Table of Contents

The Clock on the Skyscraper in Safety Last! (1923)

The Baby Carriage on the Steps in Battleship Potemkin (1925)

Maria the Robot in Metropolis (1927)

The Ruby Slippers in The Wizard of Oz (1939)

The Floating Globe in The Great Dictator (1940)

The Maltese Falcon in The Maltese Falcon (1941)

The Rosebud Sled in Citizen Kane (1941)

The Letters of Transit in Casablanca (1942)

The Portrait of Laura Hunt in Laura (1944)

Harold Russell’s Metal Hands in The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)

The Escalator between Heaven and Earth in A Matter of Life and Death (1946)

The Camera with a Telescopic Lens in Rear Window (1954)

Marilyn Monroe’s White Dress in The Seven Year Itch (1955)

The Red Balloon in The Red Balloon (1956)

The Bridge on the River Kwai in The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)

The Chess Set in The Seventh Seal (1957)

Apu’s Manuscript in The World of Apu (1959)

Mrs Robinson’s Stockings in The Graduate (1967)

The Cosmic Cup of Coffee in Two or Three Things I Know About Her (1967)

The Alien Monolith in 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

The Harmonica in Once Upon A Time in the West (1968)

Rooster Cogburn’s Eye Patch in True Grit (1969)

The .44 Magnum in Dirty Harry (1971)

Charlie’s Golden Ticket in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)

The Horse’s Head in The Godfather (1972)

The Golden Gun in The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)

The Two-Headed Coin in Sholay (1975)

Luke Skywalker’s Lightsaber in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977)

Michael Myers’s Mask in Halloween (1978)

Kermit the Frog’s Bicycle in The Muppet Movie (1979)

The Starship Enterprise in Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)

The Discarded Coke Bottle in The Gods Must Be Crazy (1980)

Jake LaMotta’s Title Belt in Raging Bull (1980)

Indiana Jones’s Hat in The Indiana Jones films (1981-2008)

The Red Ryder BB Gun in A Christmas Story (1983)

The Wafer-Thin Mint in Monty’s Python’s The Meaning of Life (1983)

Marty McFly’s Hoverboard in Back to the Future Part II (1989)

Christy Brown’s Wheelchair in My Left Foot (1989)

Jack Gable’s Typewriter in Delirious (1991)

The Little Girl’s Red Coat in Schindler’s List (1993)

The Briefcase in Pulp Fiction (1994)

Sheriff Woody in Toy Story (1995)

‘The Worst Toilet in Scotland’ in Trainspotting (1996)

Dirk Diggler’s (Prosthetic) Penis in Boogie Nights (1997)

The Neuralyzer in Men in Black (1997)

The White Plastic Bag in American Beauty (1999)

The Red Pill and the Blue Pill in The Matrix (1999)

The One Ring in The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001-2003)

The Batmobile in Batman Begins (Christopher Nolan, 2005)

Ryan Bingham’s Backpack in Up in the Air (2009)

About the Author

Scott Jordan Harris is a culture critic for the Daily Telegraph, a contributor to the BBC's The Film Programme, and Roger Ebert's UK correspondent. He is the author of several books, most recently, World Film Locations: Chicago, also published by Intellect.

Reviews

'Striking illustrations'
*Pictureville*

'An object worthy of desire' 
*Jan Gardner for The Boston Globe*

'A flair for idiosyncrasy is part of the book’s charm, along with its square, elegant design' 
*Brian D. Johnson for Maclean's*

'Eclectic and fascinating reading about a little-explored aspect of cinematic mise-en-scene. It’s one of those books that demand initial reading at one sitting, and then further reference and reflection subsequently. Delightfully engaging, entertaining and informative' 
*James B. Evans for Electric Sheep*

'A beautifully illustrated tribute to some of the most beloved props and costumes in film history' 
*Nell Minow, beliefnet*

'This is an attractive object in its own right, containing many evocative objects within'
*Allister Mactaggart by Cercles*

'For every object you would expect ... there is something unique and surprising ... which instantly make you want to drop everything and watch the film. 8/10' 
*PopMatters, Jose Solis*

'What elevates Harris's book above coffee-table disposability is the original insights he provides. There's a genuine passion for these items that comes through in the writing.' 
*Eric Hillis, The Movie Waffler*

'A wonderful book, as essential as it is entertaining'
*Elizabeth Weitzman, Film Critic, New York Daily News*

'A lovely, imaginative book… elegant, original, and lit with insights. A pleasure for everyone from film buffs to fans who want to know where to begin. Highly recommended.'
*Prof. Sarah Churchwell, BBC Review Show panellist*

'A sparkling assessment of some of cinema’s most iconic inanimate stars.' 
*Robbie Collin, Chief Film Critic, The Daily Telegraph*

'Rosebud Sleds and Horses’ Heads weds the sophisticated visual dreaminess of some great children’s books to the prose of an unusually smooth scholar. Scott Jordan Harris isn’t speaking for the objects. The objects are speaking through him.'
*Wesley Morris, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism as film critic of The Boston Globe*