Simply looking like a 75 captain Kirk is not enough. No two original captain Kirk’s look alike. Maybe, if you managed to find the very next pull after the pull that TLW turned into the hero you might have a near identical pull. But we will never know that answer. And still, you would not have the “hero” with all its idiosyncrasies. To me the KHDW is the replica mask that comes closest to the Halloween “hero”. The unworn mask that was used in the first two movies. If you had been on set and taken some pictures of the mask unworn, circa maybe mid H2 filming, or last day of filming. Like the picture above of Dick and JLC holding the “hero”. The KHDW is spot on to the beautiful mask they are holding.
Most of the KHDW’s are finished to look H2 and so the mask gets called an H2 mask. But the sculpt is a 1 to 1 replica of the unworn “hero”, that is finished H2. Ken did not sculpt in “worn” features. He simply sculpted as close as he could, the unworn “hero”. He had a chance to have the hero in his possession and I think that makes all the difference. The KHDW is spot on to the “hero” and all the little nuances of that mask. There are a number of pictures you can find of Dick holding in his hands a KHDW, where you cannot tell the difference between it and the hero.
The KHDW is a great one! I’d have to say the Old School Nightmare always gave me the most hero vibe. Especially when JC got his hands on one. Every angle just screamed Hero to me especially when worn. One day I’ll track a KHDW down hah.
I made the Starkiller when I first started out. It was my first attempt to enlarge, and really knew nothing. It was small and the proportions were way off. I then enlarged a casting of that original mold which, while a little larger… still suffered the same problems, plus washed out detail. The SK is definitely not in the realm of most accurate masks. Descendent from a Kirk? Sure, but it definitely had its flaws. With time, and many attempts/masks later… I learned to properly enlarge. The newest mold of the DP75 being one. Which fixed the warping, as well as the proportion issues. Btw after learning more on the origins of my Kirk, I no longer believe that chart to be an accurate representation of the lineage of my masks.
Also, I think we all know by now “recast” has become a derogatory term with negative connotations. I think there is better terminology we can use when referring to artists who have actually purchased the masters they use for their projects.
It’s funny you bring this up, here is a shot during the filming of H2, of Dick holding the Hero, which is one of the other shots Ken used, but also, Ken neever had the hero in his posession, he got a couple polaroid shots and a crude drawing with measurements
Also, it rather bugs me that literally NOBODY references these unworn shots of the hero from H1
Dick Warlock sent Ken a lock of hair off the hero so he could match the color when he did the KH/DW. Ken never had the Hero with him, I’ve heard that he only saw the hero after he was done with the KH/DW. Ken was sent those 2 Polaroids of the Hero next to the Friday the 13th Hockey mask to use as reference. Dick also took some Measurements for Ken of the mask.
As I wrote in another thread, I fell out of action for a while. I believe I remember this change to the story. Because the story had been that Ken was loaned the mask for awhile. Either way, it remains that between the KHrare and the KHDW, Ken made in my opinion the best 2 replicas of the unworn “hero”, of all time. With the KHU it seems he did alter the dimensions of the sculpt to look more like it is being worn by Warlock. And I just included the one picture because it looks exactly like they are holding a KHDW. Of course I and I am sure everyone here, have poured over the many hundreds of pictures of the mask. I have done so for thousands of hours. Because I am crazy, and love the beauty of what was created by TLW and JC, and so many brilliant artists interpretations of that genius since.
