Dark Lens | Monsters in the Mirror: Exploring Body Horror

A brief summary with suggested consumption

Dark Lens is a series of editorials on all things horror, sci-fi, and beyond.

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Let's dive into the world of body horror, where flesh becomes freaky and bodies turn into nightmare fuel. From crawling parasites to oozing sores, body horror flips the script on what we think we know about ourselves.

So where did this disturbing genre come from? Well, it's got roots in classic literature—Edgar Allan Poe and his tales of decay, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, and H.P. Lovecraft's cosmic horrors. But it really hit its stride in movies, thanks to folks like David Cronenberg and his knack for making us squirm. With films like Videodrome and The Fly, Cronenberg took his medical know-how and turned it into disturbing cinema.

But body horror isn't just about grossing us out. Take Shivers and eXistenZ, for example. They're not just about gooey guts; they're about our fear of technology invading our bodies. Invasion of the Body Snatchers? That's all about the dread of losing ourselves to the crowd. Even Rabid taps into our fears of diseases spreading like wildfire.

Body horror isn't one-size-fits-all, however. There's the germ warfare angle like in Cabin Fever, playing on our terror of catching something deadly. Then there's the mind-bending stuff, like Tetsuo: The Iron Man and Society, where body mods lead to terrible consequences. And let's not forget about the biological freak-outs where mutants run amok, in movies like Species and The Blob.

But why does body horror, quite literally, get under our skin? Maybe it’s a reality check for our bodies. It forces us to face the fact that we're not invincible, that we're fragile sacks of meat and bones. In a world where we're obsessed with looking perfect and staying in control, body horror reminds us that we’re still just squishy, messy humans.

And finally, body horror is a warning. It shows us what we’re capable of when we take things too far. So, as long as we keep pushing the boundaries of science, and grappling with what it means to be human, you can bet body horror will be waiting just under the surface.

Suggested Consumption:

Videodrome (1983): Directed by David Cronenberg, this film explores the blurring lines between technology and the body, with a heavy dose of body horror imagery.

The Thing (1982): John Carpenter's classic film is a masterclass in paranoia and suspense, with a shapeshifting alien terror at the center of the story.

Society (1989): This cult classic is a bizarre and disturbing exploration of class warfare and body horror, with some truly unforgettable imagery.

The Fly (1986): David Cronenberg's bold reinvention of the classic science-experiment-gone-wrong brought special effects to new heights.

Re-Animator (1985): Stuart Gordon’s over-the-top take on H.P. Lovecraft is equal parts ridiculous and squirm-inducing. He followed it up the next year with From Beyond, which itself just narrowly missed going on this list.

Tetsuo: The Iron Man (1989): This Japanese cyberpunk film is a visually stunning and disturbing exploration of body modification and transhumanism.

Cabin Fever (2002): A group of friends on a weekend getaway are infected by a flesh-eating virus in this gory and suspenseful film.

The Blob (1988): This remake of the 1958 film is a campy and fun take on the body horror genre, with a giant, amoeba-like creature consuming everything in its path.

Possession (1981): This Andrzej Zulawski film is a surreal and disturbing exploration of love, marriage, and body horror, with some truly bizarre and unforgettable imagery.

Frankenstein (1818) by Mary Shelley: The classic story of a scientist who creates a monster from body parts, exploring themes of creation, responsibility, and the nature of humanity.

The Metamorphosis (1915) by Franz Kafka: This novella tells the story of a man who wakes up one morning to find himself transformed into a giant insect, exploring themes of alienation, isolation, and the human condition.

Naked Lunch (1959) by William S. Burroughs: This cut-up novel is a surreal and disturbing exploration of addiction, language, and the body, with plenty of body horror elements.

What’s your favorite body horror in media? Let me know in the comments.