The Darth Vader Helmet, Part 1

The Stuff Dreams Are Made Of is back with its second deep dive of the season, this one covering one of David's and Ryan's favorite movie weapons of all time: the Han Solo blaster. To fill in all the greeblies and nerdy details, the guys are joined by DL-44 expert, master builder, and gunsmith Scott Juarez from the RPF and the Star Wars fan community. They cover everything from the (in)famous A New Hope blaster to the "Greedo killer" to the MGC blasters of Empire to the stunts with a fascinating hero lineage to David's own "Stembridge blaster" and that weird hero from Jedi. In and amongst it all, the guys discuss the purported "only fully intact [Han Solo] blaster from the original film" recently offered for public sale... and why, maybe, it is no longer either a purported hero or offered for sale. Linda Richmond voice Discuss! Robb Report Link: https://robbreport.com/lifestyle/news/han-solo-blaster-star-wars-a-new-hope-auction-1236372365/ RPF Link: https://www.therpf.com/forums/threads/han-solo-blaster-2025-studio-auctions-goldin-auctions.362126/ Email: [email protected] SDAMO - Instagram https://www.instagram.com/propspodcast/ SDAMO - Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/propspodcast.bsky.social SDAMO - Facebook https://www.facebook.com/propspodcast/ SDAMO - TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@props.podcast David Mandel - Instagram https://www.instagram.com/davidhmandel/

David and Ryan dump out the 'ole podcast mailbag and dive into myriad topics, including: collecting classic paperwork, acquiring Game of Thrones pieces, the intellectual sewer that is Reddit comments, yacht collectors and the yachts they love, disputed Stormtrooper lore, Troy clappers, a plea for more comic art talk, more propas (we made it a thing), and more podcast-listener-first-timer acquisitions! It's a veritable cornucopia of prop talk (and yacht talk). And -- finally -- Ryan gives a big, honkin' clue regarding his mystery acquisition. Email: [email protected] SDAMO - Instagram https://www.instagram.com/propspodcast/ SDAMO - Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/propspodcast.bsky.social SDAMO - Facebook https://www.facebook.com/propspodcast/ SDAMO - TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@props.podcast David Mandel - Instagram https://www.instagram.com/davidhmandel/

Just as House of the Dragon Season 3 shooting gets underway, David and Ryan are joined by Waldo Mason, lead make-up special effects artist on the show across seasons 2 and 3. The guys talk to Waldo about how he got his start in the movie business, explore his incredible list of movie credits alone, they discuss burns, wounds, sores, monsters and aliens, Dave sort of forgives him for having worked on Prometheus, and then they dig deep into all things House of the Dragon! Email: [email protected] SDAMO - Instagram https://www.instagram.com/propspodcast/ SDAMO - Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/propspodcast.bsky.social SDAMO - Facebook https://www.facebook.com/propspodcast/ SDAMO - TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@props.podcast David Mandel - Instagram https://www.instagram.com/davidhmandel/

The Stuff Dreams Are Made Of's first guest, author Rhys Thomas, returns to the podcast to sift through the aftermath of the seismic, $28,000,000 Ruby Slippers sale by Heritage Auctions this past December. They revisit his great book, The Ruby Slippers of Oz, and they review what fascinating new information has come to light since they had him on the podcast wayyyy back in 2020. Two big events have happened since: 1) The Wizard of Oz being remastered in glorious 4K Ultra-HD and 2) the recovery of the original slippers that were stolen from the Judy Garland museum in 2005. Plus, Rhys answers the real question on everyone's mind: are they made of real rubies? Get Rhys' book 'The Ruby Slippers of Oz: 30 Years Later' here: https://www.lulu.com/shop/rhys-thomas/the-ruby-slippers-of-oz-thirty-years-later/paperback/product-14qpq7jk.html?q=the+ruby+slippers+of+oz&page=1&pageSize=4 Yogi Berra's World Series Article: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2025/02/sports-memorabilia-heist-yogi-berra-world-series-rings/681093/ Email: [email protected] SDAMO - Instagram https://www.instagram.com/propspodcast/ SDAMO - Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/propspodcast.bsky.social SDAMO - Facebook https://www.facebook.com/propspodcast/ SDAMO - TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@props.podcast David Mandel - Instagram https://www.instagram.com/davidhmandel/

The Stuff Dreams Are Made Of is back with another live episode (covering Propstore's March 26-28 auction)! David and Ryan cover their (in)famous categories, shouting out everything from their favorite "small" pieces in days 2 and 3 to the worst Prometheus prop in the auction. They fake buy each other gifts, pick out stuff to delight or antagonize their wives, and talk about the things their kids would want them to buy. Finally, the guys tell each other what they should be bidding on and talk about what they might actually raise the paddle for in the auction. It's a live stunt spectacular! Catalog: https://propstoreauction.com/auctions/catalog/id/449 Email: [email protected] SDAMO - Instagram https://www.instagram.com/propspodcast/ SDAMO - Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/propspodcast.bsky.social SDAMO - Facebook https://www.facebook.com/propspodcast/ SDAMO - TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@props.podcast David Mandel - Instagram https://www.instagram.com/davidhmandel/

