5 Disturbing Body Horror Movies To Stream On Prime Video Now

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For fans of body horror, here are five unsettling movies currently available on Prime Video. Films by David Cronenberg, such as The Fly and Videodrome, are often seen as the first examples of this subgenre, which usually features characters experiencing frightening and unnatural physical transformations.

As a critic, I’ve seen body horror run the gamut, from the darkly funny, like in classics such as John Carpenter’s The Thing, to the genuinely unsettling, as we’ve recently witnessed in the brilliant The Substance. What I find consistently compelling about this subgenre, even when it’s pushing boundaries with gore or discomfort, is that it often grapples with really big ideas and forces us to confront challenging questions about what it means to be human.

David Cronenberg’s horror films always offer a deeper message, like Videodrome‘s thoughts on technology’s future and Existenz‘s surprisingly accurate prediction of video games and virtual reality. The most effective horror uses the genre to represent something else entirely, and thankfully, there are some excellent examples available to stream on Prime right now.

Rabid (1977)

No list of body horror films would be complete without a David Cronenberg movie. Rabid, only his second film, tells the story of Rose (Marilyn Chambers), a woman who receives an experimental treatment following a terrible accident.

As a result, she develops a stinger under her arm, requiring human blood to stay alive. Rabid is a bit rough around the edges, made with a smaller budget and representing David Cronenberg’s early work as a director, but even after almost 50 years, it remains a surprisingly unsettling and valuable film.

This film is a definite improvement over David Cronenberg’s first movie, ‘Shivers,’ and it fully embraces the zombie genre by the finale. Although the main male character isn’t very compelling, actress Lynn Chambers delivers a strong performance as Rose, and it’s easy to feel sorry for her, even as her actions lead to widespread disaster.

Xtro (1983)

After the success of Ridley Scott’s 1979 film Alien, many low-budget copies appeared, but Xtro stands out as particularly disturbing. It’s essentially a horror take on E.T., telling the story of a man who comes home to his family after years of being held captive by aliens. However, he’s changed dramatically during his time away.

The plot of this 1983 horror film isn’t very strong. It feels like a series of frightening scenes strung together with a weak story, but that doesn’t diminish the film’s impact. Xtro features some truly unsettling visuals, like the creature’s strange way of moving and a shockingly bizarre birth scene.

While Xtro doesn’t boast memorable characters or nuanced acting, it’s a film that’s hard to forget. The incredibly graphic special effects are also surprisingly effective even today. Unfortunately, the two sequels weren’t nearly as good and are easily skipped.

From Beyond (1986)

Considered one of the most successful adaptations of H.P. Lovecraft’s work, From Beyond isn’t just based on his story—it continues the narrative as a sequel. Directed by the talented Stuart Gordon, who adapted several of Lovecraft’s tales, this 1986 film brings back Barbara Crampton and Jeffrey Combs, both known for their roles in Gordon’s earlier film, Re-Animator.

The story centers around scientists and their experiments with a machine that unlocks access to another dimension. This new realm is inhabited by strange, unsettling creatures, and prolonged exposure to it causes drastic physical and mental transformations in those who enter.

Compared to Lovecraft’s original story – or really any of his writing – the movie From Beyond is much more graphic and intense. Although it’s filled with impressive practical effects, the film is also carried by a strong cast. At its core, the story explores themes of addiction, as the characters become consumed by the intense experiences the machine provides.

Despite understanding the risks, they are driven to explore further and experience more, inevitably leading to a negative outcome – a common thread in most of Lovecraft’s stories.

Hellraiser (1987)

After being disappointed with previous film adaptations of his stories, such as Rawhead Rex, British author Clive Barker decided to create his own horror movie, Hellraiser. Released in 1987, Hellraiser is based on Barker’s novella The Hellbound Heart, and tells the story of a man who returns from Hell and compels his ex-lover to provide him with bodies to consume.

Honestly, the guy’s on a clock – those demons who got their hooks into him, the Cenobites, are coming for him eventually. And like Rabid, Hellraiser isn’t exactly a polished masterpiece. It’s a little rough around the edges, sure, but man, it still packs a punch. It really gets under your skin and stays there.

Let me tell you, Clive Barker doesn’t pull any punches, and that really comes through on screen. The imagery in Hellraiser is genuinely stunning – I’m thinking specifically of Frank’s… transformation, and of course, the Cenobites themselves, with Doug Bradley absolutely owning the role of Pinhead. But what really surprised me was the score. Christopher Young delivered something unexpectedly rich and atmospheric; it elevates the whole experience and gives the film a real sense of power.

Even though many sequels have lessened its impact, fans of gruesome and unsettling horror should still see the original film. Despite being the face of the franchise, Pinhead only appears on screen for roughly ten minutes.

Rather, Hellraiser is a story about intense cravings and fixations, and how far people will go to satisfy them. Remarkably, almost 40 years after it first came out, the movie remains powerfully disturbing.

Suspiria (2018)

The 2018 film Suspiria is a remake of Dario Argento’s original classic. Although it doesn’t surpass the original, it smartly takes the story in a new direction. It’s still set at a dance school, but the plot unfolds in a completely different way.

Luca Guadagnino directed this new version of the story, adding a Cold War element by setting the dance school near the Berlin Wall. Though it’s not as visually shocking as the original film by Argento, it still includes some disturbing and intense scenes involving the body.

One particularly notorious scene features a dancer named Olga (played by Elena Fokina). A witch’s curse causes her to move in perfect, but painful, synchronization with another dancer. The result is a shockingly violent and disturbing sequence where Olga’s body appears to break and snap – a moment that stood out as one of the most unsettling of 2018.

Suspiria features some truly disturbing scenes that are best experienced without knowing about them beforehand – and the ending is particularly shocking. While the remake received varied reviews, horror fans should still check it out and decide for themselves if they enjoy it. It certainly isn’t a typical, predictable remake.

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2025-12-14 19:35