Rob Zombie Shares Concept Art And Make-Up For 'The Munsters'
Rob Zombie continues to tease fans on Instagram with updates on his feature film reboot of The Munsters. This time, Zombie gives us a glimpse into the set location of Mockingbird Lane and make-up for one of the franchise's biggest characters.
Back in June, Rob Zombie announced that he will be directing a reboot of The Munsters. After trying to get the film made for 20 years, the gritty horror director can hardly contain his excitement and continues to give fans sneak peeks into the production. Recently, he revealed measurement details for the family's Victorian house on 1313 Mockingbird Lane. Zombie also shared costume concepts for Lily and Herman Munster's evening wear.
Welcome to the Neighborhood
The latest behind-the-scenes detail was released earlier this week with the premiere of Herman Munster's chiseled head and the plot where the macabre manor will be constructed. On Instagram, Zombie said:
"We aren't just building the Munsters house. We are building all of Mockingbird Heights! ? It's a big job, but somebody's got to do it. #robzombie #themunsters #budapesthungary ??"
This is really exciting news! I love they are constructing all of Mockingbird Heights! According to The Munsters series, the mansion was built on the remains of an old fort, with Grandpa Munster providing the down payment for Herman and Lily to buy the home. Based on Zombie's passion and posts, it seems like he is going to film inside the house and not just shoot exterior scenes and use a sound stage for scenes that take place inside the home. It'll be really cool to see how this construction comes along as time passes. I also hope that there may be some new characters added to Mockingbird Heights just to shake up the cast a little bit. So far, everything seems to be a replica of the original design, concept, and characters so I do hope that there is some additional Zombie flare inserted into the film to where this isn't just a straight tv to film transition.
The director also posted an update on sculpting and gave audiences a glimpse into the creature design for the patriarch of the Munster house. Zombie let us know that:
"the clay is out and the sculpting has begun on a very prominent brow for THE MUNSTERS. #robzombie #themunsters #hermanmunster"
There are three images in the post to showcase different angles. The sculpt looks practically identical to Herman's original design complete with his signature forehead scar, protruding brow, and bolts that were covered by short dark bangs.
Munster Make-up
Herman's character is modeled after Frankenstein's monster. At 7 feet tall, he is a loveable, clumsy, and dedicated family man- er, monster who often succumbs to child-like temper tantrums. Despite his impulsive temper, he is still a loving husband and father. His demeanor is reflected in his sharp-angled and stiff posture, soft eyes, and big smile.
The Munsters was originally shot in color but transitioned to black and white in order to save production costs and look more like the old Hollywood monster movies the series paid homage to. Make-up artists painted Herman green and violet in order to make him seem more ghoulish and appear like the undead. When the show was transitioned to black and white, Herman was painted a violet tone in order to allow the cameras to pick up light more accurately. The color episodes could also be hit or miss. The character's make-up didn't always blend into their neck and chest which left for a jarring lack of cohesive application.
This makes me wonder if Zombie will make his film in black and white or color. Knowing how he likes to play with juxtaposition, he could even somehow pull off both. Either way, it'll be cool to see him creatively explore color and tone while exploring how those influence the character make-up.