I stopped reading at "McQueen was cool, Brynner was not" Righto, Simon's obviously a Ted and a charlatan.

So you read less than a third of the article and rated it really badly, thanks for that. Care to explain why I might be a Ted or a Charlatan? For the record I have never once considered doing the frock coat / crepe shoe thing or getting the quiff look on.

Loving the bonus apostrophes in this piece.

Thanks Monot, I appreciate the job you are doing. It must be taking you a long time to correct the internet. Keep at it though as it's a job that clearly needs doing.

My own fav is The Dude in The Big Lewbowski and his White Russians had to have one as soon as I left the cinema.

like it simon, what about john candys trunk in planes trains & automobiles ?

Tony, so did I and have had many since. A bit like the Tequila Rapido in Betty Blue.

Cheers Griff, yep, great prop used well. The blue puffa coat too when he got the cuff straps caught in on the car seat. Genius.

I thought Chris Tucker was immense in the Fifth Element

Nah, not for me. Too high pitched and fast talking. He fitted the tone of the film though as it was like a competition for over acting.

Couldn't read this due to shocking grammar. Might as well have potato printed it. You've let yourselves down badly allowing this onto your otherwise excellent site. Disappointing.

I love it when people police the internet for quality of written English. It really is a job thet needs doing and we are all very grateful for the effort you put in to save us from our poor syntax. It's epsecially good when, like Red or Dead just has just done, they say printing the article with a potato would have been as valid a tool for the publisher, because as we all know, the method of publication improves the quality of the grammar. Well done Red or Dead, you are a genius.

don't you just love it when people complain in a really patronising way about content they are reading for free written by an author who isn't getting paid. i've neglected to use punctuation in solidarity brother.

To be fair, if someone comes on and criticises your writing (not style, but use of accepted punctuation and syntactical norms - you're not Jose Saramago are you?) it'd be better to take on board than get all huffy.

Barry, maybe if it was specific and valid examples were given perhaps. Or have I got it all wrong and the editors of ST are idiots and just publish any old shit. So on reflection I'll admit to defending my efforts and look forward to seeing great pieces by those who choose to criticise.

Cheers Griff, in an age of text speak and most people not being able to manage a sentence without saying "nar'ameen" or "laeyk" it is a bit odd. I've re- read the piece several times and it may not flow like a poem it's not particularly grammar-wise for a list article which is intended to amuse.

That would be "particularly bad, grammar-wise" before I get hung for the failings of my fat fingers on my iPhone.

Good, funny piece. I can't say I've noticed any grievous errors in grammer, etc in it. Believe me, I've noticed far worse sentence structure and repetition in other pieces, on other sites. Unless you're prepared to back up criticism, don't bother.

I'll add to that, the piece flows well, you have a good style. Ignore the numptys.

Thanks Tim, your comments are appreciated.

Probably not a good time, then, to point out that the surname of Christopher Walken's character in Pulp Fiction is spelled with a K and that his ass was in Vietnam, not Korea, when he shoved a watch up it? Good article, keep 'em coming. I picked up a copy of Dead Man's Shoes based on your Noughties recommendations - still not too sure about Where The Wild Things Are, though, depite the repeated plugs. In terms of iconic movie props, I've always had a soft spot for Tony Montana's "little friend" in Scarface; the M16/grenade launcher combo he wields in the final shoot-out. Apparently - according to the receipts of the movie prop rental company that leased it to the Scarface production - the very same gun was dusted off a few years later and brandished by a certain Mr. Schwarzenegger in the film Predator, so bit of an all-round 80s superstar really. You can actually see that Pacino drops and breaks the weapon (the grenade launcher snaps right off) when he's first knocked to the ground by gunfire - but not to worry, it miraculously fixes itself in time for his final, final stand a few moments later.

