ALIEN 1979 Costume Elements - Restoration and Display
ALIEN - 1979
Restoration of these rare pieces and a new, dramatic display
Costume elements from the titular character of the 1979 classic sci-fi film ALIEN are rare indeed. Our client had the better part of a torso, but at the time, they were just elements, stored separately.
They were also in need of some repair and restoration. Our goal was to take these elements, restore them and then create a themed display to give them context and maximize the impact of what he had.
Alone, they were just pieces, but together in a highly detailed and themed display, they are instantly recognizable!
Credits:
Restoration and Display by
Mike Thomas and Tom Spina
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Click to see a video of this project!
Click any of the below for larger images
The costume elements, on arrival - the upper arms had cracks and tears, but the lower arms were in very poor shape (and had been wrapped to hold them together prior to our work)
Additional pieces that had fallen off were shipped to us in a separate bag.
Upon unwrapping this forearm, it was clear we had our work cut out for us!
The completed display!
Puttig the pieces together - A look at how this involved restoration progressed. Similar repairs were made to the right forearm and the upper arms as well.
We created a customized torso form to support these pieces and mounted it to a themed display backing. An acrylic cover was added later.
No detail was spared! The plaque is full color and printed on metal, the faux rusted grating even has "acid alien blood" dripping where it was "burned away"
A close look at the forearm shows our rebuilding work has blended seamlessly with the style and finish of the original costume!
