When it comes to its genre, the 2019 film Swallow serves as a psychological thriller. As its lead character develops an obsession with consuming inedible and lethal objects, there is an underlying theme of body horror too.
Back in the '70s and '80s, body horror flicks relied on highly graphic imagery and special effects to showcase terror, but now the trend is changing. In modern horror, atmospheric tension can arise from the human body even with psychological elements. Fans who appreciate Swallow's approach to showcasing a lonely woman's self-destruction can find plenty of other films that operate in similar veins.
Content Warning: Mentions of violence and eating disorders.
Slither (2006) - Available On Prime Video
Slither is essentially a throwback to grotesque classic body horror films as it revolves around an alien parasite that infects a sleepy town in South Carolina. The central character is Grant Grant, a wealthy businessman who shares an uneven relationship with his wife, Starla. Eventually, the parasite (while using Grant as a host) falls for Starla and even cares for her, arousing the latter's suspicions.
Even though the scale and threat in Slither are vastly different from Swallow, the emphasis on marriage and its disintegration is crucial in both films. Even in Swallow, the protagonist Hunter Conrad develops her eccentric consumption habits after feeling isolated and distanced from her husband.
Possessor (2020) - Available On Hulu
One of the most acclaimed horror movies of 2020, Possessor is set in a world where assassins can take control of other's bodies to execute their missions. Carrying out repeated hits like this, one such assassin starts getting detached from her own identity leading to chaos.
Possessor makes for an interesting watch for those who enjoyed Swallow chiefly for how both films subverted the genre of body horror, adding a New Age aspect to it. Psychological thrills play an integral role in both films, overcoming the influence of violence and jump scares.
Hunger Point (2003) - Available On DirecTV
Hunger Point is a Lifetime original TV movie that delves into the toxic notions of the "perfect female figure." When a middle-aged woman wishes for her daughters to have a slender body, she forces them to undergo extreme diets. She tests their limits to the extent that one daughter ends up having an eating disorder while the other falls into a web of self-harm.
In Swallow, Hunter's condition is self-imposed but the obsession and self-destruction that the character goes through matches that of both the mother and the daughters in Hunger Point. Hence, this underrated Lifetime production is thematically similar to Swallow.
Raw (2016) - Available On Tubi TV
A coming-of-age horror drama movie, Raw covers a young veterinarian student's descent towards destruction after a change in her dietary habits. Even though the student is introduced as a dedicated vegetarian, a taste of meat changes her entire life as she develops a toxic fascination for flesh.
Both Raw and Swallow essentially cover similar concepts of dietary obsession. For Swallow's Hunter, an object like a marble serves as a trigger while Raw's Justine kicks off her addiction with a rabbit kidney. None of the films offer any straightforward answers and present characters that are rooted in reality.
Taxidermia (2006) - Available On Here TV
Taxidermia is a surrealist take on the body horror genre with a dash of satire and socio-political commentary. The film deals with three generations of Hungarian men. One falls prey to his hallucinations and engages in bestiality while his son's aspirations to be a speed-eater takes a toll on his body. The last in a bloodline is a taxidermist who is so obsessed with his art that his own body becomes a subject.
The dark comedy is definitely not an easy watch but genre fans might have a good time. The running theme of obsession, eating, and self-harm also run akin to the ideas behind a film like Swallow.
Thinner (1996) - Available On Paramount+
One of the many movies based on Stephen King's books, Thinner is about a lawyer who is cursed with weight loss. While the protagonist is delighted initially, he must find a cure before he fades out of existence.
Thinner's blend of horror and comedy makes for a bleak Stephen King adaptation. The premise also goes on to act as a satire on weight loss and health fads. In the end, the moral is basically how too much of something can prove to be dangerous. In Swallow, the situation can be contrasted with Hunter's eating tendencies. While the lead in Thinner struggles to preserve his body, Hunter is busy destroying her own.
The Skin I Live In (2011) - Available On HBO Max
While body horror films have dealt with self-destructive obsessions, this classic Pedro Almodovar movie focuses on how one can be obsessed with other's bodies. A clinical thriller, the storyline features an unstable plastic surgeon who uses an ominous woman as his lab rat. The purpose of his experiment is to create an indestructible human skin, a quest that affects both characters to lethal levels.
Just like Swallow, The Skin I Live In is a realistic take on the toxic fascination people can have with bodies (be it theirs or others). In the former film, Hunter knows that her constant eating would harm her, and similarly, the latter's Vera Cruz is well-aware of how she's being used by the surgeon. Yet both women find themselves caught up in their mental trappings.
In My Skin (2018) - Available On Hulu
Esther is a woman with a seemingly perfect life on the surface. But it all changes with a minor leg injury. Fascinated with the blood on her own flesh, she goes down a spiral of self-mutilation. The physical and mental turmoil she goes through is both artistic and haunting at the same time.
This premise does bear resemblances to Swallow barring the personalities of their lead characters. The fatal addiction to self-harm is still common and adds a realistically disturbing twist to the body-centric subculture of horror and thrillers.
Eating Raoul (1982) - Available On Criterion Channel
At the center of Eating Raoul's story is a middle-aged couple who devise a scheme to draw in swingers and kill them. The couple takes their victims' money while their acquaintance Raoul disposes of the bodies. Trouble ensues when Raoul sells the bodies to dog food companies. What follows is a downward spiral of adultery, violence, and cannibalism.
Fans of Swallow would have certain similar elements to marvel at, including an unstable marriage and unconventional eating practices. For Swallow's lead character, consuming inedible objects doesn't seem to be a big deal. A similar case arises in the "delicious" cannibal movie's third act when eating human flesh becomes quite normal for the couple's guests.
Ravening (2019) - Available On MovieSaints
Aamis, aka Ravening, is an Indian film in the Assamese language that depicts an unconventional romance with dietary habits as a major plot point. Just like Raw, the film deals with a vegetarian doctor who shares a relationship with a young student fascinated with the meat-eating habits in different cultures. Even though their bond is not sexual, their love is rooted in eating meat together.
It's fascinating to see how the vegetarian evolves into a flesh-craving lover, transforming romance into obsession. Ravening's unique take on human relationships and obsession is bound to impress those who enjoyed Swallow.