STACK's Ultimate Monster Guide

Rick Baker CREATING MONSTERS IS A LABOUR OF LOVE FOR THIS OSCAR-WINNING MAKEUP EFFECTS ARTIST. Baker assisted the legendary Dick Smith on The Exorcist , before graduating to Star Wars , Michael Jackson’s Thriller , and winning his first Academy Award for An American Werewolf in London .

IT’S ALIVE “There’s only one thing wrong with the Davis baby – It’s Alive!” Baker unleashed every parent’s worst nightmare with his mutant baby creation for Larry Cohen’s creepy cult classic.

THE FUNHOUSE The snot-drooling mutant of Tobe Hooper’s carnival slasher flick remains one of Baker’s most terrifying creations – another great, unsung monster.

THE INCREDIBLE MELTING MAN A young Baker honed his craft on this low budget 1977 creature feature, achieving incredible results with little money and even less time.

THE WOLFMAN Benicio del Toro became Benicio del Lobo after a long haul in Baker’s makeup chair. His Oscar-winning FX are the best thing about this toothless remake.

AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON Baker’s groundbreaking transformation sequence made Oscar voters finally acknowledge the genius of special effects makeup, with an inaugural win in the category.

MEN IN BLACK Baker’s alien creations – especially Edgar the Bug (above) – managed to upstage the human cast, and that includes the irrepressible Will Smith.