The uniformity of uniforms inspires visions of impersonal statehood. The forces of evil wear roughly uniform masks: the white plastic Storm Trooper, the dark mangled orc face, the shiny skull terminator robots, among others. The uniform masks are half the reason they are the bad guys; the good guys don't wear masks, and they are more diverse. It's practically the only distinguishing feature because the plot hasn't got time for much ideology.

The forces of evil would be better served by a variety of masks. Each mask should be molded and painted in the shape of its owner making any face he chooses. For identity protection, the masks can then be swapped. If a wider variety of facial appearances is desired, the Chinese Fortune Cookie Engine, which surely must exist somewhere, can be adapted to seed features for any generic facial construction algorithm.

Mass production of varying masks could be accomplished by the use of pin-array stamps, puffs of air on melted plastic, ink-jet printing, or the employment of half of the evil army for the task. Then again, their mask making could be as bad as their aim.

With faces for the army of doom, the enemy would question their righteousness. And once the army of doom is defeated, a little glue to hold the armor together makes a terra cotta army for no additional cost!
-- Ketchupybread, Apr 18 2011

Eyes Wide Shut
-- 4whom, Apr 18 2011


I think the main reason the army of doom has generic masks is to make it possible to re-use extras. (and for animators)
-- MechE, Apr 18 2011


I'm just picturing stormtroopers cutting eye holes in paper plates, applying paint, glitter, and pipe cleaners, and occasionally squabbling over the pinking shears.
-- spidermother, Apr 19 2011


Not having faces also makes them easier to dislike. An enemy with which the audience starts to empathize is a different sort of movie than typical of the genre.
-- RayfordSteele, Apr 19 2011



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