The Filming Model of "The Nostromo" from 1979s ALIEN at Propstore

[@DecanFrost]

She's a beauty for sure. I've said it time and time again, we NEED a real movie museum! That can professionally take care of these priceless artifacts of movie history. These pieces ending up in private collectors hands, forgotten about and neglected, is a catastrophe!

[@zentran2690]

Yes private collectors always hide them away and let them rot

[@Dragonman1OOO]

@@zentran2690 Or take good care of it as treasures!

[@py1211]

Imagine a place where you can see all the spaceships appeared in sci-fi movies and TV dramas especially those from the 60's to the late 80's.

[@21stcenturyscots]

Would've thought that Ridley-Scott bought it for his kids… Bad father…

[@tpliscon4662]

I've said the same thing now and then. That's something I would contribute to.

[@Theprotomodeler]

These all belong in a museum. We’ve lost so much history in props and models over the decades. The fact that paramount auctioned off all the hero Enterprise models is a shame. The should have been parked next to the original series model in the Smithsonian. But seeing the Nostromo restored and preserved is awesome.

[@chatteyj]

still crazy fox gave it some random guy who left it outside for years, yeah should be in a museum

[@IDMmaster-l2m]

Belongs in London, nowhere else.

[@atlanteum]

@@chatteyj "Some random guy"... really? Bob's entire house was a museum chock full of everything from colossal matte paintings by Chesley Bonestell to TIE Fighters, to the Martian Intelligence from Invaders From Mars, to vintage costumes from the serials, to the freakin' George Pal Time Machine. He already had Jones's carrier, Ash's motion sensor, the cable-actuated Queen Alien miniature and countless TONS of other memorabilia from decades of movies eating up every square inch of his and Kathy's house. Where, exactly, was he supposed to have kept it? Can we just be eternally grateful that he did everything in his power to find a new home where it could be cared for properly?

[@twal3]

I recalled the story about the poor Nostromo prop languishing (and warping) out on a back porch, next to the grill. I didn't realize that such a revered collector (Bob) would have allowed that to happen. Amazing restoration job.

[@petermot645]

In space or earth no one can hear me scream the joy I have for that model. Great video !

[@SB111058]

'Kit-bashing' started at Gerry Andersons Century 21 studios (Stingray, Thunderbirds) by Derek Meddings and Brian Johnson, in the early sixties. Brian took the technique onto 2001 A Space Odyssey were it was really developed..

[@brinsonharris9816]

Back during the original run of Battlestar Galactica, I built the Cylon manta ship, and I could see many 1/35 scale tank parts making up the details. A drive sprocket from a Pzkfw III and numerous halves of panzer barrels complete with muzzle breaks were unmistakeable. The filming miniatures probably used the actual parts from the Tamiya kits, but every one was faithfully reduced when the plastic kit was rendered. I’ve read the engines of the Star Wars X-wing studio models were the J-79s Revell put in their 1/32 F-4 kits with some added detail. I much prefer a detailed miniature over CGI.

[@Alienfanatic]

I loved the story of Bob and his wife, who were trusted not only with the Nostromo but many of the props from Alien and Aliens. If you can find it, they made a documentary about Bob and his wife, which is delightful, called, "Beast Wishes.". Truly a great little film with cameos from folks like Dennis Muren, John Landis and others. Apparently, Bob's annual Halloween haunted house was something to behold, especially the year he did Alien. I'm sure he and his wife have passed, but they seemed like a terrific, fun couple. EDIT: By golly, Bob is still alive as of 8/2024 but sadly Kathy passed in 2021. Amazon has the documentary available to rent and it's quite worth it

[@atlanteum]

A micro-erratum, if I may - the Nostromo wasn't in Bob's front yard; it was under a blue tarp at the end of a long driveway which led to the downstairs entrance to the museum. Structurally, it was still in decent shape when I saw it back in the 90s, but - as your photos show - a major restoration was definitely called for. Props to the folks at Propstore for preserving everyone's favorite SF tug boat. Another related bit of trivia - the Leonov from 2010: The Year We Make Contact was hanging from the rafters of the wardrobe department at Universal Studios last time I was there, around the early 2000s. That's another beautiful model you should try to track down -

[@LordRayken]

There's no way he kept a tarp over it, at least, not all the time. There's sun degradation and rust from water damage.

