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List of body horror media

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Body horror, biological horror, organic horror or visceral horror is horror fiction in which the horror is principally derived from the unnatural graphic transformation, degeneration or destruction of the physical body.[1] Such works may deal with decay, disease, deformity, parasitism, mutation or mutilation. Other types of body horror include unnatural movements or the anatomically incorrect placement of limbs to create "monsters" from human body parts. David Cronenberg, Frank Henenlotter, Brian Yuzna, Stuart Gordon, Lloyd Kaufman, and Clive Barker are notable directors of this genre. The term body horror was coined with the "Body Horror" theme issue of the University of Glasgow film journal Screen (vol. 27, no. 1, January–February 1986), which contains several essays on the subject.

Notable films and television series[]

Film/TV series Year Notes
The Quatermass Xperiment 1955 Based on the 1953 BBC Television serial The Quatermass Experiment.
X the Unknown 1956
Invasion of the Body Snatchers 1956 As well as the 1978 remake, Body Snatchers, and The Invasion.
Fiend Without a Face 1958
The H-Man 1958
The Blob 1958 Including its 1972 sequel Beware! The Blob and 1988 remake The Blob.
I Married a Monster from Outer Space 1958
The Fly 1958 And its 1959 and 1965 sequels, the 1986 remake, and the 1989 sequel to the remake.[2]
First Man into Space 1959
The Wasp Woman 1959
The Tingler 1959
Eyes Without a Face 1960
The Hands of Orlac 1960
Horrors of Spider Island 1960
The Outer Limits 1963 And the 1995 remake.
Rosemary's Baby 1968 [3]
Godzilla vs. Hedorah 1971
Devilman 1972–1973
Sssssss 1973
The Exorcist 1973
Shanks 1974
The Devil's Rain 1975
Shivers 1975
Squirm 1976
Demon Seed 1977
Eraserhead 1977 [3]
The Incredible Melting Man 1977 [4]
Rabid 1977 As well its 2019 remake.
The Fury 1978
Alien franchise 1979–present [4]
The Brood 1979
Prophecy 1979
Alien 2: On Earth 1980
Altered States 1980
The Shining 1980
An American Werewolf in London 1981
Evil Dead franchise 1981–present
Galaxy of Terror 1981
The Howling 1981
Inseminoid 1981
Possession 1981
Scanners 1981 [3]
The Thing 1982 And its 2011 prequel[4]
Forbidden World 1982
The Beast Within 1982
Xtro 1982
Parasite 3D 1982
The Deadly Spawn 1983
Videodrome 1983 [2]
The Terminator 1984
Gremlins 1984 as well as its 1990 sequel Gremlins 2: The New Batch.
A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise 1984–present
The Toxic Avenger 1984 And the two 1989 sequels as well as its 2000 sequel
The Stuff 1985
Re-Animator 1985 And its 1990 and 2003 sequels.[4]
Lifeforce 1985
Deadly Friend 1986
Spookies 1986
Night of the Creeps 1986
From Beyond 1986 [3]
Street Trash 1987
Prince of Darkness 1987
RoboCop 1987
The Kindred 1987
Bad Taste 1987
Hellraiser franchise 1987–present
The Hidden 1987
The Curse 1987
Slugs 1988
Dead Ringers 1988 [5]
The Brain 1988
The Kiss 1988
Brain Damage 1988 [6]
Beetlejuice 1988
Akira 1988
Nekromantik 1988 And its 1991 sequel
The Nest 1988
Society 1989 [3]
Kamillions 1989
Sweet Home 1989
Tetsuo: The Iron Man 1989 [3] And its 1992 and 2010 sequels.
Leviathan 1989
Godzilla vs. Biollante 1989
Jacob's Ladder 1990
Baby Blood 1990
Frankenhooker 1990
Metamorphosis: The Alien Factor 1990
