Hannibal Lecter restraint mask strapping research

[Howlrunner]

OK, I'll try not to keep adding posts to this thread.... :lol

Finally got hold of the Silence of the Lambs Special Edition DVD (though it was meant to be the Ultimate Edition. eBay seller muck up.... :rolleyes) and trawled it for reference pictures. Some not bad ones at all....

First off, another view of Billy Crystal:

Not great, but you can see a better idea of the strap attachment points.

And this one is the best I've ever seen:

While the Kropserkel mask is clearly the best available, and I think that the muzzle part is fantastic, the strap attachment system seem to be inaccurate.

Now is it just me or do those straps look like black leather rather than nylon (really thinking about the sheen)? And is that some sort of black buckle attaching it to the head (rather than a squeezable clip)? The straps also seem to protrude too far forward out from the face where they meet the mask for the Kropserkel arrangement to be correct (check out Billy Crystal and movie shots) - quite what setup would produce this I don't know.

Seems the mystery is still not solved.....

 

[jdebord]

Nice, I had never seen those last two photos.

The top strap on the bottom photo, to me, looks like leather, the way the light hits it.

Jason

 

[PHArchivist]

.



And this one is the best I've ever seen:

Hmmm... If I had to bet, 'd bet on leather.

 

[eltee]

In the Book, the Hannibal Files, by D. O'Brien there's a picture of the mask at the academy awards ceremony. It shows the three straps over the crown and behind the head, and a 4th strap linking at least the top two. It looks like a military gas mask strap array, 3 around the head/neck and a 4th strap linking them, and keeping them separated at the proper span.

 

[Howlrunner]

Cool, thanks for the info! Might have to try to hunt that one down.

My "Hannibal" style mask is not finished and painted. Just waiting on the straps arriving in the post now (they've been dispatched) so I can get it finished. It looks way cool (and the perfect size and fit) on my new Lecter bust. :cool

 

[kropserkel]

What a great thread. Thanks for the kind words about our muzzle prop, and I have updated our page to reflect some details.
The difference of the additional strap did not change the location of the two existing straps on the muzzle.

There are some details on the page at http://www.kropserkel.com/lecter.htm

Here are some images of our muzzle with the addition of the third strap in a matte black leather. Please note that the rigidity of the leather in use here makes for a nicer display in form, but with the muzzle never seen off in the first film, we cannot accurately gauge it's weight.

This is where this forum's strengths are revealed. A number of researchers debate and may often come to a consensus. It is possible that one day, when and if, the screen used muzzle ever comes to light, that some of our theories may be blown right out of the cell block, but for now, we are doing the best we can with what is available. It's like the CSI team of the prop world.

I look forward to following this thread. Thanks again for all the contributors!

 

[Howlrunner]

That looks great! The most accurate SOTL mask that I've seen so far! Still not sure about the strap attachment arrangment though - don't think those squeeze-buckles are right.

Latest bit of info to add to this thread on the SOTL mask - the pic that eltee mentioned from "The Hannibal Files":

Strap assembly is a bit more visable here, and you can see that there is indeed a strap connecting the top two straps.

And I finally got my "Hannibal" style mask finished up and photographed! It's actually a little more green than the pics show.

I'm quite happy with how it turned out, but unfortunately the straps don't reach all the way around the back of my SgtFang Hannibal bust, so they'll have to be upgraded/lengthened at some point in the future.

I'll get more pics of it taken when I finish painting up my bust. :love

 

[Andymac84]

Looks great Man!!
Where did u find the nice leather straps?

 

[Howlrunner]

Looks great Man!!
Where did u find the nice leather straps?

Straps were from www.fiberglassmasks.com

 

[Exvyn]

Where could I start on getting a mask of my own? Any hints?

 

[StJimmy]

YouTube - ‪Billy Crystal's opening monologue at 64th Academy Awards®‬‏

i know this topic was started a while ago now but this video from the 64th oscars shows the full SOTL strap setup in all its glory, and also when billy crystal takes the mask off it sound like velcro.

 

[Art Andrews]

I know I am about 5 months late to this party, but just watched the video StJimmy linked to and if that is the screenused mask (I can't believe Crystal just throws is across the stage if it is...) the strapping is actually very clear. Those are plastic cam buckles on the mask (like we see on Starship Trooper boots). I don't know if it was setup this way for the movie or if it was modified for the awards show, but you can see the two big white patches of velcro on the side so Crystal could take it off easily. Either way, IF this is the original mask, it clearly and easy shows that these aren't side release buckles and should be incredibly easy to replicate. You can also clearly see the connecting strap up the back.

 

[StJimmy]

i actually think the squeeze release buckles look better, more clinical.

 

[Yeroc]

So did anyone ever get a definitive answer on the nostrils? Were they bored out or "magic marker"?

 

[Howlrunner]

So did anyone ever get a definitive answer on the nostrils? Were they bored out or "magic marker"?

Yep, necro-reply, but they're bored out from the inside (partially).

Real reason I'm necro-posting is that I've just got myself a Kropserkel Lecter mask and am planning on weathering it and adding a new, accurate strapping system. Thanks to Art's great screen caps we now know how the straps should go and that some sort of plastic buckle should be used.

Is it this kind of plastic cam buckle, or something else?

Agree or disagree?

My main question though, is what are the straps made from? Nylon webbing (as in the photo above) - I don't think so, as the straps in the screencaps seem to have a sheen and rigidity (and lack of texture) that is not present on the webbing. So, my main contenders are leather (which is what Kropserkel seems to have gone for in the above photos) or rubber. Perhaps oddly, I'm leaning toward rubber straps. Kroenen in Hellboy appears to have rubber straps on his mask (and that's certainly what I used in my replica) and I think they look a pretty close match. This is what I'm thinking (tree ties):

Thoughts?

 

[Howlrunner]

I know I am about 5 months late to this party, but just watched the video StJimmy linked to and if that is the screenused mask (I can't believe Crystal just throws is across the stage if it is...) the strapping is actually very clear. Those are plastic cam buckles on the mask (like we see on Starship Trooper boots). I don't know if it was setup this way for the movie or if it was modified for the awards show, but you can see the two big white patches of velcro on the side so Crystal could take it off easily. Either way, IF this is the original mask, it clearly and easy shows that these aren't side release buckles and should be incredibly easy to replicate. You can also clearly see the connecting strap up the back.

http://www.therpf.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=75470&stc=1&d=1321979845

Thanks for the fantastic pictures. My Kropserkel mask has not arrived, so I was able to use your pictures to do some more research. While I liked your idea of plastic cam buckles, as they have the correct type of "flick" at the end, the middle just didn't look right to me compared to the screencaps. So after Googling my way through hundreds of black plastic buckles, I'm pretty confident that I have finally found the correct, accurate buckles. :thumbsup

Here's my contender:

Not only does it look right, but this is a buckle made especially for BAUER brand hockey mask straps - which makes perfect sense as the original SOTL mask was made by someone whose job it was to make fiberglass hockey masks! I've ordered some up and will be modifying my Kropserkel when they arrive....