Body horror
Encyclopedia
Body horror, biological horror, organic horror or venereal horror is horror fiction
in which the horror is principally derived from the graphic destruction or degeneration of the body. Such works may deal with disease
, decay, parasitism
, mutilation
, or mutation
. Other types of body horror include unnatural movements, or the anatomically incorrect placement of limbs to create 'monsters' out of human body parts. David Cronenberg
is one of the notable directors of the genre.
Horror fiction
Horror fiction also Horror fantasy is a philosophy of literature, which is intended to, or has the capacity to frighten its readers, inducing feelings of horror and terror. It creates an eerie atmosphere. Horror can be either supernatural or non-supernatural...
in which the horror is principally derived from the graphic destruction or degeneration of the body. Such works may deal with disease
Disease
A disease is an abnormal condition affecting the body of an organism. It is often construed to be a medical condition associated with specific symptoms and signs. It may be caused by external factors, such as infectious disease, or it may be caused by internal dysfunctions, such as autoimmune...
, decay, parasitism
Parasitism
Parasitism is a type of symbiotic relationship between organisms of different species where one organism, the parasite, benefits at the expense of the other, the host. Traditionally parasite referred to organisms with lifestages that needed more than one host . These are now called macroparasites...
, mutilation
Mutilation
Mutilation or maiming is an act of physical injury that degrades the appearance or function of any living body, usually without causing death.- Usage :...
, or mutation
Mutation
In molecular biology and genetics, mutations are changes in a genomic sequence: the DNA sequence of a cell's genome or the DNA or RNA sequence of a virus. They can be defined as sudden and spontaneous changes in the cell. Mutations are caused by radiation, viruses, transposons and mutagenic...
. Other types of body horror include unnatural movements, or the anatomically incorrect placement of limbs to create 'monsters' out of human body parts. David Cronenberg
David Cronenberg
David Paul Cronenberg, OC, FRSC is a Canadian filmmaker, screenwriter and actor. He is one of the principal originators of what is commonly known as the body horror or venereal horror genre. This style of filmmaking explores people's fears of bodily transformation and infection. In his films, the...
is one of the notable directors of the genre.
Notable films
- Invasion of the Body Snatchers and its remakes, including a mockbusterMockbusterA mockbuster is a film created with the apparent intention of piggy-backing on the publicity of a major film with a similar title or theme and are often made with a low budget. Often these films are created to be released direct-to-video at the same time as the mainstream film reaches theaters or...
(1956, 1978Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978 film)Invasion of the Body Snatchers is a 1978 science fiction film based on the novel The Body Snatchers by Jack Finney. It is a remake of the 1956 film of the same name. It was directed by Philip Kaufman and starred Donald Sutherland, Brooke Adams and Leonard Nimoy.A San Francisco health inspector and...
, 1993Body Snatchers (1993 film)Body Snatchers is a 1993 American science fiction horror film and loosely based on the 1955 novel The Body Snatchers by Jack Finney. The film was directed by Abel Ferrara, starring Gabrielle Anwar, Billy Wirth, Terry Kinney, Meg Tilly, R...
, 2007The Invasion (film)The Invasion is a 2007 science fiction thriller film starring Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig, directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel, with additional scenes written by the Wachowski brothers and directed by James McTeigue....
, 2007Invasion of the Pod PeopleInvasion of the Pod People is a 2007 science-fiction film produced by The Asylum....
) - The FlyThe Fly (1958 film)The Fly is a 1958 American science-fiction horror film, directed by Kurt Neumann. The screenplay was written by James Clavell , from the short story "The Fly" by George Langelaan...
(1958) and its sequels, remakeThe Fly (1986 film)The Fly is a 1986 science fiction horror film co-written and directed by David Cronenberg. Produced by 20th Century Fox, and Brooksfilms, the film stars Jeff Goldblum, Geena Davis and John Getz. It is a remake of the 1958 film of the same name, but retains only the basic premise of a scientist...
, and sequel to the remakeThe Fly IIThe Fly II is a 1989 American science fiction horror film starring Eric Stoltz and Daphne Zuniga. It was directed by Chris Walas as a sequel to the 1986 Academy Award-winning movie The Fly. Stoltz's character in this sequel is the adult son of Seth Brundle, the scientist-turned-'Brundlefly', played... - MatangoMatango, also known as Matango, Fungus of Terror and Attack of the Mushroom People, is a 1963 Japanese tokusatsu movie. It was directed by Ishirō Honda, written by Takeshi Kimura based on the story "The Voice in the Night" by William Hope Hodgson , and had special...
