Request for Question Clarification by
tlspiegel-ga
on
30 Nov 2003 02:08 PST
Hi roseip,
I would have posted my findings as an answer, but I wasn't able to
find the exact Lion King Cheetah costume. If you find this acceptable
as an answer, please post a clarification here to let me know and I
will post this in the answer box.
The first link provided explains how the cheetah costume was made by
the creator of all the costumes.
The Cincinnati Post
http://216.239.57.104/search?q=cache:KHsmKnW3ONIJ:www.cincypost.com/2003/03/20/lion032003.html+cheetah+costumes+from+Lion+King&hl=en&start=7&ie=UTF-8
The King is here - (cached version) By Jerry Stein - Post staff reporter
"Julie Taymor not only directed "The Lion King," she also created the
costumes, masks and fantastic animal puppet designs, in addition to
writing one of the songs. The show has such a high degree of theater
craft that it is just as much a work of art as it is a musical.
This national tour coming to Cincinnati is one of eight productions
performing internationally since the Tony Award-winning show opened on
Broadway in 1997. It is still running in New York..."
[edit]
"The cheetah is made out of foam and carbon fiber. "It is the same
thing race cars are made out of," Wilson said. "It's a very strong,
durable and lightweight material."
The cheetah -- the most graceful of the animal puppets -- has "back
legs controlled by the actor who is attached to the body. And the arms
(the forelegs) are attached to two poles made from golf clubs."
The actor controls the movements of the front legs by moving the golf
club shafts that, in turn, are attached to the forelegs. In order to
move the cheetah's head, the actor wears headgear from which run
fishing lines that connect to the cheetah's head. When the actor moves
her head, she simultaneously moves the cheetah's."
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Charlie Crow Costumes for Kids
http://www.charliecrow.co.uk/details.asp?Title=Cheetah
http://www.charliecrow.co.uk/buy.asp?Title=Cheetah&ImageName=cheetah%2Ejpg
116cm/46inches
128cm/50inches
140cm/55inches
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This is nuts! But it's a step by step account of how this person made
the cheetah costume. If nothing else it's an interesting read! :)
AtPaws
http://www.furry.org.au/atpaw/costuming/hetah.html
He'tah the Cheetah
16/6/99- Bought "Honey Mink" from Spotlight.. 4.5metres!
30/6/99- JW2 sacrificed to be part of the head.
02/7/99- Carved muzzle + foreface out of foam.. Looks great!
04/7/99- Bought 1 more metre of "Honey Mink".. all the fur I need!
05/7/99- "Jaw tracker" completed.. just a fabric chinstrap!
09/7/99- Foamed jaw-tracker.
09/8/99- Furred back of head, extended muzzle.
10/8/99- Adjusting muzzle length to accomodate teeth.
13/8/99- Final trimming of foam before adding teeth, tongue, and fur.
16/8/99- Shaping of teeth done.
17/8/99- More furring! Forehead and eyes of head furred.
04/9/99- Sewn paws, finished nose, finished jaw.
13/9/99- Bodysuit completed. Paws sewn.
14/9/99- Claws and pawpads added.
17/9/99- Adjusting of fit.
18/9/99- Spotting.
19/9/99- Spotting.
20/9/99- Spotting and finishing up.
"He'tah was my second costume, an attempt at something a little more
realistic and a lot more form-fitting than JW before. In somewhat of a
contradiction however the bodysuit (which was made by a friend since I
can't really sew) was made to have a bit of padding worn beneath it,
to make my ribs and 'haunches' a little more prominent.. and therefore
not nearly as form-fitting as it could have been.
The head, however, was an extremely snug fit. After lessons learned
through making the wolf, this time around I used a combination of thin
foam (for shaping) and plastic meshing (for what little structure
there was). Jamie Wolf 2's base structure was sacrificed as it was
easily the closest-fitting one I'd made so far. The foam shaping for
the muzzle was added, along with a fabric chinstrap for the jaw, and
other things. Mesh + foam ears, epoxy-putty teeth
He'tah never saw a great deal of use, mostly for a lack of events to
attend, but also because over the space of a few weeks or months, the
spots began to smudge and stain the fur. Let that be a lesson to
people making their own costumes - if you have a new, experimental
idea, then *experiment* first on something which isn't the costume
you're working on. A scrap of fur, whatever.
Still, the head's in reasonably good condition still, as the spots
haven't smudged. It still contains a great many flaws and
less-than-stellar constructs, but it was a good learning experience
and I'm convinced that, if I ever have the time and money to make
another costume (yeah right), it'll be better still."
[edit]
"These are milliput claws. Combined, each 'hand' of claws weighs
around 100 grams, maybe 200. In hindsight, they're really not that
great. Easily better than JW's glued-on claws (which were usually left
removed because of how annoying they were), and kinda-workable, but
they didn't make for the best of comfort due to how inaccurately the
finger mounts were made.
Head construction: A plastic-meshing upper, with thin lightweight foam
for shaping and the lower half of the head. Jaw actuated by a fabric
chinstrap with foam and fur glued to it. Eyes made using latex and
cotton to take a 'mould' of my skull's eye-sockets.. My own eyes act
as the cheetah's, with the prosthetics to smooth out the transition.
Foam ears."
===============================================================================
Child's Cheetah Cat Girl Costume
http://store.yahoo.com/brandsonsale-store/child-cheetah-cat-girl-costume.html
"Our kid's Cheetah Cat costume features a panne printed cheetah full
body unitard with matching headpiece. Plastic cat fingers are not
included."
===============================================================================
International Fun Shop
http://www.animalmascots.com/cats.htm
Don't see what you're looking for? Give us a call. We can provide any
custom-made mascot you desire. We carry a large pattern line of
custom-made Animal Costume Mascots. Fax or mail us your idea, and our
designers will contact you.
toll-free orders: 1.800.831.2597
phone: 281.332.8142
fax: 281.554.6618
Sales Dept E-Mail: mascots@fun-shop.com
===============================================================================
BalletCostume.com
http://www.balletcostume.com/2211.html
Cheetah print lycra unitard. Ears and tail included.
Availability: This is a made to order item. Please allow about 6 weeks
for production plus delivery time.
$41.00
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Fun Folly - Adult Cheetah... check this out just for fun! $815.00 !!
http://www.funfolly.com/h/mascots/c1786.htm
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Adult costumes...
http://www.andreasfancydress.co.uk/costumes.asp?costumeCategory=animals
Cheetah
Costume Category: Animals
Ref no:489
Jumpsuit with attached hood
===============================================================================
Lion King Celebration: Cheetah stretching.
http://changa.nu/d2d/lkc/lkc18.htm
Various Lion King Celebration Performances
http://changa.nu/d2d/lkc/index.htm - (see this page for all the costumes)
Best regards,
tlspiegel
