Here's some info for you...

Posted by Patterson from adsl-63-201-103-106.dsl.lsan03.pacbell.net on July 31, 2001 at 17:53:20:

In Reply to: Who knows what length whips were used in the trilogy? posted by Indiana Jun on July 31, 2001 at 03:22:14:

I think you'll find the whip he uses most often is a 10 footer. I have some data on this rat-holed away - I had access to some pretty cool software, once upon a time. It was able to take freeze frames, isolate objects, estimate angles, and give pretty darned tight measurements. I had isolated two scenes from LC, one from ToD, and two from RotLA - specifically to measure the whip (at the time I was going to order one, and, like you, wanted to get the right length). All you needed to input was one fixed length as a basis, and as I recall, the handle is 8 inches.

The one used in the castle in LC was estimated at either 12 or 16 feet (need to double check my notes). The one used on the tank in LC was 8 feet - pretty sure about that.

The one used after the Thugee ritual in ToD was 16 feet, I believe (again, from memory, but will dig out my notes).

The one in RotLA used to swing over the chasm was 12 feet (though this one is also purported to be one of the infamous non-DM, steel core stunt whips, so I would not bet my life that the handle was 8 inches). The one used in the Cairo street scene was a 10 footer - very clear on that one.

Remember, the Aussie whip is measured from the end of the butt to the beginning of the fall. I took the measurement from the end of the handle to the end of the fall and added the 8 inches. Slight variances in the angle estimations gave estimates of +/- 4 inches, with an estimation for error of 10% (or accuracy estimate of 90%).

Some scenes from "The Making of Raiders" shows Ford working in the backlot with what sure looks to be a 10 footer to me. All sources I've ever tapped into said he used a 10 footer almost exclusively. Only one 6 footer was supposed to have ever been made for the trilogy - the circus car whip River Phoenix used in LC. Otherwise, they were DM's ranging from 8 to 12 feet, with a few stunt whips with steel cable cores ranging from 12 to 16 feet (the one used for the truck scene in RotLA was supposed to be a steel core job).

If anybody is interested, I can dig this stuff out of the closet?

Hope this helps - Cheers!

Patterson

Follow Ups:

I found one of my files, which has another estimate... Patterson 18:04:42 7/31/2001 (3)
- Helped very much! Thanks Patterson!(nm) Indiana Jun 13:28:37 8/01/2001 (0)
- Very Cool. (nm) Rundquist 20:23:49 7/31/2001 (1)
  - How you doing Rundquist? Its been awhile...(nm) Indiana Jun 13:29:38 8/01/2001 (0)

Post a Followup:

Name:    
E-Mail:  
Subject: 
Comments:

: I think you'll find the whip he uses most often is a 10 footer.  I have some data on this rat-holed away - I had access to some pretty cool software, once upon a time.  It was able to take freeze frames, isolate objects, estimate angles, and give pretty darned tight measurements.  I had isolated two scenes from LC, one from ToD, and two from RotLA - specifically to measure the whip (at the time I was going to order one, and, like you, wanted to get the right length).  All you needed to input was one fixed length as a basis, and as I recall, the handle is 8 inches.

: The one used in the castle in LC was estimated at either 12 or 16 feet (need to double check my notes).  The one used on the tank in LC was 8 feet - pretty sure about that.

: The one used after the Thugee ritual in ToD was 16 feet, I believe (again, from memory, but will dig out my notes).

: The one in RotLA used to swing over the chasm was 12 feet (though this one is also purported to be one of the infamous non-DM, steel core stunt whips, so I would not bet my life that the handle was 8 inches).  The one used in the Cairo street scene was a 10 footer - very clear on that one.

: Remember, the Aussie whip is measured from the end of the butt to the beginning of the fall.  I took the measurement from the end of the handle to the end of the fall and added the 8 inches.  Slight variances in the angle estimations gave estimates of +/- 4 inches, with an estimation for error of 10% (or accuracy estimate of 90%).

: Some scenes from "The Making of Raiders" shows Ford working in the backlot with what sure looks to be a 10 footer to me.  All sources I've ever tapped into said he used a 10 footer almost exclusively.  Only one 6 footer was supposed to have ever been made for the trilogy - the circus car whip River Phoenix used in LC.  Otherwise, they were DM's ranging from 8 to 12 feet, with a few stunt whips with steel cable cores ranging from 12 to 16 feet (the one used for the truck scene in RotLA was supposed to be a steel core job).

: If anybody is interested, I can dig this stuff out of the closet?

: Hope this helps - Cheers!

: Patterson

Optional:

Link URL:   
Link Title: 
Image URL:

[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ The Indyfan Forum ] [ FAQ ]