When the successful Universal horror cycle had run its course in the late 1950s, the studios ceased the production of monster movies and started making similarly-budgeted science-
fiction films. In the 1950s, aside from Universal’s “Creature from the Black Lagoon” series, no original monsters appeared in American cinema that stood on two legs. However, a British film company called Hammer began producing color versions of the classic monster stories.
Though they needed to change their monster likenesses so as not to emulate the Universal monsters, Hammer endeavored to produce films featuring the characters of the Frankenstein Monster, Count Dracula, Phantom of the Opera, mummy, and werewolf.

To get the jobs done cheaply and memorably, Hammer brought in British makeup artists who had previously excelled in non-horror films. First up was Phil Leakey, who created an original Frankenstein Monster on actor Christopher Lee in 1957’s “Curse of Frankenstein.” Using a group of simple appliances and scars, Leakey made Lee’s Monster a frightfully unforgettable character.

The next year, Lee played the Count in “Horror of Dracula” and in 1959, he played the lead in “The Mummy,” both with basic makeups by Roy Ashton. However, it was Ashton’s next assignments
that were his classics. In 1961, with newcomer Oliver Reed, Ashton created a wholly unique wolf character in “Curse of the Werewolf.” With his upright ears, piercing fangs and light gray appearance, Ashton’s werewolf was unlike any before it on film. The next year, Ashton made Herbert Lom into a gruesome “Phantom of the Opera,” a more viscerally acid-scarred version of the Phantom than the Lon Chaney or Jack Pierce versions.

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Hammer slowed down their production slate, but Ashton still got the chance to create some memorable sequels, including work with David Prowse in “Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell.” The impact of the Hammer films is not only the creation of new versions of the Monsters, but also the advent of color for a new generations of horror fans.

About the Author
Scott Essman has been writing about makeup and movie craftsmanship since 1995. As part of his company, Visionary Cinema, Essman has also created memorable tributes to makeup history, including special events to honor Dick Smith, John Chambers, and Jack Pierce. In 1998, his tribute to the makeup for “The Wizard of Oz” was celebrated on Hollywood Boulevard at the historic Mann’s Chinese Theater. In 2000, Essman published his first book, “Freelance Writing for Hollywood,” and that same year, he published a 48-page special magazine about the work of Universal Studios’ makeup legend, Jack Pierce. In 2001, he was joined with Universal to nominate Pierce for a star on Hollywood Boulevard’s Walk of Fame.

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