All Items Taxi Driver (1976) The Timekeeper's Exploded Hand
The Timekeeper's Exploded Hand
Movie: Taxi Driver (1976)
One of a Kind: Yes
Celebrity: Murray Moston
The Timekeeper's Murray Moston Exploded Hand from Martin Scorsese's critically renowned, 1976 classic film, Taxi Driver. The film follows the insomniac ex-Marine, Travis Bickle, Robert DeNiro, and his struggle with reality while working as a taxi driver in New York City. He eventually befriends a young prostitute named Iris Jody Foster, and decides to make it his mission to return the 12-year-old to her parents. To accomplish this, Travis must take out Iris' keepers.
This hand comes from the climactic end in which Travis storms a brothel to rescue Iris, and shoots her timekeeper's hand off during the shoot out. This scene was shot in a practical building location, with a narrow entrance way. Upon seeing the scene's location, special effects artist Dick Smith realized standard effect practices would not be possible in such tight quarters. Instead, Smith devised this appliance, sculpting the rest of the hand out of brittle wax and wiring it with small squib explosives. Additionally, he also included tubes at the base of the appliance capable of pumping fake blood. With this, blowing off Moston's hand and seeing the remaining stump bleed was achievable in the very same shot.
This prop is the remaining appliance from the exploded hand used in the film. Created out of foam rubber, the piece is fitted with several strips of Velcro and meant to fit over the actor's fist when in use. The skin-toned paint on the piece was used to match Moston's own skin tone, with red tones on the exposed, "injured" portion. Please note that due to the age of the piece, the foam rubber has hardened and become brittle at the edge, which accounts for the flaking pictured at the base of the appliance. Additionally, small pieces of the paint have worn off over time. However, considering its age and materials, this appliance has stood the test of time remarkably well.
The hand come mounted on a custom-made display stand, the base of which features an illuminated version of the film's logo. This piece is in well preserved and used condition.
Comes with a Prop Store COA
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seanbob
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Absolutely classic! Great piece of history that ties icons Martin Scorsese, Dick Smith, and Robert DeNiro together. I salivated when the Prop Store posted this. Congrats!
Hand Link maxspr1 All Items 0 12-17-2012 08:45