I've been fired up about mask collecting again the last few months and looking for the earliest-generation movie mold replicas that are commercially available. So I figured I'd share the results of my hunt.
I am extremely biased towards movie mold blanks. The earlier generation the better, since a recast of a recast of a recast is going to lose details along the way. So the recommendations I've posted here are the earliest generation of each version I am aware of. For artists looking to create the ultimate hock collection, here is more information than you ever wanted to know about mask blanks.
Part 3 & 4
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| JDF Style B |
JDF style A/B masks are actually descended from a recast of a mask likely made during production of Friday the 13th part 3. As far as I am aware, they are the only commercially available masks to descend from an original part 3 movie mask. That said--ReelFX didn't do a great job recasting, so the piece JDF had to work from was shrunk and deformed. Which is why Crash's part 3 masks are the probably most film accurate you can get. For anyone unfamiliar, he used very specific instructions from Doug White, who made the masks for the film and began the process with a vintage Plante mask. I've also seen a measurement of a production mask that shows the size of Crash's masks are dead on. He doesn't sell blanks, but he
does sell a cheaper, minimally weathered version. More or less a blank, amirite?
Part 5
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| DMC Roy |
David Miller, who made the masks for Friday the 13th part 5, claims to have the original film buck in his possession. He has an ebay account (
elmoscave) where he sells copies from this buck. Even casual observers will note, however, that there are quite a few distortions and misplaced vent holes that suggest if this is the movie buck, it had been badly repaired at some point. There are other artists with great part 5 masks, but I know of none that have any lineage to an original part 5 mask. [Sad face].
Part 6
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| Fiberglass 6 |
Fiberglassmasks.com
sells the only blanks that descend from an
actual part 6 movie mask (other than the terribly bloated Forsche recasts). The mask they recast came from Justin Mabry, who told me via Facebook that his source was a mask that came off the part 6 movie buck. So they essentially sell 2nd gen recasts of a 6 mask. The Fiberglass 6 preserves virtually all of the features of the movie mask, with the exception of the vent divots. It also measures 8.5 x 10 inches, the same dimensions as part 6 production masks, per measurements I asked of two different movie mask owners. So all around a near-perfect reproduction.
Part 7
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| FFS 7 |
Beyond Disgusting Studios sells
2nd gen recasts of the part 7 hero mask.
Crystal Lake Industries does as well, using the same mold. Fear Factory Studios also sells via eBay a slightly more hi-fidelity mask that preserves the "tooth" of the prop damage and some other tiny details of the movie mask, for especially discriminating collectors. Note: I wouldn't recommend vac pulls of the part 7-- only a fiberglass pull preserves the details on the front of the mask.
*Update 5/5/17: Evidently FFS has passed the mold onto Tim Jones, who is expecting to sell copies soon.
Here is a quick flow chart showing the recast family tree of part 7 masks... I consider the movie mask the source, not generation 1, but you get the idea:
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| Chart by Frankie Spradlin |
Part 8
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| BDS 8 |
Beyond Disgusting Studios also sells
2nd gen recasts of the part 8 hero mask. Ditto for Crystal Lake Industries. A clear vac pull is the most accurate way to capture the movie mask construction, but a fiberglass pull will better capture the eye cuts, chevrons, scrapes and other fine details on the front of the mask.
Jason Goes to Hell
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| Fiberglass JGTH |
Fiberglassmasks.com sells
first gen recasts of a
production mask from this film. The handful of 3D-printed custom HSS Hell hockey masks that are out there are from my scan and print of this particular mask. If you are an HSS Hell owner hit up Crash or Auz for a custom-fitted mask in movie-accurate black ABS.
Jason X
The paint jobs are terrible, but the NECA Jason X masks are straight off the movie mold. They can still be found on eBay for around $150. A skilled artist can turn this into a great replica. Worth noting however that we have measurements of the movie mask and the NECAs are shrunk for some reason; the Fiberglassmasks.com version is actually closer in size to the real mask.
Jason vs Freddy
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| Fiberglass VS |
NECA made a run of movie-accurate resin masks recast from a production pull, although these appear to be somewhat shrunk as well. You can find them on eBay periodically.
Fiberglassmasks also sells a 2nd gen casting of this mask.
Remake
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| JDF remake |
The movie masks were thick resin pulls, so if you're picky about materials, pick up an old NECA on eBay or get a blank from
Fiberglassmasks. Or, if you are picky about perfecting your eye cuts and want an undrilled blank, JDF sells a
really thick ABS version. All three options descend from production masks, though they are all a tiny bit shrunk compared to the movie masks.
