Props from 007 to "Gladiator" up for sale
Tim Pollard
LONDON (Reuters) - A Buddha from a Bond film and a coffin clock from "The
Rocky Horror Picture Show" are among thousands of film props to go under the
auctioneer's hammer at Sotheby's this month.
All belong to a vast collection from a top London film prop shop that has
supplied gizmos and gadgets to some of the most famous movies of the last 50
years.
A French Empire style suite was used, for example, in "Interview With The
Vampire", Kenneth Branagh's "Hamlet", "Never Say Never Again" and "Onegin",
while a giant Buddha from "The Man With The Golden Gun" resurfaced in "Tomb
Raider", "Carry On Up the Khyber" and "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade".
A small gilded Buddha that appeared in "You Only Live Twice" in 1967
starring Sean Connery as the country's most famous secret agent, re-emerged
over 30 years later in "Entrapment", again with the smooth-talking Scottish
actor and Catherine Zeta Jones.
For shop owner Chris Paul, the ultimate gem in the March 13-15 auction has
to be a century-old clock in a full-sized coffin, which comes complete with
its own skeleton from the opening of the 1975 cult flick, "The Rocky Horror
Picture Show".
"There's a fascinating story about that," said Paul, who has run the Ken
Paul prop shop in north London since her father's death in 1989.
"The skeleton is rumoured to be the remains of the young Italian lover and
the secretary of the Countess of Rosslyn. After his death she couldn't bear
to be separated from him, so she immortalised him in the clock and took him
everywhere with her. Much better than being buried, don't you think?," she
said.
Now, following her decision to shut up shop, Sotheby's will sell its
contents -- more than 1,500 lots which are expected to raise over one
million pounds.
ELUSIVE PIMPERNEL
Born into a family of antiques dealers, Ken Paul set up his own business
after World War Two. His friend, art director Scott Simon, suggested using
some of the antiques as props in a film.
The business rocketed and Paul quickly became known for his expert visual
eye, stocking unusual works that were able to withstand the scrutiny of the
lens and worked well on camera.
It was the ideal situation for the avid collector, who could lend out his
antiques without having to part with them.
The first film he supplied was "The Elusive Pimpernel," starring David Niven
and the first British television dramas were "Robin Hood," "William Tell"
and "The Avengers."
The early James Bond films followed, paving the way for a relationship in
which Paul's shop repeatedly decorated the office of "M", the head of the
secret service in the spy films, and provided props for nearly every Bond
film.
"We had a very special relationship with the Bond films...from the early
films like 'From Russia With Love' right the way through to the one which is
filming at the moment," Paul told Reuters.
The shop had a similar relationship with Britain's comedy "Carry On" films.
His business flourishing, Paul expanded into the next door property, filling
it with oriental artefacts, Russian works of art and bronzes, many acquired
during extensive travels abroad and sometimes to meet specific requests from
art directors.
Chris Paul remembers holidays spent haggling over objects for films in an
Egyptian bazaar or in local markets.
Other childhood memories include accompanying her father to film sets, such
as "Cleopatra" starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton and the early
Bond films.
"We were on one film set and I remember Warren Beatty was in a towelling
dressing gown and he gazed over at my younger sister -- who looked older
than she was -- and said: 'She looks promising, who's she?'"
CORNERSTONE OF THE INDUSTRY
After her father's death, Paul kept the shop going as the cornerstone of the
prop industry, with directors flying in from Hollywood just to secure the
perfect addition to any set.
She particularly remembers a visit by set designer Peter Young, who heard he
had won an Oscar for his work on "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" as they drank
tea in the shop.
"We rushed to get the papers, and some champagne so we could celebrate. He'd
often pop in and have tea with us," she said.
Young is one of many who will miss the shop.
"The closure of the Ken Paul props company will be a great loss to the film
industry. It has been invaluable over the years, its huge mix of objects,
from the Oriental and African rooms to the arms, armour and medieval
room...has saved time and effort on many a tight filming schedule," he said.
But for Chris Paul, even after her props have found a new home, she will
still be able to keep an eye on them.
"It's just fun seeing the props in films. We were in India last year and we
went into a restaurant and everyone was watching "Gladiator" and I said look
that's one of ours. You never escape from them," Paul said.
--
Regards
Tim Pollard
Website: www.timpollard.com
Weblog: www.livejournal.com/users/timpollard/