With David Cronenberg returning to his roots with the upcoming body horror movie Crimes of the Future, it's fascinating to look back at the subgenre he helped pioneer. Body horror takes something everyone can relate to (physical health, appearance, etc.), and gets scares from disturbing transformations of human flesh.
Given just how terrifying human bodies can be, it's perhaps no surprise that this subgenre has spawned plenty of classics, whether directed by Cronenberg or not. These films are definitely not for the faint of heart, but they all offer a chilling experience that will leave audiences both entertained and squirming in their seats.
The Skin I Live In (2011)
Pedro Almodóvar is best known for his signature combination of melodrama and pitch-black comedy, a style that has led to some of Spain's best movies. He's also a surprisingly diverse filmmaker, and The Skin I Live In offers fans a look at what he can do in an unexpected genre.
While a horror-thriller might seem to be out of Almodóvar's wheelhouse, its plot, about a young woman who goes to see a mysterious plastic surgeon only to get caught up in his gruesome experiments, is packed with the kind of drama he made his name on. Antonio Banderas and Elena Anaya give great performances, and the plot twists are so over-the-top that they rival the greatest soap operas.
Possessor (2020)
With David Cronenberg's son Brandon now a filmmaker in his own right, it's clear that the apple doesn't fall from the tree. Brandon's sophomore feature Possessor plays like a loving tribute to his father's work, a psychological sci-fi horror flick with boatloads of nightmarish, disgusting gore that would make even dear old dad blush.
Another thing that makes Possessor so memorable is its horrific vision of a near-future that's low-key enough to not feel unrealistic. A shadowy organization taking over people's minds to use them to commit brutal assassinations is just the right premise to inspire unease and paranoia even in the most skeptical viewer.
The Brood (1979)
The story of a psychotherapist who makes his patient literally give birth to her inner demons, The Brood is a tale of the troubles of mental illness and parenthood that only David Cronenberg could tell. Despite controversy over the gore, the film was well-received by critics, and its reputation has only gotten better with age.
Featuring a solid cast led by Oliver Reed, the film not only has good scares, but human drama as well, with Nola and Frank's custody battle being just as engaging as the mutant children plot. Although Cronenberg had been working for years before he made The Brood, it was the film where he truly hit his stride, kicking off his career's '80s golden age.
Re-Animator (1985)
H.P. Lovecraft probably never imagined that his stories could be played for laughs, but Re-Animator may be one of the best movies based on any of his works. Following medical student Dan Cain and his eccentric classmate Herbert West as they use a serum to revive dead bodies, the film is a cult classic with some of the most shocking body horror imaginable.
A horror comedy that still understands the horror part of the equation, Re-Animator perfectly blends spectacular gore and subtle deadpan humor in a way that complements rather than clashes with each other. Jeffrey Combs is also having a blast playing West as an amoral but oddly charming character, and his performance has made him an icon in horror circles.
Akira (1988)
Katsuhiro Otomo's Akira is widely regarded as one of the best anime movies of all time, an imaginative sci-fi story that helped make anime a worldwide phenomenon. While the film's dystopian future often gets the most attention from critics and fans, its body horror elements are just as frightening and make for some striking imagery.
Tetsuo's powers set him up as becoming a god-like figure, but his mutation in the climax is utterly horrifying, turning him into a gory mass akin to a giant tumor. Beyond being disturbing, it's also an effective bait-and-switch, showing how extraordinary power can easily get out of hand, and earning Tetsuo sympathy after all the destruction he's caused.
Split (2017)
M. Night Shyamalan's filmography is certainly hit-or-miss, but Split once again proved that he is a capable director with an eye for what scares his audience. The film was a big hit with critics and audiences, with the highlight being James McAvoy's performances as Kevin Wendell Crumb, one of the more unique supervillains to come in the past decade.
One of the best parts of Split is how it combines Kevin's transformation into the Beast and Casey's kidnapping plot. Either one would be creepy on its own, but being trapped by someone going through a grotesque transformation, that is dangerous not only to him but anyone around him, is prime nightmare fuel for anyone with a fear of isolation.
Videodrome (1983)
When a small-time cable CEO picks up a mysterious signal broadcasting snuff films, things are bound to get nasty, and Videodrome plays that premise for maximum horror and surrealism. Cronenberg's first Hollywood outing may have been a box office flop, but it quickly earned a devoted following for being an intelligent satire on top of a dark, gory horror film.
Videodrome may be a product of the '80s, with UHF stations now a thing of the past, but in many ways, it predicted the darker side of the internet age. Protagonist Max Renn lives in a world where screens appear to be the primary method of communication, and his hallucinations evoke the idea that overuse of them can lead one to lose touch with reality.
Get Out (2017)
A spectacular directorial debut from an unexpected auteur, Jordan Peele's Get Out was an runaway success that instantly cemented the director's reputation as a master of suspense as well as comedy. It's an intensely psychological horror experience, dealing with readily relatable themes that are good for both visceral scares and awkward laughs.
Much has been made of the film's pointed social commentary about race relations, but its body horror elements are equally terrifying, and the two make for a powerful combination. Chris's journey makes it clear that the ugly side of American history can be found even in seemingly safe places, and that it can destroy someone mentally, emotionally, and physically, with the Armitage's plot tapping into all three.
The Thing (1982)
David Cronenberg may be the king of body horror, but that isn't to say he has a monopoly on the genre, and John Carpenter's The Thing gives even the king a run for his money. A masterpiece unappreciated in its time, The Thing brilliantly uses claustrophobia and paranoia to keep the audience guessing who's next to mutate, and who's next to get killed.
The creature and gore effects by Rob Bottin are top-notch, being both disgustingly gory and fascinating to look at, but the true highlight of the film is its cast of characters, led by Kurt Russell's sardonic pilot Mac. Everybody in the movie is quite likable, and even when tensions between them are high, it's still easy to root for them to make it out alive, giving the movie a suspense that so many of its imitators lack.
The Fly (1986)
While all of Cronenberg's body horror films are worth watching for fans of the genre, The Fly might be the perfect one to introduce to a newcomer. A remake of the 1958 film of the same name, the movie tells the story of Seth Brundle, an eccentric scientist who accidentally fuses his DNA with that of a fly, sending him down a path toward destruction.
In addition to being an excellent sci-fi horror movie with inventive effects work, The Fly is also a heartfelt love story and character study, with both Brundle and his love interest Ronnie being immensely sympathetic characters who are easy to like. Jeff Goldblum in particular does a lot of dramatic heavy lifting, with performance making Seth's transformation all the more heartbreaking.