On the original mask used in Halloween and Halloween II what is your favorite feature: slimness of the mask, fatness of the mask, eyes, chin, nose, ears, cheeks, lips, forehead or hairline? Since there several people that have worn the masks in the series, I narrowed it down to the only ones who really matter and defined the character in their own special way…Castle and Warlock. What defined each person wearing the mask in your opinion? (I’m not talking about movements, just the mask on their face; the mask on each of their faces fit entirely different…who wears it like you like it?)
Nick Castle in 1978’s Halloween
Dick Warlock in 1981’s Halloween II
For me…it’s the cheeks and Nick Castle. For years I tried to figure out why the right cheek looked “V” shaped; I found out it’s because he had his chin not fully in the chin spot of the mask. For Dick Warlock, it’s the way his head made the mask fatter and the awkward looks it could give off. Pouting, angry, distorted and all around menacing.
Gotta go with the lips on both Castle and Warlock. The famous “Castle stretch” and “Warlock smirk” are classic features that will make or break any replica out there in my opinion. The lips (and eye cuts) are always what draws me in on a mask because that’s what’s most memorable to me.
In a weird way, seeing the mouth distorted on Castle and Warlock reminds me that there is a human underneath the store bought mask. It’s a common issue for a cheap, mass produced mask not to fit correctly, so seeing it pulled and stretched on someone’s face is very creepy. The later masks all seemed to fit “too” well and lost that special feeling that the original mask had on Nick and Dick. (Nick and Dick, lol)
As much as I love Warlock’s portrayal, Castle will always be how I see The Shape. As for favourite features of the mask, I like the cheeks and the ‘v’ brow/forehead. It really gives it a mean look, especially when viewed in profile.
After all these years, I still think we are yet to see a perfect representation of Castle or Warlock in the mask. I guess it’s because not only do you need a perfect mask, but a perfect head shape, also.
Surprised to see opinions similar to mine on this subject. I thought I was the ONLY one who felt this way, lol.
If were talking H-1 here, the answer for me is without a doubt, The Cheekbones. The mask (without question) looked it’s best in the scenes where the cheekbones were very prominent, and noticeable IMO. It made the expression on the mask very mean, and just down right cool looking IMO.
As for H-2, the way the mask looked very wide on Warlocks head is what ultimately made me like it’s look in the film. Which is funny because unlike the masks look in H-1 that I like so much, the cheekbones on the mask in H-2 (while stretched over Warlocks head) almost looked washed-out, or borderline non-existent, but somehow, looked just as cool to me, lol. It might have been a combination of the masks weathered look, but whatever it was, the mask just looked straight up Evil on Warlocks head… Plain and simple. …ANDY
Castle made the mask look spooky and ghoolish with the droppy look and fresh white paint. Warlock made the mask look raw and evil with the matted hair and flesh tones popping out everywhere. If I had to pick one look I like the best. It would be when Castle wore the mask. I absolutely love the phone scene look and when he’s at the top of the stairs looking down the hallway at Laurie and the kids. Soooooo ghoolish.
For me, it’s Dick Warlock. Both masks are sick, but, The way Dick wore it, he made it look so much scarier.The main feature that I like, is the the eye/forehead area. They way he wore it, made it look MEAN.
On Castle, the main feature was always the cheeks. For some reason, the cheeks always freaked me out. Something wasn’t right about that, and it was just incredibly creepy.
The main feature on a Myers mask, though, is the HAIR. That is what really makes the Myers mask. The number one and top feature.
The look of the mask being worn in HALLOWEEN and HALLOWEEN II become distinctive based on how the eyecuts are stretched by the respective actor in my opinion.
To me the way the eyeholes stretch “open” for Castle DEFINES the look of H1 such as in the phone scene. His face stretches that mask in a very eerie way that is the essence of how I see the “Boogeyman”.
When Dick wears the mask the eyeholes stretch “wide” or squinted to a degree. This gives the mask a more menacing and angry look that sets the tone for the more violent scenes of Halloween II.
Castle made the mask look spooky and ghoolish with the droppy look and fresh white paint. Warlock made the mask look raw and evil with the matted hair and flesh tones popping out everywhere. If I had to pick one look I like the best. It would be when Castle wore the mask. I absolutely love the phone scene look and when he’s at the top of the stairs looking down the hallway at Laurie and the kids. Soooooo ghoolish.
The whole mask in general really…The fact that it was out of shape really did it for me…but mainly…
I was fasinated with how it looked different in every scene!
Love love love it!!!
100% agreement here, Mike. Unfortunately, I also feel this is the most neglected aesthetic component in the majority of custom masks.
Couldn’t have said this any better myself, Mark. I understand durability is a concern and some owners never intend to wear the mask(s). Fair enough, but I truly wish more makers would consider thinner pulls for accuracy of those who do intend to wear them. With these normally thicker pulls, you can’t pull off nearly as much distortion, these masks are not pliable and will not stretch & allow manipulation as a thin(ner) pull will. I mean, visualize the scene in H1 when Tony Moran is pulling the mask back on; look how much it stretches! That’s what I want; super thin! Accuracy comes first-and-foremost above everything else for me.
I always saw a very Asian look in H2 the eyes and mouth and it was just very unique and scary H1 is my favorite but only in recent years since I started making my own masks I noticed my mind,s eye was very H1 and on Castle the jaw chin and mouth were my favorite features the horse or Bull look I named it and the JTK really pulls off that side profile excellently so I have the #2 being made that way.
i think demented is the perfect word for the mask…i think h1 would do it for me…it almost looks swollen the cheek bones weathering and the lips and chin weathering REALLY freaked me out as a kid and i dont know why but if your lookin straight at it…the left eye the shape ALWAYS creeped me out i dont know why it was literally hard to look at when i was young…that mixed with the whacky hair…like when hes in light you can see all the little frizzy hairs spiking up and thats creepy as hell too…
I have to say my favorite feature of the hero mask is the mouth area. Every shot and every scene it looks different… much like the eye cuts. But there is really so much about the hero mask that defines “him”, that it’s tough to pick just one feature. My opinion might be different after the next time I watch either film.
Great post Billy, I’ve thought of making the same post and you beat me to it.
Same here…there is no doubts,its the castle"look" and the cheeks,and not to forget the eye area,and the hair,the mask looked alot creepier and for me better in the H1 Movie than it did when warlock worn it in H2 and all the weathering is just not right,IMO anyway,castle worn it and made THE best bogeyman facial hands down…
great thread man 
