by Victoria Potenza, Staff Writer

I should state that there is not necessarily a great way to wade into the waters of body horror, you really do need to just cannonball in and sink or swim. Body horror is a subgenre of horror that showcases violations of the human body through mutilation, disease, violence, and other atrocities. There are also plenty of films that have body horror elements but here and there, but I think for this list it is best to go with the classics and just dive in. Body horror was an area of horror I did not think I would enjoy, and it has now become one of my favorite subgenres. Through my  column dedicated to the Father of the subgenre, David Cronenberg , I have found this to be an area of horror that has so much to say about our bodies and the human experience through its often grotesque depictions of violence. It is about all of the horrors that can be done to the body, what can come out of the body, what makes us human, and what moves us past humanity into something new. 

This is an area that is close to my heart, and so I have also created another companion list on Letterboxd that you can utilize on your body horror journey. 

This section is about as basic as I can get, mainly because it has several classics I think can be essential to the subgenre and are a good way to test if this is an area of horror you will enjoy. 

Considering the fact that this is an animated film, this might be the best way to assist with the “yuck” factor that often comes along with body horror, it is also a classic movie to check out. This anime takes place 31 years after a bomb vaporized Tokyo. In the desolate “Neo-Tokyo” the Capsule biker gang become involved in a secret government experiment involving psychic children. The film culminates with an explosive grotesque battle. Akira has so much going on within its plot and touches upon government conspiracies, the impacts of atomic war, greedy political leaders, and the seedy underbelly of a post apocalyptic world. This is a cult classic that has incredible animation and nightmarish sequences. If you can handle some animated body horror it may make the other films on the list a little more bearable. 

The Thing (dir. John Carpenter, 1982)

The Thing is one of my all time favorite films, it was panned by critics in its time but has ascended to cult status in the horror community. It is also one of the best films from genre favorite, John Carpenter. The Thing follows a group of men working in isolation in the snowy tundra of Antarctica. They realize something terrible has happened at a nearby camp with another group of researchers. Unbeknownst to them they have let in a shape shifting alien that can become anyone of the people within their camp, hiding in plain sight. The Thing has incredible yet disgusting practical effects from Rob Bottin who consistently finds ways to highlight the violent power of “The Thing”. It's a slow burn paranoid drama with an incredible cast and several iconic moments of pure horror. This is one of the films that truly got me into body horror. 

The Fly (dir. David Cronenberg, 1986)

You could probably start with any one of Cronenberg’s films, but you should cram in some of his work early into your body horror education. Videodrome, Shivers, Scanners, The Brood, the list goes on. I decided to add The Fly, since Seth Brundle’s transformation into “the fly” is one of the most iconic moments in body horror history. Brundle is a lonely scientist, dedicated to his work creating transporting pods. When he decides to use himself as a test animal, he accidentally shuts himself in with a fly. Slowly he begins to notice his body changing and realizes he has melded with the creature and he will turn into something both fascinating and terrifying. The Fly is romantic, scary, and delves into questions around what makes us human. I love when body horror gets emotional and philosophical so if you are worried about the gross out moments of the film (like I was) there are plenty of interesting themes to grasp onto. 

You’ve made it this far in your journey of the flesh, see if you can make it to the next level. 

Tetsuo: The Iron Man (dir. Shin'ya Tsukamoto, 1989)

I have recently become a fan of Japanese cyberpunk films, many of which dive into body horror; Rubber’s Lover and 964 Pinocchio are two movies in the subgenre I became a fan of after watching the rollercoaster ride that is Tetsuo. Tsukamoto has stated that this film was an ode to Cronenberg’s classic Videodrome. After an interaction with a metal fetishist, a businessman becomes infected by metal and his body begins to become a fusion of flesh and technology. Watching this movie feels like a high octane drug experience and the experience of watching this is nothing like I have experienced. It’s unique practical effects are hard to shake, and even though the film is black and white, it does not detract from some truly horrific imagery.  Tsukamoto is a master of horror and even created a sequel to Tetsuo that is worth checking out if you like the original. 

