I absolutely love the practical effects shows gracing the air waves of reality competition shows in the last few years. It's the closest I can get to a craft show that really encompasses my kind of glue gun. If I had it to do over again, I probably would've gone to Tom Savini's F/X school or someplace similar instead of studying photography and English at the obscure little college that I did. Instead, I worship at the prime time famed feet of
Monster Man's Cleve Hall on Syfy and Ed Edmunds of
Distortions Unlimited on Travel Channel's
Making Monsters (which, according to the online haunters rumor-mill, have both been renewed for encore seasons) and drool over the brilliance of the make-up effects artists that come to compete on Syfy's
Face Off.
Or, in the case of Tate, from season one, I just drool. :)
*yum*
With the advent of the
season 3 premiere tonight, I present to you my top 5 favorites of the last two seasons...
5. The scarecrows from the Return to Oz challenge were equal parts cool. The pumpkin top, however on Tara Lang's make-up was the detail that won me over completely.
4. Tate Steinsiek's werewolf for his re-imagined tale of Little Red Riding Hood for the final spotlight challenge "Twisted Tales" was pretty great. How can you not love Tate a werewolf? The fact that he went white with the design made me love him it even more. I didn't necessarily like the red LED eyes though, which knocks it down a few pegs for me. Still, if it weren't for Connor's damned air bladder in his Frog Prince make-up, Tate would've (and should've) taken home the grand prize.
3. From the season 2 "Burtonesque" challenge, RJ Haddy's bellhop was just flat out awesome. The interactive hat with the bell, the drawers built into the chest piece... amazing. Made Ve blush too as I remember.
2. Number 2 is a tie for me. Both are sweet treats from season 1 and 2. First being Gage Hubbard's interpretation of the Hansel and Gretel Story. The make-up, the costumes, the set-- all equally and deliciously disturbing.
Season 2 Matt Valentine's ice cream man (another entry from the "Burtonesque" challenge) was just as scrumptious, though as I recall, he didn't feel 100% finished. You can't deny, it was still a stunner.
1. My personal all-time favorite make-up, hands down was season 1 contestant, Tom Devlin's "Teddy Told me to". The idea was so inspired! I really liked his style and his imagination was easily as up to par as Tate's. Too bad he didn't make it all the way to the final spotlight competition, I would've loved to see what he came up with.
HONORABLE MENTION: I may be a little biased, cause I love anything zombie, but I thought all the zombies (with the
exception of Megan's perhaps-- Tom really got the shaft that episode) from the first seasons "Dancing Dead" episode were great-- the song was a little grating, but what're you gonna do?
I especially loved the home invasion, housewife zombie.
(click the pic for a peak of the zombie concepts)
Hmm... I believe that was Tate's win for that one. Coincidence? ;)
What were your favorites from Face Off?
A sneak peak of tonights premiere can be seen
HERE
The Dancing Dead video is
HERE
