darchildre | (no subject)

This morning, I have been poking around the internet, looking for recommendations of body horror. This is difficult, because I am picky and also because it is difficult for me to describe what I want. Or, well, what I want is something that will make me feel the way I did when I first watched Videodrome, and that's difficult to articulate properly. Probably, I should just watch Videodrome again.

Looking for body horror is also difficult because the internet is all "What you want is Clive Barker" and, y'know, I keep trying to read Clive Barker because yes, I liked Hellraiser and when his books are described to me, I like the ideas in them, but man, I just don't like Clive Barker stories. Or, more likely, his characters. I have never finished a single book by Clive Barker. It keeps me up nights, truly, because I want to like Clive Barker (and Ramsey Campbell, whom I have similar problems with) and I just can't.

Alas.

Also. The looking-for-body-horror thing has apparently sparked my periodic obsessive desire to read horror scholarship. This time, instead of going my normal route of putting in ILL requests and then never finishing the books because I run out of time, I have purchased things from amazon. So that's exciting.

Anyone have any recommendations of body horror that isn't Clive Barker?

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Well. I really enjoyed Black Swan, which *would* fall into the body horror category I suppose. More of a subtle thing though. I haven't seen Videodrome, so unfortunately I can't compare.

I've really enjoyed the trailers I've seen for Black Swan. Alas, it apparently doesn't open here till December, but I'm looking forward to seeing it when it does.

*nods*

See below.

P.S.: I should add that I saw it at a film festival and it's apparently not out yet. Erhm.

Ooooh, I've just remembered: I don't know whether you read manga, but there's Homunculus, which I love. Avoid the chapter summaries on Wikipedia and just give the first volume a read. :)

Nifty - thank you!

Seconded, that is good stuff. If you need help finding it let me know.

mm.. whatcha mean by 'body horror'? (just to see if i'm on the same page or not). And are you just rally looking for books or are movies open for suggestion too? I will happily ponder some once i know what body horror means (to you). :D

This is probably a good description of what I mean by the term. I guess, a work in which the horror is derived from the body's change or betrayal. Does that make sense?

And I am open to all media. 8)

Huh, cool. Didn't know that was a defined genre! Let's see how well i do!
Books:
Dreamcatcher by Stephen King (the movie is ok, but doesn't give the same level of ..body turmoil)
Haunted by Chuck Palahniuk (mm..i cannot be sure this is a "horror" book..is very much a book that haunts you and much WTF?!)
The Fungus by Harry Adam Knight (have this as a .txt file, not sure how findable the book is. People turn into mushrooms. I hate mushrooms. Very creepy, bleh)
Andromeda strain by Michael Crichton (prolly more ~creepy~ than OMG HORROR)(but i'm thinking most body horror is sometimes..the subtle that gets you?..)
Doing the Circuit - Alexander Jablokov. (people are super work out freaks, 2 words. Muscled Irises. Like in your eyes, ew!)
The Chrysalids - John Wyndham (nuclear holocaust + bible thumping + xmen = this book)
Stephen King's Danse Macabre actually talks about various horror movies/books and may give you more leads to research!

Movies:
Hills have eyes (1 & 2)
Gingersnaps (1,2,3)
Slither
~thinks~
Mr. Brooks (? kinda more mental health part of the body..)
Quarantine
Oh oh! what's the movie.. guy's arm turns into a tentacle arm..?? Shit is that a video game? gah. (will have to wait & see if hubs can help me remember)
mm..then mostly i'm stuck thinking of zombie movies, which sorta count, but i'm figuring not really what you're looking for.

aha! hubs for the rescue.. District 9 (has the tentacle arm guy).
his additions:
The Fly
Idle Hands
Hellraiser series (the cynobites used to be people.. i guess..)? and who doesn't like a movie with pinhead in it? :D