William Shatner and Michael Myers
It is well known to Halloween fans around the world that the original Myers mask was taken from a Captain Kirk masked manufactured by Don Post. Since actor WIlliam Shatner portrayed Captain Kirk on Star Trek. It is ironic that it is his likeness that helped create one of the most recognized faces in horror history. A while ago I was browsing Ebay when I found several lifemasks of Shatner for sale. When I glanced at these items which were actually taken from Shatners face I thought about the Myers mask and its influence on horror history. Since Halloween 2 the Halloween film industry was gone through several masks but none of them have matched the horror, the fear, the greatness of the original.
With very little money Halloween director John Carpenter sent Tommy Lee Wallace to the Mask Shop on Hollywood Blvd. and Mr. Wallace returned with a William Shatner "Captain Kirk" mask. Wallace cut open the eye sockets so that they would be wider, he tore off the eye brows and the side burns, poofed up the hair so that the mask would look in Wallaces terms "demented". Wallace eliminated the need for any other masks when he spray painted the Kirk mask white and showed it to Carpenter and co-producer Debra Hill. It was at that moment that the group knew that they had a awesome mask.
Below are several photos of these lifemasks, Shatners face and the final product...the Myers Mask.
First off......Captain James T. Kirk of the Federation Starship Enterprise: (1966-1968)
Then the Life Masks:
Then Michael Myers: (H1-H2) 1978-1981
Reactions to the Michael Myers mask:
"There is something that is so minimalistic, so neutral about that face." Adam Arkin star of Halloween: H20.
"It was so demented it is so sick" Halloween Set Designer and Halloween III director Tommy Lee Wallace.
"I guess I owe the success of Halloween to William Shatner" Halloween Director John Carpenter.
And now the further incarnations of the Shatner Mask: (H4-H8) 1988-2002
