I figured this would be the best place to ask. What is the real story on the original Myers masks from Halloween (1978) I dont mean what is it ? Im pretty sure everyone and thier dog knows it was a Kirk mask, But what I mean is, What was the story ? Who’s idea was it to get a kirk mask and paint it white ? Was it one of the effects dudes on set ? Im very curious and would like to get any info you guys might have. I have heard bits and pieces of info on different forums over the years like …John Carpenter originally wanted to use an Emmett Kelly maks but Jamie Lee Curtis didnt like the look and thought something more “Human” would work better. Thanks guys.
Jamie
well i think they was going for a clown mask before they decided on the kirt mask,because the kirk looked more frighting
Well thats the Emmet Kelly…The whole story is that they found the Kirk and contacted DP to see if they could make converted Kirks for them…I only remember tidbits as things I did in my youth have damaged my memory…
Tommy Lee Wallace was asked to find a mask…he went down to the local costume shoppe and brought back 2 masks…the emmett Kelly and Shatner(plus a couple more for back-ups)…He ripped off the sideburns cut the eyes bigger.painted it white and painted the hair darker.When it was done he showed it to everyone and it gave them all the creeps so that’s the one they chose…I don’t recall anywhere saying Jamie lee Curtis had anything to do with it.She was never mentioned in any documentary’s as being a part of the decision nor had she stated such.I am afraid like anything else in history that unless you were a part of EVERY conversation on the set then you don’t or will not have to whole complete story…I am sure they talked about the mask a thousand times and not everyone in the flick was privy to that info…Not just that but it was just a piece of rubber to them and had no idea of the icon they were creating .
GG
very clever 3rd post and your story is correct tommy wallace is responsible for going out and buying and converting the kirk and he indeed bought the clown mask which obviously lost out to the spray painted kirk.
as far as jammie lee, i figure she was just another one on set that said “oh my, yeah thats the one” when it was finished.
The scripted called for a ‘pale looking features of a human face.’ It was essential that the audience was to know that it was a ‘Halloween’ mask that you could buy in a store, or steal from a store. I also wanted the mask to have a phony Halloween-mask look; the face of evil should be an eerie, featureless mask. Wallace went out and purchased 2 masks, a clown mask and a ‘Kirk’ mask but it didn’t look like William Shatner at all, basically it was a human face with hair on it. Wallace took off the sideburns, widened the eye wholes, and puffed up the hair and painted the mask a ‘pale blue’ it looked creepy, almost like ‘Myers’ was wearing human flesh.
-John Carpenter, the Prince of Darkness by Gilles Boulenger
i believe these stories to be true for sure!!!
Well with alot of stories from the folks on set of different movies (or the JFK assassination) hundreads saw it, were involved in it, or what have you, but reports vary so much from person too person. Some people said JFK’s legs were hanging out of the limo after the shooting! (ALOT OF OTHER FALSE VARIATIONS OF EYE WITNESS REPORTS)…They were recorded saying this stuff the day it happened. Who knows what 30 years later in regards too a little film they shot with no budget and a big bag of grass would compose (Oh the stories)
As far as Jamie Lee stepping in about the mask; your thinking Halloween H20, when she wanted too drop the KNB mask (which they did) and wen’t with the Winston. She never had a say in the first HalloweeN. In fact she thought she may be dropped from the film after the first day of shooting, until Carpenter called and gave her a pat on the back…
The mask was not painted pale blue (Carpenter uses alot of blue lighting in all his films though
The mask was a dps Captain Kirk mask with the eyes cut (following the natural design of the sculpts outter eyes, (true right starting on the inside towards the nose, true left starting at the farthest point away from the existing eye) sideburns removed and white stage makeup rubbed on the mask too turn it white. The hair was lightly sprayed Black On atleast one of the masks… (not counting DPS’ “backup” mask"
-K Dizzle
Yep. Here’s the story in Tommy Lee Wallace’s own words:
http://www.michael-myers.net/phpBB/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=64656&start=30
Well, the quote I wrote was from Carpenter himself; EVERONE, pick up this book. “If” John Carpenter say’s blue was used, and he was there filming the movie, then blue was used.