[@atlanteum]

@@LordRayken Well, given that he said, "Go see what's under the blue tarp"... and I lifted up the tarp to see it... Yeah, I'd pretty much say there was a tarp over it.

[@a.dudleybuchanan8632]

I was very fortunate to see the Nostromo in person at the Museum of science and industry in downtown Los Angeles back and either 79 or 80. The derelict, evacuation shuttle, and the beautiful Nostromo. I was really lucky to grow up in the time I did, before CGI frankly ruined everything. Physical models are superior to CGI.

[@14bis42]

YES! that IS ART !!!!! And its Beautiful.....

[@joem8740]

Wow, something that iconic just sitting out in a yard for years.

[@hutzdani87]

Holy freekin' hell that detail on the ID ship is amazing and then Nostromo is godly !

[@Robothut]

Amazing restoration job. I saw this ship in Bobs driveway back in 1991 I think it was when William Malone and I visited Bod and his collection. I could not believe how bad it looked then. Thank you for sharing with us.

[@EVAUnit4A]

4:22 Ahhhhh-! The robots from _Robot Jox_ (1990)!!! I... I didn't think they'd still be in existence after the cult classic bombed so hard it literally too the studio that made it down with it!!

[@BaronFeydRautha]

I saw those and went straight to their channel to see if they made a vid of the Robot Jox robots. I love that movie.

[@EVAUnit4A]

@@BaronFeydRautha Much as I'd _love_ that to be, I don't think he'd spend a multi-minute video exclusively dedicated to a cult classic and box office bomb. Also, did you hear that Gary Graham ("Achilles") passed away from a heart attack in January 2024?

[@BaronFeydRautha]

@@EVAUnit4A I did not know he passed.

[@EVAUnit4A]

@@BaronFeydRautha Ironically, I live in the same State as him when he died, but I never met him. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pqibeH6VhNlmkNE NOTE: This podcast no longer exists, so this was one of their earliest episodes.

[@BaronFeydRautha]

@@EVAUnit4A Oh shit! I completely forgot he was in Enterprise too. I've tried so hard to watch the Trek cast podcasts but they are all just so up their own asses it's hard to listen to them talk about anything other than behind the scenes stuff.

[@user-ol9xb1xw1h]

The Nostromo, originaly made by Martin Bower and his team... I was lucky enough to be taught by him on my model making course at poly, way back in '87/88

[@leokimvideo]

Priceless

[@kahlzun]

that weather-beaten Nostromo was kinda cool too

[@number1mouse]

The Nostromo is gorgeous. Envious of you, sir. Glad it got the TLC it deserves.

[@NgaTaeOfficial]

3:30 love the "enormous" phillips head screwheads

[@peterphan227]

Thanks for not showing any closeups of the greeble details he was describing 🤷 Why show it when you can just describe it, or better yet, just point at it with the camera far enough away that no one can see it.

[@Hoobz01]

Came in here to say the exact same thing.

[@c1ph3rpunk]

The problem with owning that is that I’d always fight the urge to fly it to work.

[@hotpotato4027]

Another favourite of mine was the ‘Landmaster' from Damnation Alley, that was a beast and a good film. My top 3 = The Eagle (Space 1999), The Nostromo (Alien, of course) and the aforementioned Landmaster, Damnation Alley…👍🏼

[@atlanteum]

There are actually a ton of threads on the Landmaster! It sat for years in the parking lot of Dean Jeffries on Lankershim Blvd, but as of 2023, it is at Gene Winfield's Custom Shop in Mojave, CA.

