Uploaded December 2024 | Updated September 2026, 4 days ago
A look through some iconic movie creature effects.
Less an investigation and more of a celebration as I explore how visual and practical effects artists have used lights, misdirection, make up, CGI and so much more to transform a human into Mr Hyde, a werewolf or a vampire. How they've used those same tricks to age and de-age characters and morph one performer into another. It was surprising for me to learn how the same artists would return to a transformation effect having perfected their techniques. Often decades later.
I also explain how the filmmakers achieved the effects famously seen in Sh! The Octopus (1937) and Ben-Hur (1925). And talk about the controversy over replacing Rick Baker’s work in the Wolfman (2010).
I've probably missed out dozens of other, better examples, please don't get mad, but do let me know in the comments.
VFX History playlist: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL58-kYtQUHvO3QDR3IoCxZBVHOAkcHW3S
For a complete list of the films and TV shows featured, check out the list on my website: shiveringcactus.net/transformations
All the animations were created using Adobe After Effects. And of course, I must give a shout out to @RustyGellerSteadicam
*Get ShiveringCactus VFX as phone cases, T-shirts, mugs: redbubble.com/people/ShiveringCactus/shop*
Alternate link: ShiveringCactus.redbubble.com
*Or buy me a coffee: ko-fi.com/shiveringcactus*
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*Bibliography*
Turner, G.E. (2024) Two-faced treachery: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, The American Society of Cinematographers. Available at: theasc.com/articles/two-faced-treachery-dr-jekyll-and-mr-hyde (Accessed: 14 October 2024)
Blood, sweat and latex: Howling American werewolves and a make up effects explosion (2020) Film School Rejects. Available at: filmschoolrejects.com/blood-sweat-and-latex-howling-american-werewolves-and-a-make-up-effects-explosion-671156a588b7 (Accessed: 14 October 2024).
Evangelista, C. (2022) What went wrong with the wolfman? how makeup VFX legend Rick Baker was pushed aside for CGI junk, SlashFilm. Available at: slashfilm.com/1050461/what-went-wrong-with-the-wolfman-how-makeup-vfx-legend-rick-baker-was-pushed-aside-for-cgi-junk (Accessed: 14 October 2024).
Cronin, B. (2017) Did vampires not have fangs in movies until the 1950s?, HuffPost. Available at: huffpost.com/entry/did-vampires-not-have-fan_b_8415636 (Accessed: 14 October 2024).
Kasden, L. _Light & Magic_ (27th July 2022). Disney. Available at: disneyplus.com/home (Accessed: 06 January 2024).
Seastrom, L.O. (2024) Willow at 30 with visual effects wizards • lucasfilm, Lucasfilm. Available at: lucasfilm.com/news/willow-at-30-with-visual-effects-wizards (Accessed: 14 October 2024).
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 3 Feature ‘Special Effects’ (2003) YouTube. Available at: youtube.com/watch?v=P7sjfH5AXTA (Accessed: 14 October 2024).
Zicree, M.S. (2018) The Twilight Zone Companion. Los Angeles: Silman-James Press.
Hollywood make-up legends: Jack Pierce (2011) Cause and FX. Available at: causeandfx.wordpress.com/2011/08/02/hollywood-make-up-legends-jack-pierce (Accessed: 14 October 2024).
Neibaur, James L., The Monster Movies of Universal Studios, Rowman & Littlefield, 2017, p.
Fxguidetv #202: The art of lola vfx (2015) fxguide. Available at: fxguide.com/fxguidetv/fxguidetv-202-the-art-of-lola-vfx (Accessed: 30 October 2024).
Failes, I. (2016a) An oral history of morphing in Michael Jackson’s ‘black or white’, Cartoon Brew. Available at: cartoonbrew.com/vfx/oral-history-morphing-michael-jacksons-black-white-144015.html (Accessed: 27 October 2024).
I'm an Adobe Community Expert - which means you can find me on the Adobe forums if you need any help. community.adobe.com/t5/after-effects/ct-p/ct-after-effects?page=1&sort=latest_replies&lang=all&tabid=all
#AdobeCommunityExperts
A look through some iconic movie creature effects.
