Movies inspire us all in many different ways. We constantly quote and relive the iconic scenes from our favorite titles. A solid script, effective directing, and convincing performances are all essential ingredients of a great movie, but nonetheless, aspects such as movie props make it memorable as well.
Some of the most seminal moments in cinematic history were only made possible by the visionary usage of everyday objects.
Props such as weapons, clothes, or other personal items used by an actor have the same power as any other kind of historical artifact. Other props, like parts of the movie, set, beasts, masks, or vehicles used in the movies also play a significant role.
Prop makers are usually creative and skilled people who can make elaborate, custom-made objects, according to the wishes of the director.
Some of the most iconic props, such as the full-scale T-800 model from Terminator II or James Bond’s Lotus Submarine car, were highly complex and cost a fortune to produce.
But sometimes the best solution is the simplest one. Take an everyday item, such as an ordinary coffee grinder, and transform it into a hi-tech gadget. If you are skilled enough, you can take an old calculator and turn it into a sophisticated computer. Some of the most distinctive objects in cinema history were made from these simple, everyday items. These kinds of props show us that the best solution is not always the most expensive one.
It is interesting how some of these items, with a retail price of only a few dollars, are sold on for thousands at auctions after appearing on screen. For example, Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber from Star Wars IV: A New Hope (1977), which was made only of old camera and calculator parts, was later sold for a staggering $240.000. For that amount of money, you’d almost expect a real lightsaber!
In the video below, you can see some more every-day items used and transformed into iconic movie props.
Next time you see a movie, keep an eye out: you even might discover one yourself.