[@tommc3622]

​​ Circa 1990 or so, there was a hobby shop, in a dark back corner of Cinder Alley in the Cinderella City Mall in Englewood Colorado. They had a 4' long Landmaster in the front display window that was so gorgeous (and obscure) that it had to have been a prop from the film. It was absolutely screen perfect. I'm aware more than one 1:1 Landmaster was built, but have no info on 1/6 scale versions or where the one I saw came from or went. I have wondered about it to this day.

[@PropsToHistory]

@tommc3622 there were several RC models made about the size you describe. One is occasionally displayed at the Petersen Auto Museum in LA

[@tommc3622]

​@@PropsToHistory Great info, thanks! I wonder what ever became of the one I saw. The store closed shortly thereafter.

[@atlanteum]

@@tommc3622 That is so cool! I haven't seen Damnation Alley since it came out in the 70s [d'oh!!], so I don't remember if a miniature version was used in the film. It might have been a scale mock-up created prior to the full scale build. Would be cool to find out!

[@tommc3622]

As a model builder, (and scratchbuilder / kitbasher) this is just exquisite. ... Physical props, built with love and care, photograph beautifully. If it looks great on film in 1979, it will look great in 2079. Practical modelwork is timeless.

[@richeels68]

Great close-ups of a wonderful model but it makes me wonder what happened to the refinery?

[@potterj09]

A day in the prop industry is a day on the farm !!!

[@ThornsOfOurTime]

so much detail that i never saw before ...

[@buzzfunk]

Amazzzzzziingggggg. I remember watching Alien as a kid on VHS. Luckily my dad supported my movie fanaticism even at a young age ;)

[@FlatEarthMath]

Thanks for the great detail! What an awesome model. Allow me to be a bit pedantic, but this isn't the Nostromo, but rather the shuttle craft. _(EDIT: I'm wrong, see Martin's reply below.)_ The Nostromo was, of course, destroyed by thermonuclear self-destruct in the year 2122.

[@mac2105]

Thank you, sweet closure

[@martinhutchinson9265]

It is indeed an awesome model of the Nostromo itself, its shuttle Narcissus was very different. Nostromo was shown towing a giant refinery at the beginning of the movie, that may be where the confusion comes from.

[@FlatEarthMath]

@@martinhutchinson9265 OMG you are so correct! I always thought that refinery (Tesotek 2100-B) WAS the Nostromo! Thank you for anticipating my point of confusion.

[@mac2105]

@@martinhutchinson9265 Ah cool that make sense, thanks

[@allnamestakenlol]

This is incredible.

[@NSAspyvans]

I love the Betty from Alien Resurrection.

[@toyfreaks]

I want to compare the model to Ron Cobb's drawings. It sounds like he a real world justification for every aspect of the design. The model builders did a great job fleshing out the details

[@pixiniarts]

Hi thanks for this! Love the Nostromo that model is beautiful! Bob Burns supposedly had the Alien derelict, Sulaco and Narcissus but apparently the derelict was stolen and lost, do you know if Prop Store is looking for it? I think it's tragic that there was so little value placed on these culturally important works of art.

[@jaymac7203]

What a great franchise the Alien films are. I just love this model 😍

[@beakz]

I love that model. I'm in the final stages of finishing my (much) smaller model, but I'm ... don't hate this ... going to paint the original yellow space JCB colour scheme that they filmed with for a few months.

[@TheRubberStudiosASMR]

That’s insane!

[@seanbuzenski2683]

Love your content Mike! Also jealous that you get to work with such cool pieces of cinematic history!!

[@mnemonik61]

Damn, that thing is truly huge. 😄 Also, love the "spider for scale" at 3:45 😆

[@jabezhane]

I'm amazed someone back in the day shipped that from the UK to the US. Most usually ended up rotting in a Pinewood studios carpark.

[@grahamrich3368]

Awesome Nostromo -- thank you!!

[@LordRayken]

I'm more shocked this guy left this in his yard without covering it up. Why the hell would he do something like that?

