Gorilla in a Box

          I think my fascination with make up special effects and gorilla suits may stem from the sad fact that I have been bespectacled since a young age and could never wear a simple mask or greasepaint without my corrective lenswear spoiling the illusion. In the spirit of make-your-own-monkey here's a little item I found on Ebay. The box for the KING OF THE GORILLAS boasts the involvement of Dick Smith, 70's Makeup Artist supreme of Exorcist and Little Big Man - whether this was a paid for plug or he had actual input into the kit, I haven't he foggiest. What I have picked up on from a brief internet trawl for info, is the excitement this kit and others (check the ad below) still generates in those raised during the 70's when mags like Starlog began to celebrate the art of sci-fi, fantasy and horror cinema. I would venture the kit dates post 76' following the KING KONG remake - hence the product moniker - but it obviously acknowledges the POTA makeups.

 

 

 

 

What truly staggers the mind is this last kit (apparently highly desired by collectors today), THE INCREDIBLE MELTING MAN - a makeup based upon a truly disgusting film about an irradiated astronaut who begins to disintegrate rather wetly upon his return to Earth.

Home Grown Gorilla

I recently had the good fortune of becoming acquainted with illustrator Glen Mullaly at a local flea market when he stopped to thumb through my table of oddities. Glen's a very friendly and agreeable fellow whose style is reminiscent of classic children's books and 50's/60's magazine illustrations. As if his terrific abilities with ink and lead were not enough to win my admiration, Mr. Mullaly sent me the photo and accompanying newspaper clipping below. I have yet to pry his mask making secrets out of him but I am pretty damn impressed with his award winning Halloween creation from 1981 (that's his sis on the right).

SPOOK SHOW AT THE OASIS

ORIGINALLY POSTED 3-28-2010

I love the notion of the spook show - the prospect of a live gorilla (man) rampaging through the crowds as KONG tosses sailor's into the crevasse on Kong Island makes me giddy. I imagine the reality of the experience is something less than the hype but if you were twelve, I'm betting it was pretty damn fun. Below is a great piece on a local Halloween Drive-In spook show in 60's Iowa - the print photo of the menacing ape is pretty muddy but the list of hijinks in the text is awe inspiring. 50,000 crickets dropped from a helicopter! A legion of gorillas and ghouls terrorizing the popcorn munching populace!
Forget AVATAR and 3-D chum, take me back baby!

Thrills, scares and fun will be part of the Halloween program when a giant Spook-tacular takes place at the Oasis Drive-In Theatre, Higgins and Elmhurst Roads, Saturday night.
Weighted ghosts and 50,000 imitation crickets will be thrown from a helicopter over the cars, as a ground barrage frightens off the invaders. Twenty actors dressed as full grown gorillas, apes, skeletons and ghosts will pop all over the place trying to scare the audience and then make up for it by giving each patron a free mask. Each child will also receive a free mask and a real pumpkin
BEFORE THE show starts at 5:30, there will be a costume parade for the kiddies between 5.30 and 6:30, followed by a costume contest at 6:45 with dozens of free prizes.
"Witchcraft," a  story of ghouls returning after 300 years to leap blood havoc, starring Lon Chaney, and "The Horror of It All," a man-monster horror film starring Pat Boone, are the screen fare. The driver of every 13th car will be admitted free, and so will the driver of every car with a 13 in the license. All occupants in every car with a black cat will be admitted free.

GORILLA VS BETTY BOOP

ORIGINALLY POSTED 10-19-2008



I've always found Betty Boop pretty creepy - that oversized head does nothing for me - but this Halloween cartoon has a great gorilla finish.