Who's really under that face?
November 21, 2008 11:16 AM Subscribe
The other day my roommate asked me "What's the name of the tv show where they're always taking off realistic masks to reveal they're someone else? Is it Mission: Impossible?" I told him it might be the movie, but the effect is probably too advanced for the show. He also admitted he might be thinking of the Charlies Angels movie.
So that got me wondering...What are some other examples of the effects driven crime-movie trope? Thanks!
Are you asking for more examples of this trope (removing a mask) or more examples of special effects tropes in crime movies?
posted by burnmp3s at 11:23 AM on November 21, 2008
posted by burnmp3s at 11:23 AM on November 21, 2008
Best answer: That was a standard thing in Mission Impossible, where one member of the team was a specialist in impersonating others. Early on it was Martin Landau's character, but when he left the show Leonard Nimoy took over that position on the team.
Others would do it occasionally, too, but it was usually one of those two.
posted by Class Goat at 11:28 AM on November 21, 2008
Others would do it occasionally, too, but it was usually one of those two.
posted by Class Goat at 11:28 AM on November 21, 2008
Best answer: It was used for comic effect in Murder by Death.
posted by Knappster at 11:31 AM on November 21, 2008
posted by Knappster at 11:31 AM on November 21, 2008
Response by poster: Sorry, to clarify...
I'm looking for removal of masks,specifically masks that are "too good to be true, because it's in fact another actor."
I think they did it in some parts of Face/Off?
posted by apetpsychic at 11:33 AM on November 21, 2008
I'm looking for removal of masks,specifically masks that are "too good to be true, because it's in fact another actor."
I think they did it in some parts of Face/Off?
posted by apetpsychic at 11:33 AM on November 21, 2008
Quantum Leap?
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 11:43 AM on November 21, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 11:43 AM on November 21, 2008 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Mission Impossible (TV) Masks -- 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
posted by ericb at 11:43 AM on November 21, 2008
posted by ericb at 11:43 AM on November 21, 2008
Class Goat is correct. They did that all the time in the old Mission Impossible series where one actor played another actor who was wearing a mask of their likeness.
posted by cazoo at 11:46 AM on November 21, 2008
posted by cazoo at 11:46 AM on November 21, 2008
Response by poster: Wow. I just assumed it wasn't because I'm so used to CGI ones. I'll let my roommate know he was right.
Those Mission:Impossible clips are great, thanks! (Any other examples are still welcome)
posted by apetpsychic at 11:53 AM on November 21, 2008
Those Mission:Impossible clips are great, thanks! (Any other examples are still welcome)
posted by apetpsychic at 11:53 AM on November 21, 2008
but the effect is probably too advanced for the show.
If memory serves the effect was just having an actor tug at their neck and then an edit to a shot of a different actor taking off a mostly peeling off mask. Not very advanced at all.
posted by damn dirty ape at 11:53 AM on November 21, 2008
If memory serves the effect was just having an actor tug at their neck and then an edit to a shot of a different actor taking off a mostly peeling off mask. Not very advanced at all.
posted by damn dirty ape at 11:53 AM on November 21, 2008
They also did this a lot in Mission Impossible 2. You can see an example near the end of this awful scene from this awful movie.
posted by Magnakai at 12:33 PM on November 21, 2008
posted by Magnakai at 12:33 PM on November 21, 2008
Best answer: If you want trope examples, there's only one place to go.
posted by darksasami at 12:58 PM on November 21, 2008
posted by darksasami at 12:58 PM on November 21, 2008
When the Mission Impossible masks were on, a different actor played the part. I think the reason that Landau left the show was that he didn't get to do all that much acting. The character was an important one, but most of the time the character was being played by guest actors.
Nimoy was willing to take the role mainly because it was so much different than Spock, and he was desperate to avoid becoming typecast.
posted by Class Goat at 1:49 PM on November 21, 2008
Nimoy was willing to take the role mainly because it was so much different than Spock, and he was desperate to avoid becoming typecast.
posted by Class Goat at 1:49 PM on November 21, 2008
There was a game show called Masquerade Party that featured the guest ripping off the latex mask at the end of the show.
posted by bink at 1:53 PM on November 21, 2008
posted by bink at 1:53 PM on November 21, 2008
I think they did it in some parts of Face/Off?
there were no masks that one could take off easily in Face/Off... they literally were wearing each other's faces - via some bogus scifi surgical procedure
man, that was a great movie - Travolta & Cage chewed up the scenery with relish!
posted by jammy at 2:14 PM on November 21, 2008
there were no masks that one could take off easily in Face/Off... they literally were wearing each other's faces - via some bogus scifi surgical procedure
man, that was a great movie - Travolta & Cage chewed up the scenery with relish!
posted by jammy at 2:14 PM on November 21, 2008
This episode of the Lone Gunmen uses this concept, and I'm pretty sure the "technology" is borrowed from X-Files itself, but I could be mistaken. Their aren't any anchors on the page, but if you search for "Yves hands Jimmy a retainer so he will sound as well as look like Skinner" you can find the section I'm talking about.
posted by niles at 3:15 PM on November 21, 2008
posted by niles at 3:15 PM on November 21, 2008
« Older But what did the Solvo do? Absolutely NOTHING! | I have to wear this headset, can I make it play... Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by banannafish at 11:19 AM on November 21, 2008