Best Horror Movie Effects

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There's a part in Sleepaway Camp where a character
WARNING: spoilers below
takes an arrow through the neck
and something about it has always looked very real to me, despite other people saying that it looks "obviously fake" *shrug*

In the much maligned Forgotten (which you could argue is more sci-fi than horror, but honestly genre policing is not something I'm into), there's a great sequence where the camera follows just behind a character. The character turns a corner and as the camera comes around they have simply vanished. Such a smooth effect. On the director's commentary they said that they build a hinged wall to accomplish it.

I also have to praise the entire "face removal surgery" sequence in Eyes without a Face. It made me feel physically sick the first time I watched it. I think part of it was just the shock of seeing something so gory in an older black and white film.



There's a part in Sleepaway Camp where a character
WARNING: spoilers below
takes an arrow through the neck
and something about it has always looked very real to me, despite other people saying that it looks "obviously fake" *shrug*
This reminds me of The Slayer and the kill with a fork (not a utensil but the farming one). It's always looked very good to me. The whole film is on YouTube and the kill is around 71 minutes if someone wants to take a peek (though I recommend watching the whole film, it's kind of a forgotten gem).
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There's a part in Sleepaway Camp where a character
WARNING: spoilers below
takes an arrow through the neck
and something about it has always looked very real to me, despite other people saying that it looks "obviously fake" *shrug*

In the much maligned Forgotten (which you could argue is more sci-fi than horror, but honestly genre policing is not something I'm into), there's a great sequence where the camera follows just behind a character. The character turns a corner and as the camera comes around they have simply vanished. Such a smooth effect. On the director's commentary they said that they build a hinged wall to accomplish it.

I also have to praise the entire "face removal surgery" sequence in Eyes without a Face. It made me feel physically sick the first time I watched it. I think part of it was just the shock of seeing something so gory in an older black and white film.
Yes I remember the “Eyes Without a Face” scene. It was really graphic for when it was made. You expect the camera to pull away and it just doesn’t.



I liked those old, pre-digital FX with melting faces. I'm not sure when they switched over to digital, but when Raiders of the Lost Ark was made, it was done with wax faces and a blow torch. It's still a darn good effect and definitely in keeping the the rest of the movie FX. The guy who did it explains below.




I liked those old, pre-digital FX with melting faces. I'm not sure when they switched over to digital, but when Raiders of the Lost Ark was made, it was done with wax faces and a blow torch.
Thunderbolt referenced Hellraiser above, and their use of a "reverse wax melt" to get the effect of Frank putting himself back together again is a really fun one.



Thunderbolt referenced Hellraiser above, and their use of a "reverse wax melt" to get the effect of Frank putting himself back together again is a really fun one.
Yeah, I pulled that disk out last night. They must have used one heck of a lot of wax for all of those scenes since it was most of him and not just a one shot face melt. All those bones and arteries, etc, must have employed a squadron of wax sculptors.



Yeah, I pulled that disk out last night. They must have used one heck of a lot of wax for all of those scenes since it was most of him and not just a one shot face melt. All those bones and arteries, etc, must have employed a squadron of wax sculptors.
I found this excerpt from Men, Makeup, & Monsters

Shot after the wrap of principle photography when distributor New World Pictures pumped more money into the production, Frank's eight-stage rebirth entailed a variety of FX techniques, specifically a combination of cable-controlled puppets, reverse puppeteering shots, and reverse meltdowns. The complete makeup (a mix of gelatin and wax in different layers), was slowly melted so that the layers came off as the camera rolled. When the shot was run backwards on film, it gave the impression that the being is reconstituting itself, the flesh and blood moving up the form. Eight different model stages were used to create the scene, as well as close-up appliances to show the hands forming and the internal organs running up into the evildoer's chest. Time lapse camera dissolves sold the illusion as one continuous sequence.



