Body horror, also called biological horror, is a type of horror story that shows very disturbing or unpleasant changes to the human body or other living creatures. These changes can include unusual or disturbing sexual content, strange physical changes, injuries, turning into zombies, excessive violence, sickness, or body movements that seem unnatural. This type of horror was first used to describe a new kind of horror movies in North America, but it has been around since earlier in stories called Gothic literature. Over time, body horror has been used in many different forms of media, not just movies.
Characteristics
Body horror is a type of horror that focuses on how the human body can change and its limits. It is similar to other horror genres, but it has unique features. For example, while body horror may include scenes of harm to the body, other horror types like slasher, splatter, or monster horror might also show similar scenes. However, these genres often have different messages and goals. A key difference in body horror is that changes to the body are usually not caused by sudden violence. Instead, they often happen slowly through things like disease, mutation, or other processes that take time. This genre can cause strong feelings of disgust and highlight fears about the body's vulnerability. In addition to common horror themes, body horror often uses specific ideas such as invasion, infection, mutation, transformation, disease, harm, or other unnatural changes to the body. Some body horror movies, like Crimes of the Future and Titane, are sometimes compared to erotic horror.
History
The term "Body-horror" was first used by Phillip Brophy in his 1983 article titled "Horrality: The Textuality of the Contemporary Horror Film." He created this term to describe a new type of horror that appeared during a short time when horror films were especially popular. Although Brophy introduced the term to describe a trend in movies, filmmaker Stuart Gordon noted that the idea of body horror existed earlier in written stories.
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1818) is an early example of body horror in literature. The popularity of gothic horror in the 19th century, along with the rise of science fiction, helped create body horror as a literary genre. According to Halberstam, Shelley’s novel shows how people (or their bodies) can be a source of fear, shifting the focus from scary landscapes to the physical form.
Harlan Ellison’s short story I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream (1967) includes body horror themes. The story describes extreme harm to the body, forced changes, and the loss of control, highlighting the unnatural treatment of the human body.
Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis is another early example of body horror in literature. It tells the story of Gregor Samsa, who suddenly turns into a large insect for unknown reasons. This work influenced later body horror stories, such as The Fly.
The Quatermass Xperiment (1955) is considered the first body horror film. Canadian filmmaker David Cronenberg is known for creating body horror through early films like Shivers and Rabid, as well as his remake of The Fly.
Body horror themes appeared in films before the genre was widely recognized. In the 1950s, American horror films like The Blob and The Fly helped shape the genre by focusing on body changes and special effects that looked very real. Many horror films made after 1968, including body horror films, are considered postmodern, meaning they mix ideas and blur the lines between different types of stories.
Body horror is common in Japanese horror and modern media, such as anime. Katsuhiro Otomo’s 1988 film Akira is an early example of body horror in anime. The film uses the genre to explore how the teenage body can change in ways that feel strange or monstrous to both the person changing and others.
In 2025, The Substance made history by being nominated in five categories at the 97th Academy Awards, including Best Picture, becoming the first body horror film to receive such recognition.
Many manga writers, such as Hideshi Hino, use body horror in their stories, combining it with storytelling techniques from Japanese horror. Junji Ito’s manga is influenced by the works of H. P. Lovecraft and uses body horror to create feelings of deep fear. In contrast, Canadian cartoonist Michael DeForge includes body horror themes in his work but uses less graphic visuals and storytelling styles.
Controversy and censorship
Since the 18th century, the horror genre has been enjoyed by many readers, but some critics have considered it controversial because they believe its themes could be harmful or unsettling to society. Horror media that include body horror, which often show graphic violence or deal with sensitive topics, are frequently banned or restricted in many countries.