Vampires in S1-2 of Btvs

[MarieVampSlayer]

Hey all,

So I was re-watching S1 & S2 of BTVS and noticed how unnaturally pale the vampires were. Like I know they should be dead but Angel, Drusilla and Spike clearly have white make-up on their body and face (and eyeliner):

After S3 of Buffy they seem to let this make-up direction go and actors kept their natural skin color. Why do you think they changed it? Did you find the pale make-up cheesy?

 

[Puppet]

I think it's less about them deciding to use less makeup and more that the techniques for it grew better; these days in filming, actors barely need any makeup unless it's stuff like wounds and blood. I think that by S3 they simply had better options than caking on lots of white powder, lol.

As for the cheesiness, kinda goes hand-in-hand with the early season, doesn't it? 😉

 

[EarthLogic]

Loved the guyliner! It looked hot - well, on Angel and Spike anyway. 😛

The paler skin was also used to distinguish between the good giys and the bad early on. Initially Angel was pale but they toned it down by season 2 when he was dating Buffy (except when he had to be next to Willow like in 'Lie to Me' - cause AH is just naturally really pale). Then they made him paler again when he turned evil. I think Spike was still quite pale in 'Lovers' Walk' and the FFL subway flashback.

It was sort of cheesy when it was heavily caked on, but otherwise I kind of liked it. Vampires are dead after all - no blood flow = no natural skin flush.

 

[Skanky Vamp]

Vampires are dead after all - no blood flow

Except when they have sex. Then they get blood flow. Unless rigor mortis has made... nevermind.

 

[WillowFromBuffy]

Eh, when was it you said they stopped?

Can it have something to do with darkness and lighting? The second seasons is often very dark, so the makeup reflects the lights and stands out from the rest.

 

[Priceless]

Eh, when was it you said they stopped?

Can it have something to do with darkness and lighting? The second seasons is often very dark, so the makeup reflects the lights and stands out from the rest.

Spike hadn't eaten in ages, that's why he looks like that 🙂

 

[MarieVampSlayer]

@WillowFromBuffy Angel had more regular make-up when he came back from Hell in S3. As for Spike, I think it is more around S5. Maybe it's on purpose and it's to show when they start becoming heroes 😱