[@LastoftheInfamousWinos]

So cool!

[@jkoblivion4175]

My nostromo, my everything.

[@LesMachinesNoires]

That's amazing they could restore it. (Why noone ever thaught to put a cover on it while being outdoor.... "_")

[@rick66649]

I'm terrible with name's but the name the nostromo I never forget 👍🇬🇧

[@matthewlawlor4932]

absolutely is ART!!

[@mplsmark222]

Would have been nice to hear what it is made of, how much it weighs ect. Years ago I visited the Air and Space museum at the Smithsonian. They have what I understand is the original filming model of the Star Trek Enterprise, from the 1960’s series. The thing is huge.

[@williammilligan1700]

Been following this restoration. Amazing to see it finished!! Also, HOLY CRAP!! Is that the mechs from "Robot Jox" at the end?!

[@olafpieters]

Art indeed.

[@Han_Shot_1st]

Saw the restoration videos of this. How it was left to wreck & ruin. And it took enthusiasts to rebuild the wreck it had become.

[@j.lietka9406]

Are there internal or external lights? " In space, can anyone hear you dream?" 🤓

[@TheLordBeavis]

I can't remember what year it was, but I'm pretty sure they had the model of the Nostromo at ChicagoFest one time back in the day. I remember seeing it there when I was a kid

[@Tconcept]

It looked better in yellow, and after all near all tugs are yellow be it aircraft, boats or vehicles 👍

[@warhorse03826]

I keep hoping that someone will do a detailed 3D scan of these props, but I never hear of that happening. it would help with future restorations if needed, and if they ever needed to use these ships in another movie it would be a lot cheaper to put it in digitally. like let's say we have another movie that is set at nearly the same time as the first alien movie. the Nostromo was not a one-off ship it was supposed to be a long haul tug, and likely in common use. even just seeing one in the background somewhere would be worth the price of a good scan. also, I'm not ashamed to admit I'd like to 3D print one to the right scale for use in my sci-fi role playing games LOL

[@VermithraxPejorative]

I would love to own that! Unfortunately the only place I'd have to store it is outside, and it doesn't need that again

[@itsagundam79]

Wow awesome! Does this version have the lights, emit the smoke for launching? Does it have the moving landing gear or were those separate parts?

[@MJRegul]

3:44 - facehugger on the right :P

[@BaconbuttywithCheese]

Does it light up? Immense bit of movie history.

[@user-mu8ho3tt7p]

You mean "A reel movie museum!". Kidding aside you are Right . Very much so.

[@stevenmanchester2104]

As the camera was panning over the model you can tell one thing they used was pvc pipe.

[@mikepeterson9362]

Dude, the two questions we all want answered are: 1. How much did PropStore pay for it? And 2. Are the famously effed-up Christmas lights on the bottom of the model still there or restored? I mean half-track parts are cool and all, but jezus, why bother filming this if you don't address those things???

[@donivanpotter2762]

Glad it's restored but it's a shame that in it's original state it was left outside to the elements. Should have tried to protect it at least.

[@sykospace]

cant believe this dude left it in his front yard for years

[@budgiefriend]

Subbed.

[@mauriciorodriguez4996]

3:54 who put an AT-AT Walker head on the nostromo?

[@jamesfrench7299]

Think this was bad? The screen used space station wheel from 2001 A Space Odyssey was found sitting in a muddy field around one of the soundstages where it was filmed. I've seen the photo. It should have been retrieved.

[@morlockmeat]

Well, there goes more the great workmanship of Hollywood props, disappearing into the hands of private collectors at yet another auction. They'll never be seen again, possibly for generations.

[@permiek]

Who did the restoration and is there anything detailing it?

[@kenernestnation]

3D scan it so it will be preserved for all time.

