10 More Horror Movie Transformations Nobody Saw Coming

Ten more all-timer body transformations from the murky world of horror.

Malignant Jail
Warner Bros.

The horror genre is one that so often lends itself to mesmerising visuals, twisted sequences, and all kinds of bizarre, brutal moments that live long in the memory. And amongst all of that, the genre has brought with it some utterly legendary transformations.

Of course, this is something that's been covered previously in our 10 Horror Movie Transformations Nobody Saw Coming, but this is a topic that has so much more to offer than merely ten examples. Thus, this list looks to shine a spotlight on ten other amazing transformations - and also means that Spring, The Color Out of Space, The Wailing, The Faculty, Good Manners, V/H/S, A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master, Overlord, House, and The Taking of Deborah Logan are all off-limits after being featured on that initial list.

While obviously there's spoilers here for all of the films featured, it's worth noting that the long-delayed Dark Harvest - released earlier this month - is at the #1 spot. So, don't say you haven't been warned.

With that in mind, then, here are ten transformation sequences that stand as some of the greatest to ever be brought to life.

10. Michael MacCleary - The Beast Within

Malignant Jail
United Artists

Granted, The Beast Within is a bit of a daft movie in and of itself, but this 1982 offering deserves immense credit for its practical effects work and for crafting one of the most intense transformation sequences ever seen.

That transformation involves Paul Clemens' Michael MacCleary, as his literal beast from within comes to the fore.

As The Beast Within opens, Eli and Caroline MacCleary find themselves stranded in the middle of nowhere due to car trouble. When Eli seeks help from a nearby gas station, his wife is sexually assaulted by a creature which impregnates her. Skipping ahead 17 years, the film then introduces us to Michael, the child who was conceived as a result of this horrendous incident.

With Michael now having his own monstrous moments, it's revealed that he's becoming possessed by the spirit of Billy Connors, who was the creature who attacked his mother all of those years ago. While we get glimpses of Michael's possession, it's during The Beast Within's second half that we witness a fantastic transformation scene, as the hospitalised Michael's head expands, changes shape, and his appearance becomes something almost otherworldly.

Senior Writer
Senior Writer

Once described as the Swiss Army Knife of WhatCulture, Andrew can usually be found writing, editing, or presenting on a wide range of topics. As a lifelong wrestling fan, horror obsessive, and comic book nerd, he's been covering those topics professionally as far back as 2010. In addition to his current WhatCulture role of Senior Content Producer, Andrew previously spent nearly a decade as Online Editor and Lead Writer for the world's longest-running genre publication, Starburst Magazine, and his work has also been featured on BBC, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, WhatToWatch, Sportkskeeda, and various other outlets, in addition to being a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic. Between his main dayjob, his role as the lead panel host of Wales Comic Con, and his gig as a pre-match host for Wrexham AFC games, Andrew has also carried out a hugely varied amount of interviews, from the likes of Robert Englund, Kane Hodder, Adrienne Barbeau, Rob Zombie, Katharine Isabelle, Leigh Whannell, Bruce Campbell, and Tony Todd, to Kevin Smith, Ron Perlman, Elijah Wood, Giancarlo Esposito, Simon Pegg, Charlie Cox, the Russo Brothers, and Brian Blessed, to Kevin Conroy, Paul Dini, Tara Strong, Will Friedle, Burt Ward, Andrea Romano, Frank Miller, and Rob Liefeld, to Bret Hart, Sting, Mick Foley, Ricky Starks, Jamie Hayer, Britt Baker, Eric Bischoff, and William Regal, to Mickey Thomas, Joey Jones, Phil Parkinson, Brian Flynn, Denis Smith, Gary Bennett, Karl Connolly, and Bryan Robson - and that's just the tip of an ever-expanding iceberg.