Dick Smith’s Greatest Hits continue. For entries 1-20, see Dick Smith’s Greatest (Makeup) Hits – Part 1 of 2.
21. The Hunger – 1983
David Bowie was a singer, actor, songwriter, and 200-year old vampire thanks to Dick Smith. After a youthful few centuries, his character in The Hunger begins to age rapidly and on the fast track to an “early” grave. Since the movie gained a strong cult following within the goth subculture, you could say Dick Smith is an honorary member of their ranks.
22. Spasms – 1983
All that bloating isn’t from too much salty food—it’s Dick Smith’s way of saying “Look what happens when a giant venomous snake bites you.” While Smith tended to prefer less blood-and-guts in the films he worked on, this one doesn’t look like it was any less for fun for him.
For the snake bite, Smith employed his “air bladder” techniques once again, creating a rippling flesh effect that blows up the poor victim like a microwaveable brownie.
23. Amadeus – 1984
If you let jealousy and guilt reign over you for too long you start looking like a Dick Smith makeup. Back to his “ageing” specialty, Smith turns F. Murray Abraham into the bordering-on-ancient composer Antonio Salieri.
The makeup took 4 1/2 hours to apply each day, an ordeal which would age anyone prematurely. Smith and makeup artist Paul LeBlanc won the Oscar for Best Makeup, along with Abraham for Best Actor. Not so tragic an ending despite what Amadeus would have you believe.
24. Starman – 1984
Before the 3D “Dancing Baby”, there was the practical “Transforming Baby” from Starman. Working alongside Rick Baker, Tony Gardner, and Stan Winston, Dick Smith created a metamorphosis that may very well be more disturbing than the transformation in American Werewolf in London.
25. North & South – 1985
Who would win in a boxing match between Daniel Day-Lewis’ Lincoln and Hal Holbrook’s Lincoln? Who knows. But with Dick Smith in the corner touching up your makeup, you can be sure it’d give you an edge.
After creating the Mark Twain makeup for Mark Twain Tonight!, Holbrook and Smith teamed up once again for this TV miniseries about the Civil War. The Abe Lincoln makeup was later featured in an issue of Fangoria, which was seen by a young man living in Japan named Kazuhiro Tsuji. It inspired him to become a makeup artist, later working alongside Smith on Sweet Home (1989) and films such as Men in Black, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.
26. Poltergeist 3 – 1988
A Reverend of the occult created by the Reverend of makeup effects? Sounds unholy, but we’ll attend. Though the sequel is thought by many to be lackluster, you don’t hear too much complaining about the makeup effects.
Smith sculpted and consulted on melting faces, demonic prosthetics for the lead actress Heather O’Rourke, as well as Kane’s “human” form. When this film is plays, the Church of Prosthetics is in full session.
27. Everybody’s All-American – 1988
Dick Smith had a pretty good handle on old-age makeup, so by toning the wrinkles down a bit he sent Dennis Quaid straight into the midst of middle-age. According to Smith, makeups like this are a bit more tricky. He once said “Middle age make-ups are often harder than older ones because there are no wrinkles to hide things.”
28. Sweet Home – 1989
Mention “J-horror” and most people start thinking about The Ring, Audition, or that hand in the shower from The Grudge. Now you can inform your thoroughly westernized friends that Dick Smith made his own offering to the genre along with then up-and-comer Kazuhiro Tsuji.
Tsuji and Smith remained firm friends for the rest of Smith’s lifetime, no doubt cemented by their time working together on Sweet Home. This later inspired Tsuji to create a life-like portrait of his mentor, which he says may be his proudest achievement.
29. Dad – 1989
The reason why Ving Rhames gave his Golden Globe to Jack Lemmon is the same reason why the Academy nominated Dick Smith for Dad—they’re the best in the business.
Lemmon was 64 and wanted to appear older, telling the director Gary David Goldberg that he (Lemmon) would be “thrilled if nobody in the world who ever saw it [before] knew it that it was me for the first five minutes…” Thanks to Dick Smith, I’m sure he got his wish.
30. Tales From the Darkside – 1990
Think someone else has already created the most sickening horror transformation scene put on film? Hold Dick Smith’s makeup brush.
Makeup artist Tom Savini called this film the true Creepshow 3, and Dick Smith’s work as makeup consultant might have something to do with it. The movie was based on the TV series of the same name and features mummies, a killer cat, and probably the best-looking Gargoyle since Gargoyle.
31. Monsters – 1991
Most of late 80s and early 90s TV had a strange obsession with trying to make kids wet their beds using “family-horror”. It’s no different with Monsters. The show ran from 1988-1991 and mixed the anthology format with diabolical creatures, luring not only viewers, but makeup artists like Dick Smith. Smith is credited as makeup consultant on all 72 episodes, though it’s unclear which makeups he actually designed and sculpted.
32. Golden Years – 1991
To put another spin on Dick Smith’s ageing techniques, this TV minseries features the main character ageing backwards instead of forwards. No matter which way your body is deteriorating, Dick Smith is there to help it along.
33. Death Becomes Her – 1992
ILM probably got this film greenlit just so they could experiment on Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn with their new technology. It’s notable for all the major advancements in CGI that were created to realize the complex effects shots. With all the (Oscar winning) breakthroughs, practical effects were extensively used to make the effects convincing. Enter the designs of Dick Smith. Makeup becomes him.
The blending of prosthetics and CG for this movie provided the groundwork and training for ILM’s next big film, Jurassic Park.
34. Forever Young – 1992
Dick Smith worked in many genres, so why not throw a sci-fi/romance/drama into the mix. After being cryogenically frozen for 53 years, Mel Gibson’s character ages rapidly due to an unsuccessful freezing process.
Smith worked with makeup artist Greg Cannom for this makeup, which also marked his last “old age” makeup for a movie. He focused mostly on teaching his craft for the remainder of his career.
35. House on Haunted Hill – 1999
As mentioned in Part 1 of this article, Dick Smith’s unused makeup for Ghost Story (1981) was dug out and used with his permission for House on Haunted Hill. If there’s anything more terrifying than Chris Kattan in a horror movie, it’s Dick Smith prosthetics in an underwater nightmare sequence. Bravo.