Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) Call sheet for day No. 267

A call sheet used in the production of the Peter Jackson movie Lord of the Rings: Return of the King. This call sheet is for day #267 of filming and is dated “13th December 2000”. It has the name of the film as “Jamboree” which was what it was called originally to keep it secret. It has Peter Jackson’s name printed at the top as Director and it tells us that they were filming in Minas Tirith with the fellowship. There are 7 sheets in all, including the Call Sheet, travel directions for the "wet set", and a map to reach it, the "Mud Map 1A", location logistics anda map for "Dry Creek Quarry / Minas Tirith" and finally a map of Minas Tirith itself. [PSoL]

Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)German cap

This is a very rare cap from one of the German soldiers. These caps were made specifically for the movie and were not part of the actual Nazi uniform. Not many were made, for the number of soldiers using it is very limited. For all I know, this one could even be the one Indy himself wears in the U-Boat pen, but there's no way of knowing, for it is not marked. [RP]

Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2003) Warner Bros. Security Hat Badge

A Warner Bros. Security Hat Badge from the 2003 comedy film, Looney Tunes: Back in Action. Badges of this style can be seen attached to hats worn by Warner Bros. Studios guards throughout the film. This metal badge features an elegant engraving of an eagle with its wings spread apart at top, and has been decorated with the Warner Bros. emblem with 'Security Officer' engraved below. [PSoL]

Incense for the Damned / Bloodsuckers (1970) Peter Cushing's costume as Dr. Walter Goodrich

Film: Bloodsuckers / Incense for the Damned (1970)
Actor: Peter Cushing (as Dr. Walter Goodrich)
Director: Robert Hartford-Davies
Costume designer: Unknown

Incense for the Damned (also released as Bloodsuckers, Freedom Seeker and Doctors Wear Scarlet) is a 1970 British horror film starring Patrick Macnee, Patrick Mower and Peter Cushing, based on the 1960 Simon Raven novel Doctors Wear Scarlet.

The film centers on Richard Fountain, an Oxford don who has fallen under the influence of a mysterious Greek girl and her suspicious associates. Fountain's friends visit Greece to get him back and notice that wherever he has been a number of murders have taken place. They find their friend under the spell of a beautiful vampire, whose blood-sucking methods include the use of S&M sex. Believing that they have killed her, the group return to Great Britain, unaware that their friend is now a vampire.

Filmed in Greece and Cyprus, they ran out of money in the Spring of 1969, having resumed later on. New scenes were written and new actors were added, the result being that the director disowned the film and prints only exist under a directorial psydonym (Michael Burrowes) or with no director credit at all.

The costume -- jacket, trousers, suspenders and vest -- was acquired in auction, originally from the Peter Cushing estate, as personal wardrobe and not associated with a film. All pieces sport M. Berman Ltd. labels with "Peter Cushing" handwritten. Production woes might explain why the costume ended up with Cushing and not returned to Berman.

"Incense for the Damned is one of the more unusual films in the canon of cinematic vampire lore. It is also one of the more controversially debated films in the genre – and more than anybody by its director Robert Hartford-Davies who hated the ending that was forced onto the film and substituted a pseudonym.
What one does find is an impressive attempt to pare away to the centre of the vampire myth. The central metaphor the vampire film operates on – that vampirism is sublimated sexuality – is here spun out as literal fact. Edward Woodward has a scene where he potently explains vampirism is a perversion brought on by sexual impotency where the drinking of and having blood drunken serves as surrogate orgasm. This is wound into a complex metaphor that sees the Oxford academic structure as vampiric in nature – Patrick Mower has a striking speech where he stands up and denounces the parasitism of the academic system, calling provost Peter Cushing in effect the head vampire. (As a perfectly sardonic after-note, Peter Cushing stands up, apparently oblivious to Patrick Mower’s meaning and demands order). The double-side of the coin the film presents is also striking – that the only relief from a rigidly ingrained system is to be found in the youth movement. However, the youth movement is not seen as liberating, as it usually was in most films of this period, but is instead painted as inhabited by Satanic orgiastists, drug takers and murderers – exactly what some of the more extreme critics were denouncing it as. Incense for the Damned in its condemnation of both the repressive order of the class system and the wild liberation of the youth movement – yet also seeing both as deeply intertwined – makes a striking metaphor.

What does mar Incense for the Damned is the ending that was forced on against director Robert Hartford-Davies’ wishes (resulting in him having his name substituted) wherein Johnny Sekka takes Alex Davion to Patrick Mower’s coffin and hammers a stake through his heart. It is an ending that vilifies the rest of the film, which has up until that point explained vampirism away as being purely a psychological perversion."

