10 Best Prop List

[racprops]

OK lest do our own 10 best:

Consider how iconic these props have become...
And the impact they had on future productions:


Nominated:

MIB: Flashy Things, Noisy Cricket NEW ideas, both, a mind eraser and a too tiny to be real super gun...

Star Trek: Classic Phaser and Communicator and Tricorder, THE Classic ray gun totally new and interesting, the com..cell phones need I say more, and the Tricorder, which nearly every Sci-Fi show after had to have something like it, and we are even working on making them real too.

Forbidden Planet: DR pistol or a simple Blaster...Rifles..
Again a real new ray gun one without a metal barrel one that seem real as a ray gun.

Logan's Run: Gun and Follower
Weak here, flames were nice and the follow is like a tricorder...

Star Wars: Blasters, I like how real a heavy weapon was handled and seen...that is it they seem real..well the were and even fired blanks..

I like the Blade Runner Blaster, but it is a real gun (SW) with added (sorry) Junk on it to bulk it up and make it look different that real guns. A trend we see all over the place, Starship Troopers even made a nice compact Bullpup Rifle into a overwhelming Long Gun..what a waste.. (In a fight in tight quarters give me a short BullPup rifle..)

These are the trend setters in my mind, they set the mold and caused
changes in what we saw as props following their use.

Rich
_________________
I never have enough time to do all I want to do!

[BeastMaster]

Judge Dredd Lawgiver 2 (1995) for me
_________________
"F*ck it, it's just a movie. Let him worry about it" Harrison Ford

[racprops]

Good one, talking settings and voice command Rounds...
_________________
I never have enough time to do all I want to do!

[joberg]

Well, there wasn't that much "close quarters" battles in Starship Troopers...I think the motto was: big bugs = big guns .

Forbidden Planet was the "run of the mill" kinda ray-gun seen in many mags and comics before (Flash Gordon) and after.

Star Trek was a little different with the "ray-guns" and the Tricorder for sure.

Blade Runner: well, now I'm going to be biased and it's not going to be a good, transparent critique ...so I will not do it.

Logan's Run...what's the word for that gun...oh yes, flashy

StarWars was kinda fun, while trying to dress some of the guns into something not too recognizable, some were so not dressed, it kinda stop me for an instant yelling at the screen: " Hey, 1914 English machine gun"

Don't forget the Pulse rifle; now that's made for close quarters and big bugs.

[racprops]

[amish]

Blade Runner
Firefly
New BSG both guns
Star Wars Han, Luke esb, and storm trooper blaster,
V Pistol
Equilibrium pistol
TOS phaser And pistol
Original BSG
Pulse rifle

That's all I can think of for now, I think everyone has the right idea. Sorry couldn't type more on my phone.

Tom

Edit, I know it's amine, but the Captain Harlock pistol is one of my favorites.
_________________
www.propsummit.com
www.bladerunnerprops.com

[racprops]

I hope many will not think I am biting the hand that feeds me.

But the Blade Runner Blaster is not a fantastic design; it is just a bunch of parts stuck together.

Part of its fascination was all the years we spent trying to figure it out and our joy when we did uncover a few more details of it.

And I would say it is the great movie that made it a great prop not a great prop in a movie.

Just to clear that up.

Rich

PS I also like the Comos Blaster
_________________
I never have enough time to do all I want to do!

[Ozwepaie]

Is it a "prop" list? or blaster list??
Because If it's props in general ? The Lightsaber is hands down the
coolest thing anybody ever thought up. IMO.

And I have to differ w/ Mr. Rich on the BRB. The movie took place here
on Earth. So I see the gun as a plausible weapon of the future.
1/2 the guns in all sci fi are existing guns, w/ goodies attached. It's just
a matter of how creative one is. And in the case of the BRB. It's pretty
creative and wicked cool! It just looks tough. & the lights really added a
future feel. The bolt could believably be a way of chambering a round?
So their is no mistaking what it is.
In the world of movie guns, it's top notch!! Unique, elegant, intimidating,
and features that spark the imagination.

My list of prop "blasters"..
Stormtrooper E-11
Blade Runner
Robo Cop
Han's ROTJ DL-44
That badass shotgun in Looper
The Black Hole (lasers on top & bottom)
Vintage Trek phaser
New BSG season 1
The bad guy commander in Avatar
..and I do love the Noisy Cricket LoL.
_________________
Que la Force soit avec toi

[racprops]

One of the things that crank my fanny is silly things done on a sci-fi prop:

Phasers with 10X the fire power of say a 357 with NO TRIGGER GUARD..

Weapons with silly junk added just to dress it up, as much as the cocking lever on the Blade Runner Blaster is iconic, it does not compute, it does not work, all the detailing on the classic Battlestar Galatica, way over done, Lost in Space, the laser pistols had either three sights or none at all.

Lights!! OK you’re operating in the night, in the dark, other than a flash light to light up the bad guys do you really want to be running around all LIT Up?? And in the far future I would think night vision glasses would be standard, so drop the HERE I AM FLASHLIGHTS…

Weapons controls that take two hands: Any real gun in service now adays can be operated with one hand: your gun hand, you draw, clear the safety, activate the laser sight and fire with your gun hand.

