A question about the 1977 Luke from Kenner

Why in the world was his lightsaber yellow!!!!!!!!!!!

 

All to do with the early special effects during the era of the first film in 1977, if you look at the saber when luke is handed his fathers lightsaber and onboard the falcon in the original version (without any editing at all) thats what you will see so odviously kenner used that colour.

 

Luke's lightsaber is almost white in the film, not yellow.

 

Here's another question. Why did the Bespin Luke from the ESB line of three years later come with a yellow saber? Surely by then they knew it was blue. Plus, the role play "The Force" lightsaber meant to be Luke's from that same year (1980) was yellow as well.

I may be wrong, but I think the vintage 12" Obi-Wan came with a yellow saber, and the vintage Obi-Wan 3 3/4 figure had a picture of Obi wielding a yellow saber, even though he came with a blue movie accurate version. Plus, the 12" Luke doll came with an accurate blue lightsaber. Wacky Kenner!

 

I suppose the closest to using white was yellow, you have to remember the era and the fact kenner did not have the money to throw around like hasbro do nowadays cause a simple lightsaber cost alot of money to produce which is why they ditched the double telescopic lightsaber.

 

Thanks for the answers everybody.

Now here is my second question; Why was the Bespin Luke's Lightsaber yellow if obviously his lightsaber was blue by that time?

Thanks for the idea JUKE

 

Well the saber change was all down to the fact the telescopic ones had a tendancy to snap off so they approached the whole lightsaber differently for the newly sculpted figures of esb and rotj.
As for the reason why you still got a yellow saber is cause we are talking late 70's still, you notice in alot of the kenner toys they were kept in the dark and had to sort of use their imagination like yoda for example with the different colour snakes, the mini rigs, greedo with a all green torso and no painted orange jacket, I sort of respect kenner for using their imagination on alot of cool things. If you realise throughout the rotj figures and potf they were starting to get more accurate and good at sculpting figures like amanaman and even seeing the pictures of the unproduced gargan it was impressive stuff for that time.

 

Thats realy true I myself own a mini rig or two, you also forgot to mention the Imperial Troop Transport. But still come on if you think about it for RTOJ they finaly gave Luke a blue lightsaber it was changed to green in the movie. While on the subject of unproduced toys have you ever seen the Rebel Blocade Runner?

 

My guess is that kids back then really didn't care (I know I didn't) so they didn't think to make sure they were the right color or even that the figs looked anything like the real actors... they were toys ment to be played with not sat on a shelf and looked at and have every inch studied for accuracy.

 

I have seen the unproduced rebel blockade runner model that was made yes, its in a folder containing other concept drawings and photos of ideas kenner had come up with.

I was bought up in the 80's more or less and I did care about my toys, like many other children I wanted to play out scenes from films or tv series which is how it should have been. I think its the kids of this day and age that do not care as not once I have seen anyone play with any action figures or vehicles which is why in hasbro Q&A you see people asking about playsets and they just will not simply do them as kids seem to be interested more in video games, I am also seeing more detailed sculpts and paintjobs along with more super articulation which is all very nice but I can say the star wars line is turning more into a collectable thing more than actual playable toys themselves.

 

Wow thanks both of you did hit the nail on the head. The Kenner toys did seem to be more playable than the Hasbro toys of today. Still I have seen some 1977 Lukes with a Ben lightsaber in his arm it seems that some people are concerned with accuacy back before Hasbro.

 

The first teaser trailer for Return of the Jedi (Then called Revenge of the Jedi) shows Luke aboard Jabba's sail barge and his lightsaber is blue (You can watch this trailer on the bonus disc of the 2004 DVD release). I don't know if Lucas changed his mind late in the game or just wanted to surprise people. Either way, I bet that's why some of the ROTJ Luke figures had a blue lightsaber. The one I had as a kid came with a blue one, and I think that it is slightly rarer than the accurate green variation.

The Steve Sansweet book Star Wars: From concept to screen to collectible has some pics of unproduced SW toys in it. I specifically remember A line of Princess Leia dolls. You might be able to find it through your local library system. I seem to remember a pic of a mock-up of the Blockade runner, but that may have been a movie prop .

 

The reason Luke has a green lightsaber in ROJ, is because the color green showed up on film better than the blue did.

 

I might be wrong here, but I recall the 1977 vintage Kenner Darth Vader figure having an ORANGE lightsaber.

I guess the Kenner boys had most of the lightsaber colors wrong except for Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi.

 

I grew up with the original toys and to answer a question from earlier, NO we didn't care. Half the time, we lost the lightsabers after about 2 days and just played with them. Now the original 1977 Luke stayed for a little while longer. Darth Vader hung around for a while too.

 

Amen to that. How many of YOU guys used a wooden, colored toothpick for a lightsaber in your figures?!

 

Yeah, I did that too!

 

One year at a birthday party the guy's mom gave us all prizes, and I got a game called "pick up stix." For those who aren't familiar with this fascinating test of mental ability, it's a game where you put some plastic sticks in a pile...and try to pick them up. OK, there's more to it than that, but it was so traumatizingly boring that I have repressed the memory. Anyway, the sticks quickly got broken into lightsabers of varying lengths and colors.

By the way, JUKE-- love your blog. Lot's o'laughs and memories. The commentary is kinda like Mystery Science Theater 3000, except without the actual movie or the shadowy narrators or the mad scientists or the robots. Actually, I've always had a soft spot for "Mac and Me." Now that I'm married, and not actively seeking girls, I can admit it. But if you tell anyone I'll still deny it.

 

I just remembered that I use to use those little plastic swords that come with club sandwiches for my He-Man figures.

I thought you were about to say "But without the laughs" It wouldn't be that far off! Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed it. I enjoy writing it

Trust me I won't say a thing... As for me, I gotta keep that hush hush!

 

JUKE that was competely off topic!

Ok, ok now another qustion about ACTION FIGURES, who has a double telecoping Luke, Ben, or Darth?

Just to make this clear I don't have any of them.

 

Boy don't I wish!

 

You can sort of make him out along with the over extended lightsaber but heres a picture of my dt luke going up against ben kenobi on board the death star with the emperor in the back ground. I one day shall get the original earlybird kit with all the figures in their baggies along with the tray and display stand but only when the time is right.
*click on the image to get a better view*
[image=http://images15.fotki.com/v227/free/31951/6/601939/2804263/02112005064-vi.jpg]
As for DT vader I know of one that was sold with a grading of AFA 95 the other week which was a nice example.
Price wise if it was in top condition I should say around $2,000 with a grading of afa 95 loose.
As for a early 12 back carded versions of vader and ben kenobi well I suppose you are talking $15,000 if not more as there are very limited numbers in the world and we are talking less than half a dozen in the world, but then theres the prospect of some more sitting in someones loft or even in a warehouse.

 

WOW! Sombody actualy has one!!!!

Now wouldent it be cool to find one a loft of attic or a warehouse!