Part One of Two
They never seem to get much press around here so I thought
to devote an entire thread to mask maker Death Studios.
They've been active since the late 1970s and are highly regarded
throughout the industry.
I scored my first DS mask in October 1981: CARNIVORE, at $40 retail >
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/800x600q70/924/Cor5ew.jpg)
Later a follow-up version was offered, same as mine but with applied hair and
different paint on its eyes. CARNIVORE 3 came along afterwards. Shown with
brown spots, it was also catalogued in green with black stripes!
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/800x600q70/923/Xg3FF8.jpg)
MEGAS was another early classic. Modeled after cover art from Questar magazine,
I scored a copy in 1983 and still have it to this day >
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/640x480q70/924/tngwPd.jpg) (https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/800x600q70/77/mymegasxo2.png)
DEAD ED was catalogued in the '80s as an unwearable prop. It would make
a great hand puppet but I keep mine on the display shelf. 'One of the best scary
corpse props ever!
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/800x600q70/922/Ptuk3Y.jpg)
A wearable mask version was made available at some point although DS altered it
with a mop of dark hair and renamed it DEATH GUY 2 >
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/800x600q70/923/rP81pT.jpg)
'The incredible JINN, based on the artwork of Richard Corben >
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/800x600q70/924/CUKnLg.jpg)
DS took a deep dive into The Outer Limits with their own take on THE SIXTH FINGER.
I believe the production copies were modified from this prototype >
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/800x600q70/923/HHcVRm.jpg)
The DS GEEK, inspired by a Gahan Wilson cartoon, was resculpted from
an earlier original created by Ed French >
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/800x600q70/923/tmLprh.jpg)
'A few more movie characters:
'The shark-toothed vampire from London After Midnight was actually catalogued
as such, later shortened to MIDNIGHT >
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/800x600q70/803/londonbydeath.png)
I think this is Death's version of DR PHIBES. Correct me if I'm mistaken >
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/800x600q70/922/ERsxrV.jpg)
I was thrilled to see someone offer a mask of DORIAN GRAY, based on the horror head
Dick Smith created for 1961's telefilm. It's one of the scariest masks in my collection!
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/800x600q70/923/hAaFVE.jpg) (https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/800x600q70/922/6cyL72.jpg)
NIGHTBEAST, from a Don Dohler movie of the same title >
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/800x600q70/252/dsnightbeast.png)
Catalogued as VAMPYRE, it's clearly recognizable as "Barlow" from Salem's Lot.
DS did a great job on this character >
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/800x600q70/922/btBU3U.jpg)
LEGION may be Death's homage to another Dick Smith horror head,
this time from 1977's The Sentinel >
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/800x600q70/923/ayctIo.jpg)
Remain there, frozen with fright while I prepare Part Two of this post ... unless
you have any pictures of Death Studios masks to add. That, you may do now!
Love that "Sixth Finger"! The Dick Smith "Dorian Gray" is pretty cool, too! :)
Wish I could get that Like button to work with my account...
I believe I have one of those prototype Sixth Finger masks, sans the eye inserts. I recall someone mentioning the production run had been modified a bit but mine was a prototype.
By the time Death's version reached production, the mouth area had been modified
to include a casting of actor David McCallum's own lips. I don't have a clear portrait
of one but it does appear in Dr Lady's guide book as well as a few group shots >
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/800x600q70/922/JElDd9.jpg)
Now, on to Part Two:
I wore a copy of INFECTED to a masquerade years ago. One of the grossest masks ever,
it was catalogued in flesh color but looks even more putrid in bluish grey >
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/800x600q70/923/EyX8Ne.jpg)
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/640x480q70/922/sx4iYu.jpg) (https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/640x480q70/924/EmXuZL.jpg)
Speaking of alternate paint, the DS GREMLIN was marketed only in green.
It's really unusual to encounter a brown variant >
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/800x600q70/923/qKHObP.jpg)
COOL BLUE was also released as "Cool Brown" but my image depicts its catchier identity >
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/800x600q70/922/2oT77N.jpg)
BITE dates back to the 1980s but I waited decades before getting one.
'Too disturbing even for me perhaps?
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/800x600q70/100/dsbitelb8.png)
"The Controller" is better known to DS fans by its even haughtier name JEEVES >
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/800x600q70/924/FRhFc9.jpg)
'Finishing up with SARDONICUS >
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/800x600q70/452/fvtdssardgx4.png)
POGO >
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/800x600q70/924/DU22gI.jpg)
... and the enormous SWAMP MONSTER. I do believe any four of us
could fit our heads inside this mask simultaneously!
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/800x600q70/924/fML8Xf.jpg)
There are hundreds more Death Studios masks out there
so look alive and reply with pics of them.
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/800x600q70/408/deadedsiv1.png)
More cool OL masks! :)
Sixth Finger is really good and Dorian is a classic.
I think Michael Jackson went to a horror con disguised under a DS Nosferatu or Barlow.
Quote from: Dr.Terror on March 14, 2024, 04:50:44 PM
I think Michael Jackson went to a horror con disguised under a DS Nosferatu or Barlow.
Haha, I attended that convention and recall seeing a skinny fellow walking around wearing
the Death Studios mask and hands. It's hard to believe Michael's insurers would've let him
do that but as they say: anything's possible ...
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/800x600q70/922/6h0f1J.jpg) (https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/800x600q70/924/sVtc0b.jpg)
Apparently the guy next to him was a bodyguard.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ct5uj5p4GU (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ct5uj5p4GU)
I own three of their beauties: Tor Johnson, Franken-Zombie, and Shock Monster. Tor's my favorite.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/4264/35041713193_ff95bceeaa_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/VovWuR)