Another season, another Propstore auction. David and Ryan dive into the catalog for Propstore's first of three EMLA auctions of 2025, this one taking place from March 26 through the 28th in Los Angeles. This episode covers "a few of our favorite things" as the guys highlight the most interesting lots from day 1 of the 3-day auction. Join them for everything from fusion reactors to X-Files costumes! They've got Batman costumes, giant matte paintings, 100-year-old tramp boots, Conan swords, Commando vests, Blunt exo-suits, human skin books, ZF-1s, galaxy quests, ghost traps, wizard's robes, Dragonslaying equipment, stop-motion Martians (shut up, Dave), Pee-Wee's pals, and of course, expensive Star Wars props to drive Dave insane (shut up, Ryan)! Catalog: https://propstoreauction.com/auctions/catalog/id/449 Email: [email protected] SDAMO - Instagram https://www.instagram.com/propspodcast/ SDAMO - Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/propspodcast.bsky.social SDAMO - Facebook https://www.facebook.com/propspodcast/ SDAMO - TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@props.podcast David Mandel - Instagram https://www.instagram.com/davidhmandel/

This week on The Stuff Dreams Are Made Of, it’s all about movie cars—despite David’s at-best half-interest in the topic. But Ryan and special guest star/producer/super editor Bart go ham with celebrity guest Rob Klein on what it means to be a “movie car” enthusiast, the movie cars of history that really rev their engines, and an in-depth discussion of the restoration of the A-car from Back to the Future. It’s a fearsome foursome! Let’s see if you bastards can do 90! Email: [email protected] SDAMO - Instagram https://www.instagram.com/propspodcast/ SDAMO - Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/propspodcast.bsky.social SDAMO - Facebook https://www.facebook.com/propspodcast/ SDAMO - TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@props.podcast David Mandel - Instagram https://www.instagram.com/davidhmandel/

Gino Sabatino returns to cover all the remaining history and mystery surrounding the most infamous helmet in movie history… But before that, David and Ryan review the stunning results of Propstore’s Blade Runner 2049 and offer what analysis they can as “experts.” We say “experts” because sadly The Stuff Dreams Are Made Of once must once again slog into the morass of fake props and even faker “experts” that seems to thrive on social media, hellbent on separating collectors from their sanity and their money. Join the guys for another fine rant, some filmmaking knowledge, and good-god-damned-old-fashioned common sense. Hashtag Darth Vader Helmet. Hashtag private deals. Email: [email protected] SDAMO - Instagram https://www.instagram.com/propspodcast/ SDAMO - Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/propspodcast.bsky.social SDAMO - Facebook https://www.facebook.com/propspodcast/ SDAMO - TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@props.podcast David Mandel - Instagram https://www.instagram.com/davidhmandel/

Brace yourselves, True Believers, this is a nerdy one. The "deep-dive" format returns to the podcast after a too-long absence, and boy is it a biggie. To discuss every detail surrounding (and inside and outside) Darth Vader's helmet, David and Ryan are re-joined by the great Gino Sabatino, expert of all things Star Wars. And Gino has a lot to say. So much, in fact, that it was too much for just one episode. Tuck in for more Darth Vader spoilers than David Prowse himself could manage (RIP). Part 1 covers everything Darth Vader from concept to design to A New Hope and on through Empire Strikes Back... Email: [email protected] SDAMO - Instagram https://www.instagram.com/propspodcast/ SDAMO - Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/propspodcast.bsky.social SDAMO - Facebook https://www.facebook.com/propspodcast/ SDAMO - TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@props.podcast David Mandel - Instagram https://www.instagram.com/davidhmandel/

It’s auction season again, and this time you can bid on everything that was great about the hit 2017 sci-fi legasequel, Blade Runner 2049! Join David and Ryan as they pore through the official Alcon Entertainment auction, offering over 100 gorgeous lots from Denis Villaneuve’s beautiful and haunting masterpiece. 4 Officer K costumes! 3 Deckard blasters! 2 Officer K blasters! Replicant scanners! JOI emanators! Ossuaries! JOI costumes! Blood bags! Origami! Do you like our owl? Blade Runner 2049 Auction Catalog: https://propstoreauction.com/auctions/catalog/id/444 Email: [email protected] SDAMO - Instagram https://www.instagram.com/propspodcast/ SDAMO - Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/propspodcast.bsky.social SDAMO - Facebook https://www.facebook.com/propspodcast/ SDAMO - TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@props.podcast David Mandel - Instagram https://www.instagram.com/davidhmandel/