Amazing Story of the Original Mask That Michael Myers Wore in the First Two Halloween Movies

In 1978, during the making of the original Halloween, the prop department was faced with the enormous task of finding a frightening mask that the villain could wear, but only the cheapest one in the costume store. The crew chose two masks for Michael Myers to wear but they had not decided yet.

The first option was a Don Post Emmett Kelly frowning clown mask that they put frizzy red hair on. This was an homage to how he killed his sister, Judith in a clown costume. They tested it out and it appeared very demented and creepy. The other mask was a 1975 Captain James T. Kirk mask that was purchased for around a dollar. It had the eyebrows and sideburns ripped off, the face was painted fish belly white, the hair spray-painted brown, and the eyes were opened up and reshaped more with scissors. They tested out the Kirk mask and the crew decided that it was much more creepy because it was emotionless, much like Michael himself. This became the Michael Myers mask.

While both Debra Hill and Dick Warlock have confirmed the mask from Halloween II was the original, many fans have still claimed it to be different. This has been largely due the slightly different appearance the mask possesses when compared the first film. This was primarily due to the different shape of Warlock’s face when compared to Nick Castle’s. The mask had also aged in the three years between films, and possessed a slight yellowish color due to Hill’s constant smoking as the mask remained under her bed in a shoe box.

After production had wrapped, thinking that it would be the last Halloween to feature Michael Myers, Dick Warlock was permitted to keep the mask.

The shape mask in 2017.

In 2017, the original Michael Myers Halloween mask has been unearthed and a new picture of it in its state has arrived online. The mask, which was used in Halloween and Halloween II by actor Dick Warlock on screen, has been in the possession of a man who runs haunted attractions. For the last 14 years, a man by the name of Mark Roberts has owned not only the original mask, but the boots and scalpel Michael Myers used on screen as well. Here’s Roberts’ tale of how he came into possession of the items.

“I have been building and running haunts for the last 26 years. About 20 years ago I got in contact with an agent who represented Dick Warlock and asked about booking Dick for an appearance at my haunt. The funny thing was I contacted him to book Gunnar Hansen (the original Leatherface) and when we were getting that set up he told me he also represented Dick and asked if I would be interested in booking him also. So I set up to have Dick at the haunt and his agent said he had the mask and costume from the movie and would wear it at the appearance. When Dick came to the haunt, he was mad at his agent because he said he does not wear the costume for appearances. He did tell me that he still had the costume, boots, mask, butcher knife and scalpel and that he would sell it; he just didn’t bring them out for appearances. Dick was great with the haunted house customers and hanging out with Dick and Cathy for the weekend was a lot of fun and it went so well we set it up for him to come back the next year. I’m not sure if it was after the first or second year but I called Dick up and we made a deal for me to purchase the mask, costume, boots, scalpel and knife. My wife and I went to Dick’s house and picked up the mask and costume and then that following year we had Dick appear at the haunt and we displayed the mask, costume and weapons at the haunt in Toledo. It really is amazing that Dick thought to keep that stuff and take care of it, when I went to pick it up, he had kept the mask stored in a Elvis Presley tin container. I didn’t get the container, Dick is a big Elvis fan! I looked back (in my records) and found that I picked the mask up from Dick about 14 years ago, after he had appeared at my haunt for about 5 years. I used to have him and Cathy there every year. I really miss that! I need to have him out again.

“...The mask is just the way it was when I purchased it from Dick. I pay to have it kept in an air tight container that is climate controlled and in the dark, It seems to be working well. The mask is really in the same shape it was as when I purchased it. I consider it to be the holy grail of horror movie memorabilia and I am doing my best to preserve it... I have thought about that and I may talk to him about it someday. He does amazing work. I struggle with the question is it still the original mask or not if you restore it? I think I lean a little more to having him bring it back to it's full glory.

“Before the masses start saying this and that, I still have the front neck piece that was off the mask when I received it from Dick. Just a few more facts, the Velcro Dick put on the back of the mask for filming is still there and except for the chin/neck area of the mask being stiff, (I assume because that is where most of the actors’ sweat went), the rest of the mask is still very flexible.”

Michael Myers in Halloween (1978)

Behind the Scenes Footage of the “Spider Walk” Scene That Was Cut From ‘The Exorcist’ (1973)

All the horror fans around the world have seen this film for sure and one of the most memorable scenes of the film was of a “spider walk” by the possessed girl. The possessed girl Regan (Linda Blair) descends the staircase walking like a spider with her face upside. In 1973, when computer imaginary was not invented shooting a scene like this was very tough.

