No CGI Here
We will have to wait and see if David Harbour’s take on Hellboy manages to set moviegoers ablaze, but for now it’s these five examples that stand talls as the pinnacle of what practical makeup effects can do when applied within the realm of the superhero genre!
5: Clown / The Violator
“Spawn†(1997)
While Spawn himself is an impressive achievement in makeup, Clown easily takes the cake. You’d never guess in a million years it’s John Leguizamo in that fat suit as the demon who leads Spawn down the path of evil. Possessing shape-shifting abilities, Clown regularly assumes a stumpy sumo wrestler body, hellish eyes, ratty teeth, and a face painted blue. Makeup artist David LeRoy Anderson of “The Nutty Professor†and “Men in Black†was the perfect person to mold this chubby, grotesque creature into a slimy reality.
4: The Joker
“The Dark Knight†(2008)
In Tim Burton’s “Batman,†Jack Nicholson’s Clown Prince of Crime was permanently mutilated with white skin, green hair, and a haunting smile. Christopher Nolan took a different approach in “The Dark Knight,†hiring John Caglione Jr. and Conor O’Sullivan to paint a Joker that could exist in the real world. With scars across his mouth and clown makeup carelessly smeared on his face, Heath Ledger wears the mask of sheer evil. It’s a fitting face to accompany a symbol for anarchy and terror that parallels Batman’s symbol for justice.
3: The Penguin
“Batman Returns†(1992)
You ever hear the phrase, “A face only a mother could love?†Well not even Oswald Cobblepot’s mother could look past her child’s vile exterior. Given his twisted, stubby form, it’s tragically ironic he was abandoned and raised by penguins in Gotham’s sewers. Danny DeVito was born to play the Penguin, as sad as that sounds, who’s never been more animalistic with a beak-nose, pale skin, and razor-sharp teeth. Leave it to Tim Burton to take a character as outlandish as the Penguin and make him even more bizarre.
2: Mystique, Nightcrawler, Beast & Azazel
“X-Men†franchise (2000-)
The “X-Men†movies have envisioned so many unique mutants made possible through makeup that we couldn’t single out just one. Of course, the most iconic of the bunch is Mystique, whose naked, scaly body is draped in blue latex and airbrush paint. Over the years, various makeup artists have treated us to other characters like the hairy Beast, the demonic Nightcrawler, and the even more demonic Azazel. The fact that real people are under all that makeup really adds a human element, which ties into the themes of this franchise.
1: Hellboy
“Hellboy†franchise (2004-08)
Guillermo del Toro’s “Hellboy†films have produced an entire golden army of distinctive creatures, like the fishy Abe Sapien. The standout, however, has got to be the title character. Prosthetic makeup effects and Ron Pearlman’s down-to-earth performance made for a flawless fusion to create a creature who’s one half satanic brute, the other half laidback dude. Watching these films, you’d never think of Hellboy as a big guy painted red with a fake giant arm. You believe that he’s the real deal and the definition of movie makeup magic.
Be sure to check the video below to see our pick for the Top 10 Movie Devils.
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