Moria - Science Fiction, Horror and Film Review

"If you ever wanted to see Patrick Macnee and Imogen Hassall ride donkeys in a British vampire picture, then INCENSE FOR THE DAMNED is the film for you."

 RED WEED | Unusual British Film, TV and Beyond

A Mexican lobby card.

As an added bonus, Cushing may have also worn the suit when he appeared in the programme "Looks Familiar" (February 2nd, 1976 according to Wikipedia; UKPCAS states January 25th, 1979) , alongside Burgess Meredith, as can be seen by this photo from the excellent "Peter Cushing Appreciation Society".

"Looks Familiar", February 2nd, 1976. Left to right: Peter Cushing, Dilys Powell
(journalist and TV critic), Dennis Norden (presenter) and Burgess Meredith

Apollo 13 (1995) Jim Lovell's daughter's Midge doll

This doll was used in the 1995 Ron Howard film "Apollo 13" by actress Emily Ann Lloyd, who played Jim Lovell's (Tom Hanks) daughter Susan Lovell. 

Although identified in the CoA as a Barbie, it is actually a Midge, manufactured by Mattel in 1963 (straight legs version, #860), wearing an original Evening Splendor dress (#961) from 1959-64.

The prop belongs to my wife Vera, and it ties in nicely with her collection of vintage barbie dolls and accessories.

[SU]

Coming to America (1988) Two five pound coins from the Bank of Zamunda

Two 'Bank of Zamunda' coins made for the 1988 John Landis hit comedy "Coming To America", with Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall. These small round bright silver coins were made by Continental Coin Corp, who were especially contracted by Paramount.

One of these is also my baby daughter's first prop. She was born on June 9th and I hope one day she catches her father's "collecting bug". :)

[Private puchase]

The Rocketeer (1991) "Bigelow's Air Circus" buttons and banner

These two buttons and the banner were custom-made for the production of 1991's "The Rocketeer", and feature the Bigelow's Air Circus logo. [SU]

The Producers (2005) "Funny Boy!" Playbill

A "Funny Boy!" playbill from the 2005 film "The Producers", with Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane. [PSoL]

The Producers (2005) "Springtime for Hitler" Playbill & Ticket

Details were blurred in the digital image to avoid duplication.

Playbill and ticket for the production of "Springtime for Hitler" in 2005's "The Producers", starring Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane.  [PSoL]

Space: 1999 (1975) Model Probe from "The Last Sunset"

This is an original model probe, created by Martin Bower, from the "Space: 1999" episode "The Last Sunset". It measures 5cm, plus 3cm for the antennas. It originated from the collection of Brian Johnson, special effects director of the series.

You can find more information on the episode in the Catacombs.

Out of Africa (1985) Karen Blixen's (Meryl Streep) Book of Poems

Karen Blixen's (Meryl Streep) book of poems used in the 1985 Sydney Pollack classic Out Of Africa. This vintage book was specially adapted for used by the bereaved Karen to read from, with several select poems typed and subtly inserted into the book into pages 201 (A.E Housman's 'To An Athlete Dying Young), read from at Deny's (Robert Redford) grave, and 93 (A.E Housman's 'LIV. With rue my heart is laden'). The cover has also been adapted to have “Housman” as the title and the original author of the actual book (Thomas Hood) has been removed, only “Poems” remains on the spine. The book is seen on several occasions and for such a vintage book it is very unlikely that there would have been more than one, making this something of a rarity. [PSoL]

Screen-matching: The book can be easily screen-matched, both in the first scene where it appears and later in the funeral scene, where Meryl Streep reads from it and then carries it away with her. The book is now clean, but on-screen it appears to have been weathered. Still, many tell-tale signs appear, which were not obscured, such as the shape of the letters, the scuffed spine and edges of the book.

Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) Hypospray

This is an original Hypospray prop from Star Trek: The Next Generation. Throughout the series, the hypospray can be seen numerous times as it is a common medical device, used to inject liquids into the body. This custom-made device features a rectangular resin base/handle with a striped cylindrical neck leading to the head, which includes an attached gold metal disc. [PSoL]

Lost (2004-2010) The Dharma Initiative Beer Can

This is a can of Dharma Beer from the popular TV series Lost. This style of beer can be seen throughout the series as workers of The Dharma Initiative eat and use only food and products made by Dharma. One of the early appearances of the beer is inside the van when Hurley, Sawyer, Jin, and Charlie attempt to get a found Dharma VW bus to run again.

The unopened, empty can features the same plain design as the other Dharma products: white with black labeling. The can reads: “Dharma Initiative Beer” along with the instantly recognizable logo, and even a barcode and Surgeon General’s warning on the side. The can has four holes punched out of the bottom to empty the contents and make it much lighter, while still appearing to be full. [PSoL]

Code on beer can was intentinally blurred, the original is fine.