(1963) - The Outer LimitsThe Outer Limits (1963 TV series)The Outer Limits is an American television series that aired on ABC from 1963 to 1965. The series is similar in style to the earlier The Twilight Zone, but with a greater emphasis on science fiction, rather than fantasy stories...
episode: "The Architects of Fear." (1963) - Rosemary's BabyRosemary's BabyRosemary's Baby is a 1967 best-selling horror novel by Ira Levin, his second published book. Major elements of the story were inspired by the publicity surrounding the Church of Satan of Anton LaVey which had been founded in 1966.-Plot summary:...
(1968) - Horrors of Malformed MenHorrors of Malformed Menis a 1969 Japanese film in the Ero guro sub-genre of Toei's style of Pink film. Directed by Teruo Ishii, the film is considered a precursor to Toei's ventures into the "Pinky violent" style in the early 1970s.-Critical appraisal:...
(1969) - It's Alive (1974) and its two sequels and remake
- ShiversShivers (film)Shivers is a 1975 Canadian body horror film written and directed by David Cronenberg. Cronenberg won "Best Director" at the 1975 Sitges Film Festival.-Plot:Dr...
(1975) - EraserheadEraserheadEraserhead is a 1977 American surrealist film and the first feature film of David Lynch, who wrote, produced and directed. Lynch began working on the film at the AFI Conservatory, which gave him a $10,000 grant to make the film after he had begun working there following his 1971 move to Los Angeles...
(1977) - The Incredible Melting ManThe Incredible Melting ManThe Incredible Melting Man is a 1977 American science fiction horror film about an astronaut whose body begins to melt after he is exposed to radiation during a space flight to Saturn, driving him to commit murders and consume human flesh to survive...
(1977) - RabidRabidRabid is a 1977 horror film written and directed by David Cronenberg. It features Marilyn Chambers in the lead role, supported by Frank Moore, Howard Ryshpan, Joe Silver and Robert A...
(1977) - AlienAlien (film)Alien is a 1979 science fiction horror film directed by Ridley Scott and starring Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, Ian Holm and Yaphet Kotto. The film's title refers to its primary antagonist: a highly aggressive extraterrestrial creature which...
and its franchiseAlien (franchise)The Alien film series is a science fiction horror film franchise, focusing on Lieutenant Ellen Ripley and her battle with an extraterrestrial lifeform, commonly referred to as "the Alien"...
, including a crossover seriesAlien vs. PredatorAliens vs. Predator, also known as Alien vs. Predator and Aliens versus Predator , is a science fiction-horror fiction series spanning several media. The series is a crossover between two film franchises about extraterrestrial beings: the Aliens and the Predators...
(1979, 1986, 1992, 1997) - The BroodThe BroodThe Brood is a 1979 Canadian horror film written and directed by David Cronenberg, starring Oliver Reed, Samantha Eggar and Art Hindle.The film depicts a series of murders committed by what seems at first to be a group of children...
(1979) - Altered StatesAltered StatesAltered States is a 1980 American science fiction-horror film adaptation of a novel by the same name by playwright and screenwriter Paddy Chayefsky. It was the only novel that Chayefsky ever wrote, as well as his final film. Both the novel and the film are based on John C...
(1980) - ScannersScannersScanners is a 1981 science-fiction horror film written and directed by David Cronenberg and starring Jennifer O'Neill, Stephen Lack, Michael Ironside, and Patrick McGoohan...
and its sequels (1981, 1991Scanners II: The New OrderScanners II: The New Order is the 1991 sequel to the 1981 feature film Scanners. The sequel was written by B.J. Nelson and directed by Christian Duguay...
, 1992Scanners III: The TakeoverScanners III: The Takeover is the second sequel to the film Scanners, and the last film in the trilogy. It was directed by Christian Duguay. The story has nothing to do with the previous films, other than the Ephemerol drug...
, 1994Scanner CopScanner Cop is a 1994 Canadian film. It is the fourth film in the Scanners series and the first film in the Scanner Cop series. It was written, produced, and directed by Pierre David.-Plot:...
