The 20 Best Body Horror Movies, from ‘Crimes of the Future’ to ‘Altered States’

For as long as there have been horror movies, there has been body horror — and it’s not hard to see why the subgenre is unlikely to ever go out of style. Great horror movies tap into the darkest corners of our subconscious minds to poke at our deepest fears, and few emotions are more human than the fear of bodily harm. The human tendency to identify with our own bodies is so strong that watching transformations and mutilations can evoke the feeling that characters are being stripped of their very humanity. 

While early filmmakers explored these themes in projects like “Invasion of the Body Snatchers,” the second half of the 20th century saw body horror elevated to the level of high art. Nobody deserves more credit for that shift in public perception than David Cronenberg, whose films like “Videodrome” and “The Fly” contained as much scientific and social commentary as blood and guts. It wasn’t long before other auteurs including David Lynch and John Carpenter were using their knack for the visual oddities of body horror to comment on everything from parenthood to the AIDS crisis. 

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The 21st century has allowed for a new group of elite genre filmmakers to emerge, and body horror films are now a regular presence at elite film festivals around the world. In addition to the opportunities for social commentary that they provide, body horror films also offer a massive canvas for practical effects artists to show off their depraved skills. 

The body horror genre has proven to be a versatile medium for some of cinema’s most creative minds, with films ranging from the utterly grotesque to the subtle and cerebral. And sometimes, of course, movies can be both things at once. From Cronenberg and Carpenter to Julia Ducournau, we’ve rounded up 20 of our favorite additions to one of horror’s grossest subgenres. If you’re looking to watch something profoundly unsettling but don’t feel like sitting through another slasher flick or creature feature, look no further than the body horror canon. 

With editorial contributions from Kate Erbland, Anne Thompson, Jude Dry, Chris O’Falt, Tambay Obenson, and Zack Sharf.

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