Anyone see their microscope 'in the movies'?

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charlie g
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Anyone see their microscope 'in the movies'?

#1 Post by charlie g » Thu Dec 06, 2018 2:37 pm

Hi all, I would expect to encounter really vintage stands as set props in movie scenes evoking a lone scientist in the laboratory, 19th century plot times.

But I just encountered my Nikon-Labophot Pol stand in a recent "B" movie with major film stars! There my stand 'acts scientific' as the main set prop in a fleeting scene of this recent movie: "Limitless"!

Has anyone else encountered one of their stands 'in the movies', or on the tellie? Charlie Guevara whose work horse stand is miffed that the trinoc vertical tube in not configured with equipment, but simply left open to collect dust and fibers in the movie 'it stars in'. Perhaps seven seconds of main prop glory in the movie: "Limitless"...my stand pouts now as it at bench has no bestboy, no main grip, only a cigar box of optics.
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carlh6902
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Re: Anyone see their microscope 'in the movies'?

#2 Post by carlh6902 » Fri Dec 07, 2018 2:53 am

charlie g wrote:Hi all, I would expect to encounter really vintage stands as set props in movie scenes evoking a lone scientist in the laboratory, 19th century plot times.

But I just encountered my Nikon-Labophot Pol stand in a recent "B" movie with major film stars! There my stand 'acts scientific' as the main set prop in a fleeting scene of this recent movie: "Limitless"!

Has anyone else encountered one of their stands 'in the movies', or on the tellie? Charlie Guevara whose work horse stand is miffed that the trinoc vertical tube in not configured with equipment, but simply left open to collect dust and fibers in the movie 'it stars in'. Perhaps seven seconds of main prop glory in the movie: "Limitless"...my stand pouts now as it at bench has no bestboy, no main grip, only a cigar box of optics.
I can't say I've seen mine (BH2), but my favorite microscope scene ever was in one of the early episodes of the Walking Dead. In this episode, they went to the CDC facility in Atlanta. The place was a money-is-no-object, technological tour de force. But the sole surviving scientist had an old gray American Optical scope. As he was peering into the oculars, you could clearly see that there were no objectives on the scope!

Carl
--- If you're in the Kansas City area and you need help with an Olympus BH-2 scope, PM me. I love to work on these things ---

charlie g
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Re: Anyone see their microscope 'in the movies'?

#3 Post by charlie g » Sat Dec 08, 2018 7:29 pm

Wonderful, Carl, that at least in the notable microscope scene you share... in that 'cheesy scene of: microscope= science and discovery at cutting edge crucial moments in a plot'...I give that..err..prop master at least trying to give action role to a microscope in your tender/silly favorite microscope movie scenario. Too bad the prop master did not realize 'compound microscopes require more than eye pieces and a body tube...sighhh. In my noted recent 'B movie': "Limitless"..my workhorse stand is a 'dumb prop displayed for seven seconds to evoke gravitas to a science lab person'.

Ahhh...all forum microscopists should visit : "You-Tube"/ full movie ( it's no cost) : "Horror Express" 1972, Spanish/British film venture with major stars,,Christopher Lee, Tellie Savales, etc..



In : "Horror Express" a circa late 18th century horeshoe based triple-nose piece vintage monocular stand is shared by three important plot authorities in this excellent film. This microscope shoulders over three (!! 3 min!!!) minutes of active role/ active glory in fostering the plot of this excellent biologically based/horror based/ sci fy based 1972 film. Please when with time...visit this free You-Tube film? Telly Savales alone gives terrific enjoyment with his entry to this plot latter in this wonderful film.

Thanks, Carl for sharing a fine microscope moment in a campy film setup. Charlie guevara
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wporter
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Re: Anyone see their microscope 'in the movies'?

#4 Post by wporter » Sat Dec 08, 2018 9:26 pm

And then there is the exotic Steindorff Microbe Hunter microscope, featured in the movie "Dr. Holl":

http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/art ... dorff.html

No, I don't have one. I wish I did, what a beauty; Art Deco, maybe?

One can often see microscopes in popular TV shows, particularly cop shows where the CSI lab is showed. Very handy watching the show off one's DVR: "Hey, what was that microscope!!??" (halts the playback and backtracks, pauses; much to the amusement of wife). Usually they are Olympuses.

Hobbyst46
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Re: Anyone see their microscope 'in the movies'?

#5 Post by Hobbyst46 » Sat Dec 08, 2018 10:11 pm

In fact, I thought of "Outbreak" (1995 movie, starring Dustin Hoffman and Sophie Marceau and Donald Sutherland). There are apparently several microscopes there, none of them vintage though. Yet the devilish critters are impressive.

Please note, on the photo below, the distance between the eyepieces and the eye pupils of Dustin. And the objective he uses to spot the microbes is a low-magnification.
I am unable to identify the microscope model itself.
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charlie g
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Re: Anyone see their microscope 'in the movies'?

#6 Post by charlie g » Sun Dec 09, 2018 2:16 am

Ah yes, Bill Porter, "The MicrobeHUnter" in the bigscreen films. I enjoyed the kind link you share here, thanks.

For me there is a curious symmetry to the name of this forum we thrive in: "MicrobeHunter" ( thank you, Oliver Kim)...and the name of the great non-fiction book: "The MicrobeHunters". I always wonder...did Steindorf/Berlin name their unique microscope as homage to the book? Did Oliver name this forum after the book? I wish someone would ask Oliver!


Charlie guevara
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carlh6902
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Re: Anyone see their microscope 'in the movies'?

#7 Post by carlh6902 » Sun Dec 09, 2018 10:04 pm

In "The Last Man On Earth", Vincent price is a researcher, using a 6-inch toy microscope at home. It's funny to watch him hunch down and peer into the little toy. As the last man on earth, will full run of the town by daylight, he could certainly find a real one. I'm just saying.

Carl
--- If you're in the Kansas City area and you need help with an Olympus BH-2 scope, PM me. I love to work on these things ---

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