Body Horror

Body horror is a disturbing and stylistically intense subgenre of horror that focuses on graphic transformation, deterioration, or distortion of the human body. Thematically, it delves into fears of contagion, mutation, surgical manipulation, and the breakdown of the self, both physically and mentally.

This subgenre often uses grotesque imagery and physical suffering as metaphors for deeper anxieties, identity loss, technological invasion, trauma, or moral decay. Unlike traditional horror, body horror provokes discomfort through viscerality rather than jump scares.

Key films include David Cronenberg’s genre-defining The Fly, Videodrome, and Rabid. More recent standouts are Titane, Raw, The Sadness, Possessor, Tetsuo: The Iron Man, Contracted, and Thanatomorphose.

This genre appeals to audiences seeking extreme, cerebral horror and often appears in film festivals showcasing bold, subversive cinema.

Core Themes:

  • Flesh and mutation

  • Disease and infection

  • Surgery and medical horror

  • Human-machine fusion

  • Gender/body dysmorphia

Recommended Films:

  • The Fly (1986)

  • Titane (2021)

  • Raw (2016)

  • Tetsuo: The Iron Man (1989)

  • The Sadness (2021)

  • Possessor (2020)

  • Thanatomorphose (2012)