Adam Savage Meets The Fifth Element's Mondoshawan Costume!

Summary

In this video, Adam Savage visits Prop Store’s archives in London, where he meets Tim to explore a rare *The Fifth Element* prop: the Aanda Shaan alien costume. Adam, an enthusiast of the film, admires the intricate design and functionality of the suit, including its lightweight structure and mechanical features. Tim explains the technical aspects, such as ski boots, shoulder harnesses, and air vents used to keep actors cool inside. The video also highlights a mechanical head with remote-controlled movements. The episode ends with a mention of new merchandise available in their store, offering fans a chance to get exclusive items.

Takeaways

• 😀 Adam Savage visits Prop Store's archives in London to explore a *The Fifth Element* costume worn by the benevolent aliens.
• 😀 The costume is lightweight, designed with foam for comfort, and features air vents and a shoulder harness to distribute the weight on the actor's body.
• 😀 Ski boots are used in the feet, and the headpiece has articulation, allowing for movement despite its size and complexity.
• 😀 The original golden color of the costume has faded to silver due to exposure to light, giving it a unique, aged look.
• 😀 There is a camera inside the costume to help the actor see where they are going, a fascinating detail in terms of design.
• 😀 The costumes were designed for movement, though the actors could only waddle due to the restricted mobility of the suit.
• 😀 The spikes on the aliens' heads denote their rank, emphasizing that each costume was slightly different from the others.
• 😀 The suit includes lights in key areas, such as the eyes and codpiece, and certain mechanical heads had remote-controlled functionality.
• 😀 The mechanical heads are designed to be swapped out easily, with brackets allowing them to plug into the costume for seamless transitions.
• 😀 Adam is in awe of the craftsmanship and the cleverness behind the suit, and expresses his desire to wear the costume himself.
• 😀 Tim shares that the prop has been in their collection for around 15 years, and mentions that similar heads have been handled and sold by Prop Store in the past.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video in the transcript?

The main focus of the video is Adam Savage exploring an iconic costume from *The Fifth Element*, specifically the Mondo alien suit, at Prop Store’s archives in London. The video delves into the design, functionality, and history of the costume.

What is the significance of the Mondo suit in *The Fifth Element*?

The Mondo suit represents the benevolent aliens in *The Fifth Element*. Adam Savage admires its design, calling it one of the standout elements of the movie, and shares his fascination with its unique structure and functionality.

How does the design of the Mondo suit contribute to its functionality?

The Mondo suit is lightweight, with efforts made to keep it comfortable for the actor wearing it. It features ski boots inside the feet and a shoulder harness to distribute the weight, and it includes air vents to help keep the actor cool, though their effectiveness is unclear.

Why are the Mondo suits designed with air vents?

The air vents in the Mondo suit were designed to help keep the actor cool while wearing it. These vents were integrated into the suit to combat the potential heat and discomfort of wearing the large foam costume under studio lights.

What special feature is located between the blue lights on the Mondo suit?

Between the blue lights on the Mondo suit is a small camera lens. This camera was used to help the actor see where they were going while inside the suit, which also had a monitor inside.

How did the actors move in the Mondo suit?

Inside the Mondo suit, the actors were significantly taller than normal but could only waddle side to side due to the suit's restrictive movement. The design of the suit made walking impossible, so the characters' movements are shown with a rocking motion.

What do the spikes on top of the Mondo suit represent?

The spikes on top of the Mondo suit designate the rank of the character wearing it. Each Mondo is unique, with variations in the spikes and other design elements to reflect the different ranks of the aliens.

What is notable about the paint job of the Mondo suit?

The paint job of the Mondo suit features a silver and rusty appearance. Initially, the suit had a gold color that has faded over time due to exposure to daylight. The fading gives the suit an aged but cool look, and hints of the original gold can still be seen in shaded areas.

What unique mechanical feature does the Mondo suit head have?

The Mondo suit head is manually posable, but there were also remote-controlled versions used on set. These mechanical heads had the ability to move, and in some versions, the eyes and other parts were operated remotely.

How many Mondo suits were made for the production of *The Fifth Element*?

It is believed that only six or eight Mondo suits were made for the production of *The Fifth Element*. These suits were not spare pieces; they were the ones used on screen. The heads were sold off separately, and the bodies ended up in various places, such as Planet Hollywood.

What piece of the Mondo suit is coming up for auction, and what makes it special?

A fully functional, remote-controlled head from the Mondo suit is coming up for auction. This head is notable for its excellent condition, beautiful gold paint job, and mechanical functionality, including movement and air vent operations.