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Special effects makeup has been around in film and on the
screens for many of years and it has evolved and improved
drastically throughout time. It doesnt always go noticed in a
lot of films but there are a lot of films that have stood out
in history for there special effects makeup such as The Fly,
Alien, Jurassic Park, An American Werewolf in London, and many
others. Fx make-up has been an evolving art since the start of
1900s, since this era makeup has become increasingly more
popular as the extent of what you can do with it is quite
vast. Fx makeup has adapted through history due to new
supplies and new techniques.
The history and development of Fx makeup and how it has been
showcased from films in history to nowadays have changed in
some ways but some techniques have remained the same. In
addition, makeup artists in newer movies would have made
slight changes in the way they applied prosthetics to make
effects look more and more realistic. The modern day Fx make-
up is more advanced and detailed.
You will find that horror films have the most special effects
makeup and prosthetics used in them more than any other genre
as the horror genre requires more gruesome and horrendous
scenes. This is where Fx makeup up comes in to really scare
their audiences. The horror genre has noticeably changed over
the years from ancient legends in tribes about werewolves,
monsters and demons to the stories in films nowadays. Peoples
fears have changed depending on what is going on in the era
and horror films would have to change too to suit their
audiences. Horror films would also have changed due to writers
coming up with different and scarier ideas to base their films
around. This pushes special effects makeup artists and
designers to come with new and original creatures and monster
to give their audiences a fright. In the 1930s you would find
that films were based on literate, for example Frankenstein
and Dracula were produced in those times. Special effects
makeup artist Jack Pierce created the makeup on both of these
famous characters. For the character, Dracula Pierce designed
a special colour greasepaint for actor Bela Lugosi. The most
significant creation of Pierces was Frankensteins monster;
He would spend roughly four hours of applying makeup onto
Boris Karloffs head. His head was built up of
cotton, collodion and gum, and green greasepaint was applied
to his hands and face to make Karloff look pale on black- and-
white film.
In the 80s slasher horror films were extremely big, such films
like A Nightmare on Elm Street, My Bloody Valentine, and
Friday the 13th. Also in the 80s special effects were used more
and more during this decade resulting in films like An
American werewolf in London, The Thing, and The fly.
The 2000s had a lot more gruesome horror films, for example,
saw was made. Also predictions for world chaos and destruction
such as The Day after Tomorrow and 2012, as well as
inescapable and unprovoked deaths as in the film Final
Destination and saw. The saw movies are known for having
extremely gruesome and gritty scenes. Eleanor Sabaduquia was
the head of the makeup department on the set of saw; she led
her team to create some extremely gory scenes.
Pre 1935 cameras could only shoot in black and white, this
meant that makeup was limited and was applied differently to
how it is nowadays. From research it was clear what materials
they used in those times were putty, morticians wax, spirit
gum and collodion. They didnt have as much equipment as they
do now which meant that there was a limit to how professional
the characters were in a movie compared to nowadays where they
use all kinds of different materials to create different
effects on peoples faces and bodies. Nowadays, they have
liquid latex to add features onto peoples body parts and they
could create whatever they like such as; scars, bullet wounds
etc.
There are many special effects makeup artists that have made
history by creating ground-breaking creatures in well-known
films such as Frankenstein, Phantom of the Opera, The
Exorcist, and Aliens. Some of the most successful special
effects makeup artists were Jack Pierce, Lon Chaney, Dick
Smith, Stan Winston, Rick Baker and Rob Bottin.