I found this excerpt from Men, Makeup, & Monsters

Shot after the wrap of principle photography when distributor New World Pictures pumped more money into the production, Frank's eight-stage rebirth entailed a variety of FX techniques, specifically a combination of cable-controlled puppets, reverse puppeteering shots, and reverse meltdowns. The complete makeup (a mix of gelatin and wax in different layers), was slowly melted so that the layers came off as the camera rolled. When the shot was run backwards on film, it gave the impression that the being is reconstituting itself, the flesh and blood moving up the form. Eight different model stages were used to create the scene, as well as close-up appliances to show the hands forming and the internal organs running up into the evildoer's chest. Time lapse camera dissolves sold the illusion as one continuous sequence.
That seems evident, given that the movie really moves slowly. The main interest point were the was melt scenes and the question about Claire Higgins hair style, which seems to change between camera shots. I don't have it, but apparently there was an uncut version that got an X rating at the time. As long as we're all hellhound anyway, I'd like to see an X movie with Cenobites.



I don't have it, but apparently there was an uncut version that got an X rating at the time. As long as we're all hellhound anyway, I'd like to see an X movie with Cenobites.
From what I've read, the difference between the uncut and R versions is pretty minimal (like a shot of a victim after Julia hits him with a hammer).

I haven't been too excited by the sequels that have tried to push into "darker" territory. I thought that Hellraiser: Revelations was one of the worst things I've ever seen. It tried to push the edginess, but in my opinion it was horribly misdirected (ie most of the violence was just "doing horrible stuff to women and a baby"). Hellraiser: Judgement was kind of a mess, but it at least had some gag-inducing memorable imagery.

I think that the cenobites are pretty great creations, but if someone can't see beyond them as creative torture monsters, I'm not interested.



Definitely, poltergeist



The trick is not minding
There was this late 8o’s horror film, Deep Star Six where they had did a great job on the creature.
Even if the movie itself is pretty bad.



Welcome to the human race...
If I'm going to be honest, I'd actually like to know what the best examples of horror CGI would be. Rattling off the usual practical-effect classics like American Werewolf or The Thing just seems too easy. I liked the CGI in Alien: Covenant, for instance.
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If I'm going to be honest, I'd actually like to know what the best examples of horror CGI would be.
I'd definitely give a nod to the effects in Annihilation

B]Split[/b]
WARNING: spoilers below
I loved the wall-climbing effect


The Cell's CGI imagery is imaginative and lush

The Host's central creature is pretty cool

Was THAT moment from Lake Mungo real or CGI? Not sure, but I love it either way.

While I thought the movie was so-so, I'll admit that the CGI in Southbound (especially the floating creatures) were effective and interesting.

Splinter is very memorable.

I thought that the CGI used in Honeymoon was sparing but effective.

I liked the creatures in End of the Line (criminally underseen!)



All good people are asleep and dreaming.
Tom Savini's work, especially Maniac.

From IMDb
[asked if his Vietnam experiences influence his makeup effects) I get asked that question a lot. I did see a lot of first-hand anatomically correct gore and I think the most important part of that was if we create a dead body or situation there's a certain feeling you get from seeing the real thing. If I'm creating a gory effect and I don't get the same feeling when I saw the real stuff, I'm not satisfied.



Tom Savini's work, especially Maniac.

From IMDb
[asked if his Vietnam experiences influence his makeup effects) I get asked that question a lot. I did see a lot of first-hand anatomically correct gore and I think the most important part of that was if we create a dead body or situation there's a certain feeling you get from seeing the real thing. If I'm creating a gory effect and I don't get the same feeling when I saw the real stuff, I'm not satisfied.
The Burning and his involvement with Friday the 13th and it’s sequels were very inventive effects.



Some of my favourite effects.


Linda Blair's neck ballooning in Exorcist.
The shadow of the devil in the room in the same movie.



The clap on the stairs, when the hands emerge through the darkness, in The Conjuring. It was so simple and bloody effective.


The way the goat was shot by the camera in The Witch. The closeup of its eyes and it standing on its hind legs.


The 'cluck' sound Milly Shapiro makes in Hereditary.