Why does Jack Skellington look so wrong?

[kay1864]

Actually the obvious answer is "because they did a really poor job making his head"...so I guess the real question is, "Why did Disney allow such a lousy mask into the park, and why haven't they fixed it?"

So much wrong with this mask:
- Skull-shaped instead of round
- Eyes are the wrong shape
- Stitches go way too far up the side of the head

I noticed this "bad Jack" on a DCL cruise this past week, and then found the same design is used in the park for MNSSHP.

Jack in the movies:

For comparison, can you imagine if WDW sent a Buzz mask out like this into the parks ? The fans would go berserk!

 

[Karin1984]

I am sure they tried it when designing the costume, but I think a round shape would look ridiculous. I am very happy with the skull-shaped head.

There are so many costumes that don't look like the movie, Pocahontas new design for example. A few people go beserk but not many.

 

[hiroMYhero]

Actually the obvious answer is "because they did a really poor job making his head"...so I guess the real question is, "Why did Disney allow such a lousy mask into the park, and why haven't they fixed it?"

So much wrong with this mask:
- Skull-shaped instead of round
- Eyes are the wrong shape
- Stitches go way too far up the side of the head

I noticed this "bad Jack" on a DCL cruise this past week, and then found the same design is used in the park for MNSSHP.

Jack in the movies:

For comparison, can you imagine if WDW sent a Buzz mask out like this into the parks ? The fans would go berserk!

It’s because Jack’s mask is fitted to the actual CM’s head and allows his jaw to move while speaking.

If the CM’s jaw can’t move, Jack wouldn’t be able to speak. That’s why the lower part of the “mask” looks exactly like his CM friend’s jawline.

 

[JacknSally]

It may have something to do with Jack being able to talk during meet and greets, so they needed to make the head in a way that would allow him to do so as easily and comfortably as possible.

 

[Hikergirl]

It makes him look more like an alien than Jack. I understand why they would make the change but I think it looks awful.

 

[kay1864]

It makes him look more like an alien than Jack. I understand why they would make the change but I think it looks awful.

This.

 

[kay1864]

It may have something to do with Jack being able to talk during meet and greets, so they needed to make the head in a way that would allow him to do so as easily and comfortably as possible.

I find it hard to believe they couldn't make a round head with a working jaw.

 

[hiroMYhero]

I find it hard to believe they couldn't make a round head with a working jaw.

They had to factor in the weight and fit of the costume head. All that weight is supported only by the CM’s head and neck.

Safety is supposed to be the number 1 issue especially for the costumed characters. Perhaps the shape of Jack’s head keeps the lines relatively short at MNSSHP and MVMCP.

 

[kay1864]

They had to factor in the weight and fit of the costume head. All that weight is supported only by the CM’s head and neck.

Safety is supposed to be the number 1 issue especially for the costumed characters. Perhaps the shape of Jack’s head keeps the lines relatively short at MNSSHP and MVMCP.

True...but that can be managed as well. I can't see how it would weigh any more than these.

 

[hiroMYhero]

True...but that can be managed as well. I can't see how it would weigh any more than these.

And these heads, which can weigh 8 pounds or more, are supported by the CM’s shoulders and body. Fur character CMs suffer a lot of neck, shoulder, and back pain.

 

[la79al]

If they did a bigger head to get the right shape, they would have to do a bigger neck to support the head. I think that would look worse.

 

[kay1864]

And these heads, which can weigh 8 pounds or more, are supported by the CM’s shoulders and body. Fur character CMs suffer a lot of neck, shoulder, and back pain.

So the pain is OK for the CMs doing Woody and Jessie, but not for Jack? That makes no sense.

 

[kay1864]

If they did a bigger head to get the right shape, they would have to do a bigger neck to support the head. I think that would look worse.

How do you know it would have to be a bigger neck? (also, I didn't say bigger, just round instead of skull-shaped)

 

[hiroMYhero]

No one has stated Jack doesn’t suffer any pain from his mask/costume head.

It’s probably the difference of gluing on a round 8 pound pumpkin to the top of your head versus a slender lightweight 5 pound gourd.

 

[pitpat]

really just changing the shape of the eyes would be a big improvement

 

[kay1864]

No one has stated Jack doesn’t suffer any pain from his mask/costume head.

It’s probably the difference of gluing on a round 8 pound pumpkin to the top of your head versus a slender lightweight 5 pound gourd.

And by that logic, Woody and Jessie should have masks that cover only their eyes and nose.

Honestly, I think it's that Jack is not as well-known as most Disney characters, so they decided to make it easier on the CM (but not on the other CMs wearing somewhat heavier heads)--and ended up with a really weird-looking Jack.

 

[JerseyJanice]

I know a family who recently went to the MNSSHP so their 8 and 6 year-old kids could meet Jack and Sally. They waited almost two hours on line to meet them! Their grandmother could not get over that over half of this long line were adults.

So it doesn't seem like too many people think that this is a bad costume.

 

[kay1864]

I know a family who recently went to the MNSSHP so their 8 and 6 year-old kids could meet Jack and Sally. They waited almost two hours on line to meet them! Their grandmother could not get over that over half of this long line were adults.

So it doesn't seem like too many people think that this is a bad costume.

Just because people are willing to wait doesn't mean this doesn't look really wrong. It could easily be "I really really want to see Jack and Sally because they appear only at MNSSHP", and some put up with the bad design, since the alternative is no meet and greet with Jack and Sally.

Like I said, most people don't know Jack as well as the other characters. Many may not notice how not-Jack this looks. Their not noticing doesn't make it look any better.

 

[kay1864]

really just changing the shape of the eyes would be a big improvement

Agreed! And fixing the extra-scary stitching. Neither of which would appreciably affect the weight.

 

[bethbuchall]

I think it is so that he has the ability to talk like several of the previous posters have said. Woody and Jesse don't talk, so they can have the larger heads. Also, Jack needs to have his neck show more than those other characters.

That said, I think he's creepy and alien-like, and I have no desire to meet him looking the way that he does. It seems that even a slight re-shaping of the eyes would help somewhat. So, that's one fewer person in that long, long line.