Two Evil Eyes 1990
Naked Lunch 1991
Naked Blood 1991
Candyman 1992
Braindead 1992
Freaked 1993
Carnosaur 1993
The X-Files 1993
Body Melt 1993
Jason Goes to Hell 1993
Cronos 1993
Necronomicon 1993
Return of the Living Dead 3 1993
In the Mouth of Madness 1994
Species 1995 As well as its 1998, 2004 and 2007 sequels
Godzilla vs. Destoroyah 1995
Se7en 1995
Neon Genesis Evangelion 1995–96
Killer Condom 1996
Thinner 1996
Mimic 1997
The Relic 1997
Event Horizon 1997
Wishmaster 1997
Phantoms 1998
Strangeland 1998
The Faculty 1998
eXistenZ 1999
Virus 1999
Audition 1999
Idle Hands 1999
Ginger Snaps 2000
Ichi the Killer 2001
Invader Zim 2001–06
Resident Evil (film series) 2002-2021 Based on the video game by the same name.
Cabin Fever 2002
In My Skin 2002
May 2002
Dreamcatcher 2003
Gozu 2003
Infection 2004 [6]
The Stepford Wives 2004
Saw franchise 2004-present
Art of the Devil 2004 As well as its 2005 and 2008 sequels.
Elfen Lied 2004
Hostel 2005 And its 2007 and 2011 sequels.
Meatball Machine 2005
Funky Forest 2005
Slither 2006
Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead 2006
Taxidermia 2006 [7]
Planet Terror 2007
Teeth 2007 [6]
Cloverfield 2008
Tokyo Gore Police 2008
Martyrs 2008 [5]
One-Eyed Monster 2008 This crossover spoofs the films Jaws and The Thing.
Repo! The Genetic Opera 2008
The Ruins 2008
Splinter 2008
Deadgirl 2008
Splice 2009
Book of Blood 2009
District 9 2009
Dread 2009
Carriers 2009
The Human Centipede (First Sequence) 2009 And its 2011 and 2015 sequels.
Black Swan 2010
Generator Rex 2010-13
Repo Men 2010
The Skin I Live In 2011 [5]
Manborg 2011
Marianne 2011
The Victim 2011 [5]
Tokyo Ghoul 2011–14
Excision 2012
American Mary 2012 [5]
Antiviral 2012 [5]
Gravity Falls 2012-16
Thanatomorphose 2012
Under the Skin 2013
The Green Inferno 2013
Horns 2013
Attack on Titan 2013-2023
Contracted 2013 And Contracted: Phase II, released in 2015.
Clown 2014
Parasyte 2014
It Follows 2014
Spring 2014
Starry Eyes 2014
Tusk 2014
Baskin 2015
Bite 2015
Closet Monster 2015 After witnessing a gay bashing death in which the victim was impaled through the stomach with a metal rod, a closeted gay teenager hallucinates metal rods threatening to poke out of his own body whenever he confronts his own sexuality.[8]
Are We Not Cats 2016
The Autopsy of Jane Doe 2016
Raw 2016
Shin Godzilla 2016
The Untamed 2016
The Void 2016 [6]
The Killing of a Sacred Deer 2017
Kuso 2017
Life 2017
Made In Abyss 2017 Later episodes contain graphic depictions of transformation/mutation due to the "curse of the abyss."
Mother! 2017
Blue My Mind 2017 [3]
Get Out 2017
Fate/stay night: Heaven's Feel 2017-2020 Adaptation of the night novel of the same name (most notably in III. spring song).
Annihilation 2018
Devilman Crybaby 2018
Overlord 2018
Upgrade 2018
Venom 2018 Based on the Marvel character of the same name.
Suspiria 2018
Swallow 2019 [6]
Color Out of Space 2019
The Beach House 2019 [6]
Friend of the World 2020 [9]
Possessor 2020 [5]
PG: Psycho Goreman 2020
Playdurizm[10] 2020
The Sadness 2021
Old 2021 Based on the graphic novel Sandcastle.
Titane 2021
Antlers 2021
Fang 2022
Crimes of the Future 2022
The House 2022
Huesera: The Bone Woman 2022
Nope 2022
Swallowed 2022
Men 2022
Chainsaw Man 2022
Infinity Pool 2023
Grafted 2024
I Saw the TV Glow 2024
The Substance 2024
The Ugly Stepsister 2025
Together 2025


