Body horror  

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-[[Image:Heliades's metamorphosis into a tree.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[Heliades]]' metamorphosis into a [[tree]]. [[Metamorphosis]] is a common [[horror|horror trope]].]]+{| class="toccolours" style="float: left; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 2em; font-size: 85%; background:#c6dbf7; color:black; width:30em; max-width: 40%;" cellspacing="5"
 +| style="text-align: left;" |
 +"[[Death to Videodrome! Long live the new flesh!]]" --''Videodrome''
 +<hr>
 +"Are you eatin' it...or is ''it'' eatin' ''you''?" --''[[The Stuff]]''
 +|}
 + 
{{Template}} {{Template}}
'''Body horror''', '''biological horror''', '''organic horror''' or '''venereal horror''' is [[horror fiction]] in which the horror is principally derived from the graphic destruction or degeneration of the body. '''Body horror''', '''biological horror''', '''organic horror''' or '''venereal horror''' is [[horror fiction]] in which the horror is principally derived from the graphic destruction or degeneration of the body.
-The term is applied to works of [[horror fiction]] in which the horror is principally derived from a sense of physical "wrongness" with the body. Body horror mainly focuses upon radical [[shapeshifting|physical transformations]], bodily degeneration, mutant births, and the invasion/violation of the body by a disease or foreign organisms. Works of body horror integrate the [[psychological horror]] of one's body undergoing disturbing and irreversible changes with grotesque and [[shock value|shocking]] [[image]]ry. Frequently body horror is allegorical. ''[[The Fly (1986)|The Fly]]'' has been said to have been a metaphor for debilitating disease and the ravages of old age upon the mind and body. ''[[Rosemary's Baby (film)|Rosemary's Baby]]'' certainly draws from fears of rape and [[birth defects]].+The term is applied to works of [[horror fiction]] in which the horror is principally derived from a sense of physical "wrongness" with the body. Body horror mainly focuses upon radical [[shapeshifting|physical transformations]], bodily degeneration, [[mutant]] births, and the invasion/violation of the body by a disease or foreign organisms. Works of body horror integrate the [[psychological horror]] of one's body undergoing disturbing and irreversible changes with grotesque and [[shock value|shocking]] [[image]]ry. Frequently body horror is allegorical. ''[[The Fly (1986)|The Fly]]'' has been said to have been a metaphor for debilitating disease and the ravages of old age upon the mind and body. ''[[Rosemary's Baby (film)|Rosemary's Baby]]'' certainly draws from fears of rape and [[birth defects]].
In horror literature, body horror can be found in many of the works of [[Clive Barker]] and [[William S Burroughs]]. Comic books and graphic novels are no strangers to body horror either, with one of the best examples being ''[[Black Hole (comics)|Black Hole]]''. In the [[horror film]]s, [[David Cronenberg]] is largely attributed as introducing the concept to mainstream audiences. Other seminal examples of body horror movies include [[John Carpenter]]'s ''[[The Thing (film)|The Thing]]'', several films of [[Shinya Tsukamoto]] including ''[[Tetsuo: The Iron Man]]'', and the movie ''[[Alien (film)|Alien]]''. In horror literature, body horror can be found in many of the works of [[Clive Barker]] and [[William S Burroughs]]. Comic books and graphic novels are no strangers to body horror either, with one of the best examples being ''[[Black Hole (comics)|Black Hole]]''. In the [[horror film]]s, [[David Cronenberg]] is largely attributed as introducing the concept to mainstream audiences. Other seminal examples of body horror movies include [[John Carpenter]]'s ''[[The Thing (film)|The Thing]]'', several films of [[Shinya Tsukamoto]] including ''[[Tetsuo: The Iron Man]]'', and the movie ''[[Alien (film)|Alien]]''.
