Mechanical Secrets of Moving Gorillas in “King Kong”, 1933 – Design You Trust

Mechanical Secrets of Moving Gorillas in “King Kong”, 1933

Ever wonder how a Hollywood make-up man converts an actor into a terrifyingly realistic gorilla in those fascinating jungle pictures you watch on the silver screen?

A study of these photos will give you an idea of what goes on behind a gorilla face. Mechanics have devised a set of mechanical facial bones and muscles which act as the skeleton for a leather “skin” which make-up men put on.

h/t: vintag.es

A simple set of levers on the mechanism and a strip clamping over the lower teeth enable the actor to open and close his huge gorilla jaws like the real beast of the jungle. A special strap over the eyes gives the beetle browed effect.

Since gorillas have resisted all attempts to train them for use in the movies, film producers have resorted to “synthetic” animals custom-built to fit the picture. One such animal completed recently by Max Factor Studios of Hollywood, California, is made up of an aluminum skeleton with its “bones” filled out with mohair. The body is covered with a tanned leather hide into which thousands of hairs have been knotted by wig craftsmen.

Basic and motionless portions of the gorilla’s skull also are of aluminum, but the working parts in the jaws are made of aluminum, supplemented by steel springs and pinions. Bone teeth and synthetic flesh tongue and mouth lining have a natural appearance. For skin of the gorilla’s head, smooth polished chamois is used, with hair wig-stitched in the proper locale. The “bones” of the cinema gorilla’s hand extensions are of duralumin.

If you want more awesome content, subscribe to 'Oh, Design You Trust,' our brand new Facebook page! Trust me, you won't be disappointed.

More Inspiring Stories

Satirical and Absurd Illustrations From JJ Grandville’s Un Autre Monde, 1844
1972 Toyota RV2: 'Idea' Car Turns A Station Wagon Into A Recreational Vehicle
Wonderful Black And White Photos Of Rome In The Post-WWII
Your Very Own Harrier Jet: This Jet Will Go Down In History As One Of The All Time Great Classic British Aircraft
NASA: Spectacular Images from Space - Galaxy Encounter, Flooding Thailand, and 12-Billion-Year-Old Stars
Vintage Photos Show What Teens Wore in the 1970s
Afro Hair On Album Covers
This Futuristic 1966 Ford Ranger II Concept Truck
A Disney Movie has Come to Life. This Unlikely Duo will Melt Your Heart.
This Guy Came Up With A Plan To Turn Any Backyard Into A Beach
42 Stunning Restored And Colorized Historic Images Bring The Past To Life
Vintage Family Photos Painted As Large Scale Murals By Mohamed L’Ghacham
Amazing Photographs of Teenage Skateboarder Laura Thornhill Caswell in the 1970s
An Animatronic Polar Bear Visits the London Underground
"Harmony Of The Seas" - The World's Largest Cruise Ship
Chevrolet Speedometer Design: Design Evolution from 1941 to 2011
Assembling a Chair
Artist Used AI To Find Out What Hollywood Legends Would Look Like In The Future
The Superb Tech-Inspired Sculptures by Michal Sycz
Artist Recreates Old Ceremonial Portraits By Replacing Their Subjects With Cats
This Photographer Restores “Unrestorable” Photos, And The Results Are Amazing
The Lexus Hoverboard In Photos
Ultrasonic Airliner On Display – A Rare Sight
Stunning Black and White Celebrity Photographs Taken by Dennis Hopper in the 1960s