Buzz
When rare medical conditions are not widely recognized, they can appear even more bizarre. Horror films, which are not often known for their sensitivity to such ailments, sometimes capitalize on the public’s fear and curiosity, using these real-life afflictions as the basis for their monstrous or tragic characters.
Nowadays, people have a greater understanding of both physical and mental health issues, and are much less likely to view those who suffer from them as weak, pitiful, or threatening. However, audiences still flock to movies featuring rare physical and mental disorders, as evidenced by these ten medical conditions that have inspired both horror movie heroes and villains.
10. Acromegaly
In The Brute Man (1946), Rondo Hatton (1894–1946) portrays Hal Moffat, a disfigured man known to the police as 'The Creeper.' Consumed by rage over his disfigurement, Moffat takes revenge by killing Professor Cushman and Clifford Scott, whom he holds responsible for his condition.
Hatton suffered from acromegaly, a disorder caused by the overproduction of growth hormone by the pituitary gland in adulthood. This results in the enlargement of bones in the hands, feet, and face, with the condition developing gradually over time. Without treatment, acromegaly can lead to significant complications, but today it is treatable through medication, radiation, and surgery.
9. Capgras
In Goodnight Mommy (2015), the protagonist, a woman with her face covered in bandages (Susanne Wuest), returns home after undergoing plastic surgery, claiming to be the mother of twins Lukas (Lukas Schwarz) and Elias (Elias Schwarz). However, the boys are skeptical and question her identity. Her strange behavior leads Elias to believe that Lukas died in an accident before her return. He refuses to believe her story, and in the end, he sets the house on fire, resulting in her death. As Elias walks through a cornfield, he reunites with Lukas and his mother. But are they merely hallucinations, as the bandaged woman suggested? Was she truly their mother, as she claimed? Did Elias perish in the fire with her, or is he now a ghost reunited with the spirits of his deceased family?
Elias’s behavior is reflective of Capgras syndrome, which can manifest in individuals suffering from psychosis, schizophrenia, brain injuries, Alzheimer’s, or other forms of dementia. While the exact cause is unknown, the condition is characterized by an inability to recognize familiar faces or a distorted perception of someone's identity. This delusion can be dangerous, particularly if the victim believes the 'imposters' to be malevolent. There have been instances where individuals with Capgras delusion have harmed or even killed others.
8. Cherubism
Robert Z’Dar, born Robert J. Zdarsky, had a condition known as cherubism, which caused his chin and jawline to become unusually large. His distinctive appearance, along with his 188-centimeter (6’2″) stature, made him a popular choice for horror and other film roles, often portraying intimidating villains. Z’Dar passed away in 2015 at the age of 64, but his unique look kept him in demand for acting roles right until his death.
One of Z’Dar’s most recognized roles was as The Angel of Death in the horror film Soultaker (1990). In the movie, he supervises the mysterious Soultaker, a figure who collects the souls of the deceased to punish him for having killed his wife. After Natalie and Zack Taylor die in a car accident, their souls are stuck in limbo. The Angel of Death instructs Soultaker to retrieve their souls. Natalie, who resembles Soultaker's late wife, deceives him into letting her and Zack escape. Soultaker later reports his failure to the unyielding Angel of Death.
7. Epilepsy
After being diagnosed with grand mal epilepsy in 1968, Anneliese Michel (1952–1976) began to experience visions of 'devilish grimaces' while praying. She became convinced she was possessed by demonic forces. Her behavior became progressively more erratic: she physically assaulted family members, refused to eat, slept on the cold stone floor, consumed spiders, flies, and coal, drank her own urine, screamed for hours, destroyed religious items like crucifixes and paintings of Jesus, tore apart rosaries, self-mutilated, stripped her clothes off, and urinated on the floor.
Initially, Father Ernst Alt's request for permission to perform an exorcism was denied by the bishop of Wurzburg, Josef Stangl. However, after some time, the bishop authorized Alt and Father Arnold Renz to carry out the rite. Despite their efforts for months, Michel's condition did not improve, and she tragically passed away on July 1, 1976. It was later discovered that Michel had starved to death after refusing to eat, leading to accusations of 'negligent homicide' against her parents and the exorcists.
During the trial, psychiatrists testified that Michel had epilepsy, and that her belief she was possessed by demons stemmed from the influence and suggestions of the exorcists and her parents. The defendants were found guilty of 'manslaughter due to negligence and failure to provide medical care,' resulting in six months in jail and probation. Footage of Michel during the exorcism shows her in a severely emaciated state with blackened eyes and facial discoloration. The 2005 film The Exorcism of Emily Rose, starring Jennifer Carpenter, dramatizes these events, leaving viewers to decide whether Rose’s symptoms were due to epilepsy or demonic possession. Did Emily die from the lack of medical treatment or was her death the result of demonic forces?
