What’s up everyone? Hope all is well. I was meandering around the mm.net FB forum and ran across a debate about the back lot photo from Halloween II. In the comments someone suggested that the HERO mask in the original photo was take while the mask was lying on the floor or table. Another person agreed and noted that the eyes and neck were added later.
From what I can tell the vast majority of people who commented on thread disagreed with the notion that the original back lot photo is a picture of the HERO mask while it was laying on the floor or a table.
I am not sure if this debate has been settled, so if anyone has any further insight…I would love to hear it. However, I am starting to think it is quite plausible the original back lot photo IS a picture of the HERO lying on the floor or table. Bare with me…notice the position of the ears and neck line in the back lot photo:
The ears are turned outward towards the front of the mask. Also, notice neck flare. We can start to see the backside of the neck near the base of the ear. This could result from the mask resting on a surface.
The reason why I think this theory is plausible is because I was looking at pics of some of my masks and noticed the same thing. Take a look at some pics of my masks while lying on the floor:
I would love to hear your thoughts on this theory…and if this has already been settled…you can tell me to go pound sand
I dont know about that particular scene but were close. If you look at the collar one side is folded in half under he neck of the mask
In the sepia tone picture. in the hallway pic of warlock both side of the collar are outside of the mask nut stuck under the masks neck
The original story/rumor I remember goes back about 20 years. When the independent Myers masks first started and the first sites like this opened up there were a bunch of debates about the origin of the H4 Cover Mask. In the beginning some people thought it was simply an artist drawing for the cover. The one story that had the most legs was this one. The story is that it was an actual photo of the hero mask, and that a book had been put inside the mask to make it flare out. I am sure some people remember that story from back in the day. I am not sure who started that story but its was widely believed at the time.
You know, I’ve been here forever and I still don’t know the origins, maybe if we found out who took the photo we could get a better picture of the story. No pun intended.
The picture was taken in 1981, at the time of H4 the mask was in Dick’s possession and rotting
Kim would have taken the photo, but she does not recall it. The first dated use of the photo that I can find is on the original Halloween 4 book cover.:
I reached out to a few of the old employees of the publishing company, as well as the author to try and get more info and possibly even a full picture. Waiting on that now!
Oh yeah I knew that. What I meant was, why could they use the Shatner likeness for the cover but not create another Shatner like mask for the movie? The only mask they could come up with is the one we got?
Ohhh haha! My bad, brother. Yeah what’s sad is that they did try to create a shatner like mask for the movie. They tried to use the H2 backup they had (original Kirk mold pull) but needed more and had no time to make them. Because of that they asked for some from the original shatner mold and what they got in return was 6 of those H4 masks in pink with blond hair
So for what it’s worth they did try, it just flopped and they couldn’t use anything else
That shot is OBVIOUSLY Dick Warlock wearing the mask. If it was just laying on the ground or propped up by a book the face would have a distorted shape to it. Compare the shape of the face of the mask to any other shot of Dick Warlock wearing it and you will see a distinctive shape that it only ever had when he was wearing it. The photo from the hallway scene is a good comparison. An even better one is the scene where he kills the nurse with the syringe. In that scene in particular the mask looks basically identical to the H4 book cover photo. I wouldn’t be surprised if that was when the photo was taken.
