Old school freaky special effects wizards
by Mighty_Emperor | created - 10 Jan 2012 | updated - 26 Feb 2014 | PublicThose old school special effects wizards who do most of their work with make-up and models on some of the greats of horror films.
So much is CGIed in modern movies that I wanted to salute those who got their hands dirty by advancing effects and are still implementing them today.
1. Tom Savini
Actor | From Dusk Till Dawn
Actor/SFX wizard/stuntman/director Tom Savini was born in Pittsburgh. Inspired by the film Man of a Thousand Faces (1957), a young Savini became fascinated with the magic and illusion of film. He spent his youth in his room creating characters by tirelessly practicing make-up. Later, as a combat ...
King of special effects make-up.
2. Rick Baker
Make_up_department | Planet of the Apes
Rick Baker was born on December 8, 1950 in Binghamton, New York, USA. He is an actor, known for Planet of the Apes (2001), Men in Black (1997) and The Wolfman (2010). He has been married to Silvia Abascal since November 8, 1987. They have two children. He was previously married to Elaine Alexander.
One of the greats with a vast list of credits, particular triumphs being An American Werewolf in London.
3. Screaming Mad George
Special_effects | Predator
Screaming Mad George was born on October 7, 1956 in Osaka, Japan. He is known for Predator (1987), The Guyver (1991) and The Abyss (1989).
Has delivered some of the great body horror special effects like Society or Reanimator.
4. Rob Bottin
Make_up_department | RoboCop
Rob Bottin was born on April 1, 1959 in El Monte, California, USA. He is known for RoboCop (1987), Total Recall (1990) and Se7en (1995).
The man behind the monstrosities in The Thing.
5. Stan Winston
Make_up_department | Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Stan Winston was born on April 7, 1946 in Richmond, Virginia, USA. He is known for Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), Jurassic Park (1993) and Aliens (1986). He was married to Karen Winston. He died on June 15, 2008 in Malibu, California, USA.
Worked with Bottin on The Thing and then went on to provide the magic in Aliens, the Predator and Terminator series.
6. Carlo Rambaldi
Special_effects | E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Carlo Rambaldi was born on September 15, 1925 in Vigarano Mainarda, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. He is known for E.T. (1982), King Kong (1976) and Alien (1979). He was married to Bruna Basso. He died on August 10, 2012 in Lamezia Terme, Calabria, Italy.
Brought Giger's designs to life with the head of the Alien in the film of the same name, and also worked on other aliens in CE3K and ET.
7. Yoshihiro Nishimura
Make_up_department | Tôkyô zankoku keisatsu
Yoshihiro Nishimura was born on April 1, 1967 in Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan. He is a producer, known for Tokyo Gore Police (2008), Meatball Machine Kodoku (2017) and The ABCs of Death (2012).
The man without whom there would be no New Japanese Gore films.
8. Greg Nicotero
Make_up_department | The Walking Dead
Gifted SFX and make-up wizard, who learned his trade under the watchful eye of SFX splatter guru Tom Savini. Nicotero and buddies, Howard Berger and Robert Kurtzman started KNB Efx Group in 1988 and the group has provided eye-popping & jaw dropping special effects for major Hollywood releases ...
The N in NBK
Worked on Tarantino and recent Romero films, as well as The Mist, The Faculty, Re-animator, Phantasm, Splice, Masters of Horror and the Walking Dead - basically a list of some of my favourite films.
9. Howard Berger
Make_up_department | Lone Survivor
Howard Berger was born in Los Angeles, CA. Howard was raised on monster films and knew at an early age someone made those monster for the movies and began figuring it out at age 8 when he was introduced to Famous Monster of Filmland Magazine. His parents were very supportive and indulged his ...
The B in NBK
Tarantino and recent Romero films, Evil Dead, The Faculty, From Dusk Till Dawn and The Walking Dead.
10. Robert Kurtzman
Make_up_department | From Dusk Till Dawn
For more than three decades Robert Kurtzman has been an icon in the world of special make-up, creature effects, and genre filmmaking. His award-winning, photo-realistic effects work can be seen in hundreds of movies including Hollywood's biggest blockbusters, franchises and television series-most ...
The K in NBK
Evil Dead, Mouth of Madness, Re-animator, Dusk Till Dawn (which he helped create), The Faculty and Bubba Ho-Tep.
11. Nick Benson
Special_effects | The Blob
Nick Benson is known for The Blob (1988), Tremors (1990) and A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988).
Dead Heat, Society, Re-animator and Tremors.
12. Mark Rappaport
Special_effects | 300
Mark Rappaport is known for 300 (2006), Mulan (2020) and I Am Legend (2007).
Producing a lot of prosthetics and make-up in modern movies.
13. Dick Smith
Make_up_department | The Exorcist
Dick Smith was born on June 26, 1922 in Larchmont, New York, USA. He is known for The Exorcist (1973), Altered States (1980) and Scanners (1981). He was married to Jocelyn DeRosa. He died on July 30, 2014 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
"The Godfather of Make-Up" who has been working since the fifties and helped revolutionise prosthetic make-up in the early 70s which would lay the groundwork for the explosion of horror. His credits are lengthy but in this context I wanted to flag up his Scanners work.
14. Brian Johnson
Visual_effects | Aliens
Brian Johnson is a award winning special and visual effects designer and director who for over 40 years provided his services to a multitude of film and television productions.
Johnson's career began in 1957 when he joined Anglo Scottish Pictures after meeting veteran effects artist and skilled ...
Worked on Alien and Aliens, plus his Space 1999 work was a big influence on Star Wars and he'd go on to work on The Empire Strikes Back.
15. John Carl Buechler
Special_effects | Hatchet
When he ran the make-up effects department at New World Pictures, Roger Corman called John Carl Buechler "...the best in the business..." An actor, writer, producer, director, special effects artist, he was always in love with filmmaking, and was the first person in history to make his way into the...
From Beyond, Re-animator and Ghoulies.
16. Cleve Hall
Cleve Hall was born on June 22, 1959 in Florida, USA. He was a costume designer and actor, known for Re-Animator (1985), Jay and Silent Bob Reboot (2019) and The Sandlot (1993). He died on March 31, 2021 in Burbank, California, USA.
Nightmare, Troll and TerrorVision
17. Larry S. Carr
Make_up_department | Friday the 13th: A New Beginning
Larry S. Carr is known for Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985), Friday the 13th: Part 3 (1982) and Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984).
Galaxy of Terror, Friday the 13th, Pumpkinhead.
18. Rosario Prestopino
Special_effects | La sceneggiatura
Rosario Prestopino was born on December 18, 1950 in Naples, Campania, Italy. He was an actor, known for La sceneggiatura (2006), Amore estremo (2006) and The Red Violin (1998). He died on May 13, 2008 in Rome, Lazio, Italy.
Plenty of Fulci films and Demons.
19. Sergio Stivaletti
Special_effects | Dellamorte dellamore
Sergio Stivaletti is most certainly one of the greatest European experts in the field of special effects and make-up to which he has been dedicated for over 20 years. Born in Rome in 1957, he has collaborated during his career with some of the genre's most important Italian directors, like Dario ...
Demons and Dellamorte Dellamore
20. Eiji Tsuburaya
Writer | Urutora Q
Eiji Tsuburaya ranks alongside Willis H. O'Brien and Ray Harryhausen as one of the great visionary SFX masters of twentieth century fantasy cinema. Best remembered as the amazing special effects genius behind the "Godzilla" series of monster films commencing in 1954, he also contributed effects to ...
Godzilla and countless tokusatsu films from the 30s to the 70s.
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