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
âSpawnâ (1997)
While Spawn himself is an impressive achievement in makeup, Clown easily takes the cake. Youâd never guess in a million years itâs 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 âThe Nutty Professorâ and âMen in Blackâ was the perfect person to mold this chubby, grotesque creature into a slimy reality.
4: The Joker
âThe Dark Knightâ (2008)
In Tim Burtonâs âBatman,â Jack Nicholsonâs Clown Prince of Crime was permanently mutilated with white skin, green hair, and a haunting smile. Christopher Nolan took a different approach in âThe Dark Knight,â hiring John Caglione Jr. and Conor OâSullivan 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. Itâs a fitting face to accompany a symbol for anarchy and terror that parallels Batmanâs symbol for justice.
3: The Penguin
âBatman Returnsâ (1992)
You ever hear the phrase, âA face only a mother could love?â Well not even Oswald Cobblepotâs mother could look past her childâs vile exterior. Given his twisted, stubby form, itâs tragically ironic he was abandoned and raised by penguins in Gothamâs sewers. Danny DeVito was born to play the Penguin, as sad as that sounds, whoâs 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
âX-Menâ franchise (2000-)
The âX-Menâ movies have envisioned so many unique mutants made possible through makeup that we couldnât 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
âHellboyâ franchise (2004-08)
Guillermo del Toroâs âHellboyâ 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 Pearlmanâs down-to-earth performance made for a flawless fusion to create a creature whoâs one half satanic brute, the other half laidback dude. Watching these films, youâd never think of Hellboy as a big guy painted red with a fake giant arm. You believe that heâs 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.