Top 15 Body Horror Films - Cronenberg and beyond

From cheesy cult classics to grotesque foreign language films and hidden gems, these are the 15 best, most disgusting body horror films to date.

Body horror, or biological horror, is a subgenre of horror which focuses on the deterioration, mutilation, or transformation of the human body. I have had a gruesome fascination with body horror for as long as I can remember, and have spent many years watching pretty much every single one I have been able to get my hands on. From mainstream Hollywood body horror and cheesy cult classics, to grotesque foreign language and little-known independent body horror films, body horror is an incredibly diverse subgenre which is definitely not for the faint of heart. Not to be confused with gore films, though the two subgenres do overlap in some obvious ways, a good body horror film can be difficult to find; particularly for horror fans who feel like they have already watched them all. So, without further ado, here is my list of the 15 best, most disgusting body horror films.

1. Swallow (2019)

The 2019 film ‘Swallow’ fits into both the drama and horror genres, but for me is a brilliantly subtle body horror film. The film features Haley Bennett as Hunter Conrad, a young woman from a working class family who marries a wealthy and successful businessman. Finding herself stifled and trapped in a lonely marriage, with little to do except busy herself around her husband’s opulent home, Haley soon develops pica; a compulsion to eat inedible objects. What ‘Swallow’ lacks in visceral gore, it makes up for in psychological tension and, simply put, some incredibly difficult to watch scenes.

2. Society (1989)

1989 cult classic body horror film ‘Society’ is both hilarious and disgusting, and a must watch for any fan of the sub-genre. When teenager Bill Whitney suspects that his high-society family is engaging in disturbing, cult-like behaviours, he decides to investigate; and what he discovers is that the rich do indeed ‘feed off the poor.’ ‘Society’ is the directorial debut of body horror legend Brian Yuzna, and is a fantastic blend of stomach-churning practical effects and on the nose satire.

3. Starry Eyes (2014)

2014 body horror ‘Starry Eyes’ follows aspiring actress Sarah Walker, a young woman trapped in a dead-end job who is offered a role by a sketchy production company called Astraeus Pictures. Things go quickly downhill for Sarah as she soon learns that her new role requires her to undergo an alarmingly gruesome bodily transformation. ‘Starry Eyes’ is one of the more disturbing films on this list, and is an incredibly underrated masterpiece that I would recommend to any fan of the subgenre.

4. Antiviral (2012)

Anyone who enjoys body horror knows that David Cronenberg is a master of the genre, so it is no surprise that his son Brandon Cronenberg appears to follow in his footsteps. 2012 sci-fi horror film ‘Antiviral’ has all the hallmarks of a classic Cronenberg body horror; it is set in a dystopian future where celebrity-obsessed people are able to purchase viruses which have infected their idols and inject them into themselves. Though ‘Antiviral’ is less heavy on the practical effects and adopts more of a murder mystery approach to the subgenre, I think it is a worthy addition to this list because of its unique premise and graphic portrayals of bodily mutilation.

5. The Fly (1986)

No list of the best body horror films would be complete without Cronenberg’s beloved 1986 classic ‘The Fly.’ For those who are unfamiliar, ‘The Fly’ follows Jeff Goldblum as Seth Brundle, a scientist who has just invented a teleportation device. When attempting to teleport himself from one pod to the other, unbeknownst to Brundle a fly gets caught in the pod with him, and a stomach-churning transformation ensues. For me, ‘The Fly’ is Cronenberg at his best; it is the perfect blend of science fiction and body horror, and the deterioration and transformation of Seth Brundle over the course of the film is horrifyingly convincing, even to the most seasoned horror fan.

6. Taxidermia (2004)

2004 film ‘Taxidermia’ by Hungarian director György Pálfi can best be described as a surrealist black comedy body horror, and is certainly one of the strangest films I have ever watched. ‘Taxidermia’ follows three generations of Hungarian men; one is a sexually repressed orderly who engages in gross fantasies, one is an obese speed-eater, and another is a taxidermist. I have little else to say about ‘Taxidermia’ except that it is at once funny, revolting, and unusually intelligent. If you have a strong stomach and are looking for a weirder body horror film, then look no further.

7. May (2002)

‘May’ is a quirky psychological body horror film that follows the life of loner May Canady, a vet’s assistant whose only friend is a doll called Suzie. As May starts engaging in relationships with other people, her mental state deteriorates and she develops an obsession with the body parts of those around her. Directed by Lucky McKee in his directorial debut, ‘May’ certainly deserves its reputation as a cult classic horror film, and is an excellent example of how diverse and interesting the body horror subgenre can be.