The animated television series ''[[Æon Flux]]'' by [[Peter Chung]] frequently makes use of body horror elements as [[plot device|plot devices]], particularly [[amputation]] and disease. [[Amputation]], body modification and loss of identity are key elements in the semi-cybernetic [[Borg]] from various [[Star Trek]] franchises. The animated television series ''[[Æon Flux]]'' by [[Peter Chung]] frequently makes use of body horror elements as [[plot device|plot devices]], particularly [[amputation]] and disease. [[Amputation]], body modification and loss of identity are key elements in the semi-cybernetic [[Borg]] from various [[Star Trek]] franchises.
 +==In art==
 +* [[Heliades' metamorphosis into a tree from Tableaux du temple des muses|Heliades]]' metamorphosis into a [[tree]], metamorphosis is a common horror trope
== Notable films == == Notable films ==
 +* ''[[The Hands of Orlac]]'' (1924)
*''[[The Quatermass Xperiment]]'' (1955) *''[[The Quatermass Xperiment]]'' (1955)
-*''[[Invasion of the Body Snatchers ]]'' (1956)+* ''[[Invasion of the Body Snatchers]]'' and its remakes, including a [[mockbuster]] (1956, [[Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978 film)|1978]], [[Body Snatchers (1993 film)|1993]], [[The Invasion (film)|2007]], [[Invasion of the Pod People|2007]])
-*''[[Rosemary's Baby (film)|Rosemary's Baby]]'' (1968)+* ''[[Matango]]'' (1963)
-*''[[The Exorcist (film) |The Exorcist]]'' (1973)+* ''[[The Outer Limits (1963 TV series)|The Outer Limits]]'' episode: "[[The Architects of Fear]]." (1963)
-*''[[It's Alive (film)|It's Alive]]'' (1974)+* ''[[Rosemary's Baby]]'' (1968)
-*''[[Shivers (film)|Shivers]]'' (1975)+* ''[[Horrors of Malformed Men]]'' (1969)
-*''[[Eraserhead]]'' (1977)+* ''[[The Exorcist (film) |The Exorcist]]'' (1973)
-*''[[Rabid]]'' (1977)+* ''[[It's Alive (1974 film)|It's Alive]]'' (1974) and its two sequels and remake
-*''[[Demon Seed]]'' (1977)+* ''[[Shivers (film)|Shivers]]'' (1975)
-*''[[The Brood]]'' (1979)+* ''[[Eraserhead]]'' (1977)
-*''[[Alien (film)|Alien]]'' (1979)+* ''[[Rabid]]'' (1977)
-*''[[Altered States]]'' (1980)+* ''[[Demon Seed]]'' (1977)
-*''[[Basket Case (film)|Basket Case]]'' (1982)+* ''[[The Brood]]'' (1979)
-*''[[John Carpenter's The Thing]]'' (1982)+* ''[[Alien (film)|Alien]]'' (1979)
-*''[[Videodrome]]'' (1983)+* ''[[Altered States]]'' (1980)
-*''[[The Stuff]]'' (1985)+ 
 +* ''[[Scanners]]'' and its sequels (1981, [[Scanners II: The New Order|1991]], [[Scanners III: The Takeover|1992]], [[Scanner Cop|1994]], [[Scanners: The Showdown|1995]])
 +* ''[[Possession (1981 film)|Possession]]'' (1981)
 +* ''[[Creepshow]]'' (1982) (segment: The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verill)
 +* ''[[Basket Case (film)|Basket Case]]'' (1982) and its sequels ([[Basket Case 2|1990]], [[Basket Case 3: The Progeny|1992]])
 +* ''[[John Carpenter's The Thing]]'' (1982)
 +* ''[[Videodrome]]'' (1983)
 +* ''[[Bio Booster Armor Guyver]]'' (1984)
 +* ''[[The Stuff]]'' (1985)
*''[[The Fly (1986)|The Fly]]'' (1986) *''[[The Fly (1986)|The Fly]]'' (1986)
-*''[[Dead Ringers (film)|Dead Ringers]]'' (1988)+* ''[[Guinea Pig (film series)]]'' (1986–1991)
-*''[[Tetsuo: The Iron Man]]'' (1988)+* ''[[From Beyond (film)|From Beyond]]'' (1986)
