1. Reyes (2014), describes Body Horror as being a “fictional representation of the body exceeding itself or falling apart, either opening up or being altered past the point where it would be recognised by normative understandings of human corporeality.” How do The Colour out of Space and Lovecraft’s The Shadow Over Innsmouth make use of this definition to explore themes of the unknown?
Reyes description above of “Body Horror” offers a sound foundation of this sub-genre of horror when the human body is attacked and mutates out of control, usually in a painful and hideous way.
We consider our body ours alone, so how do we defend against something inside of us taking over. Lovecraft saw the body as a fragile shell that could be harmed or influenced by outside forces with our spirit still alive trapped inside but aware of the changes going on. The fear factor for Lovecraft is when the body we consider ours is seized, taken over, changed, as is the case with mutation, which comes from the genetic code and carries the curse of our ancestors which cannot be escaped because it is embedded in our tissue (Lovecraft, 2013).
We can understand this better when we consider the Mutation Theory (1901), Hugo de Vries (1848—1935), a Dutch botanist (Samiksha, 2020) who believed the following:
1. Mutations or discontinuous variations are the raw material of evolution.
2. Mutations appear suddenly. They become operational immediately.
3. Unlike Darwin’s continuous variations or fluctuations, mutations do not revolve around the mean or normal character of the species.
4. The same type of mutations can appear in several individuals of a species.
5. All mutations are inheritable.
6. Mutations appear in all conceivable directions.
7. Useful mutations are selected by nature. Lethal mutations are eliminated. However, useless and less harmful ones can persist in the progeny.
8. Accumulation of variations produce new species. Sometimes a new species is produced from a single mutation.
9. Evolution is a jerky and discontinuous process.
In The Shadow over Innsmouth, the narrator (Robert Olmstead) goes to Innsmouth and finds the citizens are physically mutating into horrible grotesque foul-smelling fish-frog-human hybrids and near the end discovers he has Innsmouth blood in his veins too and mutates into the creatures he was repulsed by. Interestingly, he accepts his own fate, which contrasts with his initial fear and repulsion of transforming into something hideously unrecognizable.
In The Colour out of Space (2019) directed by Richard Stanley, a strange alien lifeform is transported to Earth when a meteorite crashes in the front yard of the Gardner family (5 members) who live on a farm in rural New England. Nothing happens at first, but then this alien entity, that emanates strange colors, starts to mutate with organisms it finds contaminating the water, plants vegetables, alpaca’s and the family, like morphing together the mother and youngest son into a hideous blob thing.
The Shadow over Innsmouth and The Colour out of Space are both good examples of Reyes (2014) description of Body Horror highlighting Lovecrafts trademark of grotesque, horrifying mutations and helplessness when faced with overpowering forces, casting an atmosphere of dread and fear of the unknown for the viewer/reader (Lovecraft, 2013).
REFERENCES
Lovecraft, H. (2013). Supernatural horror in literature. The Palingenesis Project. (Wermod and Wermod Publishing Group). Retrieved from https://blackboard.aut.ac.nz/
Lovecraft, H. (2020). The Colour out of Space. Gothic Digital Series @ UFSC. Retrieved from https://blackboard.aut.ac.nz/
Reyes, X. (2014). Body Gothic: Corporeal Transgression in Contemporary Literature and Horror Film. University of Wales Press. Retrieved from https://blackboard.aut.ac.nz/
Samiksha, S (2020). Mutation Theory: Mutation Theory of Evolution by Hugo De vries’
Retrieved from https://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/mutation/mutation-theory-mutation-theory-of-evolution-by-hugo-de-vries/12255
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