Notable writers[]

In his introduction to The Mammoth Book of Body Horror, the film director Stuart Gordon says that "Body Horror has been with us since long before there were movies". According to the summary of this anthology, the important writers of Body Horror are :

But others names could be quoted, according to Xavier Aldana Reyes in his book Body Gothic :

  • Poppy Z. Brite
  • Kathe Koja
  • Dennis Cooper
  • Bret Easton Ellis

Notable graphic novels[]

Novel Year Description
The Visible Man (2000 AD) 1978–2012 wherein a man suffers a nuclear waste accident, making his internal organs visible.
Parasyte 1988–1995 wherein human bodies are taken over by parasitic extraterrestrial organisms.
The Invisibles 1994–2000 wherein the human converts of an invading interdimensional force are selected for "modification".
Ed the Happy Clown 1983–2006 wherein the titular character endures having the tip of his penis replaced with the head of Ronald Reagan.
Ruins 1995 wherein the Marvel universe goes horribly wrong, most notably Bruce Banner turning into a pile of tumors (and yet he's still alive.).
Black Hole 1995–2005 wherein a sexually transmitted disease gives teenagers in a small town grotesque mutations.
Uzumaki 1998–1999 wherein humans distort into spirals.
Saya no Uta 2003–2013 wherein the main character Fuminori has agnosia as known as "meat-vision".
Extremis 2005 wherein a virus makes the body re-interpret itself as an open wound, thus forming a scab cocoon around the body.
Animal Man 2011–2014 The New 52 ongoing Animal Man features many body horror elements including grotesque mutations, disease and decomposition of animals, plants and humans alike.
Dorohedoro 1999–present People are alive due to magic after decapitation, fungi grow from people's bodies, etc.
Hino Horror 1983–2004 Later adapted into the Guinea Pig film series. Features transformations and mutilation.
Made In Abyss 2012-present A massive pit causes numerous ailments for returning explorers, depending on depth. Past a certain point, grotesque transformations/mutations or agonizing death are all but certain.
Druuna 1985-present An infectous disease called "the Evil" lets peoples' bodies mutate into various forms which are not necessarily recognisable as humanoid.

Use in video games[]

In recent years, the subjects of human experimentation, medical research, and infection have played large roles in video games whose plots are heavily influenced by themes common in body horror.

Video Game Year Description
Amnesia: The Dark Descent & Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs 2010 & 2013 The gatherer enemies are deformed human-like monsters; their eyelids are cut off and their bottom jaw is mutilated and stretched down and attached to their chests leaving their mouths permanently open.
BioShock series 2007–2014 Both BioShock and BioShock 2 consist of enemies called Splicers, who were once normal humans that were heavily mutated and driven insane from a drug called ADAM, which they used to re-write their genetic codes to develop "psychic" powers such as telekinesis and pyrokinesis. The game also contains the iconic Big Daddy, which is a man whose skin has been removed, and whose organs have been grafted to the inside of a modified deep-sea diving suit. BioShock Infinite uses a similar premise, although in this case series of compounds called Vigors grant the player extraordinary abilities; however, unlike ADAM they are consumed orally rather than injected. In this game, the Big Daddy has been replaced by the Handyman, a human whose spinal cord, head, and heart have been connected to a steampunk robotic frame with minor effects like psychological trauma.
Bloodborne 2015
Dead Space series 2008–2013 The primary enemies of the series are called Necromorphs, which are mutated humans with protruding appendages, open wounds, and rotting flesh.
Fallout series 1997–present The fallout games take place in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, and as such, many of the enemies and species have physical deformities from the radiation.
Half-Life series 1998–2007 Parasitic monsters known as Headcrabs attach themselves to heads of people and cause them to develop mutations such as elongated claws and gaping jaws in their chests.
Inside 2016 An indie puzzle platformer developed by Playdead. Inside tells the story about a young boy as he struggles against evil forces trying to take over the world. The boy infiltrates a massive facility where scientists perform mind-control and underwater experiments on human bodies.
Outlast 2013 A first-person survival horror game in which an investigative journalist explores an asylum housing inmates displaying various degrees of bodily mutilation and/or mutation.
Resident Evil series 1996–present A pharmaceutical company uses a mutagenic T-Virus in order to produce monsters to sell as weapons. The most basic were zombie versions of whatever organism was infected or giant versions of insects. There are also human/insect and human/reptilian hybrids, malformed super-soldiers called "Tyrants", and various other mutants. Later games introduce, for example, more viruses and las plagas (an ancient parasite which take over animal nervous systems).
Parasite Eve series 1998–2010 The Squaresoft (now known as Square Enix) video game based on the 1996 Japanese SF horror novel of the same title, was released in 1998. The premise of both the novel and "cinematic RPG" being that the mitochondria, organelles from early aerobic bacteria that formed a symbiotic partnership with cells of most present-day multicellular eukaryotes, e.g. humans, are able to retain their separate identity as independent organisms in the form of cellular parasites. A dispersed intelligence, known as Eve, was able to take over the consciousness of certain individuals to make them reproduce and form an ultimate organism that will bring the downfall of humanity and other creatures alike.
The Thing 2002 A sequel to the 1982 film The Thing, player follows Captain Blake, a member of a U.S. Special Forces team sent to the Antarctic outpost featured in the film to determine what has happened to the research crew. The enemies encountered come in three main forms. "Scuttlers" are small Things formed from the limbs and appendages of infected personnel. "Walkers" are larger and much stronger than Scuttlers, and finally the Bosses are larger and much more powerful than Walkers.
Soma 2015 A SF survival horror game developed by Frictional Games.

