By Lexi Stewart
(All behind-the-scenes images courtesy of David Woodruff, photos by Jennifer Bayers)
"I saw—with shut eyes, but acute mental vision—I saw the pale student of unhallowed arts kneeling beside the thing he had put together. I saw the hideous phantasm of a man stretched out, and then, on the working of some powerful engine, show signs of life and stir with an uneasy, half-vital motion. Frightful must it be, for supremely frightful would be the effect of any human endeavor to mock the stupendous mechanism of the Creator of the world." - Mary Shelley, Frankenstein
Frankenstein's Monster has become one of the most popular horror icons of all time thanks to the 1931 film that cemented Boris Karloff's fame. The original look created by makeup pioneer Jack Pierce still inspires artists to this day. This year, Frankenstein (1931) is celebrating its 90th Anniversary. In April of 2021, makeup artist David Woodruff and a team of talented artists and technicians came together to recreate Frankenstein's monster as portrayed by Boris Karloff. The concept had been brewing for a couple of years in Woodruff's mind before it finally came together. The timing was perfect, considering the Anniversary this year. SWSCA is thrilled to share the result.
Jump To Section
- Recreating the 1931 Frankenstein’s Monster
- Starting the Build for the Universal Classic Monster
- Applying the Boris Karloff Makeup for Frankenstein’s 90th Anniversary
- Shooting the Frankenstein Lake Scene
- Preserving the Frankenstein Legacy
(Promotional photo still courtesy Universal Image from the original 1931 film Frankenstein with Boris Karloff as the monster and Marilyn Harris as Little Maria.)
Recreating the 1931 Frankenstein’s Monster
It was back in 1987 when practical effects veteran Tom Woodruff Jr., working with Stan Winston, brought Frankenstein's monster to life for the film The Monster Squad. Not surprisingly, Tom's son David Woodruff has followed in his father's footsteps to become a talented special effects artist in his own right. Woodruff had always loved the character, made famous in 1931 by Boris Karloff and makeup effects pioneer Jack Pierce.
In 2018, Woodruff was working on a Halloween event for Warner Bros. when he met actor Matt Wiggins who he made up for several looks. Woodruff thought Wiggins had the perfect bone structure for the Frankenstein's monster character, but nothing more came of it. "We didn't have any direction or anything but were immediately thinking - 'Ok, we have to do a Frankenstein look on Matt!'"
Jump forward to 2020, when RBFX Studio coincidentally asked Woodruff to do some sculptures of pieces for a Frankenstein's monster look. Woodruff found out that veteran makeup effects artist Andy Schoneberg was going to be doing a face for the project, so Woodruff molded Andy's piece and then asked, "Do you want to apply this together and get some pictures?" Schoneberg agreed, and Woodruff explained that he already had the PERFECT model in mind: Matt Wiggins!
(Picture via Twitter. Matt Wiggins and David T. Woodruff worked together previously on a DC project.)
Starting the Build for the Universal Classic Monster
As the concept began to come together, Woodruff spent many weekends picking up pieces for the costume. For posing and photographing his monster, he hoped to use Malibou Lake in Agoura Hills (the same location director James Whale used in the original film!). Woodruff first contacted the main office of the property. Unexpectedly, Shannon Ggem from the office replied and arranged to give his team a tour. They met Brian Rooney, a historian who informed them that Frankenstein's famous cinematographer Arthur Edeson, once lived in a house on the lake, not far from the location. The situation couldn't be more perfect for the team.
Woodruff reached out to restoration artist Kelly Mark Delcambre to help fabricate the costume. If they were going to shoot at the iconic lake, they would need something better than a costume from a thrift shop! Woodruff explained, "I wrote to him [Delcambre] and said, 'Have you ever done a 1931 Frankenstein's monster?' He said, 'I have!' And soon, we worked something out with him." Delcambre even offered to provide the team with a second set at his studio, and help the team recreate the expressionistic vault doorway from Frankenstein--a total bonus.
As the plan took shape, it dawned on Woodruff that the 90th Anniversary of the film's release was fast approaching. He contacted Boris Karloff's daughter Sara Karloff, whom he knew previously from a Karloff likeness makeup he and Gino Acevedo had applied on Tom Woodruff Jr. at a Monsterpalooza convention. Woodruff says, "I told her what we were doing. And her response was, 'I'm interested in all things Karloff, especially on the 90th anniversary!' So she offered to come out for the day."
(David T. Woodruff & Andy Schoneberg applying the pieces to Matt Wiggins.)
Applying the Boris Karloff Makeup for Frankenstein’s 90th Anniversary
RBFX Studio provided their prosthetics. The pieces created for the makeup were made with foam latex. With all the key components sorted, Woodruff went to work. He explains, "I did a headpiece that came all the way down to the brow as a cowl. I also did a cheek scar, some sockets, bolts, and other little pieces because I love the character so much. Then Andy did a face with a brow, eyelids, etc., and I liked his brows so much that when we got the foam, I sat there and cut the brow off of my piece because I liked his better." The ears were actually cast from the molds for a Karloff likeness makeup that David and Gino Acevedo had applied to his father, Tom Woodruff Jr., a few years previous. RBFX Studio provided the other generic pieces, which nevertheless fit perfectly. Woodruff custom-made a nose piece to finish it all off.
(David T. Woodruff & Andy Schoneberg painting on actor, Matt Wiggins.)
For the photo shoot, RBFX Studio also donated a pair hand prosthetics sculpted by Wayne Anderson. Woodruff explains, "We didn't use the knuckle pieces. Matt's fingers stayed long and thin like Frankenstein's monster, but we had a lot of veins going on, some big ridges on the wrist bones and other cool stuff." In clothing the monster, Delcambre used Wiggins as his model while he built up layers of cotton batting to create the shape of the body. "It was essentially a muscle suit, more or less, but only padded out where we needed it, then we did a couple of fittings, and the costume was tailored to fit that."