Brad pitt always needs props, even if its his hands in se7en (their speeling not mine!)tapping the table and wobbling the gun at the end. Don't get why Lois Lanes aliteration(?) name means fairworks? Was Mo Mowlan a goer? How about the pen-knife (not knoife) in chinatown,the polaroid in Memento or voigts boots in midnight cowboy(polishing them, putting perfume in them,"where's ma boots, who took them off?" and finally binning them?

Bit corny, I know, but I've always liked Gaff's origami in Blade Runner.

Cheers David, what did you think of Drad Man's Shoes? Killmckenzie, I was referring to Marvel Comics' habit of naming their super heroes' secret real names with the same letter for fore and surnames. Peter Parker, Bruce Banner, Reid Richards, Sue Storm, etc. Nothing to do with Lois Lane or DC Comics mate. Sorry if I was unclear on that. Nigel, I actually thought of the origami but the significance is unclear and I would have liked to have dug deeper into it.

Thanks and respect, as always, for the continued interaction post-article. Your comment prompted me to look further into the Blade Runner origami thing. As with many aspects of the film, it has taken on a whole debate of it's own, especially the meaning and plot significance of the unicorn and the matchstick man. Worth a look, whenever you do have a moment.

Simon, just watched Dead Man's Shoes. In fact, spent the best part of twenty minutes drafting a reply to your question before I clicked the wrong x on on my internet browser and killed the entire entry (which encompassed the inevitable Get Carter and First Blood parallels, the use of Citroen 2CVs as film props, Nick Love being a complete arse compared to Shane Meadows, and a completely gratuitous mention of my home cinema rig - 6' by 9' wide-screen projection and a Yamaha Dolby Digital amp, if you're interested), but, in the end, two words.....fookin' hell. I can't remember a (fairly) recent film that was quite so British; when The Rock upsets the crims in Walking Tall (also released in 2004), they fight back with the latest word in US military fully-automatic mayhem. In Dead Man's Shoes, when Paddy Considine shows he means business by brutally hacking a drug dealer to death in a toilet, Gary Stretch digs out a cardboard box from his spare bedroom that seems to suggest his entire defence budget consists of a £125 Visa payment to Battle Orders UK in Sussex. Absolutely and unreservedly brilliant.

Hi Nigel, it's really interesting as is the whole "Is deckard a replicant" argument. Bladerunner has it's critics but I have always loved it. I find it visually stunning for the time, it has a great score and Rutger Hauer is superb as Roy Batty. For a film which is 30 years old you could release it today and it would stand up.

Hi David, yeah I've done that's it's most annoying. It's a great film isn't it? I love the scene when Stretch et al roll up in the 2CV and Richard is standing by the garages. As confrontations go it's menacing but in a small town sort of way. Everyone who grew up in a small town of a certain vintage will have played around banks of run down garages. I love the fact that Stretch's gang is so small time they drive the 2CV, dress like tramps and drink supermarket beer upstairs in the pub. If I have one beef with Meadow's at all its the improvised ad-libbing he seems to encourage from actors that I just don't think are up to it.

Brad Pitt eats in every movie he's in - generally licking somethign off a spoon, or gazing at whatever he has on his cutlery before eating it. It's his acting leitmotif.

From my personal favourite film Batman (1989) i'd like to have The Jokers hand gun with the elongated barrell (which for no real reason turned it into an armour piercing super gun?). Would be plenty of jokes to be had pulling it out of your belt.

I think the guy haroldshand meant he stopped reading when you said "yul brynner was not" cool. Me too. Glad I kept on going, though, liked the rest. Congrats

You handle criticism like an obsessive stalker. Go out for a bit. Enjoy the elements.

To bring this up to date, how about the Gold teeth set in a plastic block in Breaking bad?

Just noticed that the title was "movie props" rather than TV stuff. Mmmmmmmm

and yet we all lap up Bukowski, regardless of crude writing or less than perfect grammer without anyone crying over their keyboards.. good grief.. let the artists write.. let the punter enjoy.. worry not in between..