Museum of the Moving Image will present Life Masks in Cinema, a special illustrated program exploring the remarkable role that life masks have played throughout motion picture history, on October 4th at 1PM.
Long before digital scanning made it possible to reproduce an actor’s likeness, makeup artists used plaster and other molding materials to capture the face in extraordinary detail. The resulting life masks became essential tools for creating prosthetic makeup, creature effects, stunt doubles, mannequins, masks and some of cinema’s most unforgettable transformations.
Author, collector and pop culture expert Mike Drake will lead audiences behind the scenes of this unusual filmmaking process. Through rare images, surprising stories and physical examples, Drake will explain how life masks were created, how makeup departments used them and why these hauntingly lifelike objects remain coveted pieces of film history.
Drake has more than 25 years of experience in the toys and collectibles industry and has worked with many of the largest studios in the United States. He is the author of six books and has appeared on numerous television programs, including two appearances on the series Oddities. His unusual collection and extensive knowledge of entertainment memorabilia have also been featured in magazines and other media.
Attendees will have an opportunity to see examples of life masks firsthand and gain a closer look at artifacts that are normally encountered only in studio archives, private collections and museum exhibitions. One lucky attendee will even leave with a life mask from Drake’s private collection.
EVENT DETAILS
Life Masks in Cinema
October 4th, 1PM
Museum of the Moving Image
36-01 35th Ave.
Astoria, New York 11106
Admission FREE
Space is limited.
Advance reservations are strongly encouraged.
RSVP and additional information:
