# Top 15 Monster Makeup Designs in Movie History

> 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.

*By YPB Team · Published September 22, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/top-15-monster-makeup-designs-in-movie-history*

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## Current results (no votes yet)

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

Tags: movies, horror, makeup, special effects