The exhibit that caught my attention the most was Behind the Screen where they portray the way in which film editing, aesthetics concerning moving images, and optical instruments helped develop and contribute to the moving image itself.
One of the many features that the exhibit Behind the Screen displays is the makeup aspect of making a film. The numerous masks that the museum displays are countless and intriguing. The mask of Jim Carrey from the movie The Mask, 1994, is one of my favorites because of the details involved in the creation of the mask such as the wrinkles and shape of the nose, which make you feel like you are staring at something more than just a mask. I also admired the life mask of Marlon Brando from The Godfather, 1972. Dick Smith transforms Marlon Brando into an aging Don Vito Corleone in a way that you have to remind yourself, as you're watching the movie, that Brando is only in his late 40's. The mask of Quasimodo in The Hunchback of Notre Dame, 1923, is exquisite considering the fact that it is only the 1920's and makeup artists such as Lon Chaney are creating monsters already in such a unique way. For this mask, the primary ingredient was mortician's wax that Chaney used to apply to his face in order to become Quasimodo. There were also a segment of various masks of aliens and monsters with sharp teeth and slimy skin that fascinated me the most. One look at these realistic masks and you feel as if they're right there and you're in danger. One can be amazed by the fact that these special effects that were arising during this time is partially the reason why we love horror movies. Masks like these can transport us to a world of the unknown and make us believe that we are in that world. Creativity cannot even begin to describe what these artists have made. It's something much more magical. It's imagination made a reality.