-*''[[Society (film)|Society]]'' (1989)+* ''[[Class of Nuke 'Em High]]'' (1986, [[Class of Nuke 'Em High 2: Subhumanoid Meltdown|1991]], [[Class of Nuke 'Em High 3: The Good, the Bad and the Subhumanoid|1994]])
-*''[[Jacob's Ladder (film)|Jacob's Ladder]]'' (1990)+* ''[[Street Trash]]'' (1987)
-*''[[Body Melt]]'' (1993)+* ''[[Cyclops (1987 film)|Cyclops]]'' (1987)
-*''[[eXistenZ]]'' (1999)+* ''[[Hellraiser]]'' (1987) and its [[Hellraiser (franchise)|franchise]]
-*''[[Dreamcatcher (film)|Dreamcatcher]]'' (2003)+* ''[[Brain Damage (film)|Brain Damage]]'' (1988)
-*''[[Doom (film)|Doom]]'' (2005)+* ''[[Dead Ringers (film)|Dead Ringers]]'' (1988)
-*''[[Slither (film)|Slither]]'' (2006)+* ''[[Society (film)|Society]]'' (1989)
-*''[[Bug (2007 film)|Bug]] (2007)+* ''[[Leviathan (film)|Leviathan]]'' (1989)
 +* ''[[Tetsuo: The Iron Man]]'' (1988) and its sequels (1989, [[Tetsuo II: Body Hammer|1991]], [[Tetsuo: The Bullet Man|2010]])
 +* ''[[Society (film)|Society]]'' (1989)
 +* ''[[Jacob's Ladder (film)|Jacob's Ladder]]'' (1990)
 +* ''[[Braindead (film)]]'' (1992)
 +* ''[[Body Bags (film)|Body Bags]]'' (1993) (segment: Hair)
 +* ''[[Cronos (film)|Cronos]]'' (1993)
 +* ''[[Body Melt]]'' (1993)
 +* ''[[Virus (1999 film)|Virus]]'' (1999)
 +* ''[[eXistenZ]]'' (1999)
 +* ''[[Cabin Fever (2002 film)|Cabin Fever]]'' (2002)
 +* ''[[In My Skin]]'' (2002)
 +* ''[[Dreamcatcher (film)|Dreamcatcher]]'' (2003)
 +* ''[[Doom (film)|Doom]]'' (2005)
 +* ''[[Slither (film)|Slither]]'' (2006)
 +* ''[[Bug (2007 film)|Bug]] (2007)
 +* ''[[Teeth (film)|Teeth]]'' (2007)
 +* ''[[Planet Terror]]'' (2007)
 +* ''[[Bad Biology]]'' (2008)
 +* ''[[Tokyo Gore Police]]'' (2008)
 +* ''[[The Machine Girl]]'' (2008)
 +* ''[[Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead]]'' (2008)
 +* ''[[The Ruins (film)|The Ruins]]'' (2008)
 +* ''[[Grace (film)|Grace]]'' (2009)
 +* ''[[District 9]]'' (2009)
 +* ''[[Thirst (2009 film)|Thirst]]'' (2009)
 +* ''[[Antichrist (film)|Antichrist]]'' (2009)
 +* ''[[Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever]]'' (2009)
 +* ''[[The Human Centipede (First Sequence)]]'' (2009)
 +* ''[[Splice (film)|Splice]]'' (2010)
 +* ''[[Black Swan (film)|Black Swan]]'' (2010)
 +* ''[[Marianne (2011 film)|Marianne]]'' (2011)
 +* ''[[The Human Centipede 2 (Full Sequence)]]'' (2011)
 +* ''[[The Skin I Live In]]'' (2011)
 +* ''[[Tomie Unlimited]]'' (2011)
 +* ''[[Prometheus (film)| Prometheus]]'' (2012)
== Notable persons == == Notable persons ==
-*''[[David Cronenberg]]''+*[[David Cronenberg]]''
-*''[[John Carpenter]]''+*[[John Carpenter]]''
-*''[[Takashi Miike]]''+*[[Takashi Miike]]''
-*''[[Shinya Tsukamoto]]''+*[[Shinya Tsukamoto]]''
-*''[[Clive Barker]]''+*[[Clive Barker]]''
-*''[[William S Burroughs]]''+*[[William S Burroughs]]''
-*''[[Mike Philbin]]''+*[[Peter Chung]]''
-*''[[Peter Chung]]''+*[[Franz Kafka]]''
-*''[[Franz Kafka]]''+*[[Roland Topor]]''
-*''[[Brian Yuzna]]''+
==See also== ==See also==
Line 56: Line 107:
* [[Pod]] * [[Pod]]
* [[The new flesh ]] * [[The new flesh ]]
 +**[[The mad doctor and new flesh plot]]
* [[Sexual horror]] * [[Sexual horror]]
 +* [[Slime]]
-== Reading ==+== References ==
*''The Biology of Horror'' (2002) Jack Morgan *''The Biology of Horror'' (2002) Jack Morgan
- +*"Body Horror" special, Volume 27, number 1 (1986) of ''[[Screen (journal)|Screen]]''.
 +**[[Philip Brophy]], 'Horrality: the textuality of contemporary horror films'
 +**Pete Boss, 'Vile bodies and bad medicine'
 +**Kobena Mercer, 'Monster metaphors: notes on Michael Jackson's Thriller'
 +**[[Barbara Creed]], 'Horror and the monstrous-feminine: an imaginary abjection'
{{GFDL}} {{GFDL}}

