets in mind.  A limited run wa... more.

"You came in that?  You're braver than I thought."  Other than their limited run of Deluxe helmets, Don Post Studios offered a lower end line of helmets from 1995 to 1997.  Over the years, their prices have ranged from $50 to $100 on both the primary and secondary markets.  Some resellers still have remaining stock of these helmets in 2010.  Now they have stabilized around $50 for the standar... more.

"And I thought they smelled bad...on the outside."  Unfortunately, this helmet is real.  Created along with a line of Star Wars helmets in Australia, it was still being marketed as a high-end prop replica around the turn of the century.  Some still consider it a "vintage Star Wars collectible" since it was licensed in 1997, and that is the driving force behind its present market value which is ... more.

A few snapshots I took of the Black Beauty last year at San Diego Comic Con. I'm unsure of how this film will be received, but I'm liking the props already. Enjoy! Photos: Lee Malone - The Motion Picture Prop Company ... more.

In just a little over a month, the MPPC will be heading back to San Diego for the 41st annual Comic-Con.  2010 marks our fourth consecutive visit and it is shaping up to be our biggest.  This year we will have a table and invite everyone to stop by.  Right now, all memberships for Comic Con are sold out.  If you are missing out on this year’s festivities, do not worry.   We will be bringin... more.

"That's no moon.  It's a space station."  On the heels of the Movie-Sized Helmet revelation in helmet scale, the "MLC" 1 and 2 were sculpted in the Philippines circa 2003-2004.  Labeled after their sculptor's forum user name, they are generally perceived as the largest of fan-made casts.  These helmets were sold for a few years, but weren't as popular in the face of fierce competition from oth... more.

"That's impossible, even for a computer."  The Movie Sized Helmet, or MSH, came to us by way of Scotland, where its creator lives and works.  The summer of 2002 was a dark time for Fett helmet replicas where the likes of Don Post Studios and Altmann's still trolled the valleys looking for souls to steal.  The real Boba Fett was somewhere else.  Disposable income was finally burning a hole in t... more.

Not so long ago, in a coliseum close, close by...  I had the opportunity to see Star Wars: In Concert. When I first heard of the event, I thought it was nothing more than a live orchestra playing Star Wars theme music. Certainly not a bad idea, but not something I absolutely needed to see. Little more than a week or two before the event, my wife heard an ad for it on the radio stating more dates ... more.

Today, the Review Series takes a turn off the Mystery helmet path and visits a UK-based helmet that has been around for almost as long.  The Mystery line is itself a line of recasts, so it shouldn't be overly surprising that this is a modified recast of those recasts.  However, statements like that tend to send the internet forum markets for these things into a tizzy.  Therefore I should rem... more.

Recently, the 2010 Chino Airshow in southern California was host to a unique static display amongst the many "planes of fame" already there.  It was none other than one of two aircraft originally built for the production of "The Blue Max" from 1966.  It also flew in 1971's "Von Richthofen and Brown."  A flying replica of the first Fokker Dr.1 triplane, this one served in the roles of authentic ... more.

Welcome to the pre-digital age!  In the late 90’s prop collecting had not really hit the mainstream yet.  There were still loads of costumes, props, vehicles, and costumes that the studios had no idea what to do with other than store them.  Enter, the amusement park center of the world, Florida.  What better place to showcase the artistry of the movies and, at the same time, promote new stud... more.

Don Post Studios was the first licensee for wearable Star Wars helmets when the original trilogy was fresh in theaters, and their role with these helmets reached as far as the late '90s.  Beyond the standard low-end costuming Boba Fett helmets, DP Studios made a smaller number of "Deluxe" edition helmets to satisfy the developing high-end Star Wars collectible audience.  They were lauded as bein... more.