, 1995Scanners: The ShowdownScanners: The Showdown is the 1995 sequel to Scanner Cop. It is the last film in both the Scanners series and the Scanner Cop series.-Synopsis:...
) - PossessionPossession (1981 film)Possession is a 1981 cult horror film directed by Andrzej Żuławski.-Plot:Mark returns home to Berlin to find his wife Anna is leaving him for unclear reasons. He initially suspects an affair and hires detectives to track her, but gradually discovers clues that something far stranger is afoot...
(1981) - CreepshowCreepshowCreepshow is a 1982 American horror anthology film directed by George A. Romero and written by Stephen King. The film's ensemble cast included Ted Danson, Leslie Nielsen, Hal Holbrook, E.G...
(1982) (segment: The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verill) - The Thing and a prequel (1982, 2011The Thing (2011 film)The Thing is a 2011 science fiction horror film directed by Matthijs van Heijningen Jr., and written by Eric Heisserer. It is a prequel to the 1982 film of the same name by John Carpenter, the plot taking place immediately prior to the events of that film...
) - Basket CaseBasket Case (film)Basket Case is an American horror film, written and directed by Frank Henenlotter, that was released in 1982. It has two sequels, Basket Case 2 and Basket Case 3: The Progeny by the same director. It is notable for its low budget and over-the-top violence...
(1982) and its sequels (1990Basket Case 2Basket Case 2 is a 1990 American comedy horror film written and directed by Frank Henenlotter. It was released on DVD by Synapse Films on October 30, 2007.-Cast:* Kevin Van Hentenryck as Duane Bradley* Judy Grafe as News Woman...
, 1992Basket Case 3: The ProgenyBasket Case 3: The Progeny is a 1991 American comedy horror film written and directed by Frank Henenlotter. The third installment of the Basket Case series the film follows Times Square Freak Twins Duane and Belial Bradley and several fellow freaks as they help Belial's girlfriend give birth and...
) - VideodromeVideodromeVideodrome is a 1983 Canadian science fiction body horror film written and directed by David Cronenberg, starring James Woods, Sonja Smits, and singer Deborah Harry. Set in Toronto during the early 1980s, it follows the CEO of a small cable station who stumbles upon a broadcast signal featuring...
(1983) - Bio Booster Armor Guyver (1984)
- Guinea Pig (film series)Guinea Pig (film series)The are a series of seven controversial Japanese gore-slasher horror films from the 1980s and 1990s. The series achieved global notoriety mostly for the first two films as the producer needed to prove that nobody was actually hurt or murdered...
(1986–1991) - Re-AnimatorRe-AnimatorRe-Animator is a 1985 American science fiction horror film based on the H. P. Lovecraft story "Herbert West–Reanimator." Directed by Stuart Gordon, it was the first film in the Re-Animator series. The film has since become a cult film, driven by fans of Jeffrey Combs and H. P...
(1985) - From BeyondFrom Beyond (film)From Beyond is a 1986 American science fiction/ body horror film directed by Stuart Gordon, loosely based on the short story of the same title by H. P. Lovecraft, and was written by Dennis Paoli, Gordon and Brian Yuzna...
(1986) - Street TrashStreet TrashStreet Trash is a 1987 comedy horror film directed by J. Michael Muro . It won the Silver Raven at the Brussels International Festival of Fantasy Film...
(1987) - CyclopsCyclops (1987 film)is a 1987 Japanese science fiction horror original video directed by Jôji Iida....
(1987) - HellraiserHellraiserHellraiser is a 1987 British and American horror film based upon the novella The Hellbound Heart by Clive Barker, who also wrote the screenplay and directed the film. Hellraiser explores themes of sadomasochism and morality under duress and fear. The film spawned a series of sequels...
(1987) and its franchise - Brain DamageBrain Damage (film)Brain Damage is an American comedy horror film that was released in 1988, and directed by Frank Henenlotter .-Plot:...
(1988) - SocietySociety (film)Society is an American horror film. It was finished in 1989, but not released in the US until 1992. It was Brian Yuzna's directorial debut and was written by Rick Fry and Woody Keith. The film stars Billy Warlock as Bill Whitney, Devin DeVasquez as Clarissa Carlyn, Evan Richards as Milo and Ben...
