The 100 greatest props in movie history, and the stories behind them
- Thread starter ghostryder
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http://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/film-tv/article/1883903/truth-about-bruce-lees-yellow-jumpsuit
I see the nunchucks as exceptions to the rule
The hoverboard is IMO an extremely important prop. It is an extension of Marty´s personality, it is part of his identity, and stays so through all time periods. Stapler? Hm. Holy Hand Grenade is very memorable and stands out because it has its own story part. But aren´t Python movies all just bundles of throwaway gags?
I am sorry. But the Neuralizer you used to erase that memory is unfortunately far more important to the MIB story than the BR blaster ist. The BR has NO special features that make it important. It can be replaced. A neuralizer is a neuralizer. The BR blaster is not a specialized replicant killer device that is necessary for the story. Sorry about that
The BR Blaster was used more in Blade Runner than those nunchucks were used in Game of Death. The blaster also had its own closeup shot.http://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/film-tv/article/1883903/truth-about-bruce-lees-yellow-jumpsuit
I see the nunchucks as exceptions to the rule
Go watch Office Space. It's a terrific movie.
So why does it make the list? By your criteria it still doesn't qualify.
I am sorry. But the Neuralizer you used to erase that memory is unfortunately far more important to the MIB story than the BR blaster ist. The BR has NO special features that make it important. It can be replaced. A neuralizer is a neuralizer. The BR blaster is not a specialized replicant killer device that is necessary for the story. Sorry about that
Let's see. Is a lightsaber truly essential to the plot of Star Wars? They could have replaced it with any "cool" weapon, no? If you argue there's nothing special about the function of Decard's blaster keep in mind that the lightsaber does nothing different from a saber or katana. If you can replace the BR blaster with any old gun you can replace the lightsaber with any old sword.
Oh, but you say the lightsaber defines the Jedi. Well, no. What makes a Jedi is an affinity and sensitivity towards "The Force" coupled with physical, spiritual and mental training. A Jedi isn't a Jedi just because some watery tart lobbed a scimitar at them.
Oh, but you say the lightsaber is iconic for the Jedi. True. But the blaster is iconic for the Blade Runner, too. So there.
A great movie prop is simply any prop that gave a viewer pause to think, "wow.... that's really cool!" to such a degree it's not forgotten and is inseparable with any memory of that film experience.
So I take it that Blade Runner didn't do it for you. (There's no accounting for taste
) But it did have a big impact on a number of people. And, of those people affected, the impact has been deep and enduring. The blaster didn't need to be a major plot device ... yet it's stimulated the imagination and efforts of a lot of fans to an obsessive degree. This movie prop made a lot of people say, "wow... that's really cool!"I am right and you are wrong.
This one is mine.
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Dascoyne, surely you're not serious.
Dont get me wrong, I LOVE Bladrunner with all my heart. However, I'm not going to let the love of the movie cloud my judgment. How many people outside of this forum can describe the gun in detail? Sure, you can fool yourself into thinking there are many, probably based on the number of prop PKDs that are sold and at their great prices. But those are mostly gun enthusiasts and die hard fans of the movie. 90 percent of the general public that have seen and liked the movie couldn't pick out that gun in a lineup if their lives were depending on it.
Dont get me wrong, I LOVE Bladrunner with all my heart. However, I'm not going to let the love of the movie cloud my judgment. How many people outside of this forum can describe the gun in detail? Sure, you can fool yourself into thinking there are many, probably based on the number of prop PKDs that are sold and at their great prices. But those are mostly gun enthusiasts and die hard fans of the movie. 90 percent of the general public that have seen and liked the movie couldn't pick out that gun in a lineup if their lives were depending on it.
Of course my reply is somewhat tongue-in-cheek, but remember this isn't about how we should define "greatest props." Mine is a criticism of the list in the link and its definition.
This list includes:
Frogs from Magnolia - I don't always like to admit I loved that movie but, while the frog scene was a major turning point, there's nothing special or iconic about the frogs themselves. You might as well add the locusts from the Ten Commandments.
Dental pick from Marathon Man - again, the scene was great but there's nothing special about the dental pick other than it was used. I've watched Marathon Man many times and Olivier's performance is what I remember. I couldn't tell you a thing about the dental pick he used.
Gold Chains from I'm Gonna Git You Sucka - A single gag in a pretty funny Wayans movie. I wouldn't even call it the best Wayans movie.
Tennis Racket from The Apartment - I loved this Jack Lemmon film. The racket was a gag.
Cue Cards from Love Actually - that gimmick was from the only story line from the film that irritated me. The man is crushing on his friend's wife. It's not romantic. It's creepy. And did anyone really think that gag was that great?
The revolver in Godard's Breathless, umbrella in Singing in the Rain, bone prop in 2001: A Space Odyssey and the switchblade in Rebel Without a Cause? - As with the frogs and the dental pick, those were props used in iconic scenes - not iconic props. There's a big difference.
And say what you like about the limited fandom of Blade Runner but I don't even think there's a fandom for Magnolia, Marathon Man or I'm Gonna Git You Sucka.
The point is that I can make a stronger case for the blaster than I can for those films. Blade Runner is typically considered a "cult" film but I argue that it's evolved into the mainstream simply because so many occult fans inside and outside the industry keep referencing it to this day. With a major sequel coming out you can't really call it a cult film anymore.
I agree that many folks who watched the film probably didn't remember the blaster as obsessively as some folks, but I argue that that factor is offset by the depth of obsession those folks had. (e.g. Cultural Impact = Number of people affected x Degree of impact.) When my buddy got his VHS copy of Blade Runner I had no idea that, while my buddy and I were freezing stills of that prop trying to make out every detail that there were folks from all over the world doing the exact same thing at the exact same time. I can't put my finger on why we were obsessed by that gun but there has to be something special if it grabbed so many people at the same time.
There are many stories of prop passion that begin with this item. I don't even know if there's a single prop story or prop fan story to tell about the tennis racket in The Apartment.
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mattycsi
Master Member
Of all the people I know, only 2 of them actually know that lightsabers come with different hilts. The lightsaber is recognisable to the average joe as a laser sword. Not many outside of this forum would be abe to describe any of them in any detail, much less know which hilt belongs to who. Ask any casual fan what Obi Wan's saber looks like and they will say"blue".
The BR gun deserves its place on the list because of people like us that revere it and invest in it, much the same as the lightsaber or the matty hoverboard.
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