My new Michael Myers mask.

[CB2001]

Let's set the wayback machine to last month. The reason for it is that my recent search began through the use of YouTube.

I came across a couple of Michael Myers mask tutorials online, including one from Costume Bot and especially one titled "My Fake Knight and Cheap Michael Myers Mask", in which the person who modified his mask said he got it for $10. I contacted him and asked him at what store he purchased his. He told me that he got it from a CVS Pharmacy from his neck of the woods (somewhere in the Northern states of the U.S.). So, I figured I'd check my nearby CVS pharmacies to see if I can find one. After checking all CVS Pharmacies within driving distance of my apartment, to which there was no luck.

Now, the wayback machine is set to a few hours ago. I had a hinkering for McDonalds (which I ended up changing my mind and going to a Burger King), finding a Walgreens in my area. Now, I know of two of the stores, having to have spotted them in my travels around Winter Park, but never went inside any of them. I didn't believe I would find a mask at a reasonable price unless I waited for the Spirit Halloween Stores to do their 50% off after Halloween (which is risky because for all I know, they would have run out due to Halloween). So, I thought, "What the heck? Worse case scenario, won't find it."

I went inside and found their Halloween section. I looked around and was surprised they had a lot more Movie-related stuff (CVS Pharmacy only had the Ghostface masks and costumes. Everything else was more "original designs). That included the el-cheapo Freddy Krueger glove (as pictured in my "Spirit Halloween Store Finds" post, not the deluxed one) a Jason Voorhees Hockey mask (the more recent ones, made by Neco {I believe that's the name of the company}), Freddy Krueger masks, Billy the Puppet from "Saw" masks. And to my surprise... I found two Michael Myers masks. The tag read "$14.99". Again, the thought of post-Halloween came to mind, and the possibility of this mask being at the store afterwards came back. So, I thought, "Better $14.99 now than the $30 the Spirit stores are asking for, or to wait after Halloween and find both already taken." I went up to the register and, even more surprising, got the mask for $11! As soon as I got home, I took some pictures:

The mask's company reads "PMG Halloween." However, on the back, it reads that the mask is a "Don Post" mask (with a Don Post Studios copyright of 2007). Granted, it doesn't look like the one from the first movie, but I feel that with a little bit of liquid latex and paint, following the "Costume Bot" tutorial, I may be able to make it look a little one of the film versions.

Now, for anyone in the U.S., check your nearby Walgreens if you're looking for a Michael Myers mask. You may be able to snag one for yourself. Let me know what you guys think, and for anyone who has modified a mask before any tips and/or tutorials that may help.

 

[CSMacLaren]

PMG is probably The Paper Magic Group which currently owns Don Post Studios.

Source:
http://www.papermagic.com/products/index.cfm?fuseaction=showHalloweenMasks

 

[CB2001]

PMG is probably The Paper Magic Group which currently owns Don Post Studios.

Source:
http://www.papermagic.com/products/index.cfm?fuseaction=showHalloweenMasks

That's right. After rechecking the copyright, underneath it, it says "The Paper Magic Group, Inc."

 

[thegreatgalling]

Awesome find CB, thanks for posting!

 

[CB2001]

No problem.

 

[ob1al]

Really not bad at all for a budget MM mask.

You need to repaint it and sort out the hair. I think the H1 mask didn't have painted eyebrows. Under the eyebrow paint are there sculpted brows on your mask? If so they should just be pretty much white.

Very canny for $11 though, very canny indeed .:thumbsup

 

[CB2001]

Really not bad at all for a budget MM mask.

You need to repaint it and sort out the hair. I think the H1 mask didn't have painted eyebrows. Under the eyebrow paint are there sculpted brows on your mask? If so they should just be pretty much white.

Very canny for $11 though, very canny indeed .:thumbsup

Thanks. From the tutorials I've seen, the repainting and the sorting out of the hair is something that is shown. Actually, in one of the videos, the guy left the mask at the white color it was and just used a darker white color mixed with liquid latex to add detail to the mask (it's the Costume Bot tutorial that I linked in the starting post).

To answer your question, yes the eye brows are sculpted in a block shape and are just painted brown. There is no simulated hair follicles or false hair glued on. Painting them will be really easy.

