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Moebius Frankenstein: color question

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  • Member since
    May 2008
  • From: Wherever the hunt takes me
Moebius Frankenstein: color question
Posted by Boba Fett on Wednesday, December 28, 2011 5:47 PM

I just picked up this kit for a whopping $25 at hobby town, not to mention another free kit in tow. (I LOVE post-Christmas specials.... got over $70 worth of models for that!) This was kind of an impulse-purchase (something I'm good at) so all my research is retroactive.

Now from looking at pictures and movies on the internet, the color shows up pretty much as gray-scale. However, I read that the original makeup for Karloff was blue-greenish. Now my question is, does anyone know if that blue-green was purely for photographic purposes when shooting with black-and-white? For example, the Lone Ranger's mask was originally purple so it would show up better on the film as black. Or was this intended to have a blue-green look? Modern-day, the common look of the Frankenstein Monster is a pale to medium green, but I don't know if that trend came from this movie or subsequent films. (monster-movie expert I am not)

 

I know this is kind of a case of, "it looks best how you want it to look" but I just wondered if any of you old monster movie buffs might have more info. Personally, I'm leaning towards a pale flesh color with a very subtle green cast. Then shadows will be in brownish tones to give a corpse-like and near-rotting look. I want to bring color to Frankenstein, but I don't want him to look too alive. Stick out tongue I DEFINITELY do not want to paint him gray-scale. I'm a decent figure painter, but shadows with shades of gray is beyond my skill level.

 

Thoughts?  Information to share? further ideas? I'm doing the clean-up work right now, and it'll be a super-quick build. trying to get my color-selection in order. Thank you in advance!

  • Member since
    April 2006
  • From: ON, Canada
Posted by jgeratic on Thursday, December 29, 2011 1:30 AM

According to Wikipedia,  "...green greasepaint, (designed to look pale on black and white film) was applied to his face and hands."

From a different forum on the subject:

"For black and white photography, designers would use whatever color photographed correctly for their purposes. The Monster's "green" fleshtone, for example, is derived from the makeup Jack Pierce used--variously described as "blue green", "gray green", and "yellow green", Pierce chose this color so that it would photograph as pale flesh to give The Monster a "death pallor". Chocolate syrup was often used for blood."

Also found this colour segment of Karloff as the monsterYoutube

regards,

Jack


  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Massachusetts
Posted by ajlafleche on Thursday, December 29, 2011 8:39 AM

Here’s an interesting interpretation of Frankenstein and his “monster” that was displayed at he Long Island Show in November:

 

 

 

 

Remember, if the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.

  • Member since
    December 2006
  • From: t.r.f. mn.
Posted by detailfreak on Thursday, December 29, 2011 9:56 AM

                                WOW, some work went into that dio..

 

                                                  Greg"Detailfreak"RowleyYes

[View:http://s172.photobucket.com/albums/w1/g-earl828/]  http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t104/cycledupes/1000Roadwheels4BuildBadge.jpg

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: Central CA
Posted by Division 6 on Sunday, January 1, 2012 7:18 AM

Headless Hearsemans data base.

That diorama uses the Bernie Wrightson / Sideshow kit.

From my reading about it the floor is a real nightmare to work with.

 

  • Member since
    January 2003
  • From: Washington, DC
Posted by TomZ2 on Sunday, January 1, 2012 3:03 PM

Full 1931 costume:

And 1939 costume:

Boris Karloff goofing off during the production of Son of Frankenstein.

The still is taken from a color 16mm Kodachrome home movie and shows that the monster’s make-up was colored green.

Tags: Frankenstein

Occasional factual, grammatical, or spelling variations are inherent to this thesis and should not be considered as defects, as they enhance the individuality and character of this document.

  • Member since
    May 2008
  • From: Wherever the hunt takes me
Posted by Boba Fett on Monday, January 2, 2012 10:08 PM

Tom! You are my hero! Those are absolutely fantastic pics! Looks like I've got some colors to go mix up....

  • Member since
    April 2006
  • From: ON, Canada
Posted by jgeratic on Tuesday, January 3, 2012 2:04 AM

Judging from your jubilation, I take it you will be painting him the way the make-up artist had him presented for b/w filming and not how Frankenstein was to be perceived by the audience?

regards,

Jack

  • Member since
    December 2002
Posted by justimagine on Tuesday, January 3, 2012 11:38 AM

Universal's makeup man at that time was Jack Pierce.  Jack stated in a television interview that he had a special greasepaint created by Max Factor for him, a gray-green that photographed like dead flesh.  This green shade was later used by Don Post to create the green-looking Frankenstein Monster Masks we all recognize.  The book has the monster with a yellow-ish skin with veins showing through.  Certainly you are free to interpret the monster in any way you choose, but you'd be accurate in recreating the greenish coloring as long as you are modeling the creature as shown in the original films.

  • Member since
    December 2002
Posted by justimagine on Tuesday, January 3, 2012 11:40 AM

By the way, the first photo is not from the original 1931 film.  It's actually from the sequel, "The Bride of Frankenstein."  The giveaway is the short, scorched, hair on the monster's head, reflecting the fire he had gone through at the climax of the original film.

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