One of the primary concerns for the big day was scheduling. Woodruff was worried about application time as there were twelve pieces to apply, not including the hair, which he originally thought would have to be laid by hand. Hair artist Nicole Michaud came to the rescue and hand-punched the entire cowl before the shoot so that everything was pre-set except for some sideburns.
Shooting the Frankenstein Lake Scene
The day began at 8 am. Andy Schoneberg and Nicole Michaud arrived to start the process while photographer Jennifer Bayers took photos of the application. Woodruff says, "Nicole came out to wrap his hair, and Andy started applying the bald cap."
(David T. Woodruff, Andy Schoneberg & Nicole Michaud finessing the details on Matt Wiggins.)
Matt Wiggins speaks highly of the application process and how it affected his performance. "I wanted to do everything that I could to make sure that I was portraying the character as well as possible, but as things kept getting added on to me, those little details like the eyelids and stuff, it was just absolutely amazing. I didn't feel like myself. I felt like Boris Karloff as the monster in 1931. Then, you know, as we went on from there and started to get the full costume on, it was an out-of-body experience."
Wiggins enjoys the makeup transformations so much that he always asks to keep the used pieces as a souvenir. "I like to save as much of the 'flesh' as possible. So I've got it sitting right over here. I've got the remains of the face and a whole headpiece as part of my archives."
(Wiggins in full makeup and costume, standing where Boris Karloff as the monster stood to film the iconic scene.)
"It's a weird, strange thing because when I'm in the makeup chair for any project, it's mesmerizing to me. It's energizing, but it's also a kind of comforting. I felt very comfortable and excited to be there with David because he's a perfectionist like I am. So I know that he's going to be in there making sure that everything is up to par."
The complete application for the makeup took about four hours. Woodruff remarked on how nice it was not to be rushed like on a film set. They applied the pieces at a leisurely pace to ensure the perfect result. It was a smooth process, and the three artists (Woodruff, Schoneberg, and Michaud) were able to work harmoniously together. "Andy Schoenberg is left-handed, and I'm right-handed, so I could go on either side. A lot of times, you're fighting over who stands where, but it just worked out. It went very smoothly, and we had time to play."
(Wiggins & Harlie Uslan recreating the iconic scene on Malibou Lake.)
To recreate the iconic lake scene with Little Maria from the original film, Woodruff needed to find a child who could pose alongside the monster. He called Producer David Uslan, who was on board with the idea immediately, and brought his daughter Harlie to the shoot. He reminisces, "I was putting Matt in costume, and Harlie comes right up, and she's just watching it all, mesmerized. I mean, she now thinks she is 100% Frankenstein's daughter!"
(David T. Woodruff, Wiggins & team throughout the day of the shoot.)
Partway through the day, Sara Karloff arrived. Woodruff sent Wiggins quietly over to her in full makeup and costume, and as she looked up at him, she said, "Hello, Daddy." Woodruff remembers, "Matt replied, 'hello, darling.' And she grabbed him by the arm, and then Harlie walked up and handed Sara a daisy."
(Wiggins meeting up with Boris Karloff's daughter Sara. She is seeing him in makeup for the first time)
Wiggins explained, "She took my arm, and we just walked together down the pathway. It took my breath away. I couldn't believe what was happening. It was like stepping back in time. I got the chills. What an incredible moment."
(Wiggins in full makeup alongside Harlie Uslan & Sara Karloff.)
After shooting at the lake, the team packed up and moved to the second location: Kelly Mark Delcambre's studio in Chatsworth. Woodruff talks about how much he loved the photos taken at this location. "We have some of my favorite photos at that location. We put Sara in the doorway. It was incredibly powerful. And then we placed Matt behind her. One of my favorite shots is him looming deeper in the doorway and her standing there with him behind her. It's fantastic."
(Sara Karloff & Wiggins recreating the doorway scene.)
(Wiggins & Woodruff also recreating the doorway scene.)
David Woodruff's best memory of the day was when Sara took a look at the makeup and commented, "It's uncanny." He knew that Boris Karloff was often billed as 'Karloff the Uncanny' back in the day, so this comment from Karloff's daughter meant the world to the entire team.
Preserving the Frankenstein Legacy
Woodruff cherishes the experience and the fact that he now has something so fond to look back on. "I've always got these photos to look back on. I look at the pictures, and I see those moments in the photo. We have a photo with Matt and Sara, and I see Matt and see the makeup that I did with Andy. I see the costume that Kelly did on a set that we built. All the pieces are there. They're always a part of me now." He hopes to one day create the makeup again, fully customized as a further tribute. The legacy of Frankenstein indeed continues to live and thrive.
Credits
- Appliances by RBFX
- Sculpted by Andy Schoneberg, David Woodruff, and Wayne Anderson.
- Molded by Clay Martinez and David Woodruff
- Makeup application by Andy Schoneberg and David Woodruff
- Hair punched and styled by Nicole Michaud
- Monster portrayed by Matthew Wiggins
- Little Maria portrayed by Harlie Uslan (accompanied by David Uslan, Michael Uslan, and family)
- Sara Karloff as herself
- Costume and set by Kelly Mark Delcambre
- Set built by Kelly Mark Delcambre, Kira Tidmore, Matthew Wiggins, and David Woodruff
- Malibou Lake Location made available by Shannon Ggem
- Malibou Lake Historian Brian Rooney ("Three Magic Miles")
- Ms. Karloff's Driver Ted Haines
- Photos by Jennifer Bayers