A show we’ve highly anticipated since it was originally announced, here is our Prop Culture Disney Plus review.
Film historian and prop collector Dan Lanigan reunites iconic Disney movie props with the filmmakers, actors, and crew who created and used them in some of Disney’s most beloved films.
This vast space of cinematic magic that embody everything that Walt Disney stood for.
Creation, ingenuity and the effect of making something that would stand the test of time. It was hard to condense this Prop Culture Disney Plus review due to my love of prop collecting myself, but I’ve tried my best!
Prop Culture is an 8 episode journey throughout cinematic history. Never before have we been able to jump behind those shutter doors of the Disney archives.
This incredible honour for Dan (and for us the viewer) as we are given just a peek at all the treasures hidden inside. Treasures only glimpsed at by special Disney staff archivists and those who worked on the films themselves.
Every prop so carefully packaged away in storage. A lot of love and care has gone into keeping them safe.
Not only that but certain props that have gone astray have also ended up back in the Disney archives where they belong. The Mary Poppins carpet bag for instance.
The second I saw the Mary Poppins carpet bag in the first episode I knew I had seen it before. I remember it being found in an attic somewhere and was on the show Hollywood Treasure.
Fast forward years later and from the help of Dan Lanigan who is the star of the show the carpet bag is now back in Disney’s hands.
From Pirates of the Caribbean, Mary Poppins, The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Muppet Movie, Tron and Who Framed Roger Rabbit? There is an episode for everyone.
Whilst personally I’m not a huge fan of The Nightmare Before Christmas (sorry) I found the episode captivating as all of the set pieces and the original sally and jack sculpts were shown.
The effort and dedication from a production team go severely underappreciated especially in big movies. Prop Culture not only celebrates that work but explores it in fine detail.
The episodes serve as a history lesson of each particular production. Not only that but it also puts the creators and prop makers front and center as celebrated as the main talent themselves.
Prop Culture went one step further than the show Hollywood Treasure ever did for me.
Hollywood Treasure whilst admittedly had a much better range of items to showcase they jumped straight to value and to an auction setting. Auctions are certainly not interesting to partake in let alone watch so the show lost me at those focal moments.
By reuniting certain props with the original designers or even the stars themselves it hits on that perfect Disney note of family and togetherness. This raw passion for the films they worked on that is now sealed in Disney movie-making history. It was this direction of the show alone that certainly hit a more heartfelt tone.
Rather than focusing on the value of these items, the show most wonderfully focuses on their sentimental value.
Most personal purchases of these items are because of the love you have of the movie. Something that has stayed with you for a very long time that means a lot to you and you want to own just a little piece of that movie that holds a special place in your heart.
Artwork seems to be a very strong focus, especially on the first 3 episodes that we were allowed to view early (thanks Disney!).
Stand in penguins from Mary Poppins, artwork from the archives, Mary Poppins costume swatches and designs and more. It feels as thou the main focus is certainly more on artwork/concept art than stand out props themselves.
We still get to see an original Tron suit, the aforementioned carpet bag from Mary Poppins and the infamous snowglobe. But only in episode 3 (The Nightmare Before Christmas episode) where a heavier focus on physical props come more to the fold.
Host and executive producer Dan Lanigan has an exceptional personal collection of movie props. His passion for the hobby is clear for all to see and adding this personal fanboy touch to proceedings made it all the more engaging.
The reaction of artists and stars of the films being reunited with old costumes and art pieces is a nice touch, along with their first-hand accounts is a joy to watch. This mixed with Dan’s love of the hobby weaves the perfect recipe for a wonderful show.
A rather touching moment for me was seeing Steven Lisberger reunited with an old Tron disc. As the show begins he doesn’t seem all that interested in discussing it.
Tron was a film that wasn’t appreciated at the time that only now many years later is culturally celebrated. He seems almost downhearted when initially discussing this legend he has created.
As more artifacts are revealed thou you can completely see this change of demeanor in Stevens’s attitude.
Steven unboxes some historical pieces of Tron history including the final slate of the movie.
As Steven reels off the many memories he had of being on set all of that nostalgia comes flooding back. To see him going from disinterested one moment to a kid on Christmas Eve the next in such a short space of time was wonderful to see.
Not only does the show focus on various artifacts and props from famous movies but another side project within the Tron episode is the restoration of the infamous Flynn’s Arcade neon sign. A sign that over the years doesn’t quite light up like it once did.
This iconic prop in the Disney archives restored back to its former glory. The sign brings a rather bright (excuse the pun) ending to the 2nd episode of the show.
No show would be complete without a Prop Store of London cameo. Whilst in California the Prop Store’s very own Brandon Allinger makes an appearance.
If you’re already a movie prop collector or enthusiast then this is the show you’ve been crying out for. Even if you’re not a collector you will get never before seen access to Disney archives. You will see first-hand how these iconic pieces came to fruition.
Whilst we were only given a glimpse at the first 3 episodes the fact I’m typing this article eager to see the next 5 episodes says all you need to know!
Prop Culture Disney Plus Review by Sean Evans
Check out Prop Culture on Disney Plus May 1st
Our Rating
Summary
Educational and magical Prop Cultures flies by in the blink of an eye and I’m already crossing my fingers that this won’t be the first and last season of the show we ever see.
