‘Star Wars’, ‘Batman’ and Bond Items for Sale at Propstore Film Auction

 A screen-matched "Move Along" Sandtrooper Helmet from 'Star Wars: A New Hope' is displayed, at Propstore in Chenies, Britain, September 30, 2024. (Reuters)
A screen-matched "Move Along" Sandtrooper Helmet from 'Star Wars: A New Hope' is displayed, at Propstore in Chenies, Britain, September 30, 2024. (Reuters)
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‘Star Wars’, ‘Batman’ and Bond Items for Sale at Propstore Film Auction

 A screen-matched "Move Along" Sandtrooper Helmet from 'Star Wars: A New Hope' is displayed, at Propstore in Chenies, Britain, September 30, 2024. (Reuters)
A screen-matched "Move Along" Sandtrooper Helmet from 'Star Wars: A New Hope' is displayed, at Propstore in Chenies, Britain, September 30, 2024. (Reuters)

From Yoda's cane to Clint Eastwood's duster coat in "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly", hundreds of items will go under the hammer next month in a sale of movie and television memorabilia.

Entertainment memorabilia auctioneer Propstore is selling more than 1,800 items at its annual live auction, which this year runs from Nov. 14 to 17, and which it estimates could fetch more than 10 million pounds ($13.1 million).

Items worn or used by some of Hollywood's biggest names are up for grabs, with plenty of lots from some of cinema's biggest franchises including the James Bond and Harry Potter films.

Leading the sale is a Sandtrooper helmet from the "Move Along" scene in "Star Wars: A New Hope", which has a price estimate of 250,000 pounds to 500,000 pounds ($326,900 to$654,000).

"It's an incredibly rare artifact," Propstore founder and Chief Executive Stephen Lane told Reuters.

The Yoda cane being sold was used in both "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi", Propstore said.

An array of costumes are being sold, including Michael Keaton's Batsuit from "Batman Returns", a suit worn by Daniel Craig in Bond film "Skyfall" and the 2015 resizing jacket Michael J. Fox's character Marty McFly wore in "Back to the Future Part II".

Eastwood's duster coat from "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" is also among the lots.

"The duster is a synonymous attire for most Western films," Lane said. "This is deemed to be one of the best Western films, perhaps of all time and Clint Eastwood costume pieces from those films virtually never, ever turn up," Lane said.

Other highlights include Russell Crowe's Maximus arena helmet and mask from "Gladiator", the ghostface mask worn by Henry Winkler as principal Arthur Himbry in "Scream" and a dress worn by Elizabeth Taylor in "Cleopatra".



South Korean Cult-Horror Series ‘Hellbound’ Returns at BIFF

In this picture taken on October 2, 2024, (L-R) South Korean actors Im Seong-Jae, Kim Hyun-joo and Kim Sung-cheol arrive on the red carpet during the opening ceremony of the 29th Busan International Film Festival in Busan. (AFP)
In this picture taken on October 2, 2024, (L-R) South Korean actors Im Seong-Jae, Kim Hyun-joo and Kim Sung-cheol arrive on the red carpet during the opening ceremony of the 29th Busan International Film Festival in Busan. (AFP)
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South Korean Cult-Horror Series ‘Hellbound’ Returns at BIFF

In this picture taken on October 2, 2024, (L-R) South Korean actors Im Seong-Jae, Kim Hyun-joo and Kim Sung-cheol arrive on the red carpet during the opening ceremony of the 29th Busan International Film Festival in Busan. (AFP)
In this picture taken on October 2, 2024, (L-R) South Korean actors Im Seong-Jae, Kim Hyun-joo and Kim Sung-cheol arrive on the red carpet during the opening ceremony of the 29th Busan International Film Festival in Busan. (AFP)

Netflix's Korean cult-horror thriller "Hellbound" returned for its much anticipated second season with a world premiere at Busan International Film Festival, showcasing intense performances from the new cast members, particularly Moon Geun-young.

Created by Yeon Sang-ho, known for zombie flick "Train to Busan", the first season of "Hellbound" achieved critical and commercial success with its portrayal of a world where supernatural beings suddenly appear to tell people of their impending death, followed by monstrous entities that drag the condemned to hell.

Yeon, whose early works included a dark animated film about a Korean cult organization, elevates the dystopian thriller into a more philosophical realm in its second season, while still delivering the spectacle of creatures, violence, and collective religious hysteria.

"I believe that the concept of disaster in the work 'Hellbound' refers more to a mental or ideological catastrophe than to a physical disaster," director Yeon said at a BIFF event late Friday.

The show had to let go of actor Yoo Ah-in, who played a key character in season one, after he was charged with illegal drug use. Yoo was subsequently found guilty.

Kim Sung-cheol takes on the role of the charismatic leader of a cult that arose amid the horrific supernatural deaths that triggered a wave of social media frenzy, delivering a convincing portrayal of this intricate character.

But the most captivating -- and gut-wrenching -- performance of the second season arguably belongs to Moon Geun-young, a much beloved former teen actress in South Korea, who portrays a young wife gradually transforming into a deranged cult fanatic.

Yeon said he decided to cast Moon after seeing her in a 2021 TV drama where she portrayed a tormented wife who succumbs to alcoholism while caring for her alcoholic husband.

Moon did not attend this year's BIFF, but fellow cast member Kim Hyun-joo said: "Moon Geun-young made a tremendous contribution. I already knew (she was immensely talented), but I was pleasantly surprised and delighted by her performance."

The series was featured at BIFF in its big-screen theaters, even as the festival faces criticism from cinephiles for selecting a streaming title, "Uprising", also from Netflix, as its opening film this year.

Cineastes blame OTT streaming platforms for some of the challenges encountered by the traditional theater market and independent filmmakers.

"BIFF has been a key player in showcasing fresh Asian films by young, emerging talents in the region, and this has been their priority," Kay Heeyoung Kim, owner of the film studio K-Dragon, told AFP.

"But the lines between traditional independent cinema and big-budget streaming titles have blurred at this year's festival, which is unfortunate to see."

Yeon, who began his career as an independent animated filmmaker, along with his work "Hellbound," is credited with increasing the global visibility of South Korean content in recent years, alongside works like "Squid Game" and "Pachinko."