The next stop on the MPPC's Boba Fett helmet review train will cover a helmet that is related to an actual ILM helmet from 1978.  While the cast has a clouded past, its characteristics are clear enough to determine its place in the lineage of the bounty hunter's helmet. The "Mystery" Helmet "It's something...elsewhere. Elusive."  In this second part of an ongoing no-holds-barred series, I ... more.

Monsters, what film fan doesn't love monsters? They have scared and fascinated us all our whole life. Brian Steele is one guy who loves these monsters more than most of us. The MPPC had a chance to speak with Brian "Creatureboy" Steele, the guy who brings these monsters to life. The MPPC's Wes Jackson: The obvious first question, how did you end up in a job being covered in prosthetics or stepp... more.

In September of 2009 ANOVOS Productions made their presence known on the web announcing their forthcoming licensed lines of Star Trek and Battlestar Galactica uniform reproductions.  Their site promised a foundation built on meticulous research and original construction. Since this official announcement we have been following ANOVOS on their Facebook page where they have kept fans and collecto... more.

For a long time I've wanted to see an editorial review of the various Boba Fett helmet casts that float around the replica prop culture.  Besides, who can't use a little more Fett in their day here at The MPPC?  Licensed or otherwise, I'll note the distinctions among helmets that have lineage to the original ILM helmets as well as those helmets which were created by fans to satisfy t... more.

What happens when a Prop Master needs that one-of-a-kind special item or even an army of fx rifles fast? They contact Rick Gamez at Rick's Custom Props. With over 25 years of prop building experience, he has the knowledge and the tools to get the job done.  Rick took a few minutes to talk with The MPPC about past and present props. TheMPPC's Wes Jackson: So give everyone the run down on how yo... more.

Sometimes it's the little things that drive you crazy. We have a scene in the film where the Predators set up a net trap to catch our heroes as they walk through the jungle. The net had to be large enough to capture two people, and ended up being 20' x 20'. The net had to look alien, had to be strong enough to capture the people, yet soft enough to not hurt the actors. The net was made by who I t... more.

Well, I figured I would be writing up my auction wrap-up and we would close the book on this chapter of prop auctions for good. Unfortunately, that is not to be the case. Before we cover the day's events, I think it’s important to note I only bid on a few items only to be shot down on every item. This reporter sadly returned home with a heavy wallet and no new props to add to the collection. Le... more.

As readers of TheMPPC.com know, this weekend is the inaugural C2E2 convention in Chicago. As the doors open on this event fans are greeted by Propworx’s display of items available in this Sunday's Iron Man Auction. The layout of the props and costumes is extremely well thought out and really provides the fans an opportunity to get close views of some of the film's most iconic pieces. Personal... more.

Considering a long list of film highlights that span over thirty years, the MPPC takes a moment to gain insight with Ellen Mirojnick on how wardrobe design comes together on set. . TheMPPC’s Wes Jackson: I understand your Father worked for a garment company. Is that what inspired you to pursue clothing design as a profession? Ellen: I resisted becoming a designer when I was young.... more.

The Orange County Regional History Center is currently hosting the traveling Out of this World: Extraordinary Costumes from Film and Television exhibit.  The traveling exhibition is arranged through the Experience Music Project/Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame based out of Seattle, Washington and primarily includes the personal collection pieces of the Paul G. Allen family. Out of this Wo... more.

The MPPC recently sat down with scratch model builder Guillermo Rojas Bazan to get to the bottom of what historically accurate scale model building is all about. For decades, models and miniatures have made impossible shots happen on screen.  Real life and fictional subjects could be miniaturized with relative accuracy and materialize on film as reality.  However, the skills and experience of b... more.

While we here at The MPPC enjoy all aspects of a motion picture, it's the crew behind the scenes that we tend to appreciate the most.  The acting or directing could be mediocre, but if the props or effects are good, we are happy campers.  Prop collecting and prop building is our hobby and for some, our passion.  We had the honor of chatting with a personal favorite crew member, Prop Master... more.

