Halloween is almost here! And so is the time to watch the Halloween film series. Every time someone watches Michael Myers going on a killing spree in the slasher thriller films, they tend to think of a very noteworthy accessory of the killer that has become his signature over the years: his mask.
The mask has also become a famous Halloween costume, with several kids and adults rocking the Myers look every year. But why does Michael Myers wear a mask, and how did he first start wearing it? Read on to find out.
Why does Michael Myers Wear a Mask?
Michael Myers wearing a mask can be attributed to many reasons. First of all, in the original Halloween film, Michael is seen stalking Laurie, roaming around Haddonfield in broad daylight on October 31.
At the time, he wore the mask not to be identified as the stalker, as he could easily move around hiding his face, going about his murderous business, and everyone would think he was just wearing a Halloween costume. He had also escaped the asylum in the film, so wearing a mask makes all the more sense to hide from the authorities.
Over time, the mask became his way of appearing more terrorizing. A symbol that will make the victims fear him even more, and he can have more power over them. At one point, the mask becomes so important to him that when Laurie tears it off his face, he stops between the tussle to put it back.
The mask also signifies that Myers’ soul is much darker than it appears on the surface, symbolizing that he himself is just a mask for things that are far more horrifying. In simpler words, Myers’ mask became a symbol of his evil. Probably that is why, in the movie’s credits, Michael is mentioned as ‘The Shape.’
As Loomi says in one of the films, “I spent eight years trying to reach him and then another seven trying to keep him locked up because I realized that what was living behind that boy’s eyes was purely and simply evil.”
When did Michael Myers First Put On the Mask?
Michael’s obsession with masks can be traced back to the very first Halloween film, which released in 1978. In the original film, the killer gets to wear two kinds of masks. Firstly, he puts on a clown mask in 1963 when he goes to murder his sister. The mask was a part of his clown costume, which included a baggy multicolored jumpsuit.
He is then put into captivity but breaks away from the asylum 15 years later, and the first place he goes to after his escape is a hardware store where he buys several items, particularly a white Halloween mask.
In the 2007 reboot of the film, directed by Rob Zombie, Michael is not shown wearing a clown mask and straight up goes for the iconic white mask that was brought by his sister’s lover. He then kills the lover and his stepfather, and eventually puts on the mask before killing his sister. When he returns to his old home 15 years later, he finds the mask lying under the floorboard.
Do you also have any theories on why Michael Myers wears a mask? Tell us in the comments section.