6. Hydrophobia
In the 2014 horror film The Drownsman, the term 'hydrophobia' is explored in the context of a young woman named Madison (Michelle Mylett) who develops a fear of water after a near-drowning incident in a lake. She becomes reclusive, but soon begins to be haunted by a mysterious figure. Her friends, concerned about her suffering, try to investigate the entity, only to find themselves drawn into a terrifying situation from which escape seems impossible.
Hydrophobia, often linked to rabies, refers to a fear of water, but it can also describe an intense fear of drowning or being submerged, even in small amounts of water. It leads to avoiding water bodies, liquids, and sometimes even sinks and showers. While hydrophobia may arise from rabies, it can also develop over time as a fear of entering large bodies of water, such as oceans, gradually expanding to a more generalized fear.
5. Hypohidrotic Ectodermal Dysplasia
In The Hills Have Eyes (1977), mutant cannibal killers attack lost tourists traveling through a remote area of the Nevada desert. One of the cannibal killers is Pluto, played by Michael Berryman, whose unique physical appearance is due to hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia.
The condition is a rare inherited multisystem disorder characterized by an absence of sweat glands, hypotrichosis (little hair), malformed teeth, “a prominent forehead, a sunken nasal bridge, unusually thick lips, and/or a large chin,” thin skin, a lack of pigmentation, premature aging, and other anatomical and physiological deficiencies. A variety of such symptoms occur in different individuals, and treatment of the condition depends on which characteristics are present in a particular person.
4. Kyphosis
Charles Laughton appears as the “hunchback” Quasimodo in The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939). Quasimodo is forced to live in isolation inside the Notre Dame Cathedral under the guardianship of Frollo, the king’s high justice. Frollo has accused Esmeralda of killing her fiance, the poet Gringire, and of bewitching Frollo himself. She is sentenced to death, but Quasimodo rescues her, later saving her life again by throwing Frollo to his death from the cathedral’s bell tower.
Quasimodo’s physical condition is the result of kyphosis, which causes a pronounced ‘forward rounding of the back.’ This condition commonly affects older individuals, especially women, due to osteoporosis, which weakens the spine’s bones, leading to fractures and compression. Kyphosis can also develop in infants due to spinal deformities or in adolescents from the gradual ‘wedging’ of the spine. Other causes include disk degeneration, Scheuermann’s disease, birth defects, cancer, and the treatments for cancer. Although the film does not specify the cause of Quasimodo’s kyphosis, severe forms of the condition like his can lead to pain and significant physical disfigurement. Nowadays, treatments for kyphosis include medication, physical therapy, and surgery.
3. Photosensitivity
In the 2001 film The Others, Grace Stewart and her children, Anne and Nicholas, are hiding out in a mansion on the Channel Islands at the close of World War II, waiting for their father and husband to return from the battlefield. Anne and Nicholas suffer from photosensitivity, an extreme allergic reaction to sunlight. To prevent their throats from swelling or painful sores from forming, the mansion’s thick curtains must always remain drawn. When a mysterious trio of servants arrives, Grace begins to suspect that her home is haunted by possibly malevolent ghosts. However, she is only half-right: The mansion is indeed haunted, but not by the spirits she initially believed.
Photosensitivity arises from an immune system reaction to sunlight. Typically, this results in a red rash appearing on the neck, the back of the hands, arms, or calves. In more severe cases, hives and blisters may develop, or the rash may spread to areas of the skin that are usually covered by clothing.
As depicted in The Others, the most effective treatment for photosensitivity is to avoid exposure to sunlight. This can be accomplished by wearing protective clothing, applying sunscreen, and discontinuing the use of any drugs that could trigger photosensitivity.
2. Paraplegia
In the 1932 film Kongo, a remake of West of Zanzibar (1928), a wheelchair-bound paraplegic white man, presenting himself as a ‘living god,’ dominates an African region. He takes advantage of the indigenous people’s superstitions, manipulating them with ‘stage magic’ and controlling the few other white residents through brutal tactics.
Paraplegia results from a spinal cord injury occurring ‘below the first thoracic spinal nerve.’ Such an injury leads to a loss of sensation and movement in the legs. Complications of paraplegia may include skin care issues, and the loss of bladder or bowel control, along with both sensory and motor function impairments. Initial treatments aim to restore as much function as possible, while long-term care focuses on managing the condition and preventing further complications.
1. Dwarfism
The notorious horror film Freaks (1932) revolves around Cleopatra, a beautiful former aerialist who seduces Hans, a dwarf heir to a significant fortune. Cleopatra collaborates with Hercules, the circus strongman, to murder Hans after they marry. However, their plot is foiled by the other members of the circus, who share a deep sense of honor. The film features real-life sideshow performers, but the public response was overwhelmingly negative, leading MGM to distance itself from the project for the next thirty years.
A dwarf is defined as an adult whose height does not exceed 147 centimeters (4’10”). Dwarfism can be the result of genetic factors or a medical condition. In most cases, it arises from a random genetic mutation inherited from either parent. Other contributing factors include growth hormone deficiencies and inadequate nutrition. Treatments such as hormone therapy, surgery, lifestyle adjustments, and emotional support are used to help manage the symptoms associated with the condition.