(1989) - Leviathan (1989)
- Tetsuo: The Iron ManTetsuo: The Iron ManTetsuo: The Iron Man is a 1989 Japanese cyberpunk film by cult-film director Shinya Tsukamoto produced by Japan Home Video. This, his third film, is an extremely graphic but also strikingly-filmed fantasy shot in the same low-budget, underground-production style as his first two films...
and its sequels (1989, 1991Tetsuo II: Body HammerTetsuo II: Body Hammer is a 1992 Japanese science fiction/horror film directed byShinya Tsukamoto. It is a bigger-budget reworking of the same director's 1989 movie Tetsuo: The Iron Man, utilizing similar themes and ideas to the earlier film Tetsuo II: Body Hammer is a 1992 Japanese science...
, 2010Tetsuo: The Bullet ManTetsuo: The Bullet Man is the third film in Shinya Tsukamoto's cyberpunk film series, and the first to be filmed in English.-Plot:Anthony is a man with an American father and a deceased Japanese mother living and working in Tokyo. One day his son is run over and killed by Yatsu, this film's version...
) - Jacob's LadderJacob's Ladder (film)Jacob's Ladder is a 1990 American psychological thriller/horror film directed by Adrian Lyne, based on a screenplay by Bruce Joel Rubin.-Plot:Jacob Singer is a U.S. soldier deployed in the Mekong Delta during the Vietnam War...
(1990) - Body Bags (1993) (segment: Hair)
- CronosCronos (film)Cronos is a 1993 Mexican horror film written and directed by Guillermo del Toro, starring veteran Argentine actor Federico Luppi and American actor Ron Perlman, the first of several films on which del Toro, Luppi and Perlman have collaborated...
(1993) - Body MeltBody MeltBody Melt is a satirical Australian horror film directed by Philip Brophy and written by Brophy and Rod Bishop , influenced by "splatstick" Peter Jackson films like Bad Taste and Braindead.-Plot:...
(1993) - VirusVirus (1999 film)Virus is a 1999 science fiction-horror film directed by visual effects artist John Bruno and starring Jamie Lee Curtis, William Baldwin and Donald Sutherland...
(1999) - eXistenZEXistenZeXistenZ is a 1999 body horror/science fiction film by Canadian director David Cronenberg. It stars Jennifer Jason Leigh and Jude Law....
(1999) - Cabin Fever (2002)
- In My Skin (2002)
- TaxidermiaTaxidermiaTaxidermia is a 2006 Hungarian film directed by György Pálfi. The film focuses on three generations of men from Hungary, beginning with a military orderly during the Second World War, moving on to an aspiring speed-eater during the Cold War, and concluding with a taxidermist during modern times...
(2006) - Slither (2006)
- Masters of HorrorMasters of HorrorMasters of Horror is an informal social group of international film writers and directors specializing in horror movies and an American television series created by director Mick Garris for the Showtime cable network.- Origin :...
episodes: ImprintImprint (Masters of Horror episode)Imprint is the thirteenth episode of the first season of Masters of Horror. Directed by Takashi Miike, the episode was scheduled to premiere on January 27, 2006 but was shelved by Showtime over concerns about its extremely graphic and disturbing content...
and Pro-LifePro-Life (Masters of Horror episode)"Pro-Life" is the fifth episode of the second season of Masters of Horror.-Plot:Angelique is taken to an abortion clinic to end her pregnancy, the product of a demonic rape... - TeethTeeth (film)Teeth is a 2007 comedy horror film written and directed by Mitchell Lichtenstein, about a teenage girl who has teeth in her vagina. It premiered January 19, 2007 at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival in the independent drama category...
(2007) - Planet TerrorPlanet TerrorPlanet Terror is a 2007 American action horror film written and directed by Robert Rodriguez, about a group of people attempting to survive an onslaught of zombie-like creatures as they feud with a military unit, including a go-go dancer searching for a way to use her "useless talents." The film, a...
(2007) - Bad BiologyBad BiologyBad Biology is a dark horror comedy film directed and produced by Frank Henenlotter and rapper R.A. the Rugged Man.-Plot:Driven by biological excess, a young man and woman search for sexual fulfillment, unaware of each others existence. Unfortunately, they eventually meet, and the bonding of these...
(2008) - Tokyo Gore PoliceTokyo Gore Policeis a 2008 Japanese gore film co-written, edited, and directed by Yoshihiro Nishimura and stars Eihi Shiina as Ruka, a vengeful police officer.Tokyo Gore Police was released to several film festivals in North America...