Director William Friedkin hired a contortionist (generally used in a circus back in the day) Ms. Linda R. Hager. A harness was used to provide the effect with wires hung above Linda on the staircase at the set. Linda would advise the director when she would be touching the floor by her hands and feet and then she would be brought down the staircase by the harness and the floating wires.

Before the release of the film in December 1973, the director deleted the clip from the movie as he thought it was too much of an effect, which comes very early in the film. Although another important reason to remove the scene was the visible wires in the scene, technically there being no way of erasing the wires from the scene at the time though screenwriter William Peter Blatty was unhappy with the removal of the scene. However after 30 years of its release, William Friedkin added this scene in the year 2000 version of the film after removing the wires through CGI effect.

(via Darkmoon)

Gorgeous Portrait Photos of Fay Wray From the Movie ‘The Texan’ (1930)

The Texan is a 1930 American Western film directed by John Cromwell and starring Gary Cooper and Fay Wray. Based on the short story “The Double-Dyed Deceiver” by O. Henry, the film is about a daring bandit called the Llano Kid who shoots a young gambler in self-defense and is forced to hide from the law. He is helped by a corrupt lawyer who involves the bandit in a scheme to swindle a Mexican aristocrat whose son turns out to be the young gambler killed by the Llano Kid.

The screenplay was written by Daniel Nathan Rubin, and the story was adapted for the screen by Oliver H.P. Garrett and Victor Milner. Produced by Hector Turnbull for Paramount Pictures, The Texan was released in the United States on May 10, 1930. The film received positive reviews upon its theatrical release.

Here below is a set of gorgeous photos that shows portraits of Fay Wray during the filming of The Texan in 1930.

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Portrait Photos of Clara Bow During the Filming of ‘Hula’ (1927)

Hula is a 1927 American silent romantic comedy film directed by Victor Fleming, and based on the novel Hula, a Romance of Hawaii by Armine von Tempski. The film stars Clara Bow and was released by Paramount Pictures.

In the opening scene of the film, Hula is shown swimming nude in a stream, and later is wearing pants and articulates her sexual desires. Similar to Sadie Thompson (1928), the film depicts a modern woman who is located outside the bounds of American civilization and thus able to act in an “uncivilized” manner like natives who live on the islands.

Here is a set of vintage photos that shows portraits of Clara Bow during the filming of Hula in 1927.

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Behind the Scenes Photos From Sci-Fi Movie ‘Invasion of the Saucer-Men’ (1957)

Aliens equipped with venomous claws invade a small town but the town’s teenage population is mobilized to fight the menace.

Invasion of the Saucer Men is a 1957 black-and-white comic science fiction/horror film produced by James H. Nicholson for release by American International Pictures. The film was directed by Edward L. Cahn and stars Steven Terrell and Gloria Castillo. The screenplay by Robert J. Gurney Jr. and Al Martin was based on the 1955 short story “The Cosmic Frame” by Paul W. Fairman.

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Behind the Scenes Photos of The Beatles on Bicycles During the Filming of ‘Help!’ in the Bahamas, 1965

Though the Caribbean scenes come at the end of the film, they were the first to be shot. They arrived on February 23rd. The bike-riding scene was shot on the first full day of the 14-day Caribbean shoot. It was filmed on on the Interfield Road, near to Nassau International Airport on New Providence Island. Much of the film’s beach scenes were shot on Cabbage Beach, on the northern side of Paradise Island.

“The problem was that we went to the Bahamas to film all the hot scenes, and it was freezing. We had to ride around and run around in shirts and trousers, and it was absolutely bloody cold.” – Ringo.

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20 Stunning Black and White Photos of Italian Screen Stars Taken by Tazio Secchiaroli in the 1960s and 1970s

Tazio Secchiaroli (1925 – 1998) was an Italian photographer known as one of the original paparazzi. He founded the agency Roma Press Photo in 1955.

Secchiaroli was the inspiration for the Paparazzo character in Fellini’s film La Dolce Vita. Much of Fellini's research into the profession of tabloid journalism was simply buying dinner for Secchiaroli and his friends, and listening to their exploits.

Ironically, by the time the term 'paparazzi’ was coined, Secchiaroli had become more of an insider in the Italian film industry and had left the paparazzi-style attack photography behind. He became well known for informal candid portraits of film stars, both at the studio and at their homes.