Granted you need two hands to load a round into the camber, but in combat you would carry it preloaded and ready to go.

As for the Light Saber I agree and yes if I listed the Flashy Thing then a light saber is allowed.

And welcome.

Rich
_________________
I never have enough time to do all I want to do!

[joberg]

I can understand our fascination with movie guns...but I think that we tend to forget one major thing: it's a movie...and as such, we cannot equate real life and what's going on in a film.

I LOVE how the Millenium Falcon growl toward/away from the screen, but in real space, that ain't goin' to happen no oxygen, no sound, nothing just the emptiness of space.

Rich mentioned real combat/real guns but you know that Hollywood love their gun to flash big time. Did you see the amount of freakin' flame coming out of these babies Wow, way to say " Yo, I'm here!"

Not even a 50cal sniper rifle will do that: nothing out of that barrel Gentlemen.

So, let's put everything into perspective: it's a movie gun list, not a real gun/real life list

[racprops]

Good points.

I find some things that will kick me out of a movie: A 6 shooter that have 9 or more shots, an automatic that locks back open of an empty chamber…Good points.

I find some things that will kick me out of a movie: A 6 shooter that have 9 or more shots..hard to forgive…an automatic that locks back open of an empty chamber…and a second later is firing again with no reloading...hard to forgive

Totally dump plot points…I believe a hero can only get ONE lucky break.

Sci-Fi has had the problem of be taken as serious storytelling, and it is hard to overcome.

A serious story needs to not be undermined by dumb props, I am suggesting propmakers try to “Keep it Real”

Films like MIB: being funny and spoofy need not worry about the “Keep it Real” test.

Some things like sound in space, we need to make it watchable…people running around in space without space suits we don’t need.

My 2 cents worth..

Epson introduces new home theater projectors once a year...so around thanksgiving, 2013 the successor to the 3020 will be available.
_________________
I never have enough time to do all I want to do!

[Bwood]

I always found the BRB intriguing. The bolt action and double triggers on a handgun was much more than just greebly overload. Having that much power in your hand was, and still is, impressive. I thought of it as an over/under configuration with the bolt action section available for when all else fails….

[Ozwepaie]

I'm starting to get the feeling that all those years of making BRB's.
Has you disenchanted? lOl
When I want to be entertained by imposable explosions in space.
I watch stuff like Star Wars.
And I'd never compare the story & dramatic quality to say..
The Shawshank Redemption.
I do think Blade Runner is a great film, w/ a message that has been
copied many times since. (I Robot, T2, etc.)

In a fantasy, I want just that. If Han Solo had a plain ol' Colt 1911?
Where is the fun in that?
_________________
Que la Force soit avec toi

[racprops]

There are two sides of me…the fan and the critic.

I watch IRON SKY on net flex and have problems with the lack of real space suits on the Nazis…what they have would not hold pressure for a second…
But as the film is so tough in cheek I let it slide, sad though as they did such a bang up job on the special effects…(Still bugs me…)

I found that Babylon 5 to be the best written and done sci-fi show ever, shame they cannot go back in and fix up the CGI Effects which are sadly lacking now a days.
BUT Stories and character growth and change are some of the best… it is our “War and Peace” .

Star Trek had something to say much like twilight Zone…issues of our days were done in sci-fi stories. Things the censors would not allow them to say.

Star trek also portrayed many of the classic Sci-Fi themes as well.

So I often step back and see the imprecations..

Close Encounters, a bunch of hot rod aliens ripping people’s lives apart FOR NOTHING, 50+ years THEY cannot learn any English?? Why kidnap anyone??

Blade Runner: our hero only kills two girls….

Star Wars: a Grime’s fairly tail…

Forbidden Planet: a warning about absolute power

War of the Worlds: watch out for germ warfare

It is hard for Sci-fi to deal with really deep issues…it often comes off corny..


At the same time I can get into a good film...

I just don't invite any of my stiff friends...come to think of it I have no stiff friends...
_________________
I never have enough time to do all I want to do!

[joberg]

That was the critic in you Rich, but what about the guns

I think it would be great to debate the Sci-Fi genre and the myriad of movies that were made over the years and what they told us or what they copied from other movies and transposed into the Sci-Fi genres.

Btw, I forgot the Auto-9 from Robocop...sorry about that folks, I think that that gun kicks serious behinds!

[racprops]

True I got off the tracks...

Rich
_________________
I never have enough time to do all I want to do!

[Ozwepaie]

B.O.T.
I'm working on my top 10 sci-fi "prop" list.

....and Rich, the BRB will still be on it
_________________
Que la Force soit avec toi

[racprops]

It is on mine too...

Rich
_________________
I never have enough time to do all I want to do!

[Ozwepaie]

[racprops]

It is like owning a old car..you can see its flaws but still love to drive it.

Rich
_________________
I never have enough time to do all I want to do!