(2008) - The Machine GirlThe Machine Girlis a 2008 Japanese action shock/gore film written and directed by Noboru Iguchi with special effects by Yoshihiro Nishimura . The film stars Minase Yashiro in the lead role as Ami, Asami in the role of Miki, Kentarō Shimazu as the yakuza leader Ryūgi Kimura and Honoka as his wife, Mrs. Kimura...
(2008) - The RuinsThe Ruins (film)The Ruins is a 2008 Australian-American horror film directed by Carter Smith and starring Jonathan Tucker, Shawn Ashmore, Jena Malone, Laura Ramsey and Joe Anderson. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Scott Smith, who also wrote the screenplay...
(2008) - GraceGrace (film)Grace is a 2009 film written and directed by Paul Solet. It is based on the 2006 short film with the same title that featured Liza Weil and Brian Austin Green. The short film was used to obtain funding for the feature version....
(2009) - District 9District 9District 9 is a 2009 South African science fiction thriller film directed by Neill Blomkamp. It was written by Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell, and produced by Peter Jackson and Carolynne Cunningham. The film stars Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope, and David James...
(2009) - ThirstThirst (2009 film)Thirst is a 2009 horror/drama film, written, produced and directed by Park Chan-wook. It is loosely based on the novel Thérèse Raquin by Émile Zola. The film tells the story of a priest—who is in love with his friend’s wife—turning into a vampire through a failed medical experiment. Park has...
(2009) - AntichristAntichrist (film)Antichrist is a 2009 arthouse-horror film written and directed by Lars von Trier, starring Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg. It follows horror film conventions and tells the story of a couple who, after the death of their child, retreat to a cabin in the woods where the man experiences strange...
(2009) - The Human Centipede (First Sequence)The Human Centipede (First Sequence)The Human Centipede is a 2010 Dutch horror film written and directed by Tom Six. The film tells the story of a German doctor who kidnaps three tourists and joins them surgically, mouth to anus, forming a "human centipede". It stars Dieter Laser as the villain, Dr. Heiter, with Ashley C. Williams,...
(2009) - SpliceSplice (film)Splice is a 2009 Canadian/French science fiction horror film directed by Vincenzo Natali and starring Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley. The story concerns experiments in genetic engineering being done by a young scientist couple who attempt to introduce human DNA into their work of splicing animal...
(2010) - Black SwanBlack Swan (film)Black Swan is a 2010 American psychological thriller film directed by Darren Aronofsky and starring Natalie Portman, Vincent Cassel and Mila Kunis. Its plot revolves around a production of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake ballet by a prestigious New York City company. The production requires a ballerina to...
(2010) - MarianneMarianne (2011 film)Marianne is a 2011 Swedish horror film, directed by Filip Tegstedt, that premiered at the 2011 Fantasia International Film Festival on 2 August 2011....
(2011) - The Human Centipede (Full Sequence) (2011)
- The Skin I Live InThe Skin I Live InThe Skin I Live In is a 2011 Spanish film directed by Pedro Almodóvar, starring Antonio Banderas, Elena Anaya, Marisa Paredes, Jan Cornet, Roberto Álamo and Blanca Suárez, and is loosely based on Thierry Jonquet's novel Tarantula. The film was the first collaboration in 21 years between Almodóvar...
(2011)
See also
- New French ExtremityNew French ExtremityNew French Extremity is a term coined by Artforum critic James Quandt for a collection of transgressive films by French directors at the turn of the 21st century. The filmmakers are also discussed by Jonathan Romney of The Independent...
- New Gothic ArtNew Gothic Art-Manifesto:The Neo Gothic Art Manifesto was written by gothic artist Charles Moffat in 2001, who also coined the term "Neo Gothic" in an effort to differentiate it from gothic architecture...
- Psychological horrorPsychological horrorPsychological horror is a subgenre of horror fiction that relies on character fears, guilt, beliefs, eerie sound effects, relevant music and emotional instability to build tension and further the plot...
- Splatter filmSplatter filmA splatter film or gore film is a subgenre of horror film that deliberately focuses on graphic portrayals of gore and graphic violence. These films, through the use of special effects and excessive blood and guts, tend to display an overt interest in the vulnerability of the human body and the...