Men, Makeup & Monsters: Hollywood's Masters of Illusion and FX [Paperback]

Anthony Timpone (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 15, 1996

Cinema is illusion, and in this book you'll find profiles of twelve masters of screen magic, the best you can find in Hollywood, including:

-Dick Smith, a living legend whose work has graced The Godfather, The Hunger, and many other films

-Stan Winston, the man behind Terminator 2 and Aliens

-Tom Savini, whose work for George A. Romero's "Living Dead" movies made him a leader in the milieu of splatter effects

-Rick Baker, whose apes have conquered the screen in Greystoke, Congo, and Gorillas in the Mist

These masters and eight other specialists-including today's hottest talents, such as Bob (Hellraiser), Keen, Kevin (Child's Play) Yagher, and Tony (Addams Family Values) Gardner-offer details looks at the art and craft of movie makeup.

From foam latex to complicated puppetry, it's all here in this essential handbook. With many rare and illuminating photos-including eight pages in color-this book is invaluable for anyone interested in learning the craft of movie makeup and fascinating reading for anyone who ever wondered, How did they do that?

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

For as long as they've been in existence, horror and sci-fi movies have relied on special effects and makeup to make the unreal seem real. In Men, Makeup, and Monsters: Hollywood's Masters of Illusion and FX, Fangoria editor Anthony Timpone presents profiles a dozen of today's most brilliant practitioners of the art and science of effects. Artists such as Stan Winston, Rick Baker, and Dick Smith have made everything from aliens to dinosaurs to zombies come alive on the screen, employing a staggering variety of techniques. In their conversations with Timpone, Winston and company explain how they accomplished dozens of their most notable effects, which involve the use of makeup, appliances, puppetry, robotics, CGI, animatronics, and more. Abundant photos (including a color section) show both finished products and works in progress.

Men, Makeup, and Monsters is aimed not just at curious movie fans, but also at prospective practitioners of the trade. Timpone's introduction includes straightforward explanations of basic industry terminology and procedures, and gives a realistic picture of what it takes to break into this increasingly competitive business. Appendices include a glossary and a directory of makeup schools.

Movie fans who routinely leave the theater asking, "How did they do that?" will find this detailed look behind the illusions absorbing, and will come away with as much admiration for the artists as for the effects they create. --Mary V. Burke

From Library Journal

Fangoria magazine editor Timpone consolidates information that is available only in genre periodicals and "fanzines" to analyze the outfitting of zombies, bigfoot, aliens, maniacs, apes, skeletons, and other usually grotesque creations by imaginative, artistic, and technologically proficient movie makeup artists. After a foreword by writer/director Clive Barker (Hellraiser) and an introduction that pays tribute to such past masters of "monster" makeup as Lon Chaney and Jack Pierce, Timpone devotes each of his 12 chapters to an individual or team he has interviewed. Interviewees include Dick Smith (The Exorcist) Rick Baker (American Werewolf in London), Stan Winston (Aliens) Tom Savini (Dawn of the Dead), Chris Walas (The Fly), and Kevin Yagler (Child's Play). The initiated will understand when, in captions, Timpone labels these fellows "fright meisters" and "gore gurus." The heavily illustrated text is crammed with quotes and detailed, generally understandable analyses of technique that may well inspire future generations of fantasy film makeup artists.?Kim R. Holston, American Institute for Chartered Propery Casualty Underwriters, Malvern, Pa.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 228 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin; 1st edition (September 15, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312146787
• ISBN-13: 978-0312146788
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #256,667 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #86 in Books > Arts & Photography > Photography > Cinematography

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Monster Make-up Book, December 26, 2007

By 

Rhonda Helms (Memphis, Tn) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Men, Makeup & Monsters: Hollywood's Masters of Illusion and FX (Paperback)

Very interesting book. My daughter wants to do special effects. She found many interesting ideas and this has made her more interested in the career.

9 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a great history of makeup effects., October 24, 1996

By A Customer

This review is from: Men, Makeup & Monsters: Hollywood's Masters of Illusion and FX (Paperback)

This book gives a history of makeup effects through biographies of the biggest contributors to the field. Whether you are looking for a career in the industry, or just want to know how movie effects are created, this is a great resource

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A little bit disappointed..., January 24, 2009

By 

UlGiEs "Subhuman" (Essen, NRW Deutschland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Men, Makeup & Monsters: Hollywood's Masters of Illusion and FX (Paperback)

... that Rob Bottin did not have an own chapter. Very interesting book, it could be more coulorful.