Chewbacca Mouth Mechanism

Does anyone know where there are details on how chewbaccas mouth mechanism works? I'm after the mechanism that makes his lips come up when he growls. Any ideas??

 

In '76, it was just a wire that pulled both lips back when Peter opened the mouth.

 

I've seen control mechanisms that worked around squeeze-bulbs, tubes, "balloons", and of course the mask that goes over it all.

First and foremost, the mask must be very flexibly in the mouth area. That will mean that it's going to be somewhat fragile, and prone to wear and aging. The original Chewbacca mask no longer functions.

The squeeze-bulb is pretty self explanatory.

So are the tubes that connect the squeeze-bulbs to the "balloons".



The "balloons" are the wildcards. There are different kinds that create different effects. It kind of depends on what the mask's "neutral state" appears to be:

If the mask looks like it's snarling while in "neutral", you need to make it close and look benign. Probably the easiest way to go.

If the mask looks benign while in "neutral", you need to make it open and snarl. Not as easy as it sounds. It's harder to make something "do" something than it is to release pressure and allow it to go back to it's "neutral" state.



I can give you more detail if you'd like, but honestly, it'll be more wordy than informative.....