What do you think?
Rate this book
Rick Baker: Metamorphosis
This deluxe two-volume set explores seven-time Academy Award–winner Rick Baker’s 40-plus-year journey as a special makeup effects artist. Features a foreword by John Landis, a preface by Peter Jackson, and an introduction by Rick Baker.
Rick Baker: Metamorphosis chronicles the career of the legendary special effects and makeup artist, best known for his creature effects and designs. This deluxe, two-volume set, replete with more than 1,600 four-color images and original sketches, covers the makeup artist’s forty-plus-year journey, from his early days as a young “monster maker,” creating body parts in his parents’ kitchen, to his more than seventy film and television credits, which resulted in seven Academy Awards, one Emmy, and three BAFTAs, among numerous others.
From the gory zombies of Michael Jackson’s Thriller and the staggeringly lifelike Bigfoot in Harry and the Hendersons to the creative builds in Men in Black and the groundbreaking effects in An American Werewolf in London , Rick Baker’s special effects, makeup, and prosthetics count among some of Hollywood’s most enduring legacies.
Rick Baker: Metamorphosis chronicles the career of the legendary special effects and makeup artist, best known for his creature effects and designs. This deluxe, two-volume set, replete with more than 1,600 four-color images and original sketches, covers the makeup artist’s forty-plus-year journey, from his early days as a young “monster maker,” creating body parts in his parents’ kitchen, to his more than seventy film and television credits, which resulted in seven Academy Awards, one Emmy, and three BAFTAs, among numerous others.
From the gory zombies of Michael Jackson’s Thriller and the staggeringly lifelike Bigfoot in Harry and the Hendersons to the creative builds in Men in Black and the groundbreaking effects in An American Werewolf in London , Rick Baker’s special effects, makeup, and prosthetics count among some of Hollywood’s most enduring legacies.
736 pages, Hardcover
Published October 22, 2019
13 people are currently reading
146 people want to read
About the author
J.W. Rinzler
64 books103 followersJ. W. Rinzler has authored over 20 books including two New York Times bestsellers and a #1 best-selling graphic novel. With more than 600,000 copies in print, his books have been translated into seven languages.
J. W. Rinzler grew up in Manhattan, New York City, and then in Berkeley, California. He fell in love with old monster films, such as Dracula and Frankenstein, as well as Robin Hood and other adventure movies. He was an avid comic-book and novel reader, an intrepid moviegoer, and had his mind blown by The Beatles, Star Trek, Bruce Lee, Sherlock Holmes, James Bond, Frank Frazetta, Michelangelo, and Mad Magazine.
Rinzler drew his own comic books (badly), then, in his 20s, moved onto figurative oil painting (okay-ly, but self-taught). He lived in France for almost 10 years, where he began writing. Back in the USA, he worked as executive editor at Lucasfilm for fifteen years, chronicling the work of George Lucas and his genial collaborators in a series of books about Star Wars and Indiana Jones.
During this time, Rinzler also directed and wrote an animated short Riddle of the Black Cat, based on an Edgar Allan Poe story, which was accepted into several festivals, including the Montreal World Film Festival.
His latest book is an epic historical fiction thriller called ALL UP, an epic about the first Space Age, published in July 2020. The sequel will be out in a year or two...
Meanwhile his book on Howard Kazanjian, producer, is due in May 2021; and on Kubrick's The Shining in fall 2021.
Rinzler is married and has two daughters and one grandson. He lives on the northern California coast.
J. W. Rinzler grew up in Manhattan, New York City, and then in Berkeley, California. He fell in love with old monster films, such as Dracula and Frankenstein, as well as Robin Hood and other adventure movies. He was an avid comic-book and novel reader, an intrepid moviegoer, and had his mind blown by The Beatles, Star Trek, Bruce Lee, Sherlock Holmes, James Bond, Frank Frazetta, Michelangelo, and Mad Magazine.
Rinzler drew his own comic books (badly), then, in his 20s, moved onto figurative oil painting (okay-ly, but self-taught). He lived in France for almost 10 years, where he began writing. Back in the USA, he worked as executive editor at Lucasfilm for fifteen years, chronicling the work of George Lucas and his genial collaborators in a series of books about Star Wars and Indiana Jones.
During this time, Rinzler also directed and wrote an animated short Riddle of the Black Cat, based on an Edgar Allan Poe story, which was accepted into several festivals, including the Montreal World Film Festival.
His latest book is an epic historical fiction thriller called ALL UP, an epic about the first Space Age, published in July 2020. The sequel will be out in a year or two...
Meanwhile his book on Howard Kazanjian, producer, is due in May 2021; and on Kubrick's The Shining in fall 2021.
Rinzler is married and has two daughters and one grandson. He lives on the northern California coast.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
December 5, 2019
Breathtaking, two volume overview of the career of Rick Baker, a true genius in the field of special-effects make-up. At over 700 pages, and copiously illustrated, it functions as both a biography and an exciting visual record of his work. Expensive (and heavy) but essential for fans of movie monsters and the talented artists who create them.