I assume that when you say "canny", it's means something good (especially with the thumbs up at the end of the sentence). If so, I thank you for your kind comment. I can only hope that when I go to do the modifications, that they look good. This would be my first modification of merchandise for prop replica means ever.

And here's a funny detail: The mask is actually molded in a flesh skintone and face is painted on the outside (much like the mask from the first film).

 

[CB2001]

New update: I got in contact with Costume Bot, the man who did the repaint tutorial I included in the original post. I asked him about the latex he was using, asking if it was specifically formulated for use on latex masks or if it was the kind that anyone could use for direct application (the kind you would normally find at Halloween stores). I got this response:

The liquid latex you see for sale at the Halloween stores is usually caucasian flesh colored. You want clear liquid latex which looks white in the container. MonsterMakers has two kinds - a thinner paint base and a thicker mask making latex, either of which will work (I used the thicker) and neither of which should be used for direct skin applications. I've never seen plain liquid latex on sale. I've always had to order it.

The funny thing is, a the Spirit Halloween shops in my area, they have the liquid latex he talks about: white when wet, turns clear when dried. But I don't know if it will stick to the mask after. The reason why I asked him the question was is that I plan on picking up some of the latter mentioned liquid latex from the Spirit Halloween shop after Halloween, as I had hoped to expand my makeup kit from my Makeup in Motion Picture class and thought maybe I could kill two birds with one stone since I plan on picking some up.

I had let Costume Bot know about it and he says, "You could definitely use that on the mask. You can use makeup latex on masks but not the other way around." That is good.

 

[CB2001]

Update:
Right now, I'm sitting in my HD Production class on this day of October 31, 2009. And I am wearing the Michael Myers class. One of the major observations I have come to realize about the mask is this: Despite the airholes for the mouth (just two small slits) and the nose, breathing in the mask, well, sucks. The air I breath is going and out of the eye holes (I know this, as I can feel the air as I inhale and the heat of my breath when I exhale. Not only that, despite having the mask sitting perfectly in place on my head, my eyelashes are getting caught on the bottom of the eyeholes.

As a result of this, it has gotten me thinking: One of the modifications I had heard that was done to the original William Shatner mask used for the first "Halloween" film was that they actually cut the eyeholes bigger. I don't know if that is true or not (if anyone knows for a fact, please let me know), but I am very tempted to make the same modification if it were true (if it is, what would be the best method).

Another thing on my mind is this: Since the mask I have doesn't appear to match any of the ones in the films (from what I can tell), I am having difficulty on which mask I should find pictures of in order to paint the mask I have (as Costume Bot's tutorial uses a 2006 Don Post mask, which appears different than the one I have). Any suggestions are welcome.

Anyways, I figured I'd do a bit of an update here. Hope you all continue to have a great day and a happy Halloween.

 

[Bizarro Lois]

Update:

As a result of this, it has gotten me thinking: One of the modifications I had heard that was done to the original William Shatner mask used for the first "Halloween" film was that they actually cut the eyeholes bigger. I don't know if that is true or not (if anyone knows for a fact, please let me know), but I am very tempted to make the same modification if it were true (if it is, what would be the best method).

I just watched "Halloween" last night, and there's a feature about the making of the movie. They talked to both John Carpenter and the guy who bought the mask. One of them(I can't recall which) said that they cut the eyeholes. As low as their budget was, and as fast as they were working, isn't it a good possibility that they just used scissors?

 

[CB2001]

As low as their budget was, and as fast as they were working, isn't it a good possibility that they just used scissors?

That's a good possibility, but truly hard to say as scissors and other cutting utilities have existed for years (including Xacto knives, I think).

 

[Simmon M]

As Bizzaro Lois has mentioned, the eyeholes were indeed cut.

Another feature that might help in the 'screen accuracy' department would be to whiten out the eyebrows. They aren't present in the H1 or H2 masks. They are present on the H4 (which happens to also be a converted Kirk) but I can tell your not going for that particular look since your mask has no sideburns.

Hope that helps some!

 

[CB2001]

As Bizzaro Lois has mentioned, the eyeholes were indeed cut.