Here are some of the silver screen stars he portrayed at the height of his career in the 1960s and 1970s:

Claudia Cardinale, 1961

Vittorio De Sica on the set of Marriage Italian Style, Cinecittà, 1964

Elsa Martinelli on the set of The Tenth Victim, 1965

Federico Fellini during the filming of 8 1/2, 1963

Fellini during the filming of Amarcord, 1974

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Photos of Brigitte Bardot During the Filming of ‘Les Femmes’ (1969)

Les Femmes is a 1969 sex comedy film co-written and directed by Jean Aurel, starring Brigitte Bardot and Maurice Ronet. It recorded admissions of 505,292 in France.

When Les Femmes was first released in Italy in 1970, the Committee for the Theatrical Review of the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities rated it as VM18: not suitable for children under 18.

The reason for the age restriction, cited in the official documents, is that: even after the cuts, the movie is still imbued with eroticism and it is inappropriate to the sensitivity of a minor.

Here below is a set of vintage photos that shows portraits of Brigitte Bardot during the filming of Les Femmes in 1969.

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A Rare Behind the Scenes Image From a Deleted Scene of ‘Jaws’ Showing the Shark Killing Little Alex Kintner

Did you know that there is a scene from Jaws (1975) that never made it onto the film? The reason, it was deemed too graphic, too shocking for audiences to handle. It shows the death of Alex Kitner, a young boy. The edited scene that you saw in the film shows a little gore, but nothing like the deleted scenes that shows Jaws extend out the water to grab the boy and pull him under, and a fountain of blood shoot up into the air.

The rather shocking image can be seen above, and inspired many fans to dub it everything from terrifying to nightmarish. It’s not hard to see why, as it’s basically the worst thing anyone swimming in the ocean could possibly imagine. The story behind the photo is that it's from an alternate version of Alex Kintner’s death.

Originally, the boy’s demise was to be depicted onscreen in a much more gruesome fashion, with Jaws’ titular shark rising up out of the water and snatching the boy in its massive mouth. The shark would’ve then bitten down on Alex’s body, resulting in a torrent of blood. This more upsetting take on Alex becoming shark food is said to have been deleted from the final cut of Jaws for two main reasons. The first is, as one might imagine, it was determined to be too graphic and shocking. Secondly, Spielberg decided he didn’t want to give away the shark’s full appearance until later in the film.

Arguably Buster Keaton’s Most Infamous Stunt: House Collapse on Keaton in Steamboat Bill, Jr. (1928)

During Steamboat Bill Jr’s infamous tornado scene, the front of a house falls down on top of Buster Keaton – but he’s standing in exactly the right place for the open upstairs window to save him. Back in the days of the silent movies, they did stunts for real; Keaton had to stand on a precise mark or risk being crushed to death. That’s an actual house falling down, not a lightweight facade.

Ninety years on, it still looks impossible. And dangerous. Minutes before shooting, Keaton noticed a few crew members praying. He also saw the cameraman turn away as the shot rolled. Buster later called the stunt one of his “greatest thrills,” then added, “I was mad at the time, or I would never have done the thing.”

First and foremost, just like almost all of Keaton’s shorts and films during the heyday of his career, he was the creative force behind it all. The comedic actor even proclaimed that the credited screenwriter of Steamboat Bill Jr. was “useless” and was only there because he was on the payroll.

For a performer who had built a cinematic career on dangerous stunts, this scene would perhaps be his most dangerous. Before shooting, the crew had to be exact in marking off where the two ton structure would be falling, and the exact spot for “Old Stone Face” to stand so he would not be crushed. According to Hollywood legend, Keaton’s shoes were nailed down to the spot so that he would not be tempted to move even slightly off cue and risk his life.

Though Buster Keaton had done may stunts before, in the shooting of this scene for Steamboat Bill Jr., his head was far from the right place. His alcoholism had been increasing, coinciding with his marriage falling apart. While battling these personal demons, he learned his business partner Joseph M. Schenk had sold their production company to MGM, in effect taking away all of his creative freedom.

According to those who knew Buster at this time, in his heart of hearts he went along with this dangerous feat because he had just given up and did not care what happened to him. As it stands the house falling has become one of the greatest gags in movie history. It has duplicated countless times in different movies and TV shows and it all originated with one of cinema’s original funny men.

