These are a selection of my personal favourites. Why? I guess there’s no simple answer: the makeup itself (eg Planet Of The Apes); the blend of performance and makeup (eg Miss Jane Pittman); or they’ve just stuck in my mind for over twenty years (eg Elizabeth R).
The balance is probably tilted more than a little unfairly towards more recent movies; this is not just because I happen to remember them better but also because for so many older movies I’ve failed to fine quality images.
As to the future there are so many movies in production or pre-production that offer the opportunity for outstanding makeup: Cirque du Freak; 10A/10B; K-11; The Danish Girl; Nutcracker: The Untold Story; Who is Doris Payne; Dorian Gray; Mannerheim . . . We’ll see.
These include makeups by John Chambers, Greg Cannom, Stan Winston, Rick Baker and other makeup superstars but you’ll also find some by lesser-known but not lesser-talented makeup artists.