26
Feb
Custom Mannequin for a Scarface Costume
Custom mannequin for a screen worn Scarface costume from the 1932 film starring Paul Muni and Ann Dvorak
When most people think of Scarface, their first thought s Al Pachino in the classic 1983 film, and his famous line ” Say hello to my little friend”. But Al Pachino was not the first, and this Scarface costume is from the original 1932 film. Our client was envisioning a pose where the mannequin could hold a tommy gun as if he is in mid-fight with his enemies. We loved the idea and now it was up to us to bring his vision to life.
This project was definitely a balancing act because we needed to make sure that the suit fit properly on the mannequin but also that the mannequin could support the weight of the heavy replica tommy gun (which, though it was a solid dummy gun, was actually made from metal and wood!). While a headless, all-black mannequin may seem like a simple display, for a figure like this, it’s actually a very complicated process which needs to be carefully planned.
This began with pose and fit, taking a standard body form and carving that down to fit the vintage suit. Then came changing the pose with fiberglass and metal reinforcement, after which we had to completely modify his arms. At our NY studio, Patrick Louie started the modifications with a pair of life cast hands in the positions to hold the gun. Then he engineered both hands, including splitting one of them into multiple pieces that could fit around the grip, support the gun and be removed if the client needed to remove the costume. Hidden bolts and magnets allowed for
To compliment the figure, we went with a stack of prohibition style crates which were all custom made by Steven Richter. Once the pristine crates were finished he distressed them so that the looked like they had been used and around for years. He added a slew of gun shot holes and several liquor bottles some of which were shattered (but sanded down for the safety of out client). The front of the base also features the slogan “the world is yours” in a lit up style which mimics a billboard that plays an important part in the film.
Have an original movie or television costume in need of a unique or themed display? Email or call today and let’s discuss your project!
Say hello to Al's other friend!