Less an investigation and more of a celebration as I explore how visual and practical effects artists have used lights, misdirection, make up, CGI and so much more to transform a human into Mr Hyde, a werewolf or a vampire. How they've used those same tricks to age and de-age characters and morph one performer into another. It was surprising for me to learn how the same artists would return to a transformation effect having perfected their techniques. Often decades later.
I also explain how the filmmakers achieved the effects famously seen in Sh! The Octopus (1937) and Ben-Hur (1925). And talk about the controversy over replacing Rick Baker’s work in the Wolfman (2010).
I've probably missed out dozens of other, better examples, please don't get mad, but do let me know in the comments.
VFX History playlist: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL58-kYtQUHvO3QDR3IoCxZBVHOAkcHW3S
For a complete list of the films and TV shows featured, check out the list on my website: shiveringcactus.net/transformations
All the animations were created using Adobe After Effects. And of course, I must give a shout out to @RustyGellerSteadicam
*Get ShiveringCactus VFX as phone cases, T-shirts, mugs: redbubble.com/people/ShiveringCactus/shop*
Alternate link: ShiveringCactus.redbubble.com
*Or buy me a coffee: ko-fi.com/shiveringcactus*
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Bibliography*
Turner, G.E. (2024) Two-faced treachery: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, The American Society of Cinematographers. Available at: theasc.com/articles/two-faced-treachery-dr-jekyll-and-mr-hyde (Accessed: 14 October 2024)
Blood, sweat and latex: Howling American werewolves and a make up effects explosion (2020) Film School Rejects. Available at: filmschoolrejects.com/blood-sweat-and-latex-howling-american-werewolves-and-a-make-up-effects-explosion-671156a588b7 (Accessed: 14 October 2024).
Evangelista, C. (2022) What went wrong with the wolfman? how makeup VFX legend Rick Baker was pushed aside for CGI junk, SlashFilm. Available at: slashfilm.com/1050461/what-went-wrong-with-the-wolfman-how-makeup-vfx-legend-rick-baker-was-pushed-aside-for-cgi-junk (Accessed: 14 October 2024).
Cronin, B. (2017) Did vampires not have fangs in movies until the 1950s?, HuffPost. Available at: huffpost.com/entry/did-vampires-not-have-fan_b_8415636 (Accessed: 14 October 2024).
Kasden, L. _Light & Magic_ (27th July 2022). Disney. Available at: disneyplus.com/home (Accessed: 06 January 2024).
Seastrom, L.O. (2024) Willow at 30 with visual effects wizards • lucasfilm, Lucasfilm. Available at: lucasfilm.com/news/willow-at-30-with-visual-effects-wizards (Accessed: 14 October 2024).
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 3 Feature ‘Special Effects’ (2003) YouTube. Available at: youtube.com/watch?v=P7sjfH5AXTA (Accessed: 14 October 2024).
Zicree, M.S. (2018) The Twilight Zone Companion. Los Angeles: Silman-James Press.
Hollywood make-up legends: Jack Pierce (2011) Cause and FX. Available at: causeandfx.wordpress.com/2011/08/02/hollywood-make-up-legends-jack-pierce (Accessed: 14 October 2024).
Neibaur, James L., The Monster Movies of Universal Studios, Rowman & Littlefield, 2017, p.
Fxguidetv #202: The art of lola vfx (2015) fxguide. Available at: fxguide.com/fxguidetv/fxguidetv-202-the-art-of-lola-vfx (Accessed: 30 October 2024).
Failes, I. (2016a) An oral history of morphing in Michael Jackson’s ‘black or white’, Cartoon Brew. Available at: cartoonbrew.com/vfx/oral-history-morphing-michael-jacksons-black-white-144015.html (Accessed: 27 October 2024).
I'm an Adobe Community Expert - which means you can find me on the Adobe forums if you need any help. community.adobe.com/t5/after-effects/ct-p/ct-after-effects?page=1&sort=latest_replies&lang=all&tabid=all
#AdobeCommunityExperts
