Yes, I have used this method and found it very effective. I just took a hollow core door, cut the hole, then glued the fabric over it and painted everything to match. If I had to do it again, the only thing I might do different is to put moldings on the front of the door to form panels, and have the fabric cover one whole panel, that way the molding can hide the edges.

I would love to have used that rubber material that you see in a lot of horror movies which stretches much further then spandex, but I am not sure where you would get it, or even what it's called.

Another option is the classic scrim method, putting a piece of scrim material over a hole in the door and then making the face show with lighting.

Dan

I know it is probably too late for you, but we too are doing Scrooge.  We just finished our door and what our FX guy did was get one of those clear masks from a costume shop, sprayed a light coat of bronze paint on it, and fastned it over a hole in the door.  He finsihed it off with a a knocker circle.  Then he mounted a dimmer controled 25 watt bulb on the back of the door just under the mask.  Marley comes right up to the mask and turns on the light. its cool.