The epic galactic adventure Star Trek Into Darkness (and sequel to 2009's Star Trek) opened this week, and the film’s star, Zachary Quinto, said it took him nearly three hours to have his signature Spock ears put on every day for shooting. From Lord of the Rings to Avatar, see cinema’s most famous ears.
Walt Disney Pictures, via AP
Possibly the most infamous ears in the history of cinema, Spock’s pointed ears were first worn by Leonard Nimoy in 1966, and have since been adapted for several modern Star Trek versions. In the latest adaptation, Zachary Quinto takes on the iconic role, portraying a younger version of the intergalactic character. But unfortunately for Quinto, the ears are still a necessary part of his costume. He says the process of putting on the ears takes "two hours and 45 minutes. So if we had a 6 a.m. call-time, I'd have to be there at 3 a.m.” But even with the hefty time spent in a makeup chair, Quinto recalls the first time putting on the ears for the second film: “The ears were a moment of magnitude,” he said. “I knew when I was putting them on I was getting back into it in a real way.”
Zade Rosenthal/Paramount Pictures
Girl With a Pearl Earring is probably the most well-known work by Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer, who crafted the portrait of a young woman that would come to be known as “The Mona Lisa of the North.” The painting uses a single pearl drop earring as the focal point of the piece, as noted in the portrait’s title. The narrative behind the “girl” remains a mystery to this day, but that didn’t stop author Tracy Chevalier from turning what may or may not have happened in real life into a compelling, fictionalized novel. And, in 2003, Hollywood wanted to take a stab at the origin story of the mysterious girl, casting Scarlett Johansson as the title character and Colin Firth as the famed painter.
Lions Gate
Many of the characters in J.R.R. Tolkien’s book to film adaptation wear false ear appendages, but none so prominently as the elves of Rivendell. Ironically, Tolkien never described the elves as having pointed ears in his novels, but in his private notes about the language of the elves, he played around with what they might look like, and pointed ears are noted. Some fans of the fantasy books went as far as undergoing dangerous surgery to have their ear cartilage cut open and resculpted into a point to resemble their favorite elfish characters.
“Hagrid, what exactly are these things?”
“They’re goblins, Harry. Clever as they come, goblins, but not the most friendly of beasts.”
This is the first description of Goblins in J.K. Rowling’s epic fantasy series Harry Potter. The goblins, who can be seen grimacing and guarding the gold of Gringotts Wizarding Bank, are pale, short creatures with a bald head, pointed nose and of course—long, pointed ears.
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Jumbo Jr. is cruelly nicknamed Dumbo by his bullies, and Dumbo’s large, floppy ears are the reason the poor little elephant is ridiculed by all his fellow elephants. But, of course, this 64-minute 1941 Disney classic has a happy ending, when Dumbo discovers his oversized ears allow him to fly. In the same year, the film won two Oscars for Best Scoring of a Musical Picture and Best Original Song for the tear-jerking number, “Baby Mine.”
Walt Disney Pictures, via AP
With many renditions of DC Comics’ Batman in the media throughout the years, the titular character’s look and costume has varied greatly. From Lewis G. Wilson’s spandex body suit to George Clooney’s “Bat nipples,” costume designers have had their share of artistic differences when it came to adorning the masked vigilante. But one decoration that has always remained the same are Batman’s ears. Built to resemble actual bat ears—small and pointed upwards—the Batman ears mimic the same “superpowers” that exist in bats: sharply tuned to a specific frequency range unheard by human ears. In Christopher Nolan’s rendition, Christian Bale’s Batman can even fine-tune the frequency of his ears like a radio dial.
Ron Phillips/Warner Bros. Pictures, via AP
Disney’s Mickey Mouse, the company’s first cartoon created in 1928, can typically be seen in red shorts, yellow shoes and white gloves, albeit no shirt. The half-clothed mouse is Disney company’s mascot, and one of the most recognized cartoons in the world. With two large, oversized ears, the cartoonish features of Mickey Mouse adorn hats and other souvenirs found at Disneyland and Disneyworld.
Walt Disney, via AP.
What do you get when a Toy Story alien ear meets a sprig of asparagus? Shrek’s ears, of course. The loveable ogre boasts a large nose, saucer-like eyes, and two dainty, green ears that resemble mini megaphones. And, they’re not just for hearing with—the wax inside even doubles as makeshift candles!
Paramount Pictures; via AP
James Cameron’s Na’vi are 10 feet tall, have dark yellow eyes, long, curled tails, black hair and stripes and spots adorning their lean bodies. Among the Na'vis many prominent and alien-like features are their long, almond-shaped, and pointed blue ears.
20th Century Fox, via Everett Collection
