Murder, She Wrote TV props on display...

Once upon a time, Murder, She Wrote was the longest-running mystery show on TV, which starred Angela Lansbury as 'Jessica Fletcher'.

Original props on display from Murder, She Wrote

The character was a retired school teacher, turned best-selling author of mystery novels and an amateur sleuth. Her adventures took place mainly in Jessica's hometown of 'Cabot Cove' or New York, but book tours and visits to friends and relatives took the amateur detective all over the world solving mysteries.

Murder, She Wrote DVD cover

The popular series ran from 1984-1996 and spawned 12 seasons and 264 episodes, plus Angela Lansbury reprised her role for several special television movies in subsequent years.

Jeweled egg prop used in Murder, She Wrote

I'm not a Murder, She Wrote expert but there was an episode in season 11 (11.11, 230) named 'An Egg to die for', where Jessica helps a Russian policeman capture the mastermind behind the theft of a Faberge egg. Maybe this jeweled prop was from that episode.

Dagger props from Murder, She Wrote

I'm sure there were countless murder weapons used in crimes throughout the series, but these are just two daggers used as props on display at Universal Studios Hollywood on January 7, 2011.

Buy the series: Murder, She Wrote - The Complete First Season

Natalie Portman's ballet outfit from Black Swan...

In Darren Aronofsky's fabulously dark and unsettling Black Swan, Natalie Portman plays 'Nina Sayers', a ballerina in a New York City dance company who is offered the opportunity of a lifetime, to dance the 'Swan Queen' in Swan Lake.

Original costume worn by Natalie Portman

as Nina Sayers in Black Swan

The artistic director believes Nina is the perfect choice to play the innocent and graceful 'White Swan', but doesn't know whether the ballet dancer has the intensity and sensuality to play the role of the darker 'Black Swan'.

Black Swan movie poster

This is Natalie Portman's actual training ballet outfit featured in the movie, on display at ArcLight Hollywood cinema on January 3, 2010.

Natalie Portman's ballet outfit on display at ArcLight Hollywood

Amy Westcott was responsible for Costume Design on the film and she has also worked on another of Darren Aronofsky's movies in 2008 - check out Mickey Rourke's costume from The Wrestler.

Black Swan movie poster

Visit Jason in Hollywood for a movie review of Black Swan.

Buy the soundtrack of the movie: Black Swan (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

Dead fisherman prop from Jaws...

In Steven Spielberg's classic 1975 movie, Jaws, Police Chief 'Martin Brody' (Roy Scheider) and Marine Biologist 'Matt Hooper' (Richard Dreyfuss) investigate a series of shark attacks around Amity Island.

Scouting aboard Hooper's boat they discover the wreckage of a half-sunken boat belonging to local fisherman 'Ben Gardner' (played by Craig Kingsbury), who went out hunting for the killer shark.

Dead fisherman Ben Gardner movie prop from Jaws

Exploring the sunken vessel underwater, they discover a giant shark's tooth and the severed head of the fisherman, which makes Hooper drop the tooth in shock.

This special make-up effect from Jaws was on display at Universal Orlando's Horror Make-Up Show in Florida on September 23, 2010.

Jaws movie poster

Be sure to also check out the mechanical and concept drawings for the Jaws shark that were on display at Universal Studios Hollywood.

Buy the movie: Jaws (30th Anniversary Edition)

Jaws (Full Screen 30th Anniversary Edition)

Norman Bates mother's mummified head and more Psycho props...

In Alfred Hitchock's 1960 classic suspense thriller, Psycho, motel owner Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) fears that his mother is responsible for a series of grisly murders, but we eventually discover that he has committed these crimes, or his split personality alter-ego of his dead 'Mother' has.

Norman Bates Mother's mummified corpse head on display

When the sister of one of the murder victim's is searching Norman Bates house, she bursts into a room towards the finale of the movie and discovers a woman sitting in a rocking chair with her back to her.

On closer inspection she sees that it is in fact a mummified corpse, just as an insane Norman rushes in wielding a knife, wearing his dead mother's clothes and wig.

Original Psycho movie costume and props

Psycho movie poster

These fantastic props and outfit from the movie were on display at Universal Orlando's Horror Make-Up Show on September 23, 2010.

Actual props used in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho

Hitchcock decided to shoot Psycho in black-and-white, but the fake red blood used in the infamous shower death scene just looked grey, so they decided to use a thicker substitute which would look better on film - chocolate syrup.

Also included in this exhibit was a life-mask cast of Tippi Hedren who starred in Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds.

You can also see great more Psycho memorabilia and film sets photographed at Universal Studios Hollywood here at Hollywood Movie Costumes and Props.

Buy the movie: Psycho (50th Anniversary Edition) [Blu-ray]

Psycho (Special Edition) (Universal Legacy Series)

Buy this book about the movie: The Moment of Psycho: How Alfred Hitchcock Taught America to Love Murder

Original Inception movie costumes and props on display...

Now that the curtain has been pulled back on Christopher Nolan's audacious sci-fi thriller, Inception, it's even more exciting to see original costumes and props on display from the amazing movie.

Original Inception movie costume and prop exhibit

at ArcLight Sherman Oaks cinema

On July 19, 2010 costumes worn in the movie by Ellen Page, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Leonardo DiCaprio and Marion Cotillard were exhibited at the ArcLight Sherman Oaks cinema. Enjoy this selection of photographs and short video of the movie display.

Inception movie poster

First up in more detail is one of the outfits worn by Ellen Page who plays 'Ariadne' in the movie. She is the 'Architect' on the special team of dream invaders, who is a newly recruited college student responsible for constructing the world of the dream.

Costume worn by Ellen Page as Ariadne in Inception

Next are some props featured in the movie, including Ariadne's school bag and the high-tech 'Dream Case' equipment, along with instruction manual, which is used to put the Dreamers to sleep.

Actual props used in Inception

Inception movie poster

The fantastic Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays 'Arthur', the 'Point Man' responsible for researching the team's targets. As you can see from this suit, Arthur is quite a fashionable gent and snappy dresser.

Suit worn by Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Arthur in Inception

Joseph Gordon-Levitt is seen wearing this sharp grey three-piece suit towards the beginning of the movie after their failed incursion into Saito's (played by Ken Watanabe) dreams.

Inception movie poster

This next outfit is worn by Leonardo DiCaprio as 'Dom Cobb' is from the first dream level of Robert Fischer's (Cillian Murphy) mind, directly after they enter for the first time and kidnap him by hijacking a yellow taxi cab. Cobb is an 'Extractor', a professional mind thief who steals secrets from his victims dreams.

Outfit worn by Leonardo DiCaprio in Inception

Marion Cotillard plays the dead ex-wife of Leonardo DiCaprio's character, 'Cobb'. 'Mal' now only exists as part of his subconscious.

This is the outfit she wears when she disrupts Arthur and Cobb's extraction in Saito's dreamscape towards the beginning of the movie.

Original costume worn by Marion Cotillard as Mal in Inception

Costume Designer Jeffrey Kurland is responsible for the distinctive look of the outfits in the movie. The suits and outfits were created especially for Inception. Fabrics were found and bought, tailored by Dennis Kim, shirts made by shirtmaker Anto of Beverly Hills and dresses produced by dressmaker Mary Ellen Fields of Hargate Costumes in L.A.

Inception Movie poster

Be sure to check out these other costumes worn by Leonardo DiCaprio and Marion Cotillard in Inception.

Visit Jason in Hollywood for a movie review of Inception.

Actual outfits worn in Inception

Go deeper behind-the-scenes with this book of the movie in the USA: Inception: The Shooting Script