26 Amazing Behind the Scenes Photos From the Set of ‘Pink Floyd — The Wall’ (1982)

Pink Floyd – The Wall is a 1982 British musical psychological drama film directed by Alan Parker, based on the 1979 Pink Floyd album The Wall. The screenplay was written by Pink Floyd vocalist and bassist Roger Waters. Boomtown Rats vocalist Bob Geldof plays rock star Pink, who, driven into insanity by the death of his father, constructs a physical and emotional wall to protect himself.

Like the album, the film is highly metaphorical, and symbolic imagery and sound are present most commonly. The film is mostly driven by music and features little dialogue from the characters. The film is best known for its imagery of mental isolation, drug use, war, fascism, dark or disturbing animated sequences, sexual situations, violence and gore. Despite its turbulent production and the creators voicing their discontent about the final product, the film received generally positive reviews and has an established cult following.

Parker, Waters and Scarfe frequently clashed during production, and Parker described the filming as “one of the most miserable experiences of my creative life.” Scarfe declared that he would drive to Pinewood Studios carrying a bottle of Jack Daniel’s, because “I had to have a slug before I went in the morning, because I knew what was coming up, and I knew I had to fortify myself in some way.” Waters said that filming was “a very unnerving and unpleasant experience.”

During production, while filming the destruction of a hotel room, Geldof suffered a cut to his hand as he pulled away the Venetian blinds. The footage remains in the film. It was discovered while filming the pool scenes that Geldof did not know how to swim.

The black and white photographs were taken by David Appleby, a photographer commissioned to document the making of the film. Take a look at the photos below:

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Ingrid Bergman Wearing Arrow Love Collar in the Deleted Dream Sequence by Salvador Dalí for ‘Spellbound’ (1945)

Spellbound is one of several psychological thrillers produced in the 1940s when psychoanalysis was all the rage. Freudian dream interpretation, guilt complexes, and the miraculous power of psychoanalysis take center stage in this film.

Ingrid Bergman in the Greek Goddess dress with an arrow collar, conceived by Salvador Dalí for the dream sequence in Alfred Hitchcock’s Spellbound (1945). Costume design by Howard Greer.

Producer David O. Selznick had apparently enjoyed a highly successful bout of psychoanalysis, and he wanted Alfred Hitchcock to make a movie about it. Selznick was so enthused with psychoanalysis that he brought in his own therapist, Dr. May Romm, to serve as a technical advisor on the production. Dr. Romm and Hitchcock clashed frequently. When it came to the specifics of psychoanalysis, however, Hitchcock was less concerned with technicalities than Romm, and if she would offer her opinion, the director would purportedly tell her, “my dear, it’s only a movie”.

Further contention was caused by the hiring of surrealist artist Salvador Dalí to conceive certain scenes in the film’s key dream sequence. However, the sequence conceived and designed by Dalí and Hitchcock, once translated to film, proved to be too lengthy and complicated for Selznick, so the vast majority of what had been filmed ultimately was edited out. Two minutes of the dream sequence appear in the final film, but according to Ingrid Bergman, the original had been twenty minutes long.

One sequence was to have shown Ingrid Bergman turning into a statue. She was covered in plaster with arrows “piercing” her neck, and then she broke out of the plaster. They planned to project the sequence backwards so that she seemed to be turning into the statue instead of breaking out of one. Here are some images of this sequence from the filming:

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Handsome Portrait Photos of Montgomery Clift During the Filming of ‘Red River’ (1948)

Red River is a 1948 American Western film, directed and produced by Howard Hawks and starring John Wayne and Montgomery Clift. It gives a fictional account of the first cattle drive from Texas to Kansas along the Chisholm Trail. The dramatic tension stems from a growing feud over the management of the drive, between the Texas rancher who initiated it (Wayne) and his adopted adult son (Clift).

The film’s supporting cast features Walter Brennan, Joanne Dru, Coleen Gray, Harry Carey, John Ireland, Hank Worden, Noah Beery Jr., Harry Carey Jr. and Paul Fix. Borden Chase and Charles Schnee wrote the screenplay, based on Chase’s original story (which was first serialized in The Saturday Evening Post in 1946 as “Blazing Guns on the Chisholm Trail”).

Upon its release, Red River was both a commercial and a critical success and was nominated for two Academy Awards. In 1990, Red River was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.” Red River was selected by the American Film Institute as the 5th greatest Western of all time in the AFI’s 10 Top 10 list in 2008.

Take a look at these vintage photos to see handsome portraits of a young Montgomery Clift during the filming of Red River in 1948.

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