8. Dans Ma Peau (2002)

The 2002 French extremity film ‘Dans Ma Peau’ may not be as spoken about as ‘Martyrs,’ but deserves more appreciation for its gritty and nuanced portrayal of some of the darkest aspects of the human psyche. Directed by Marina de Van and known in English as ‘In My Skin’, ‘Dans Ma Peau’ follows successful businesswoman Esther as she struggles with her desire to inflict damage onto her own body. ‘Dans Ma Peau’ stands out as a body horror film that deals with self-mutilation in a stark, unrestrained manner, and is at once grotesque and compelling.

9. Teeth (2007)

Mitchell Litchenstein’s 2007 comedy body horror ‘Teeth’ follows the life of Dawn, a teenager who exercises strict chastity until she engages in sexual relations with her boyfriend Tobey. Through such relations, Dawn discovers that she has vagina dentata; in other words, her vagina has teeth. ‘Teeth’ is perhaps the tamest body horror film on this list, but earns its spot due to its clever entwining of comedy, horror, and sharp social commentary on consent and sexual violence.

10. Naked Lunch (1991)

Where ‘The Fly’ is Cronenberg at his best, 1991 surrealist body horror ‘Naked Lunch’ is Cronenberg at his weirdest and most creative. Bill is a bug killer who gets high on pesticides with his wife, Joan. When Bill accidentally kills Joan, from there the film descends into a surrealist nightmare of bug-like mutations, talking insects, and strange conspiracies. ‘Naked Lunch’ is my personal favourite Cronenberg film, and I would recommend it to any fan of body horror for its pure demented, nightmarish nature.

11. Tokyo Gore Police (2008)

‘Tokyo Gore Police’ is a 2008 Japanese action splatter film set in a dystopian near future where a virus has been created which transforms humans into grotesque beasts called ‘Engineers,’ creatures which are hunted down by the Tokyo Police Force. Directed by Yoshihiro Nishimura, who has produced fantastic special effects makeup for a variety of Japanese horror films including ‘Suicide Club’, ‘Tokyo Gore Police’ is a showcase of over the top gore and bizarre bodily mutations. Put simply, it is one of the most excessively disgusting body horror films I have ever watched.

12. The Neon Demon (2016)

2016 psychological body horror film ‘The Neon Demon’ is perhaps the most mainstream pick on this list; starring Elle Fanning as aspiring young model Jesse, this visually striking film follows Jesse’s struggle to contend with her jealous peers who wish to consume and steal her beauty. Also featuring the fantastic Jena Malone, ‘The Neon Demon’ is a hallucinatory, nightmarish investigation into the twisted modelling industry. Though not particularly gory, ‘The Neon Demon’ is stunning to watch, and contains some deliciously twisted body horror scenes.

13. Carcinoma (2014)

Marian Dora’s little known 2014 body horror film ‘Carcinoma’ documents one man’s experience dealing with colorectal cancer. Having refused treatment, he slowly becomes obsessed with his cancerous tumour, which results in a series of increasingly revolting scenes of physical deterioration involving an excessive amount of faecal matter. ‘Carcinoma’ is the most difficult to watch body horror film I have ever come across, so I would recommend it only to viewers with an incredibly strong stomach. That said, for fans of extreme body horror, Marian Dora’s films are the way to go.

14. Slither (2006)

2006 black comedy ‘Slither’ borrows from 80s b-movie conventions to deliver a simultaneously hilarious and disgusting body horror film that is, like ‘Society’ and ‘The Fly’, a must watch for any fan of the subgenre. ‘Slither’ chronicles the arrival of an evil parasite into a small town in America, where the parasite infects and transforms the bodies of its inhabitants. Goofy, gross, and over the top, ‘Slither’ is an incredibly enjoyable sci-fi body horror film with plenty of fun practical effects.

15. Raw (2016)

Rounding off this list of the best body horror films is Julia Ducournau’s fantastic feature film debut ‘Raw’, a French coming of age body horror which follows strict vegetarian Justine, a young woman who undergoes disturbing changes when she gets her first taste of meat at veterinary school. I really struggled to pick between ending this list with ‘Raw’ and Ducournau’s newest film ‘Titane’, as I consider them both to be among the best body horror films of all time. However, I chose ‘Raw’ for the embarrassingly sentimental reason that it was the film which sparked my love for the body horror subgenre. With an excellent soundtrack, gorgeous cinematography, and graphic scenes of bodily mutilation and transformation, ‘Raw’ is a film that I cannot recommend enough.

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