American cinematographer (Jan-Dec 1941)

these young producers made in their city. Like most ambitious productions, Pixilated's "Frankenstein" brought with it plenty of technical problems to trouble its young producer-director, Glen Alvey. For example, there was the matter of the "Monster's" make-up. Even in Hollywood, where professional make-up experts have almost endless technical resources, a horror make-up of this type is an out-of-the-ordinary problem. Imagine it, then, looming before a group of high-school youngsters in Texas! Naturally, the "Monster's" make-up had to be something similar to the one made famous by Boris Karloff, in the 35mm. professional version of the same story. But — how to do it? As the youthful actor who was to portray the "Monster" didn't particularly resemble Karloff, the foundation of the make-up had to be a mask. Yet it mustn't look too much like a mask; it must move naturally with the wearer's face and jawmuscles, and let the expressions show through. They'd have given a lot for a supply of the celebrated plastic makeup material that professional Jack Dawn uses to create MGM's monsters, but of course none was available. Several attempts were made at making the mask from papier-mache and paste, but these were failures — too stiff and "masky" looking. Finally Glen called into consultation Adrian Hines, a local taxidermist. With his help, a successful mask was finally made. A wax impression was made of the face of Henry Dielmann, Jr., who was to play the "Monster." From this, a plaster cast was made. Then upon this cast, the final mask was made of flexible rubber, modelling the outer surface into the desired contours with still photographs of Karloff's make-up for a guide. In this way, the inner surface was shaped to fit the face of the young actor who was to wear it, the outside molded into shape as the "Monster's" face, and there was enough flexibility so that the "Monster" could register a reasonable range of facial expressions. Stringy black goat-hair was used to make a wig. This mask make-up was, it must be admitted, a bit hot to wear — especially when making interior scenes under a battery of Photofloods — but it was convincing. Other technical problems ?n the makjing of "Frankenstein" were solved by "the youngsters in true Hollywood fashion. For example, there was the laboratory used by "Dr. Frankenstein" for hL; (attempts at synthesizing life. Two com'plete sets were built for this. The first 'was built full-size, and located outdoors, where the photographic light was more plentiful — and free. In this set the living actors "did their stuff" for the closer shots. But for the longer shots, especially the sequence in which the "Monster" was brought to life, a carefully-built miniature set was used. This contained accurate reproductions of the weird scientific and electrical equipment used by the doctor in his experiment, a minia(Continued on Page 192) On opposite page: left, 'Production still' from Pixilated's version of "Frankenstein", Henry Dielmann, Jr., as the Monster, Edith Jarrel as the frightened heroine. Center, scene in the laboratory of "Dr. Frankenstein" (Glenn Alvey) as he fashions the monster. Right, miniature set of the laboratory; Producer director Alvey straightens the lift, while cameraman Jack Locke lines up his camera. Top, shooting a close-up of the Monster; upper middle, Pixilated Pictures troupe in production; lower middle, Producer-director Alvey and his assistant, Babe Price, editing "Frankenstein"; bottom, Pixilated's Art Department— Glen Alvey, Russell Bertsch and "Tish" Walker, who design and build sets and posters. All photos from Three Lions. American Cinematocrapher April, 1941 173