[@permiek]

1979, 1977 was the that little known film The Star Wars

[@PropsToHistory]

Ha, what a fail on my part. Fixed

[@permiek]

@@PropsToHistory all good, love your work

[@Gig540]

I always find if you give someone something you made it has no value to them. They are careless with the items. That should have been put in storage or somewhere other than outside. Like the back lot tour at Universal

[@ricepony33]

Are these being 3D scanned?

[@therongperson]

That Nostromo model is worth $42 million in adjusted dollars!

[@clutch2827]

I guess I'll just buy it.

[@Workerbee-zy5nx]

Didn't Brian Johnson create that ship?

[@volpedo2000]

Isn’t technically this the shuttle of the Nostromo?

[@granpastreetz]

I thought the Nostromo was that big city looking ship. That had the 3 steeples and round parts on the bottom.

[@lucaviggiani2189]

That’s the refinery that the Nostromo was towing. I wonder who has THAT in their front yard?

[@granpastreetz]

@@lucaviggiani2189 That's right. I realized they had to detach to go down to the planet

[@Grant-i9l]

Can anyone explain the front-facing "wing ends" to me? What was there function on the ship? I've tried researching this but so far drew a blank. At least seeing the model at this angle answered one question- the section that droops down isn't attached to the other section that faces forward (it's part of the hull)- I always wondered why it wouldn't break off with all that weight if that were the case.

[@PropsToHistory]

Cause it looked cool. Thats probably it. Actual function isnt always considered

[@ADB696]

@@PropsToHistory I wish I knew which part this guy was trying to describe.And Ron Cobb always designed everything to be functional and have purpose. It’s why RS liked his designs so much and why he was chosen to design the human tech as opposed to Giger designing the alien tech.

[@goratgo1970]

They were set at seemingly odd angles were it a traditional craft, but since it was a tug attached to a comparatively massive refinery, it would need directional thrust like a Harrier jet. At least I think that was what you were asking...

[@jordansean18]

Not to be confused with KITT Bashing 🚘

[@securityrobot]

Built in the UK, therefore kit-bashed with Wiggets, not Greeblies.

[@user-tg9qz2ul2k]

Micro machines made an Alien series were made the Nastomo was in I got all 2 sets 😮

[@ermacarr6617]

Just call and they give him film Property. Must be nice.

[@dmg4415]

I think that you need a bib to collect your salivating residue.

[@PropsToHistory]

No. I shall swim in it. It is my right!!

[@zacharyseidling89]

That Nostromo is absolutely amazing

[@Concreteowl]

Why do Americans keep saying of all time when they mean "in my experience"? Time is really really big. And most of it hasn't happened yet.

[@fgm1197]

That was movie making! Not like this CGI crap these days... Don't get me wrong CGI gave the movie makers a technology that makes scenes and stories possible that could not have been realized back then. But do they have to make every "simple" car chase or airplane scene with CGI? Every CGI scene is overexaggerated more spectacular than necessary and looks completely unrealistic...

[@manuelreynoso8297]

bestial!!!

[@SecretSquirrelFun]

We’re all gunna die man, we’re all gunna die. Game over man, game over.

[@Bringos76]

"Are you finished?"

[@BubbleMix-96]

oh no. restored means no longer original

[@matthewmorgan6814]

How did the useless UK government allow this historical artifact to leave the country?

[@lucaviggiani2189]

Unfortunately, this kind of thing is only available to the very rich. I’m guessing someone will bid for it and lock it away for twenty years. Such a shame. The winning bidder should sign an agreement to lend it to museums and special exhibits. Can’t begin to describe my disappointment if some silicon valley douche gets hold of it.

[@Anjin-qg3ie]

A "collector" that would leave something like that in their yard...

[@PropsToHistory]

No one cared about this stuff at the time. And without bob it wouldnt ha e survived at all. Kick rocks keyboard warrior

[@boqndimitrov8693]

ugly as hell, but a convincing looking ship on the screen. more than a good achievement for the seventies. 👍

[@steve_wilson]

Nice content, horrendous audio, and that diminishes the value of the video. Clean that up, and the nostalgia will shine through.