Horror villains have been known for hiding their true identities with masks. This is also used to conceal the killer’s identity or maybe the killer is wearing the mask to share a piece of themselves, which is partly the reason for their reign of terror bestowed upon their victims. Some horror films were more memorable than others, purely based on the emphasis placed on some of the key elements which make the villains stand-out from the crowd. Obviously I am referring to the Mask. It may sometimes include a special murder weapon, for the most part, any great Horror film (especially slasher Horror films) will include a masked killer. Let’s have a look at GeekShizzle’s Top 12 Scariest Horror Masks.

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1. The Hills Run Red – Babyface Killer

This is a creepy and disturbing mask design. Babyface is the in-bred son of Alexa and her father. The cracked baby mask and bright red coat is striking, the human jaw and barbed wire is the final touch required to push this mask to the top of our list.

 

2. Texas Chainsaw Massacre – Leather face

Leather face is considered the grandfather of all slasher movie serial killers. He is mentally retarded and disturbed. He wears a mask made out of human skin which leads to his name Leatherface. The character is loosely based on real-life serial killer Ed Gein, who is remembered as one of the most brutal serial killers in American history. The idea of someone wearing human skin is creepy as hell, add a chainsaw to the mix and we will be running for the hills.

 

3. Midnight Movie – The “The Dark Beneath” killer

The villain’s mask design is rather interesting, which makes him a visually arresting killer. The scull design is a classic which is accompanied with a leather strap which resembles the mask worn by Hannibal Lecter.

 

4. Halloween – Michael Myers

The Halloween mask is one of the most recognizable masks in slasher film history. William Shatner claims that he made the mask for Michael Myers. The mask was used as a death mask for an episode of Star Trek.

 

5. Friday the 13th – Jason Vorrhees

The Detroit Red Wings mask moulded after the 1950s model has haunted us for generations. Simple yet frightening, the Jason Voorhees mask has been a Halloween favourite for many generations. We have seen some small changes through the years; however the hockey mask has become a true horror legend.

 

6. House of wax – Vincent Sinclair

Vincent and Bo were born in Ambrose as conjoined twins, with Vincent’s face attached to the back of Bo’s head. Needless to say, Vincent was badly deformed when they were separated. His mask serves the purpose of hiding his ugly face and to give him a “normal” appearance. The mask design is simple, however previous successors like the Halloween mask has paved the way for simple designs to set the stage for horror villains. The mask made of wax is partially damaged at one point, giving Vincent an edgier look which adds to the scare factor

 

7. Silence of the Lambs – Hannibal Lecter

The lower half of Hannibal Lecter’s face is covered with a mask that basically prevents him from biting anyone. The scene with Hannibal strapped in with the mask is deemed as one of the most iconic moments in movie history. The mask reminds me of a muzzle, normally used to restrict dogs from attacking anything. He looks terrifying and dangerous.

 

8. Nightbreed – Button Face

Based on the novel “Cabal” by Clive Barker, the villain wears a mask which resembles the mask worn by the scarecrow in “Batman Begins”. The added sewn on buttons and zipper mouth rounded off the look to make it most unsettling. It is a very simple design, yet very creepy.

 

9. Saw -Pig Mask

Seeing people adorned with any sort of animal heads has always been a horror favourite. I suppose if all else fails the easiest and most simple ingredient to any Horror film, lacking a creative mask, is to add an animal head mask to the recipe. Simple yet effective, this provided some extra spice to the Jigsaw puzzle.

 

10. Leslie Vernon – Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon

Another Myers-inspired mask is ticked on our list. The large, hollow eyes and simplicities work well, even though at first, the mask seems a bit understated. The true creepiness and potential of the mask is revealed when Vernon is wearing the mask. The deep-set smile and curly yellow hear reminds me of the joker.

 

11. Curtains – Old Woman Mask

The Canadian slasher Curtains was co-directed by Richard Ciupka and producer Peter Simpson, has surprised many horror fans as one of the golden oldies, holding a place for its originality and interesting killer mask design. Let’s see….creepy old lady’s face…check, withered and pale…check, big ass knife..check, officially creeped out!

 

12. Scream – Scream Mask

Scream has been credited with revitalizing the horror genre in the late 90s by combining a traditional slasher film with humor, awareness of horror film cliché and a clever plot. Scream is the highest grossing slasher film in the world with one of the most popular masks being sold to date. The white on black backdrop the mask created when the killers stalked or approached their victims is legendary. The wide open mouth and skinny white design of the mask, will forever be known as the great era when slasher films received a second breath during the 90’s, by reintroducing us to the great concept of masked killers.