Revision as of 23:29, 22 January 2017

"Death to Videodrome! Long live the new flesh!" --Videodrome


"Are you eatin' it...or is it eatin' you?" --The Stuff

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Body horror, biological horror, organic horror or venereal horror is horror fiction in which the horror is principally derived from the graphic destruction or degeneration of the body.

The term is applied to works of horror fiction in which the horror is principally derived from a sense of physical "wrongness" with the body. Body horror mainly focuses upon radical physical transformations, bodily degeneration, mutant births, and the invasion/violation of the body by a disease or foreign organisms. Works of body horror integrate the psychological horror of one's body undergoing disturbing and irreversible changes with grotesque and shocking imagery. Frequently body horror is allegorical. The Fly has been said to have been a metaphor for debilitating disease and the ravages of old age upon the mind and body. Rosemary's Baby certainly draws from fears of rape and birth defects.

In horror literature, body horror can be found in many of the works of Clive Barker and William S Burroughs. Comic books and graphic novels are no strangers to body horror either, with one of the best examples being Black Hole. In the horror films, David Cronenberg is largely attributed as introducing the concept to mainstream audiences. Other seminal examples of body horror movies include John Carpenter's The Thing, several films of Shinya Tsukamoto including Tetsuo: The Iron Man, and the movie Alien.

The animated television series Æon Flux by Peter Chung frequently makes use of body horror elements as plot devices, particularly amputation and disease. Amputation, body modification and loss of identity are key elements in the semi-cybernetic Borg from various Star Trek franchises.

Contents

In art

  • Heliades' metamorphosis into a tree, metamorphosis is a common horror trope

Notable films

Notable persons

See also

References

  • The Biology of Horror (2002) Jack Morgan
  • "Body Horror" special, Volume 27, number 1 (1986) of Screen.
    • Philip Brophy, 'Horrality: the textuality of contemporary horror films'
    • Pete Boss, 'Vile bodies and bad medicine'
    • Kobena Mercer, 'Monster metaphors: notes on Michael Jackson's Thriller'
    • Barbara Creed, 'Horror and the monstrous-feminine: an imaginary abjection'




Unless indicated otherwise, the text in this article is either based on Wikipedia article "Body horror" or another language Wikipedia page thereof used under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License; or on research by Jahsonic and friends. See Art and Popular Culture's copyright notice.

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