Prepare yourself, as this list delves into the disturbing realm of body horror. Imagine flipping over a rock in your yard and encountering all the creepy creatures beneath — only this time, the rock symbolizes your ribcage and the creatures represent your strange, unsettling innards. Let’s explore the 10 most shocking body horror films ever made.
10. Crimes of the Future (2022)
Master of body horror David Cronenberg returns with Crimes of the Future (2022), a film that should not be confused with its 1970 namesake. This tale unfolds in a near-future scenario where human evolution has taken unconventional twists. The main character grapples with a condition that leads to the emergence of extra organs all over his body. His peculiar solution? Engaging a surgical procedure, performed live as a form of performance art. The experience is as intriguing as it is unsettling.
9. I Saw the TV Glow (2024)
In I Saw the TV Glow by Jane Schoenbrun, the visceral nature usually associated with body horror is replaced by profound emotional turmoil. This narrative poses existential questions: What happens if everything you know about your identity, family, and even your physical self proves to be false? The real horror lies not just in this revelation but in the protagonist’s inaction amidst this troubling truth. This film resonates strongly as a trans allegory, capturing the distress and fear many trans individuals face when confronting their identities and transitioning.
8. The Exorcist (1973)
Here’s a hot take: William Friedkin’s The Exorcist qualifies as body horror. While it initially presents as a spine-chilling tale of demonic possession, the underlying fear is rooted in the frightening plight of a sick child—Reagan. She endures endless medical tests, subjected to invasive procedures as bewildered physicians grapple to diagnose her condition. The film serves as a deep metaphor for the anxiety of dealing with unexplained illnesses and the despair wrought by an ineffective medical system.
7. Raw (2016)
Julia Ducournau’s Raw recounts the story of a veterinary student who begins to crave raw meat after enduring cruel hazing from her peers. As her dietary preferences escalate toward human flesh, she desperately seeks to satisfy her escalating appetite and uncovers dark family secrets that may shed light on her disturbing condition. Nevertheless, comprehending the origins of her cravings does not equate to finding a remedy.
6. Alien (1979)
Ridley Scott’s Alien presents a frightful exploration of psychosexual themes that could certainly make Freud shiver. Influenced by H.R. Giger’s surreal artwork, the narrative revolves around an ill-fated crew who inadvertently transport an alien parasite on board their spacecraft. This creature persistently seeks to invade their bodies, turning the film into a harrowing chase through claustrophobic spaces. Few concepts can match such visceral body horror.
5. The Thing (1982)
Just the mere thought of John Carpenter’s The Thing makes my stomach churn. If you found the xenomorph in Alien unnerving, brace yourself for this alien entity. A gripping blend of body horror and existential dread, this movie follows a group of scientists marooned in an Antarctic research station, facing off against a shapeshifting parasite capable of assuming the form of any organic being—humans included. Tensions soar as they suspect one of their own could be an alien, leading them to a drastic conclusion: incineration is the only solution.
4. Annihilation (2018)
Authored by Jeff VanderMeer, Alex Garland’s Annihilation narrates the expedition of scientists exploring a mysterious phenomenon known as The Shimmer, which slowly engulfs the planet. Inside this peculiar realm, DNA disintegrates, causing life forms—plants, animals, and fungi—to mutate chaotically. The tension escalates as a scientist engages in a chilling confrontation with an alien entity intent on assuming her appearance. Just when I thought sleep was within reach, this film has made me reconsider.
3. The Substance (2024)
In Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance, the nightmare of aging takes center stage. A woman abruptly let go from her aerobics television program following her 50th birthday is presented with a laboratory miracle that promises to reverse her age. By consuming the titular “substance,” she transforms into a younger, enhanced version of herself. With sharp satire, The Substance critiques the entertainment industry’s harsh treatment of individuals as they age, only to discard them when their youth fades.
2. Videodrome (1983)
David Cronenberg’s Videodrome stands as a defining example of body horror. As the protagonist, Max, grows increasingly fixated on the disturbing imagery he uncovers, both his physical and mental states undergo drastic transformations. It reflects our human intrigue with violence and shocking events—we can’t seem to look away, despite the repulsion it invokes.
1. The Fly (1986)
In David Cronenberg’s The Fly, brace yourself for a viewing experience that’s best enjoyed with an empty stomach. Scientist Seth Brundle’s groundbreaking teleportation experiment goes horribly awry when he neglects to inspect the chamber for intruders—a fly. The ensuing mishap merges his DNA with that of the insect, leading to an agonizing transformation into a grotesque hybrid. The film skillfully intertwines shock, disgust, and a sense of profound tragedy.
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