Nothing goes harder than a good horror movie, but we want more than jump scares, SFX, and creepy music. The best horror has real meaning behind it. The latest body horror to drop in 2024 is “The Substance” and its trailer implies a narrative that hits extremely close to home for many of us. Taking society’s fears and making them even more gruesome is what takes body horror to the next level; because what’s scarier than reality?
The Substance (2024)
2024’s latest body horror movie, “The Substance” directed by Coralie Fargeat, is inspired by the nightmare of womanhood. After a lab offers its protagonist a substance that promises to reverse ageing, things take a turn for the gruesome in a way that’s supposed to both horrify and resonate with us.
Alien (1979)
We all know the infamous scene in “Alien” when the creature bursts out of Kane’s chest, but did you know that it was actually inspired by the movie’s writer Dan O’Bannon’s experience with Crohn’s disease? As he said himself: “the digestion process felt like something bubbling inside of me struggling to get out.”
Helter Skelter (2012)
Playing on the horrors of the rise in botched cosmetic surgeries in the beauty industry, this Japanese movie inspired by a manga is about a celebrity whose complicated cosmetic surgeries mean that she rots from the inside out.
Teeth (2007)
Mitchell Lichtenstein’s 2008 movie, “Teeth” is a lesson in consent that takes body horror to another level. The concept brings to life the myth of vagina dentata and is highly symbolic of its protagonist reclaiming power over her body as a reaction to sexual violence against her.
Dumplings (2004)
This Hong Kong horror film, directed by Fruit Chan, is one of the more disturbing on our list. Making a provocative statement on abortion, the movie follows Aunt Mei, a woman who makes dumplings for a living. Plot twist: the secret ingredient is unborn foetuses from a local abortion clinic.
Society (1989)
This 1989 movie was way ahead of its time with its portrayal of body horror. Following the story of a teen whose parents come home to find a horrifying party underway, the movie is actually a portrayal of how the rich exploit the poor. Yes, that’s scarier than a hand coming out your mouth.
Possession (1981)
In terms of grotesque visuals, “Possession” might be one of the tamer movies on this list, but in regards to its meaning, it’s pretty harrowing. Commenting on the horror and violence of divorce, the movie follows its protagonist’s Anna’s descent into madness as her marriage deteriorates.
Featured image via Mubi©
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