Summary and Reflection
This week in class we read about painted faces. The second topic 'Movie Makeup: From DIY to Digital Effects' interested me the most. This article talked about the makeup we usually take for granted in movies and how it has completely changed in today's movies. It starts off with Lon Chaney who was an actor who had a talent in acting out as monsters. He often applied his own makeup, his famous movies are The Hunchback of Notre Dame and The Phantom of the Opera. However, movie makeup today is being applied by computers. They use special digital effects to change the actor's looks. Monsters today are often digital animated, just like in the film Jurrasic Park where dinosaurs are able to run next to actors.
As makeup is an important part of any movie, it wasn't until the first Honorary Academy Award for makeup was given in 1964. In 1968 the Academy Award for Makeup was awarded to Planet of the Apes where people were transformed into apes. This movie used alot of prosthese, a flexible rubber or plastic pieces fixed onto actor's faces. Despite recognition for makeup in the Oscars, it wasn't until 1981 it became a regular award.
In 1981 the award whent to Rick Baker for his job in An American Werewolf in London. Baker started experimenting with movie makeup at an age of ten. Following 1981 Baker did more work on movies such as King Kong and in the music video Thriller by Michael Jackson.
To the later Academy Award in the 90's, horror and science fiction are movie genres that attracted much awards. In 1991 to Terminator 2, 1992 to Bram Stoker's Dracular and in 1997 to Men in Black. Two recent movies The Lord of the Rings trilogy won the prize in 2001 and 2003.
To me, a movie without good movie makeup would be a dead boring movie. A good movie with great makeup would attract alot of audiences. Even if the story seems impossible, but you are attracted at the realism of the movie. Last year when I saw the movie Frida Kahlo, I was amazed with the protagonist, as the actress Salma Hayek look exactly the same as the real Frida. This was all due to the movie makeup.
Outside Reading
This web site features the work of movie makeup artists in Hollywood. These characters are all using prosthetic makeup from hundres of movies and TVshows. The transformations from actress into character are all illustrated. There is also a listing of past winners and nominations of movie or television awards for best makeup. These awards include the oscars, Emmys and even the Hong Kong Film Awards. Its a one stop website for anyone interested in makeup in movies.
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