While body horror is intrinsically linked to David Cronenberg, there are interesting things being done with the subgenre outside of the Canadian filmmaker. Some of the past decade’s more interesting examples come from French women directors. Just look at how Julia Ducournau used it to discuss identity and coming-of-age through cannibalism in 2016’s Raw, to bring alive themes of trauma and parenthood in 2021’s Titane, and to highlight unconditional love and subsequent pain brought by family in 2025’s Alpha. There is also 2024’s The Substance, where Coralie Fargeat approached an ageist cycle of Hollywood beauty standards through Oscar-winning effects work. Taking the baton is co-writer/director Marion Le Corroller, making her feature debut with Species (known in its original language as Sanguine), a body-horror work which is unconnected to the series starring Natasha Henstridge as an alien seductress.
My review of Species is now available to read at The Geek Show.
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