Excellent and extremely useful work.
Thanks, Sean.
Phil Edwards
----- Original Message -----
From: Sean Linkenback
To: MoPo-L@LISTSERV.AMERICAN.EDU
Sent: Monday, June 15, 2009 4:47 PM
Subject: [MOPO] Alien Fake Lobby Card Set Revealed
I recently had a chance to do a nice side-by-side comparison of a real Alien
(1979) Lobby Card set and a fake Alien lobby card set. Hopefully this guide
will help anyone looking for a set to stay away from the repros and be able to
spot them even in a small eBay photo (there are at least five different sellers
on eBay right now offering the fake sets).
Every single one of the cards in the fake set is quite darker than the
original set, and every single one of the cards in the fake set has also had
some of the photo details trimmed off on the left/right sides when compared to
the originals. On a few of the cards, the images have been enlarged to fit the
cards, but on a few some photoshopping was done and one has quite a comical
affect. All of the cards have differences from the originals, but I am going
to focus on 5 "easy" tells to help you out.
Lobby Card #7 - Crew Portrait
I start with this one, as it is one of the easiest ways to spot a fake.
Basically if Harry Dean Stanton has an extra right arm floating next to him,
you have a fake card. (there are also some photoshop effects on the right
side). The last few centimeters of the image on the left side of the card were
duplicated to extend the image to the borders, and in doing so they made a
duplicate image of part of Harry Dean Stanton's arm/jacket (and then darkened
it so it is harder to tell).
Card #7 Real
Card #7 Fake
Card #7 Side-by-Side
Lobby Card #8 - in the Ship
The easy tell on this card is the light board behind Sigourney Weaver's head.
If you have a card where the light extends all the way to the border, you
have a fake. On the original the light ends just before the border, while on
the fake the edge has once again been photoshopped to extend the cropped image
to the border.
Card #8 Real
Card #8 Fake
Card #8 Side-by-Side
Card #1 - on the planet surface
This card is just a cropped image, so there is missing artwork on the left
and right borders. On the right side not as much as the alien machinery can be
seen, while on the left the easiest tell is the small white triangular piece
coming into the middle of the card on the arm of the spacesuit. On the
original it is much longer than on the fake.
Card #1 Real
Card #1 Fake
Card #1 Side-by-Side
Card #4 - Alien Gunner
Once again slightly trimmed art and some photoshop effects. When looking at
the alien wall design on the right edge of the card, on the original not only
is there slightly more image, but the edge design tends to slant slightly up at
an angle, while on the fake cards it just extends straight for the last few
centimeters.
Card #4 Real
Card #4 Fake
Card #4 Side-by-Side (right edge)
Card #5 - Walking thee planet surface
Another case of trimmed artwork that is photoshopped to bring it to the edge.
The mountain on the right edge of the card behind Tom Skerritt should extend
at an upward slope to the edge of the card. One the fake card the last few
centimeters of the image have been extended along the right edge, causing an
unnatural appearing pattern on the edge (right after the spacesuit ends) and
causing the mountain behind him to sort of flatten out at the edge. Also the
overall darkness of the fake card leaves out a lot of detail of the spacesuits
that is barely visible on the real card.
Card #5 Real
Card #5 Fake
Card #5 Side-by-Side (right edge)
Hope this guide is a little helpful to anyone looking to add this set to
their collection, or anyone wanting to determine if the cards they currently
own are original or not.
Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com
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