Subject: Imperial stormtrooper
Culture: American sci-fi fandom
Setting: Star Wars
Context (Event Photos, Primary Sources, Secondary Sources, Field Notes)
* Windham/Bray 2017 p9
"George Lucas' Star Wars (1977) introduced us all to a world of Jedi, droids, and scores upon scores of fearless, identical white-armored stormtroopers -- the foot soldiers of the evil Galactic Empire commanded by the black-armored Sith Lord Darth Vader. Vader's actions, physical appearance, and limited dialogue helped him become an instant pop-culture icon and a symbol of darkness itself. But behind the ominous figure of Vader was the far more numerous, seemingly and infinitely expendable, and perhaps even more enigmatic Imperial stormtroopers.
"Who were the stormtroopers? Where did they come from? How many existed? And why were they so willing to kill and die for the Empire?"
* Windham/Bray 2017 p32
"In all the early media versions of Star Wars, one consistent aspect of the stormtroopers was how they exuded an air of mystery as well as menace. Audiences could surmise that stormtroopers were organic life-forms, but could only guess whether the troopers were humans, aliens, clones, or hybrid creatures, or if their unmasked heads were identical. Text in the Star Wars theatrical program described stormtroopers as 'drones of the Galactic Empire' and 'tools of the Imperial governors and bureaucrats.'"
* Windham/Bray 2017 p170
"Since stormtroopers first burst through the doors of the Tantive IV and into the world, they have evolved from faceless and expendable soldiers into complex characters with free will. Within the galaxy they have been a symbol of oppression while among fans their armor and helmets create a sense of unity. They are a constant within Star Wars, linking the story to the fans."
Costume
* Windham/Bray 2017 p14-15
"McQuarrie's designs for the Imperial stormtroopers and their enemy rebel troops developed from ... early concept drawings. Lucas eventually decided the Imperial troops should wear full head-concealing helmets, and McQuarrie explored the idea of distinguishing different Imperial ranks with different helmets. 'I had the officers' helmets a somewhat different shape than the standard trooper. The trooper's helmet had a metal-colored top, and a more symmetrical look to it. The officer's helmet was formed more like a skull.'
"Lucas also asked McQuarrie to draw concepts for equipment-laden field troopers. 'George talked about making the stormtroopers really like American soldiers in Vietnam, with things chalked on their jackets. And they would be loaded down with all kinds of equipment: mysterious things that you don't know what they are, [such as] little canisters, like German soldiers wore in World War II.' Although McQuarrie acknowledged that Lucas' use of the word 'stormtroopers' alluded to a Nazi-esque army, the World War II fascist uniforms did not influence McQuarrie's design of the Empire's foot soldiers. 'It was supposed to be a tooled army that was very efficient, in a sense like the German army.' He laughed as he added, 'They can't hit a damn thing with their laser guns, but they're very efficient.'
"Of his helmet sketches for the stormtroopers, McQuarrie said, 'I really liked the shape of the eyes in my concepts. What looks like a mouth is actually an opening with a serrated heat sink for cooling the troops.' One of his production paintings features a bearded Han Solo confronting a stormtrooper in a corridor, both figures wielding lightsabers; this was evidence that Lucas and McQuarrie were still exploring ideas about the characters and their respective weapons. 'I developed this painting to feature the stormtrooper costume,' McQuarrie said. 'I gave Han Solo a lightsaber, and I thought it was reasonable to assume that the opposing forces would have the same weapon.'"
Gun
* Royal Armouries Museum > Make: Believe
"... Both Imperial and Rebel 'blasters' are based upon the British Sterling submachine gun. This was available in enough numbers to equip multiple actors and extras, important for a low-budget film like A New Hope (1977). Its 1944 design also fit director George Lucas' Second World War-inspired approach." ...
* Windham/Bray 2017 p18
"For the stormtrooper rifle, [set director Roger] Christian selected the British-made Sterling Mk IV submachine gun, which was in service with the British Army from 1953 until 1988. Christian collaborated with Bapty & Co. gunsmith Kurt Schmidt to add World War II tank telescopes, plastic T-track draft excluders, and other bits to the gun, and glued a Hengster mechanical industrial counter behind the magazine receiver. Triggers and other mechanisms were removed to disable the guns, effectively rendering them as harmless props so they could be cleared though international customs. To save expenses, Lucasfilm rented the modified guns and returned them to Bapty after filing was completed."
