TULSA, Okla. — Tom Biolchini is Chairman of the Tulsa Metro Chamber and Chairman of Vast Bank, but his first love? Chairs at the movie theatre. From the “ball gag” in cult classic “Pulp Fiction” to Ivan Drago’s boots in “Rocky IV” and the ghost trap in “Ghostbusters,” Biolchini’s office is lined with movie props.
His collecting passion started in the early days of eBay and has since moved into more authenticated props through auctions.
“They’re valuable, they’re recognizable, they evoke emotions and they’re, generally speaking, fun,” said Biolchini.
He views movie props as relatable works of art.
“If I go into a museum in New York and see an abstract piece of art worth a million dollars, there’s a finite number of people who know or care,” he said. “But, I could walk around with Indiana Jones’s whip and half the globe would be like, ‘that’s Indiana Jones’s whip.’”
He’s teamed up to showcase his collecting journey with Tulsa filmmaker Juan Reinoso. “Mad Props” features Biolchini interviewing actors like Mickey Rourke and Robert Englund.
“This would be a PG documentary except you can’t stop the curse words these actors use,” he laughed.
Biolchini says prop collecting has grown with each generation. 2News Anchor Erin Christy pointed out a prop from one of her favorite movies, “The Goonies.” He has an original script autographed by the cast.
Biolchini has a favorite prop that he doesn’t own, but has been eyeing for quite some time.
“The Bible from ‘Shawshank Redemption,’” he said. “That exists. It went up for auction and it was purchased for a lot of money. That would be a dream prop if I could get it.”
There is a private screening Thursday night at Circle Cinema for “Mad Props.” It is not open to the public. We will let you know when it’s available on a platform to watch.
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