MAD PROPS

Having worked at a Pop Culture museum (MoPOP) with a collection of amazing movie props, I was curious about the new documentary MAD PROPS, directed by Juan Pablo Reinoso. This documentary follows Tom Biolchini, an avid movie prop collector, as he journeys across the globe in search of other collectors to find out why these pieces of movie history are so important to film fans. 

Playing kind of like a “Movie Prop 101” guide for people who might never consider there are prop collectors out there, when this doc hits, it really HITS. Hearing from genre stars Robert Englund and Lance Henriksen about why they think movie props are pieces of art that evoke strong feelings of nostalgia and happiness was GREAT (Englund is endlessly entertaining). I also enjoyed learning about Danny Boy O’Connor (House of Pain) turning the original THE OUTSIDERS shooting location into a museum filled with props from the movie. 

But where it fails is in the variety and diversity of people interviewed, and in particular, its focus on Biolchini. Though it’s clear he’s a true movie fan, and the props he collects evoke pleasant nostalgic memories for him, every shot of Tom’s collection and his very large house demonstrates the privileged position he’s operating from. And being able to bid $75-$160k on single movie props is definitely not an option for most folks. The fact that he calls himself a “small” collector is …. certainly something. According to Biolchini, “The only requirement,” to be a collector is “fandom” – yes, and, you also need A LOT of money. 

I would have loved to see more collectors like Arturo Reyes, who collects SCREAM-related props because that movie franchise is so dear to him, and Alistar “Blake” Cartright, who journeyed to the big London movie props auction to bid on a technical drawing from BLAKE 7; the British sci-fi show from the 70s-80s that he was named after. The fact that we never find out if Alistair acquired what he was seeking is very frustrating. 

As a woman with a lifelong LOVE of film, who would of course love to own props, I was also disappointed that there weren’t any women collectors featured (just a quick interview with two women who found a Blade Runner prop in their dad’s closet, and were selling it). Could the filmmakers honestly not find a single female collector? Or did they not look that hard? (I mean… there’s a Twin Peaks’-obsessed couple in North Bend who purchased Twede’s Cafe and lovingly keep it screen accurate, even adding a replica of the neon RR from the series to the sign last year). 

Cementing the view of the documentary that only men like to collect these things was the grating question Biolchini asked of every married collector about the money they spend on props, “How does your wife feel about that?” Friends, my eyes could not roll hard enough at those moments. Way to hammer those stereotypes in, I guess. 

It’s of course still incredibly cool to see everyone’s collections and mini-museums – being able to get a close-up look at things I’ve only seen on screen for a few minutes gave me all the feels. I too would be ecstatic if I could bid on, and win, the Grays Sports Almanac from BACK TO THE FUTURE II or the holy grail from THE LAST CRUSADE. I just don’t have that much disposable income.

What it boils down to, for me at least, is that I didn’t find this documentary’s host particularly endearing or likable. And the question of whether or not movie props can hold their own against priceless works of art feels a little dated and unnecessary. Movie lovers know the importance of these props, and recognize that they are pieces of priceless art. Hearing from the fans and collectors about their passion for movies and the iconic pieces that remind them of that is really all you need. 

If you’re just looking to see a variety of cool movie props, I recommend you check it out. But if you’re looking for something a little deeper and more expansive, you won’t find it here.