8 Sci-Fi Movies That Re-Used Props From Other Movies

6. Planet Of The Apes - Starship Troopers' Body Armour

Planet Of The Apes Starship Troopers Armour
20th Century Fox/Sony Pictures Releasing

The Federation Body Armour from Paul Verhoeven's 1997 satire Starship Troopers is one of the film series' most iconic visual hallmarks. The cheap, plasticky-looking tactical gear is seen failing to protect numerous Federation Forces from glancing blows from Warrior Bugs, standard rifle fire and even a flying shovel. Hmmm. It's almost as if it was cheaply and cynically produced for a bunch of cannon fodder soldiers.

In 2001, Tim Burton, rather than spend a tiny amount of money on cheap-looking plastic sci-fi helmets, used exactly the same ones with a coat of glossy black paint for a scene in his crap remake of Planet Of The Apes. Here, several ape police units can be seen wearing the helmets as they apprehend Mark Wahlberg's character in the film's finale.

The uses don't end here, however, as the armour crops up in Joss Whedon's Firefly, Power Rangers: Time Force, Power Rangers: Lost Galaxy, Impostor and countless others. This might have been understandable if it had looked really impressive, but let's be honest here. It looks like low quality BMX armour. Just make some new props!

Contributor

A self-taught video editor with nearly 25 years of experience, Joe worked in freelance videography for many years before joining WhatCulture in 2018. During that time, he has expanded his work to include both writing and presenting, and has been at the forefront of several new channel launches including WhatCulture Horror and WhatCulture Star Wars, largely defining their visual identity through the design and curation of their bespoke assets. As a dedicated WhatCulture Gaming staff member, he has spearheaded numerous new content strategies and formats, and has taken the lead on various charitable projects that have raised large sums of money for charities close to his heart. Bluesky and Instagram: @jjpinwheel