9 Iconic Movie Props With Seriously Strange Backstories

8. The Holy Grail from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

Indiana Jones's ultimate quest for the Holy Grail in The Last Crusade culminated in a surprisingly humble chalice, but its creation involved an unusual directive. Director Steven Spielberg wanted the Grail to look unimpressive and unassuming, a simple "cup of a carpenter," to contrast with the elaborate, booby-trapped fake Grals. The prop master, Michael D. Moore, reportedly went to a local pottery store and picked out a simple, inexpensive ceramic cup, which was then aged and made to look like ancient clay. The bizarre backstory here is that one of cinema's most legendary artifacts was intentionally designed to look ordinary, purchased from a mundane shop, defying all expectations of grandeur.