Original-Cin Q&A: Dan Lanigan, curator of Disney+'s Prop Culture, talks about his search for collectible Mouse droppings
The new Disney+ documentary series Prop Culture is a must-watch for film fans. The eight-part series follows film historian and prop collector Dan Lanigan as he tracks down movie props from some of Disney’s most iconic films over the years.
Like a kid in a candy store, Lanigan travels around the United States, meeting filmmakers, actors, production crew members, and fellow collectors so he can either see a rare item from Disney’s film history, or show one off for a sentimental reunion and fascinating conversation about movies.
Each episode focuses on a different movie with eight episodes comprising the first season: Mary Poppins, TRON, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, and The Muppet Movie.
In this EXCLUSIVE Canadian interview, Our Bonnie Laufer had the opportunity to chat with Dan about the series.
Dan Lanigan, center, tours the Nightmare Before Christmas prop shop in an episode of Prop Culture
PROP CULTURE BEGINS STREAMING ON DISNEY + ON MAY 1ST
ORIGINAL-CIN: Hey Dan. How are you holding up in quarantine?
DAN LANIGAN: “I'm doing okay. I'm surrounded by some cool stuff so that helps me a little bit.”
OC: I was going to say, you have so much great stuff around you, how could you even be bored for one second?
LANIGAN: “That's right. It's wonderful to be around these amazing artifacts. And you know, it just inspires me to learn more about them. It's so much fun.”
OC: I watched the entire series over the weekend and I have to say I absolutely loved it. How did this whole show come about? We know that you were a collector. So did you go to Disney or did Disney approach you?
LANIGAN: “Yes, I'm a collector and have been building my collection for over 20 years. I’ve also been in TV production and I was pitching the show around and couldn't find somebody who wanted to do it the way I wanted to do it until I came across someone at the Disney+ team. They totally saw what we wanted to do and they agreed that it was the right way to do it. They believed in our show and here we are.”
OC: Here we are indeed! Being a massive film fan I found it absolutely riveting. I have to tell you when I started watching the Mary Poppins episode, I did not know that I was going to need a box of Kleenex next to me. I got so emotional. I can't imagine what it was like for you to be in the presence of these people.
LANIGAN: “I am very emotionally connected to these films and to these pieces. But I had no idea how emotional that episode would be. And honestly, a lot of these episodes, it wasn't by intention directly, but it was amazing to experience these moments with these people. I was honored to sit with them in the first place but to be able to bring joy back to them. Their own memories of wonderful times were pretty darn special.”
OC: I think we also get so emotional watching this series because we all connect to so many of these memories on a personal level.
LANIGAN: “Absolutely. There's such a strong emotional connection that I have, and a lot of people have, to these objects because they bring back memories of the movies and the magic of seeing these movies for the first time. It's a way of reconnecting to your childhood or your past or some great memories, and for a lot of us those memories are in movies.
“Growing up, I went to the movies all the time. And when I wasn't at the movies, I was playing with action figures based on the movie - you know, the Star Wars action figures and Raiders of the Lost Ark action figures. I have always loved film and now I am continuing to play in that world one way or the other.”
OC: I loved watching you with the people who haven't seen the costumes that they created, or the animators reminiscing about the films they worked on. Was there anyone that you met making the show that really blew you away?
LANIGAN: “There were so many people that I got to meet and talk to, it was really incredible. I would have to say meeting visual effects creator Tom St. Amand was a huge highlight. He worked on Empire Strikes Back, Nightmare Before Christmas and so many more great movies.
“He's a hero of mine, and I've never met him before. He was nicer than I could possibly imagine. Also, getting to meet Rick Moranis from Honey I Shrunk the Kids. I’m a huge fan of his, and that was a big deal for me.”
OC: Rick is from Toronto and rarely does interviews anymore, so that was a great get.
LANIGAN: “Trust me, he told me so many great stories it was a dream come true. Charles Fleischer from Who Framed Roger Rabbit was a hoot. Christopher Lloyd, Oh my gosh I had a ball with him.
“Charlie Croughwell, also from Who Framed Roger Rabbit, was fantastic. He was a stunt driver in that movie and had wonderful stories to tell. Just meeting all these people that I would have never thought I'd ever meet was a dream. They are just super nice regular people who love reminiscing about their films.
OC: I just want to put it out there. When you start producing your next batch of episodes can I be your assistant?
LANIGAN: “Sure, come on down after the pandemic. We need good people! So give us a call.”
OC: Ok, done! You were very privileged to be allowed inside the Disney archives. Not very many people get that opportunity. What was that experience like for you?
LANIGAN: “It's spectacular. It's an amazing place full of so much Disney history. And not just their films but also their theme parks and Walt’s history.
“To allow me and my team to go and shoot in there for multiple episodes is kind of unheard of. I think part of that reason. Is their belief in our show and that they trusted us.
“I also think part of that reason is that the head of the archive, Beckie Klein, I have a relationship with. And she already knew beforehand that I take this stuff seriously and this is not just an average show for me. This show is kind of the show I was meant to make because of my passion for this stuff.”
OC: One last question. I have to know which was cooler? Going to the location for Pirates of the Caribbean or getting to go behind the scenes on the ride at Disneyland and being put in Pirate jail?
LANIGAN “That’s a hard one, but I would have to say being on location. The only reason for that is because when I went to Disneyland and we got to go behind the scenes of the PIrate’s ride. It was amazing, but it was only for a few hours.
“But when we went down to the Caribbean and we went to the location, we were there for a few days. So I really got to soak up the pirate culture of Pirates of the Caribbean and it was awesome.”