By Elias Savada.
Humankind’s appetite for many things nostalgic is at play here, and it is a satisfying meal.”
Most folks who do genealogy, like myself, cherish old photos of their great-great grandparents, a family bible with birth, death, and marriage records handwritten in the back, or assorted documents and keepsakes from earlier generations.
Many folks who go to the movies like to relate to the stars, the stories, the settings, the creators. Some like what they see so much, they collect them. Not just the movies, but the props and costumes that were made for them.
Those few folks who collect such things relating to the history and lore of cinema, also like myself, have a variety of interests and fluctuating reasons for their obsessions. Want a meet-and-greet look at some of those collectors and curators and their prize possessions? You’ll ogle at dozens and dozens of fascinating movie relics in Juan Pablo Reinoso’s light, passionate documentary Mad Props.
Whereas most of my cinemabilia is paper-based and stored in file and blueprint drawers, the film’s subjects from around the globe offer a tantalizing treat of eye candy better suited to a museum setting (and some of the venues are indeed just that). Humankind’s appetite for many things nostalgic is at play here, and it is a satisfying meal.
Perhaps the most iconic representation of movie treasuredom that cinemaphiles dote upon are the ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz, but Reinoso’s treasure chest tends more toward the wicked witch side of life. Horror and science fiction, that is.
Artifact and business interests do collide here, and the film embraces that coincidence, sitting ringside with its amiable oh-my-gosh host Tom Biochini, action figure-and-beyond collector, family guy, and wannabe special effects creative turned lawyer then banker in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He globetrots to the numerous hangouts trolled by these passionate film art devotees, investors, and some of the movers and shakers who have crafted or restored these pieces.
During the first quarter-hour (and sporadically throughout the film’s 89 minutes), I especially liked the several appearances of the Biochini family. Fran, Tom’s mother, who balances out her over-enthusiastic son’s commentary with some delightful family anecdotes. Also, his kids, Lucy and Rocco, and wife Jess (“I’ve never tried to control it. You’ve seen the basement!”) joyfully share his interest. In another life, he would have been a horror director, rising up from the no-budget zombie film he made with friends as a kid.
Want a closeup of an original critter from Gremlins? The Sports Almanac from Back to the Future 2? Indiana Jones’ whip, or the Holy Grail cup from the Last Crusade installment? Wilson from Castaway? Or, gulp, the ball gag from Pulp Fiction? Grab your (eye, beer, cocktail) glasses and watch for their, and many other, guest appearances.”
And while his collection obviously has a large market value, it’s the sentimental significance that rises to the top. And that’s contagious among the other collectors highlighted in the film. Of course, you do need deep pockets for this hobby.
Decades ago, many of these souvenirs started out, after being used for their intended purpose in the film production chain, in the garbage heap. Not so much today. Naturally, one person’s garbage is another one’s road to found memories or, perhaps, a small fortune. There are stories aplenty of rescues from the trash pile. Or, if you ask American actor Robert Englund, known for his roles playing serial killer Freddy Krueger in the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, he recalls that he pocketed the original talon-adorned glove that is a key part of the character’s wardrobe. “I just threw it in my bag.” Englund later confesses that he later gave it to his agent.
Among those showcased include Arturo Reyes (San Jose, California), a fan of Scream memorabilia, Seán Lesponera (West Sussex, England), and Dave Mesa (San Marcos, Texas), a tattoo artist whose nerdy tattoo and body piercing emporium offers patrons a wide-eyed glimpse of hundreds of Hollywood relics. All offer anecdotes on their acquisitions, and some add funny comments about what their spouses think of their “habits.”
Want a closeup of an original critter from Gremlins? The Sports Almanac from Back to the Future 2? Indiana Jones’ whip, or the Holy Grail cup from the Last Crusade installment? Wilson from Castaway? Or, gulp, the ball gag from Pulp Fiction? Grab your (eye, beer, cocktail) glasses and watch for their, and many other, guest appearances.
Not everything works, especially at the start, when the camera focuses on a young boy sitting alone in a movie theater, exciting by a quick selection of images from classic Hollywood films like Back to the Future, Titanic, Harry Potter, etc. Yet, the down-to-earth, low frills, folksy approach that follows does, often cutting to a film clip featuring the currently discussed memento. The bloopers during the end credits add to the fun.
Mad Props (which will be available on every major streaming platform on March 26, for rental or purchase) might be best remembered as a splendid visual addition to oh-so-many home-video movie releases.
Elias Savada is a movie copyright researcher, critic, craft beer geek, and avid genealogist based in Bethesda, Maryland. He helps program the Spooky Movie International Movie Film Festival, and previously reviewed for Film Threat and Nitrate Online. He is an executive producer of the horror film German Angst and the documentary Nuts! He co-authored, with David J. Skal, Dark Carnival: the Secret World of Tod Browning (a revised edition will be published by Centipede Press).