10 Horror Monster Movies With Amazing Special Effects
2. An American Werewolf In London
It would be blasphemous to exclude An American Werewolf in London on this list, since it was the first feature to receive an Academy Award for Best Makeup. Almost half a century later, it's still hard to think of a single movie that can contend with Rick Baker's career-defining visuals.
Though the effects for the Nazi demons and undead Jack are stellar, nothing contends with the scene where David (David Naughton) changes into a werewolf.
Naughton wore several costumes throughout this sequence to convey the multiple stages of his transformation. However, an elaborate animatronic was employed for key shots. This mechanical body had manoeuvrable "bones" that shifted and elongated to give the impression David's shoulders, spine, fingers, feet, and skull were reconfiguring into a wolf form.
The shot of David's face sprouting a protruding snout only lasts seven seconds, but still managed to become an iconic moment of cinema.
Even though any visuals can age badly, this metamorphosis is still top-tier by today's standards. As a result, it's easy to understand how An American Werewolf in London literally changed the face of horror.