Use in tabletop gaming[]

Traditional Game Year Description
Magic: The Gathering 1993–present The basis of Phyrexia, an antagonist faction composed of assimilatory biomechanical undead. The Scars of Mirrodin block in particular focuses on this theme, in which assimilation and infection are emphasised upon, and Phyrexia has branched into all colours of mana, introducing new forms of mutilation.

In the Shadows Over Innistrad block, the gothic horror inspired setting of Innistrad undergoes a transformation; at first marked by subtle mutations in both the human and the already-monstrous living residents, it gruesomely distorts many of the plane's inhabitants in the image of the invading cosmic being, Emrakul.

Warhammer 1983–present Mutation and bodily modification are emphasised upon in the Chaos factions.
Kingdom Death: Monster 2012–present Monsters contain extensive incorporation of human body parts.

See also[]

References[]

  1. ↑ Definition of "body horror". CollinsDictionary.com. Collins English Dictionary – Complete & Unabridged 11th Edition. Retrieved November 01, 2012.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Thill, Scott (2009-01-04). "Cronenberg Drifts From Tech Horror, but Shocks Remain". Wired.com. Archived from the original on 2011-12-19. Retrieved 2009-09-09. {{cite web}}:
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Meagan Navarro, "Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid: An Intro to Body Horror!". Bloody Disgusting, December 6., 2018.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "Horror Film History — Horror Films in the 1980s". Horrorfilmhistory.com. Retrieved 2009-09-09. {{cite web}}:
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 Jason Faulkner, "25 body horror movies that make our bones hurt". SyFy Wire, January 25, 2021.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 Adam Symchuk, "10 Films That Explore The World of Body Horror". Screenrant, September 15, 2020.
  7. ↑ "Taxidermia Review – Read Variety's Analysis Of The Movie Taxidermia". Variety.com. 2006-02-05. https://www.variety.com/review/VE1117929482.html?categoryid=31&cs=1&p=0. 
  8. ↑ Kyle Turner, "Trapped in the Closet: “Closet Monster” and Queer Body Horror". Movie Mezzanine, September 21, 2016.
  9. ↑ Parker, Sean (2022-05-10). "Friend of the World: The Divine Comedy of Body Horror". Horror Obsessive. Retrieved 2023-04-09. {{cite web}}:
  10. ↑ "Playdurizm Plays the Best Beats of Queer Body Horror With Macabre Glee". https://www.cbr.com/playdurizm-plays-the-best-beats-of-queer-body-horror-with-macabre-glee/. 

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