January 8, 2020
This comprehensive overview of Rick Baker's career is - I would argue - essential for anyone looking to explore any facet of the film industry in more detail. His candor with regards to his collaborators is uncommon and incredibly welcome. There's even a rare unkind portrait of Spielberg in here, although they would later make amends after the unceremonious cancellation of the Night Skies project which sparked that initial conflict.
And overall, the portrait this work paints is that of a man who worked his ass off and never stopped working his ass off, even when challenged by difficult studio environments, obstinate creative collaborators, and frustrated talent, he just kept pushing the medium forward. He even welcomed the technical collaboration offered by CGI. In fact, one of the more compelling revelations here is that Baker wasn't miffed at CG being used on his Wolfman in the 2010 film, it was that plans were abandoned to shoot a practical counterpart on the day said practical counterpart was to be shot. So all of the work was effectively abandoned for no good reason.
There are a lot of films discussed here that I honestly had no idea he had worked on, from The Exorcist (as an assistant to Dick Smith) to stuff like Gremlins 2: The New Batch and Wild Wild West. I just honestly had no idea he was behind the scenes of so many of these projects, which just boggles my mind in a logistical sense. Imagine doing the Grinch and Nutty Professor 2 at the same time, for example. Imagine being able to have a disciplined enough workflow to accommodate both.
I honestly feel like Baker still doesn't get enough credit for his contributions to the medium. I regret that he won't be producing any more work now that he's retired (at least, for film), but I'm glad he's gotten the opportunity to step away comfortably and age gracefully away from the hustle and bustle of the industry. After the 1976 King Kong experience alone, I wouldn't have blamed the guy for pivoting to another career, but that speaks to the same impulse that drives us all to pursue a living in this industry, I suppose.
And overall, the portrait this work paints is that of a man who worked his ass off and never stopped working his ass off, even when challenged by difficult studio environments, obstinate creative collaborators, and frustrated talent, he just kept pushing the medium forward. He even welcomed the technical collaboration offered by CGI. In fact, one of the more compelling revelations here is that Baker wasn't miffed at CG being used on his Wolfman in the 2010 film, it was that plans were abandoned to shoot a practical counterpart on the day said practical counterpart was to be shot. So all of the work was effectively abandoned for no good reason.
There are a lot of films discussed here that I honestly had no idea he had worked on, from The Exorcist (as an assistant to Dick Smith) to stuff like Gremlins 2: The New Batch and Wild Wild West. I just honestly had no idea he was behind the scenes of so many of these projects, which just boggles my mind in a logistical sense. Imagine doing the Grinch and Nutty Professor 2 at the same time, for example. Imagine being able to have a disciplined enough workflow to accommodate both.
I honestly feel like Baker still doesn't get enough credit for his contributions to the medium. I regret that he won't be producing any more work now that he's retired (at least, for film), but I'm glad he's gotten the opportunity to step away comfortably and age gracefully away from the hustle and bustle of the industry. After the 1976 King Kong experience alone, I wouldn't have blamed the guy for pivoting to another career, but that speaks to the same impulse that drives us all to pursue a living in this industry, I suppose.
December 12, 2020
For any fan of makeup and creature effects, this is really a can't miss. There are many great books on makeup artists, but the sheer history and scope of this book will be hard to match. His career perfectly aligned with the rise and golden age of makeup effects and his retirement marks the end of an era. Rick Baker, along with a handful of other makeup artists, were childhood heroes of mine, and it's hard to look past the nostalgia to provide an objective view of the book. If you're a makeup artist, you may be disappointed to see that Rinzler does not dive in-depth into Baker's techniques. The lay person with some understanding will be able to easily follow along, but there are no "secret recipes" uncovered. Which is fine with me. There are plenty of books on technique and Baker's own instagram is a wealth of information. This is a wonderful and nostalgic monograph of a master artist. The context and background Rinzler brings with his interviews is essential to understanding the magic beyond the screen.
April 10, 2024
This expansive two-volume set explores the life and career of Academy Award-winning, special makeup effects artist, Rick Baker. You’ll quickly recognize his work from Michael Jackson’s "Thriller" video, the astonishing effects of "An American Werewolf in London," Bigfoot from "Harry and the Hendersons," and the many aliens in "Men in Black" and "Star Wars episodes IV and V." There are more than 1,600 color images and original sketches contained within. I especially enjoyed the photos of Mr. Baker and his family’s amazing, self-created Halloween costumes. Definitely worth it for fans of film, special effects, and monster makeup.
September 11, 2022
This is an incredible look at Rick Baker’s life and career. Baker was a hero of mine in the 80s and 90s and was one of the reasons I explored becoming a make-up artist. It’s wonderful to see so much of his detailed work in one place.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews