1/6 MOLA RAM Custom Project

[davejames]

Yeah I just did a quick search and looked through my various Making Of books, but there's not much good reference material out there for him. It's probably just going to be a matter of going through the movie frame by frame and taking our best guess.

Here's a few rare pics I found, but unfortunately only front views.

 

[pixletwin]

I thought this was a necropost from 2006.[emoji12]

 

[Wor-Gar]

Thanks, dave... those pictures are great! Very helpful. I think you can almost see how the sash loops around -- the tricky part is how the heck it connects to the robe portion on his right side.

For ceremonial robe, I'm going to have to go with TWO PARTS: a separate "robe" and a long sash
- the 'robe' portion has a very large almost cape-like opening on his right side and completely open on his left side.
- the 'sash' seems to loop over his left shoulder (the end hanging loose behind his back), then drops down and loops under his right arm, crosses behind his back, and then is draped over his left arm

Dave's 2nd picture I think show this best if you follow the sash with your eyes where it would go.


Now I know the Bridge Robe must work in a similar way but it is not the same robe as the ceremonial one. It also crosses his left shoulder, exposing his right arm (opposite of the Ceremonial robe). He's also wearing a skirt portion over pants. My best guess at this time is that he's only wearing the skirt and pants and simple head that long sash wrapped a few times over his shoulder to create the flowing "robed" look. He must have gotten dressed in a hurry when Indy started creating trouble.

I do not think its possible to get one outfit to match BOTH looks. We will have to choose which outfit we all want. I'm certain no one will be able to tell on the shelf. I would never have known if I didn't just spend two days combing pictures and watch the movie frame by frame.

Anyway, my 3rd post has a comparison of the two looks for people to choose: CEREMONIAL or BRIDGE outfit

I thought this was a necropost from 2006.[emoji12]

Its definitely a necro-project from nearly that time

 

[davejames]

Yeah I'd say either look is equally as memorable and iconic. My first instinct would be to go for the Ceremonial outfit since it would make for the more elaborate looking custom, and is his more "official" outfit in the movie... but he does look a bit more badass in the final scene, and that outfit would also fit better with most of our TOD Indys with the torn shirt....

 

[Wor-Gar]

Yeah I'd say either look is equally as memorable and iconic. My first instinct would be to go for the Ceremonial outfit since it would make for the more elaborate looking custom, and is his more "official" outfit in the movie... but he does look a bit more badass in the final scene, and that outfit would also fit better with most of our TOD Indys with the torn shirt....

Agreed. I go back and forth on this myself: elegant or badass -- a bit like choosing between ANH Vader and ESB Vader.

I like the ceremonial outfit simply because it has more balance between red and black. But I do agree, the final Climax outfit he wears (above) does look more badass.

The Bridge/Climax Mola Ram will ultimately be easier to make and cheaper to build than the more ornate Ceremonial Mola Ram. If I can just come to an understanding of how that outfit works above.



So what say you: regal priest or badass Thuggee monk

 

[punisher1974]

I vote for Badass Thuggee Monk but man both looks are awesome. I didn't realize the look was so different either in outfits. I thought he just went without one of the pieces. I would be happy with either though. And I prefer Vader from Star Wars too. Badass battle worn armor.

 

[dwing]

Might I suggest using the PF as a base for the overall look. If it is a pretty good match screen shot wise it is easy to get all sorts of angles of it.

 

[davejames]

As Wor-Gar already pointed out, the PF outfit is pretty wildly inaccurate.

 

[Wor-Gar]

I wish I could just use the PF... but now that I see the outfit more clearly, I just see where it is wrong...











I personally prefer to try and get a more accurate outfit made -- it still won't be perfect but it will be much close than the PF.

I'm also curious if anyone wants the Climax outfit, the badass monk style that is the other choice. And that outfit is really quite different from the ceremonial outfit.

 

[FlyAndFight]

Just caught up in this thread and I'm torn as well. I probably lean more towards the ceremonial outfit with a stern looking head sculpt.

And a bowl of chilled monkey brains.

 

[dwing]

Yep, seeing side by side, the PF id off.

 

[Timemeddler]

I'd prefer the bridge scene look, please.

 

[Wor-Gar]

OUTFIT UPDATE:

I think I may have figured out a way to have both looks -- ceremonial and/or bridge fight look -- but I need to run it by D-arts to see if he can do it.


After intensive review, I think the bridge fight look (badass monk) is pants, skirt, and a very long and wide sash/wrap. That's it, fairly straight forward.

The ceremonial look could be the same "bridge look" but with the addition of the distinctive 'robe' where the sash serves to create the large shoulder "sleeve" on the right. I just have to figure out a 'cheat' as to how the robe holds position (likely a narrow strap over the right shoulder which will be hidden by the larger sash once looped over that same shoulder).

I have to think this through and make sure it can work -- but that would potentially allow people to purchase either specific look or the entire set to make both looks. I'll post pictures as evidence of what I'm proposing.

Anyway, we have time as the sculptor is not available for another 4 weeks according to Dwing.



So is anyone here a moderate sculptor, because we still need someone to mold teeth and arrowheads for the 2 main necklaces. Those bits are pretty easy to make, but we need someone who can then cast off enough of them for each person to build a necklace.

I would imagine 3x variant teeth and 4x variant arrowheads would be enough to mask the repetition. By my count, screen accurate Mola has:
13 teeth
25-30 arrowheads

 

[Wor-Gar]

OK, just some quick pictures to show you what I'm seeing as the Badass Monk (or Bridge Fight) outfit for Mola Ram.

Components:
1. long, wide sash looped over left shoulder
2. skirt with high-waist waistband
3. baggy thigh pants


Evidence:

First two pictures show the high waistband, the duller black skirt and the sash looped around the left shoulder...








And of course he wears baggy pants (here with really big stunt knee-pads -- optional)...






For the Ceremonial Robe -- imagine the robe over this skirt + pants with the long, wide sash now wrapped over the ceremonial robe.

Components:
1. long, wide sash looped over right shoulder
2. skirt with high-waist waistband
3. baggy thigh pants
4. ceremonial robe



I'm thinking this is the best way to do the outfit. It might be worth having both outfits.

Besides, even if you pass on the headdress, you can still recreate the scene where they make Indy drink the Blood of Kali where Mola Ram is still wearing his ceremonial robe but no longer wears his headdress.

 

[davejames]

I think that's the same compromise the action figures have made, right? Putting the sash over the right shoulder so it could be removed to show the bare right side of his chest from the bridge scene.

I suppose it could work for most, but now that I've been researching him the past couple days I think I'd rather have whichever outfit it is be as screen-accurate as possible. But fortunately I'd be just as happy with the bridge look, so I could just go for that one instead on mine.

 

[Wor-Gar]

I think that's the same compromise the action figures have made, right? Putting the sash over the right shoulder so it could be removed to show the bare right side of his chest from the bridge scene.

No, the little action figure is incorrect for the Ceremonial robe as the sash is fixed over the left shoulder for the Bridge and a way-too-thin sash. The Ceremonial robe leaves the left shoulder exposed (except for the sash that crosses over) while the Bridge look leaves the right shoulder exposed.

My suggestion is making an actual separate ceremonial robe -- sleeveless on both sides, hanging off his right shoulder, with the two large red stripes where it opens and a clasp at his left hip where it closes -- and the Bridge sash would then be used to create the large "sleeve" look over his right arm which is long enough to cross his back and hang over his left forearm. That would be the most accurate looking robe... IF the tailor can do it.

Imagine a bath robe where you cut off both sleeves, then put it on only using the right side, and tie it off at the waist. That's what I am proposing for the Ceremonial robe. The long sash draped correctly will create the rest of the look.

 

[Wor-Gar]

OK, I'm no artist, but I tried to quickly sketch out what I'm trying to describe.... but there's nothing like visual aid...


This first sketch is the way I was originally perceiving the Ceremonial Robe. However, I have discovered that the sash will NOT work to create a proper right-side "sleeve"...





This is because the sash has to be wrapped in this way. Hopefully this sketch is clear, but visualize it hanging in back and then follow the arrows up and over the left shoulder down to the right hip, crossing in back to the left arm where it drapes. Yes, it has to be very long.






Now, due to how the sash needs to hang, this requires the Ceremonial Robe to have a built-in shoulder flap on its right side which emulates a large open "sleeve". So the ROBE portion of the outfit would look like this...






The sash above is then worn in the same configuration over this robe. Those TWO PIECES gives you the Ceremonial Robe.










The skirt and pants are still worn underneath this robe.

I hope this makes more sense.

 

[davejames]

Ok I got it. I understood how the ceremonial outfit was put together, but just wasn't sure which sash you were referring to. And it does look like it could be the same long sash on both outfits, but making it so that you have that one red stripe going down the front for the bridge look might be tricky. It's probably just folded over to show the red on the costume, but with the thicker material we're using it might not want to do that as easily.

 

[Wor-Gar]

Ok I got it. I understood how the ceremonial outfit was put together, but just wasn't sure which sash you were referring to. And it does look like it could be the same long sash on both outfits, but making it so that you have that one red stripe going down the front for the bridge look might be tricky. It's probably just folded over to show the red on the costume, but with the thicker material we're using it might not want to do that as easily.

Yes, I believe the voluminous portion we see that looks like he's wearing a robe on the bridge is actually the skirt billowing. And the long sash hanging in front and folded over creates that single red line.

Below is another quick sketch of the Bridge clothing -- skirt, pants and boots is all he's wearing -- the red comes from that long sash looped a couple times over his left shoulder (much like a mountain climber would loop his rope).

 

[TonTon]

Interested.