Another feature that might help in the 'screen accuracy' department would be to whiten out the eyebrows. They aren't present in the H1 or H2 masks. They are present on the H4 (which happens to also be a converted Kirk) but I can tell your not going for that particular look since your mask has no sideburns.

Hope that helps some!

Thanks. I definitely plan on painting out the eyebrows of the mask.

I'm probaby a bit out of it. When I was wearing the mask and took the pictures (as seen in the first post), it didn't look remotely like a William Shatner-esqe. But right now, I have my mask on a roll of paper towels and the mask, to me, now looks a little bit more like a William Shatner-esqe mask. I guess my head is probably too big for the mask, thus resulting in it not looking like a Shatner-esqe mask when wearing it.

 

[Bizarro Lois]

Hey guys, I'm not trying to hijack this thread or anything, but since we're talking about the changes made to the original Kirk mask I thought I'd post this. Someone posted it on another forum, saying that it's a before and after photo of the original mask.

Why was the hair white?

 

[CB2001]

Hey guys, I'm not trying to hijack this thread or anything, but since we're talking about the changes made to the original Kirk mask I thought I'd post this. Someone posted it on another forum, saying that it's a before and after photo of the original mask.

Why was the hair white?

Nice! Honestly, my mask isn't one of the Shatner masks (I kinda did), but it's a Michael Myers mask nonetheless.

 

[CB2001]

New Update: As you guys know, I was waiting until yesterday (Nov. 1, the day after Halloween) to see if I could get myself some liquid latex at a discount from any of the Spirit Halloween Stores or any other places that were selling massive Halloween supplies. I didn't have any luck, unfortunately, checking all three Spirit stores and one store called Party City. Either all of the stores ran out of liquid latex on the day of Halloween or the week before it (with Party City, who ran out of it). I did find one store across the street that also ran out of liquid latex, but it was a bit of a blessing in disguise. It turns out that this store, which is a year-round party and costume store, had a section of store in the back that deals with professional makeup for film and theater (since I'm a film student, the discovery was a bit of a bonus, so now I know where to go to order any additional makeup should I need it). I almost placed an order for the Ben Nye clear liquid latex for $8 for a 4 ounce bottle, but decided to wait.

So, needless to say, my getting the latex to mix with the paint has been temporarily delayed (I may end up ordering the latex from one of the places that Costume Bot picked up his to use on my mask. I did learn one lesson though: You can get makeup and some items after Halloween, but when it comes to liquid latex: best to get it before Halloween. I do have a small bottle of clear liquid latex that came with my kit from my "Makeup in Motion Picture" class, but I feel it'd be best to not use it because it's an 1 once bottle. I'm hopeful that if I do proceed to order liquid latex, I can get a good amount for a reasonable price.

 

[CueBallz66]

Here is my Nag MM 81 signed by Dick Warlock ( The Shape ) H 2 & John Carpenter.. The pumpkin pic captures H 1 look w/ Michael coming out of the dark behind Laurie......very screen accurate

 

[CB2001]

Here is my Nag MM 81 signed by Dick Warlock ( The Shape ) H 2 & John Carpenter.. The pumpkin pic captures H 1 look w/ Michael coming out of the dark behind Laurie......very screen accurate

Nice!

I completely forgot about this post. Been busy with school and trying to find a job. I haven't even done any of the painting because I couldn't buy any white liquid latex. Well, since it's Halloween again, I may be able to buy a bottle so to follow the Costume Bot tutorial on painting the mask (I hope I at least do a somewhat decent job on it), if I decide to proceed with it.

 

[GeneralFROSTY]

CB2001,
If you have a continuing interest in the Myers mask, with all it's variations and qualities, may I suggest joining the forum located at www.michael-myers.net
(unless you already knew about that website) it is THE best place on the net for collectors and mask enthusiests from the Halloween series.
Just be warned about the strict policies regarding advertising or asking about purchasing this kind of mask, since that forum IS watched like a hawk by the copyright holders of the character, but you should be able to find a plethora of information, great photos and great contacts.

 

[CB2001]

Thanks for the heads up, General Frosty.