DEDICATED TO THE HORROR GENRE
The Most Iconic Masks From Horror Films
There’s no wrong time to honour the best holiday of the year. For true horror fans, Halloween is always just around the corner. And if you’re looking for horrific inspiration, there’s nothing like the classic films that have defined and will continue to redefine horror – none of which would be possible without the iconic masks donned by some of the most menacing villains in film history.
Jason Vorhees
The third instalment of the Friday the 13th series was when Jason Voorhees forever changed how the world looks at the basic hockey mask. A version of the mask appeared in the next nine films and became the defining part of the character. Like the Mike Myers mask (see below), the hockey mask took something that appeared innocent and converted it to become a horror staple. The mask has become one of the most popular, and easiest, Halloween costumes over the years, which is a testament to the iconic look. It recently caused a stir in Wales after a man was spotted wearing it in a town centre. Even though some of the residents were spooked they still recognised where the mask came from, showing how iconic the films are.
Ghostface
We first saw this mask in 1996, worn by the buck knife-wielding menace from the movie Scream. Since then, the elongated ghost skull has come to represent both horror and comedy due to its appearances in the Scream franchise and the Scary Movie films. The mask has become so famous that it is recognisable across the globe.
For instance, upon winning the Jamaican lottery this February, an anonymous man known only as A. Campbell claimed his $158 million prize (£900,000) wearing not just the Ghostface mask, but a matching white robe and black gloves to complete the outfit. We can only wonder if wearing horror masks for anonymity will catch on here in the UK, especially as the winnings are much higher. Lottoland reports that the minimum jackpot for the EuroMillions is €15 million (£12.78 million), which is over £11 million more than the Ghostface-wearing winner won. As Campbell himself explained, he wore the getup because he didn’t want people coming out of the woodwork asking him for money. Considering how the Ghostface mask is famous in the films for hiding identities, it was a very apt choice. And we are pretty sure anyone who wins the EuroMillions in the future, would probably want to do the same.
Michael Myers
Here on You’ve Got Red On You we would be remiss if we didn’t include John Carpenter’s contribution to iconic, frightful visages in this list. The mask worn by Mike Myers is famous for the simplicity of its creation. Production designer Tommy Lee Wallace created the disguise using a cheap Captain Kirk mask. Ironically, William Shatner has even said that he once wore the mask for a Halloween party.
Leatherface
No other mask on this list best represents pure, bloody horror than Leatherface from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. The secret is in the purported material – human skin. Den of Geek reported that while other horror movie masks are visibly made from plastic, metal, cloth, or wood, Leatherface goes straight for the jugular and uses the most disgusting material available. It is what made this character standout in the original film and spawn his own franchise.
