Killers Masks in slasher/horror movies:

Killers Masks:

I have decided to look at the different masks used in slasher/horror films to hide the killers identity, since our film opening may be using one for this purpose. This research allows me to gain ideas and inspiration for the types of masks that we could use.

Halloween:

The first Halloween movie of the series came out in 1978, showing Michael Myers mask for the first time. The mask is used throughout the series to conceal his identity and almost to act as an alter ego, as if he is playing a character and the mask allows him to do so.

The use of this mise en scene adds an ominous atmosphere to the film, since you are not able to see the killers face adding to a sub human effect, even being referred to as 'The Shape' at the credits of the first film.

 The mask used appears to be made out of skin, or a material of a similar texture, it also is a very washed out pale colour, giving him a corpse like tone, again adding to a the creepy atmosphere.

 

Friday the 13th:

Friday the 13th originally came out in 1980, and then the rest of the series followed soon later. The killer in this film wears a worn out, dirty hockey mask in order to conceal his identity. Such a normal object being used as a subject of fear is quite clever, since usually the masks are made to look like human skin or something else out of the ordinary. Whereas this is something many may associate with their childhood and can be seen everyday, adding to the sinister feel of the movie. A sense of normality within such an irregular situation

The Purge:

A horror/slasher the first being released in 2013. The killers masks use in this film, are made to look like they are grinning, adding a ironic feel since they seem to me happy in such a terrible situation. The use of this is also fairly disturbing and adds to the creepy feel of the film, as well as the fact it is a light skin colour and almost doll like. Adding to the 'sub human' effect, since it gives the killer a character and allows the audience to know that they do not have boundaries since they seem to lack the emotion that  the average human has.

Evaluation:

• Overall I think the masks used in these films are appropriate for their genre and also act as a representative to straight away show what kind of content the film will have.
• It has allows me to look at the different types of masks and even the different materials I could possibly use.
• As well as showing me the different effects that each individual mask has on the film.