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Top 15 Monster Makeup Designs in Movie History

by YPB Team

Rubber, yak hair and foam latex: a century of work in the makeup chair, from silent-era tricks the actors applied themselves to Oscar winners.

  1. An American Werewolf in London — ranked #11
    An American Werewolf in London
    Rick Baker's on-camera transformation, which won the first competitive makeup Oscar in 1982.
    1000pts
  2. Frankenstein (1931) — ranked #22
    Frankenstein (1931)
    Jack Pierce's flat-topped skull, neck bolts and heavy eyelids for Boris Karloff's Monster.
    942pts
  3. Planet of the Apes (1968) — ranked #33
    Planet of the Apes (1968)
    John Chambers' ape faces, which earned an honorary Oscar before a makeup category existed.
    753pts
  4. Hellraiser — ranked #44
    Hellraiser
    Pinhead's grid of nails, worn by Doug Bradley in Clive Barker's 1987 film.
    668pts
  5. Beetlejuice — ranked #55
    Beetlejuice
    Ve Neill and Steve LaPorte's Oscar-winning ghoul for Michael Keaton in 1988.
    565pts
  6. The Thing — ranked #66
    The Thing
    Rob Bottin's shape-shifting alien effects for John Carpenter's 1982 film.
    565pts
  7. Creature from the Black Lagoon — ranked #77
    Creature from the Black Lagoon
    The Gill-man suit designed by Milicent Patrick for Universal in 1954.
    565pts
  8. Frankenstein (2025) — ranked #88
    Frankenstein (2025)
    Mike Hill's stitched, alabaster Creature for Jacob Elordi, which won the Oscar for Makeup and Hairstyling.
    565pts
  9. The Fly (1986) — ranked #99
    The Fly (1986)
    Chris Walas's Oscar-winning stages of Seth Brundle's decay.
    439pts
  10. The Exorcist — ranked #1010
    The Exorcist
    Dick Smith's possessed Regan, all cracked skin and yellow eyes.
    439pts
  11. The Substance — ranked #1111
    The Substance
    Pierre-Olivier Persin's Oscar-winning body horror for Coralie Fargeat's 2024 film.
    0pts
  12. Pan's Labyrinth — ranked #1212
    Pan's Labyrinth
    The Pale Man and the Faun, worn by Doug Jones in del Toro's 2006 fable.
    0pts
  13. The Wolf Man (1941) — ranked #1313
    The Wolf Man (1941)
    Jack Pierce's yak-hair werewolf for Lon Chaney Jr.
    0pts
  14. A Nightmare on Elm Street — ranked #1414
    A Nightmare on Elm Street
    David B. Miller's burned face for Robert Englund's Freddy Krueger.
    0pts
  15. The Elephant Man — ranked #1515
    The Elephant Man
    Christopher Tucker's prosthetics for John Hurt; the snub led to the makeup Oscar's creation.
    0pts

#Movies668#Horror77#Makeup2#Special Effects1

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