The Golden Closet has teamed up with The Prop Store of London and several other organizations and individuals within the motion picture industry to create a collection of rare entertainment memorabilia to be offered to collectors through eBay’s Giving Works program beginning on Sunday, Feb. 14 and ending on Sunday Feb. 21, 2010. All featured items are being offered with a starting bid of only $... more.

Named after SONY founder Akio Morita, the Morita smart rifle from Starship Troopers (1997) is rapidly becoming one of science fiction filmdom’s iconic weapons. Not since the pulse rifle from Aliens (1986) has a blank-firing prop made such an impact on fans. The signature: star-flame bursts spewing seemingly limitless ammunition at the hordes of arachnids, laying waste to several planetoids in th... more.

In the old days, when someone said they were making a movie in Brownsburg, Indiana, or Valdosta, Georgia, they would have been called “a bunch of hacks.” So says longtime special makeup effects man Toby Sells. But the rise of independent films has literally “changed the way the industry works.” Sells, who runs Atlanta-based effects shop Toby Sells Creature Makeup FX now calls his hometow... more.

“That’s it man! Game over, man. Game over!” It’s Private Hudson’s most memorable line in 1986 film Aliens, directed by James Cameron. While, it may be a line Bill Paxton (the actor who plays Hudson) may want to forget, The MPPC’s Steve Radler set out to remember Hudson in a very special way. Many say Aliens delivered some of the greatest costume, props, and set design in movie histor... more.

At a sneak peak of Tim Burton’s new adaptation of Alice in Wonderland, Comic-Con attendees got an eyeful of stunning and surreal footage from the film and a surprise visit from the Mad Hatter himself, Johnny Depp. Depp said about five words before ducking back behind the curtain, but the crowd stayed on its feet long after. How do you top Johnny Depp? With a trip to the real Wonderland — in a... more.

Long the “Pavlov’s bell” to the dogs of steampunk, Dr. Grordbort’s Infallible Aether Oscillators—a.k.a.rayguns—have caused salivation among collectors and admirers since the line began in 2006. Marketed by Weta Collectibles, the Victorian-inspired line of sci-fi weaponry have been released in very limited editions with rather aetheric price tags attached. At least they have until now. ... more.

The Golden Closet was founded by Breanna Livie in 1998 and has become a leader in the marketing and sales of motion picture and television wardrobe and props. Livie’s family has been involved in the motion picture industry for three generations. Her grandfather, Charles James, began work as a motion picture costumer back in the 1950s, and in 1978 he and Breanna’s father, James Livie, establish... more.

In Sculpting a Galaxy, model-making guru Lorne Peterson explains the secrets to his trade.  The MPPC sat down with Peterson to talk about the book.  Of course, we also couldn’t help asking him what it was like working with a legend like George Lucas. The MPPC's Lee Malone: Can you tell us a little bit about Sculpting a Galaxy?  Did you come up with the idea yourself? Lorne: Within the mo... more.

The 2008 San Diego Comic-Con featured a suit from Marvel Studios’ Iron Man . The verdict from prop-collecting industry was undecided. Some thought it was a static display while others were convinced it was a screen-used suit. With the varying opinions in mind, we moved in for a closer look. The Iron Man Suit, brought to you by the MPPC: The suit is dark, especially under low light. In the mor... more.

Boba Fett's helmet. A holy grail for so many prop enthusiasts. The crusade to capture the original screen-used piece from The Empire Strikes Back, or even one from Fett’s final appearance in The Return of the Jedi, will endure for years to come. But until we raid and loot George Lucas’ fortress at Skywalker Ranch, we’ll have to be satisfied with the next best thing: as faithful a replica of... more.

It was after work — I remember it well. I turned on my computer and began the routine of winding down my day, reading email, and surfing the web before dinner. I clicked through to delete some spam, and then I noticed one email in particular. It was a question from Master Replicas.  They wanted to know if I knew of anyone who could paint a Boba Fett helmet. I saw the opportunity flash in front ... more.