Celebrating July 4th with a Prop
On July 4th, it’s not the barbecues and events that fill my mind. I’m thinking more of our Lady Liberty or at least the cool replica they made for the original Planet of the Apes.
Stop! Spoiler Alert for the Original Planet of the Apes
Sticking out from snow works just as good for Lady Liberty. (Photo credit: beautifulcataya)
I’ll never forget when I went to the drive-in to see the movie and being stunned by the revelation that they were already on Earth. When Charlton Heston screamed in agony at the realization, we were squirming along with him. That Lady Liberty scene prop made the movie. (See below clip)
After thinking about how they must have achieved the prop and what materials they used, I ran across an old blog post at the Original Prop Blog. It showed the renovation of Lady Liberty’s head and what was used originally.
The Materials Used for Making Lady Liberty
I was glad to hear I wasn’t too far off base with what I thought I’d use to complete the prop: sculpted Styrofoam and plywood. They also used a painting in part of the scene.
The detailed pictures from the Original Prop Blog show how the head was constructed and renovated. After several inquiries were raised concerning the authenticity of the piece, it was taken off the auction block. Whether it is the original prop or not, it does the job for me.
Setting up the Scene
I think Lady Liberty would make an awesome prop for someone with a beach house. Throw in a male bare-chested mannequin, dressed in animal fur and bending down on his knees. Make him grasp at the sand in torment. What a sweet sight that would be.