From Beyond (dir. Stuart Gordon, 1986)

I struggled over what essential directors to feature on this list. Brian Yuzna and Stuart Gordon are two kings of the horror comedy/body horror crossover. While I love Yuzna’s films like Society and Bride of Re-Animator I tend to lean more towards Gordon’s brand of body horror. Gordon’s Re-Animator made it onto my How to Start Watching Medical Horror list last month . So I went with another one of his classics, From Beyond, based on a short story by H.P. Lovecraft. In the movie a group of scientists create a machine that allows people to see outside of their current perception of reality. It causes them to change in various mental and physical ways including making people hypersexual. It toes a similar line as Hellraiser with a story that delves into the fine line between pleasure and pain. However, it has Gordon’s staple over the top since of humor and genre favorites like Barbara Crampton, Jeffrey Combs, Ken Foree. 

Possession (dir. Andrzej Zulawski, 1981) 

I included Possession because I think it can be an overlooked gem in the body horror sphere. Isabelle Adjani gives a visceral performance as Anna, who begins to exhibit increasingly disturbing behavior related to an affair she is having. Her husband Mark (Sam Neil) follows her hoping to find out who she is having an affair with, but finds that she has discovered something terrifying and otherworldly.  The use of body horror to highlight a monstrous femine character like Anna, while also delving into dynamics of an unhappy marriage and political upheaval. Adjani has a classic moment in which she exhibits a grotesque bodily transformation in a dark corridor that is a must see for body horror enthusiasts. It is another film that uses the body horror elements to delve into the psychology of an unhappy couple, and specifically a kept housewife. 

Welcome to the next level of extremity and body horror. Your flesh is changing, you are becoming something new. 

Finally, a new film! Ducournau has really taken up the mantle of body horror and has been compared to Cronenberg many times throughout her career. New French extremity is another great area to find body horror, including Inside and her first feature Raw. Ultimately I went with Titane because it is one of the most interesting character studies I have seen. In the movie a murderous woman with a titanium plate in her head and a physical love of cars, goes on a journey of discovery and she notices her body changing in horrifying ways. This film is tender in a way that most body horror is not, making it a genre blending journey of love and acceptance. Having a woman’s eye behind the camera is essential to these strange and uniquely beautiful films and while it is hard to understand the protagonist, Adrien, there is much of her journey that speaks to the human experience. 

Martyrs is one of the most interesting movies I have seen in recent years. Given the general description of the film I had no way of expecting the twists and turns this would take. The movie opens on two women who faced horrendous abuse in their childhood and are thirsty for vengeance. Unfortunately they have no way of knowing the horrors that await them once they enact their violent plans. Martyrs is unique in its story and approach to showcasing body horror in order to discuss issues around revenge, science, religion, and unreal pain it takes to make someone into something more than human. I will not say much because I think this is a film that lends itself to its multiple reveals. 

Are you sure you want to go this far?

Guinea Pig 5: Mermaid in a Manhole (dir. Hideshi Hino, 1988)

This suggestion might be taking it up 1 or maybe 5 notches? The Guinea Pig films have a reputation, and for good reason. Not many things make my stomach turn but this did the trick. The stories are not connected in their narratives and this is the only one I have seen thus far. In this story a painter finds a sick mermaid living in the sewers. He brings her home to be his new muse but when her situation deteriorates and she begins to leak different fluids from all over her body, the artist uses these fluids as his new paint. Yeah, it is about as gross as it gets and I don’t think there are many deep themes to take from this. That being said, as a body horror fan who is always looking for ever increasing extremity, I had to check this out. I should not necessarily suggest this but if you want to keep on the journey, you’ll more than likely end up here. 

As mentioned, if you want more suggestions you can see my companion list on Letterboxd . I hope these suggestions show you how body horror is much more than gross out practical effects. There is meaning, psychology, philosophy, and often themes that tie us all to the questions about our humanity. Body horror is here to stay and with recent films like Crimes of the Future it is clear body horror is uniquely tailored to exploring the looming darkness over humanity. 

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