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Horror F/X - What/Who's Your Fav/Memorable?

A friend and I are making a modestly low budget horror film this summer. We've been talking about memorable make-up and the whole CGI thing like I've previously posted but it really got me thinking of all the greats that got this started.From the great Lon Chaney to Tom Savini, Rick Baker, Kevin Yagher, Steve Johnson, Stan Winston...there have been so many things brought to life that has made cinema "cinema." I want to get your guys' reactions as well as your memories of your favorite monsters,ghosts,graphic kills,and the just sheer experience of something that will likely grow into a "goodbye artist" field.

I've been watching a lot of Nightmare on Elm Street for obvious reasons the original has such a good sense of phycality with real effects with the extended arms, face rip, lhouettes under the wallpaper...its very mesmerizing the makeup is awesome......I watched The Hills Have Eyes....great mutant degns.....Blade II awesome vamp w/ trout mouth....Ghostbusters....still remarkable...I like the ghosts degn better back then than what we could do today honestly.....Pumpkinhead....Terminator....Jurasc Park, Alien, The Abyss, The Fly, Gremlins, Batman, The Thing.....films that utilize great costume and character typically with that dark undertone is what I love most. Films need that imagination in real time I think. What are you're most memorable degns of horror? The "face" if you will?

There are so many legends in the field of FX, some of the names you mentioned being amongst that elite class. The one artist that stands out to me is Tom Savini. He may not be on the grand scale level as Winston was or even Rick Baker, but Savini was the guy who brought the grit and grime to the screen. I love all his FX but my favourite films that really showcase his talents are MANIAC and PROWLER. Watch the PROWLER death scenes, they are some of the best ever.

For me, it has to be the Gillman from CREATURE FROM TEH BLACK LAGOON. Thers something about the degn of that guy that multansously freaks me out and warms my heart. I just love it. If they ever remake it, and lets hope they don't unless Del Toro is on board, I hope they stay true to the degn. Its just wonderful.

Good luck with the film, bro.

I agree with the above post on THE PROWLER death scenes btw. Very realistic. Some of the best Ive ever seen.

I have to agree Tom Savini is by a long way my favourite F/X artists Day of the Dead being my favourite of his work. But for all time best F/X has to be The Thing, That film has really stood the test of time in all aspects but those S F/X are something else they haunted my childhood memories after watching it on the sly and even to this day the spider head scene is the most memorable monster scene I've ever seen

GREAT mentions guys!!! Bud Westmore was the chief FX specialist for CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON. His resume is immense! tons of old school horror, sci-fi, westerns, action films and he also did the make-up and FX for all THE MUNSTERS episodes. THE THING also had some incredible FX!!!

My personal favorite horror makeup/effect is Chaney's for Phantom of the Opera. There has been no Phantom makeup that has surpassed the original.

Other notable ones for me: Jack Pierce's work for Universal Gillman from The Creature from the Black Lagoon Tom Savini Sam's head from Trick 'r Treat The Cryptkeeper from Tales from the Crypt The Liquid Nitrogen kill from Jason X The Elvis makeup for Bruce Campbell for Bubba Ho-Tep The unseen maskless Jason for the Friday the 13th reboot. The Alien from Alien and Aliens. (Not Alien 3, Resurrection, AVP, or AVP-R, though. ADI sucks) Stan Winston Rick Baker (I really liked his degn for The Wolfman. Pity they used really stupid and bad CG for the transformation)

My personal favorite horror makeup/effect is Chaney's for Phantom of the Opera. There has been no Phantom makeup that has surpassed the original.

Other notable ones for me: Jack Pierce's work for Universal Gillman from The Creature from the Black Lagoon Tom Savini Sam's head from Trick 'r Treat The Cryptkeeper from Tales from the Crypt The Liquid Nitrogen kill from Jason X The Elvis makeup for Bruce Campbell for Bubba Ho-Tep The unseen maskless Jason for the Friday the 13th reboot. The Alien from Alien and Aliens. (Not Alien 3, Resurrection, AVP, or AVP-R, though. ADI sucks) Stan Winston Rick Baker (I really liked his degn for The Wolfman. Pity they used really stupid and bad CG for the transformation)

brillaint post! agree 100% Its nice to see Sam from T'r'T gettin some love. And the new Wolfman was a fantastic degn. Very respectful of the original. Like you say though...cgi transformation...gh