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Movie fans know that props can make or break a film, with their significance often outweighing the importance of the actors themselves. (We’re looking at you, Harrison Ford!) Some movie props are so memorable that fans will seek them out and pay large sums of money to add them to their own collections.
We’ve already listed 5 iconic movie props in our Part I. In this article, we’ll bring 5 more fascinating collectables to complete our list.
Indiana Jones Franchise (1981 – Present)
As we have already mentioned Harrison Ford, let’s start with this real Hollywood classic. The Indiana Jones franchise is one of the most popular and well-known in movie history. A big part of what makes these movies so great is the amazing props that are used throughout. From the iconic whip that Indiana Jones uses to the magical Ark of the Covenant, these props help bring the movies to life. First up is Indy's whip. Used by Harrison Ford as a weapon against his enemies or a tool for exploration, this accessory really helped define the character of Indiana Jones. Next up is the most famous object in all six films: The Holy Grail!
Now you're probably wondering how something like this could be a prop when it was what Indy was always after. Well, it turns out that it wasn't just an idea or a concept but rather a tangible item with multiple appearances throughout all six films! Here's the famous special effect designer Adam Savage's amazing video on carefully recreating the Diary Grail prop, one of the most famous appearances of the Holy Grail in the Indiana Jones movies.
Jurassic Park Franchise (1993 – Present)
Almost 30 years on, the original Jurassic Park movie has yet to be topped. Steven Spielberg's 1993 thriller is genuinely brilliant, combining sci-fi action with scares. It might have been a big hit on release, but it wasn't a smash hit at first. Many cinemas refused to screen it because they feared dinosaurs would put off viewers and insurers charged studios millions of dollars for special cover in case any incidents occurred. Thankfully, they were all proven wrong: Jurassic Park became one of Hollywood's biggest hits and sparked four sequels. For its time, Jurassic Park was very advanced technologically. Instead of relying solely on CGI, Jurassic Park used animatronic puppetry to bring their dinosaurs alive. Before creating an animatronic version of a dinosaur for filming, ILM studied hundreds of hours of footage from nature documentaries so they could accurately replicate how each animal moved.
If you'd like to get your hand on a collectable dinosaur replica, you have plenty of opportunities to buy one online or at a Comic-Con.
However, you don't have to settle with prop replicas. If you would like a piece of cinematic history in your back garden, the original raptor cage used in the first Jurassic Park movie is now up for grabs at a bargain price of £86,031.
Jaws (1975)
Although we’ve already talked about the famous shark prop ‘Bruce’ in a previous blog article, we can’t resist putting Jaws onto our list when it comes to movie props. The mechanical shark, nicknamed Bruce after Spielberg's lawyer, was actually made up of three different shark sculptures, each with its own unique set of features. The biggest (25 -foot) and most famous of the three was used for this iconic scene below where the shark attacks the boat.
The other two sharks were used for close-ups and shots where the shark's mouth was open. Despite being a mechanical prop, Spielberg insisted that it be filmed in a way that gave the impression that it was real. In order to do this, he had to film it at a higher frame rate than normal and shot from farther away than usual so that he could use camera tricks such as water spraying on the lens or having crew members jump into the water from the off-camera when there was an attack. However, working with animatronic sharks was not the easiest task. The famously suspenseful atmosphere of Jaws was actually a result of Spielberg having to make the shark less visible in the movie than he had originally planned due to the prop's malfunctioning in the water.
Today, you can see Bruce on display in the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, after adding the 25-foot model to their collection in November 2020.
Harry Potter Franchise (2001 – 2011)
The Harry Potter franchise is home to some of the coolest movie props of all time. From the Deathly Hallows symbol to the Elder Wand, each item in the films is special and has a fascinating backstory. Here are just a few of our favourites -The Golden Snitch: The golden snitch is arguably one of the most important items in the series as it serves as an essential part of Quidditch. But before we saw it on screen, a London-based replica company called Noble Collection made one for Warner Bros. to use in merchandising campaigns. The other most widely demanded collectables in a prop lover's collection are arguable Voldemort’s Horcruxes. In order to achieve immortality, Voldemort created seven Horcruxes from everyday objects which held pieces of his soul that he needed to be separated from his body. As a result, he could never die even if his body was destroyed. You can see a video of all 7 Harry Potter Voldemort Horcrux replicas below.
Cast Away (2001)
Last but not least our personal favourite - Wilson. While there are many iconic movie props, Wilson the volleyball definitely stands out with his personality. This prop was essential to the story of Cast Away, as it was a constant reminder of the protagonist's lost love and loneliness while being stuck on an island. Not only did it serve as a plot device, but it also became a character in its own right with many fans feeling attached to Wilson.
In fact, the volleyball was the first prop in history to win multiple Critics Choice Awards in his own right, including a shared award with Tom Hanks for ‘Choice Chemistry’ (2001) and a sole award for ‘Best Inanimate Object’ (2001). Tom Hanks and Wilson were also nominated for ‘Best On-Screen Team’ award in 2001. Of course, the famous ball has his very own IMDB profile and he was also invited to Saturday Night Live.
And so, Wilson the volleyball went from being an imaginary object to an Academy Award-winning, talk show guest-starring celebrity prop. The superstar was actually put on a London auction in 2021, 21 years after its famous supporting role. Prop Store sold the original Wilson for over $308,000, which exceeded all expectations. Although this is not an Academy Award nomination, it feels as close as a volleyball could get to Hollywood recognition. The good news is that you can pick up your very own Wilson even if you don’t have $308,000 laying around. Wilson Sporting Goods sells a volleyball for $20 with the movie star’s red face printed on it. Although it’s not the original prop, we're sure he'll make you feel better about life (especially if you're currently stranded on an island).
We hope that you've enjoyed our list. From the whimsical world of Harry Potter to the isolated shores of Cast Away, movie props hold a special place in our hearts, tying us deeply to the stories we love. If you're ever curious about the world of prop making or have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out. Thanks for joining us at Spur Creative on this cinematic journey, and be sure to check out our other articles!