228
votes
Accepted
Why does Watney’s notebook in The Martian have four holes?
I've reached out to the film's Prop Master and the film's Senior Graphics Artist who both kindly responded to my (more than slightly odd) email.
I assume they won't mind my quoting verbatim.
I don't ...
- 667k
164
votes
Accepted
What is this painting on the Enterprise showing?
Here's a better capture of the context from "The Best of Both Worlds Pt I". In the capture, Riker is presenting the quarters to Shelby for the first time.
PICARD: Number One, why don't you ...
- 59.3k
87
votes
Accepted
How was Luke's prosthetic hand in Episode V filmed?
You can see the original prop here. Note that the metal collar has slipped down slightly.
The actor would sit under the table and reach up through a hole, then place their hand flat onto the table. ...
- 667k
82
votes
Accepted
Were McCoy's medical instruments Swedish salt shakers?
Yes, they were.
The following excerpt from an article quotes Gene Roddenberry himself (via the authoritative book The Making of Star Trek) as saying:
[Feinberg] went out and bought a selection of ...
- 110k
82
votes
Which ship has the most prolific "recurring" role in Star Trek?
The 'Nebula-Class' USS Leeds appears in no fewer than 104 episodes of DS9.
- 667k
56
votes
How was Luke's prosthetic hand in Episode V filmed?
If you look closely at the slope of the back of Mark Hamill's hand, you can see that it seems to turn a bit more toward the vertical as it approaches the metal clamp on his wrist. In fact, Hamill is ...
- 94.8k
55
votes
Which ship has the most prolific "recurring" role in Star Trek?
The USS Stargazer appears in at least 150 episodes of The Next Generation.
According to this interview with Rich Sternbach (a designer on TNG and co-author of the TNG Technical Manual), the model is ...
- 110k
51
votes
Which ship has the most prolific "recurring" role in Star Trek?
Here's a list of starships I recall being mentioned a lot, plus other people's suggestions, and how many times they appear in the transcripts.
USS Stargazer: 10
IKS Rotarran: 9 (Memory Alpha says 13, ...
- 13.5k
47
votes
Accepted
What is the prop for Thor's hammer (Mjölnir) made of?
There's an interview of Russell Bobbitt, Hollywood prop master, about that in this Screenrant article. There are actually several props, depending on the nature of the scene it's in. Rubber, ...
- 55.5k
47
votes
Accepted
Was the Batman statue in "Shazam!" a real piece of merch, or just a movie prop?
This appears to be a Big-Figs Colossal DC Universe Batman 48.5″ Gotham Guardian Action Figure with Bat Signal Light
- 667k
44
votes
Accepted
What was the gaudily coloured equipment on the Enterprise's corridor walls in ST:TOS?
They seem to be called "wall plant-ons". Christies had at least one for sale a few years back, which you can look at here.
According to the auction blurb, they're bits of wood that have been ...
- 7,369
35
votes
Which ship has the most prolific "recurring" role in Star Trek?
My guess would be the IKS Rotarran. According Memory Alpha it has 13 appearances in DS9 Episodes.
(DS9 Season 5)
"Soldiers of the Empire"
"Call to Arms"
(DS9 Season 6)
"A Time to Stand"
...
- 2,987
33
votes
Accepted
Where is the Whomobile now?
Privately owned by a man named Paul Buckland
According to a 2005 BBC article, it was sold at auction in the 80s:
So, what happened to the car? Well, it wasn't ever the property of the Beeb - the ...
- 162k
31
votes
Accepted
Is the mosquito in amber inspired by a real object?
Your friend was perhaps thinking of The Amber Time Machine, a documentary that David presented, many years later, which did indeed talk about the creatures preserved in a block of amber he owned.
In ...
- 62.8k
29
votes
Accepted
Where is this painting from the Enterprise now?
The painting is a reproduction. The original was sold at a convention before TNG aired.
I found this out by asking Rick Sternbach directly, via his professional web site.
In my email to him:
I'm ...
- 110k
21
votes
What the heck is Captain Styles carrying around with him?
I think you are close with your idea of a riding crop. From his attitude and context of military command I am pretty sure it is meant to be a swagger stick. In this case of the riding crop variation. ...
- 24.5k
21
votes
What is the manufacturer/brand of the glass that Dr. Crusher breaks?
My good friend Alan Sims (Props Master for TNG) advises me via email that while he can't recall the specific glass used, given that it was used in a scene where it broke, it was almost certainly ...
- 667k
20
votes
Why does Watney’s notebook in The Martian have four holes?
The Martian was filmed in Hungary and Microsoft lists A4 as the default paper size for that country in its applications adding weight to the suggestion that it was just cheap to go and buy some ...
- 201
19
votes
Accepted
Is there any significance to the licence plates on the Ford Anglia?
Yes (for some of them)
Seven is, of course, the most powerful magical number, and heavily associated with the Harry Potter books (of which, for example, there are seven). As such, 777 may be fairly ...
- 114k
17
votes
Accepted
Where did they get the children's artwork used for Captain Picard Day?
According to the Star Trek TNG Companion, the artwork was sourced from two local schools and Alan Sims' children.
Contest winner Paul Menegay was named for a friend of Brannon
Braga’s, although ...
- 667k
16
votes
Accepted
What style of chair are Morpheus and Neo using?
This style of chair is called a Chesterfield Wingback Armchair.
Here is one on Ebay with a footstool.
- 114k
16
votes
Who designed the Emperor's chair from "Return of the Jedi"?
The design of the throne was definitely a group effort. The Return of the Jedi Sketchbook shows a selection of concept drawings for the throne room on the Death Star, including an interesting example ...
- 94.8k
15
votes
Why is the Westeros map rotated?
I suspect it's because this is the sort of map meant for making military plans. Note the pieces (I think they are simply stones painted with symbols). These would be meant to be moved around the map ...
- 6,174
15
votes
Was Sam Carter's fancy flip phone an existing model, or based on one?
Propworx sold the (screen-used) phone in an auction.
Carter's Cell Phone:
Cell phone used by actress Amanda Tapping as 'Samantha Carter' in
Season 8 episode SG-1, 'Covenant'."
Silver and red ...
- 251
15
votes
Which ship has the most prolific "recurring" role in Star Trek?
Another strong contender is Chakotay's Maquis ship, the Val Jean. Oddly enough, it's name is never spoken (making transcript searches much more difficult!), but it is seen on a computer screen in one ...
- 306
15
votes
Are there any designs for Sulu's rising targeting scanner prop from Star Trek: The Original Series?
These aren't exactly what you're looking for but they might help.
First up we've got a series of close-up photos of the replica targeting scanner built for the TNG episode "Relics", which ...
- 8,328
14
votes
Accepted
What was it that Emilia Clarke (Daenerys) was really eating in "A Golden Crown" (S01E06 )
It was made of a gummy bear-like material:
Around 1:50
GoT wiki:
According to actress Emilia Clarke (Daenerys), the prop she used for
the stallion's heart was ...
- 6,540
14
votes
What happened to the prop ships and monoliths used in 2001: A Space Odyssey?
At least some of the props did survive, and they can be seen in a Stanley Kubrick exhibition that's been touring the world for 13 years.
According to its web site, the exhibition is currently in ...
- 10.2k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible