When we are talking about a horror film, how can we avoid bringing up the subject of pregnancy? After all, pregnant ladies and horror films are practically synonymous, and they make such a charming couple! It seems as though every horror fan in the world is exclaiming, “Aww, you guys!”
Okay, that is a touch overstated, but you can not dispute that pregnancy is a theme that seems to find its way into a horror film with relative ease. Pregnant women, particularly in horror films, are frequently depicted as easy targets, or to be more accurate vulnerable prey, and a pregnant woman is clearly not safe in a horror film.
In today’s video, we will go through 10 of the most terrifying women pregnant with monster movies that are sure to arouse those deep-seated nightmares of yours. Are you prepared?
Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
If there is a film that Roman Polanksi will always be remembered for, it undoubtedly has to be his 1968 American psychological horror flick, which to date boasts a current IMDb rating of 8.
Based on Ira Levin’s 1967 horror novel, also titled Rosemary’s Baby, the movie begins with a young couple moving into a large Renaissance Revival apartment building in New York City in spite of its unsavory history, especially with witchcraft and murder.
Soon, they are befriended by their elderly neighbors and although the husband grows close to them, the wife, Rosemary, finds them particularly irritating and interfering. In due course, Rosemary gets pregnant and thus begins the occurrence of the strangest and the most inexplicable of things. It does not take her much time to come to a realization that her neighbors happen to be members of a Satanic Cult and they have sinister plans for her baby.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest horror films of all time, Polanski’s Rosemary’s Baby is a recipient of 12 nominations and 11 awards, the latter includes an Academy Award too.
Boasting a script also by Polanski and produced by William Castle, the man who originally wanted to direct the movie but ended up working as the producer, this film here is the creation of a diligent filmmaker with a stretched out shooting schedule and with a young artist who kept going even in the middle of a divorce. It has been 53 long years since its release but it would not be wrong to say that this horror classic here is the ultimate champion of all Satan-themed horror flicks.
Right from the movie’s effective grounded social horror to its Satan-hailing climax, there are quite a few high points of the film, but the highlight has to be the conception of Adrian, Satan’s son to be more precise.
To be honest, there are very limited scenes in the history of horror that are truly capable of being effectively disturbing. Rosemary’s hallucination of a terrifying, otherworldly rape tops that list for sure and it is a scene that is literally quite capable of warping its viewers for life.
Those who have seen the movie will agree with us. At least, we know it had us chilled to the bones. Mia Farrow was simply outstanding and to think of that she was not Polanki’s first choice for Rosemary, this can come as a shock to many.
Xtro (1982)
Harry Bromley Davenport’s ‘a brutal excursion in terror’ starts with a father and son playing outside when all of a sudden, the father gets abducted by a bizarre, bright light. The father comes back after three years looking like he used to but the viewers eventually get to see that is not the case.
He reconnects with his son and wife; the latter visibly having moved on in life with a Canadian-American boyfriend. You know how some extraterrestrials aren’t friendly, right? Well, Philip Sayer as the father unquestionably falls in that category and as the story pans out, one can clearly make out that the father is invincible, one with sinister intentions that one cannot even gauge.
Backed by a screenplay by Davenport, Michael Perry, Iain Cassie, and Robert Smith, Xtro is a movie that is worth a watch for several reasons. A pure delight for all lovers of gore, there is a specific birth scene that happens to be the high point of the whole movie. By now, you should be aware that it is not a normal birth scene.
The sequence features a young woman getting attacked and impregnated by a half-alien half-human creature. When she gains back her consciousness, the viewers get to see her belly growing to a massive size and what follows next is not for the faint of heart.
She is seen giving birth quite painfully if we may add so, to a fully developed human being, one that is actually connected to her by an umbilical cord. But instead of a baby coming out, it is the fully formed father that comes out along with a lot of red stuff. No points for guessing the amount of gore that is on display.
It is undoubtedly the special effects and the creature design that takes care of the confusing plotline and makes it such an intriguing watch. Go ahead, check it out for yourself!
Demon Seed (1977)
“Never was a woman violated as profanely. Never was a woman subject to inhuman love like this. Never was a woman prepared for a more perverse destiny.” – When you have a tagline like this, you do have a fair idea of what you are about to deal with.
For those who do not, we are specifically talking about Donald Cammell’s science fiction horror film here, one that is based on Dean Koontz’s 1973 novel, also called Demon Seed. The film has Dr. Alex Harris as a scientist and creator of an exceedingly advanced, autonomous artificial intelligence program called Proteus IV.
Harris hopes to continue medical research and find solutions to the world’s medical concerns through Proteus but soon finds himself on the wrong side. Proteus has its own plans of achieving consciousness and wants to have an identity of its own; so much so that it literally becomes obsessed with human beings and ends up impregnating its creator’s wife.
With a screenplay by Robert Jaffe and Roger O. Hirson, Demon Seed starts off well. The foreboding mood is set but soon it becomes titillating and creepy. The movie has an artificially intelligent computer taking full control of things to an extent that it literally has the creator’s wife as a hostage inside her very own protective abode so as to conceive a child with her. Does not even the mere thought of this idea sound ludicrous?
But as ridiculous as it may sound to you, what you get to see is something absolutely alarming. On display happens to be some very disturbing looking experimentation on the wife of the scientist, mind you, not a pleasant sight at all! Julie Christie essaying the role of Susan Harris sinking into bottomless desperation portrays the current issue of a case that has artificial intelligence on a dangerous spree.
Okay, there’s no nudity on display when the impregnation is carried out but the manner in which it is executed is absolutely horrifying. The flick is a solid shocker boasting an ending that we bet you just did not see coming!
The Unborn (2009)
Do you think it is possible to be haunted by someone who is never even born? Well, the answer to that question is yes, and having said that, you have got to watch David S. Goyer’s The Unborn to know what it is really like. Rated PG-13 for having on display intense scenes of terror, violence, and unsettling images, this supernatural horror film here also brags a tagline that says, ‘Evil will do anything to live.’
Now, that we are clear on a few things, let’s get straight to the storyline. The flick has Odette Yustman essaying the role of a young woman called Casey Beldon, who becomes more than paranoid by the increasingly haunting hallucinations of a young boy.
Casey realizes that she has somehow become the centerpiece to a series of strange, supernatural events when her eyes begin to change color, the nightmares get worse, and to top things off, she even gets to know of a disturbing family secret that goes way back to the times of the Second World War.
As she delves deeper, she realizes that she is being tormented by a malicious possessing spirit known as a dybbuk, one who wishes to use Casey’s death as a portal to physical existence. Casey is left with no other option but to enlist the help of a Rabbi to get rid of the dark entity.
Produced by Michael Bay, Andrew Form, and Brad Fuller, and a screenplay by Goyer, The Unborn is an underrated horror flick that of course has its clichés but hey, it is capable of startling you and it brags plenty of such scenes right from the beginning till the end credits roll.
Okay be honest here; you see a snarling dog with its head twisted upside down in front of you or let’s say a woman, one who is already freaky and has this huge gnarly mouth – what would your reaction be? You would not be laughing, that’s for sure! Oh, this film is filled with such technically striking CGI-enhanced horror that makes the visuals appear even more effective.
It would not be wrong to say that this movie here happens to be a crossover of many terrifying movies such as The Omen, The Exorcist, Dark Water, and even The Grudge for that matter. The Unborn is certainly worth a shot for those in the mood for a harrowing horror flick tonight!
Grace (2009)
There is nothing stronger than a child’s hunger but when it comes to Madeline’s child, things may be a little different than your average baby wailing for food. Say hello to Paul Solet’s horror flick that is based on the 2006 short film also called Grace. The narrative shows a pregnant Madeline Matheson involved in a tragic car accident that takes the life of her husband who was driving the car.
The doctors inform her that her unborn baby is dead but Madeline having had a few unsuccessful attempts before to have a child and finally having succeeded decides to carry her child to term. Initially stillborn, the child miraculously revives and is named Grace by Madeline.
However, it soon becomes quite evident that something is dreadfully wrong with the baby. Right from attracting flies to being the source of a rather putrid smell and developing an unusual craving for blood, baby Grace has quite an appetite!
Many who have seen the movie have addressed this flick as a graphic, unnerving yet aesthetic exploration of a warped maternal instinct. The premise is great and the cast is deliberately kept small.
Jordan Ladd in the leading role does a pretty good job making the whole run time of 85 minutes enjoyable. It is more like a refreshingly creative horror-drama hybrid that wouldn’t be fair if categorized under a single genre. The movie is shrouded in a grim atmosphere and lays emphasis on almost every thinkable terror of motherhood. Loss of husband? Tick mark.
Unconventional delivery method? Mark that too and the worst of all, a stillborn baby. The extent to which Madeline’s character goes to feed her baby is exceedingly disturbing and the grueling images of bleeding as well as the mutilated breast are bound to make one feel very uncomfortable. Mind you, Grace is in no way recommended to any pregnant women out there looking for something to binge on.
A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child (1989)
There are no second thoughts about Freddy Krueger being the most iconic villain in slasher film history so you can imagine what happens when Freddy wants to become a daddy.
Directed by Stephen Hopkin and written by Leslie Bohem, the fifth installment in the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise takes place a year later since the events of the fourth film. Alice Johnson is seen leading a peaceful life with Dan Jordan, the survivor from the previous movie.
They have started dating and there haven’t been any signs of Freddy off late. All seems to go well for a brief period until Freddy decides to be reborn into the real world. The taunting demonic killer makes use of a pregnant Alice, more specifically her unborn child’s dreams to strike again and claim new victims.
Creepy and underrated, the fifth movie in the franchise features a promising start and eventually has on display some of the most shockingly impressive special effects. The death sequences deserve a special commendation, especially the motorcycle scene and the part where Mark’s character gets pulled into the comic book world.
The story is gripping with new ideas and it will have you hooked to the screen throughout. The manner in which Freddy is able to orchestrate his attacks one after the other as well as insights into his origin, the flick brags quite a few nice touches.
The high point of the film has to be the scene that shows Freddy’s rebirth, it is absolutely atmospheric and it goes without saying that the resurrection is handled brilliantly.
A lot of people who have seen the flick have regarded The Dream Child as the actual turning point in the franchise. We know the movie was released way back in 1989 but to date, the hauntingly ominous background score by Jay Ferguson works in favor of the movie.
Prometheus (2012)
While it is true that after Jon Spaihts wrote the first screenplay of Prometheus, Sir Ridley Scott eventually employed Damon Lindelof to rewrite the script and come up with a movie that revolved more around the creators of the Aliens. Scott’s 2012 science fiction horror flick happens to be the first in the prequel series, one that takes place say about 30 years before the events of the first movie.
The plotline has archaeologists Elizabeth Shaw and Charlie Holloway discover a star map among the artifacts of several ancient Earth cultures. In the hopes of discovering the origins of humanity, the journey aboard the spaceship Prometheus accompanied by the android David.
The crew arrives on the distant planet LV-223. It is the same region in which the planetoid LV-426 from the first movie was found. It is precisely there that they discover the ancient remains of an advanced civilization called the ‘Engineers’.
In case you are wondering how is it related to the 1979 Alien, well, the Engineers happen to be the same race as the dead pilot from the derelict spacecraft in the first movie. Apparently, the Engineers were creating biological weapons in the form of a pathogenic mutagen that was capable of obliterating the entire human race.
Anyway, coming to the core of today’s video, we all know how unprotected sexual encounters will lead one to unplanned pregnancies. This is Prometheus we are talking about, of course, things are going to get way messier. Without beating around the bush further, we will get straight to the point.
Shaw and Holloway end up having sex, the latter is unaware that he has been infected with Chemical A0-3959X.91 – 15, colloquially known as the ‘black goo’ or the ‘black liquid’. Shaw ends up being in an advanced pregnancy stage and having no other options left, she is forced to have the growing alien surgically removed from her abdomen.
The squid-like creature comes out in a delivery scene that just cannot get any bit bloodier. Way, way worse than a maternity ward. A recipient of 6 wins and 47 nominations, the latter including an Oscar, the movie categorically has a similar impact as the first movie. Watch it to believe it!
Devil’s Due (2014)
It would not be wrong to address Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett’s psychological supernatural horror flick as a darkly passionate homage to Roman Polanski’s 1968 psychological horror movie, Rosemary’s Baby. Having said that, no, it is not a copy-paste. Devil’s Due is genuinely creative, smart, and scary.
The narrative has a young couple, Samantha and Zach going to the Dominican Republic for their honeymoon. They attend a carnival and find themselves lost on their way back home. A cab driver gives them a lift and takes them to a local nightclub only to have them drugged later and perform some kind of a ritual.
The couple wakes up back in their hotel with no memory of the night before. They return back home and eventually find out that the wife is pregnant. Through the entire course of pregnancy, the wife starts exhibiting unusual behavior that ranges from her cravings for raw meat, superhuman strength, telekinetic powers to inexplicable feelings of anger whenever she or her child appears to be threatened.
To top things, they also have a bunch of very odd-looking people watching them from a distance. However, it gets a tad too late when the couple finally unearths the threatening truth about their unborn child.
Boasting a well-written script by Lindsay Devlin, the film has Zach Gilford and Allison Miller in the leading roles, giving solid performances respectively. Devil’s Due happens to be yet another movie, one where the camera does the talking. One of the high points of the film is the way the story unfolds where things only get worse.
The finale conclusively has all hell breaking loose, and we mean that in every literal sense. To witness Samantha’s character in a trance-like state, standing right on top of a cult symbol with a knife to her stomach that’s she eventually presses in is way more than just disturbing. We will leave out other specifics in case you want to give this a shot.
Baby Blood (1990)
Released as The Evil Within, in the United States, this French horror flick directed and co-written by Alain Robak became the first movie to win a Jury Award in spite of not being in any kind of competition. Bragging a tagline that simply states, “It’s time to feed the baby”, Baby Blood has a very simple story on display, one that moves at a brisk pace.
The movie features a brutal circus owner who likes to beat and abuse his pregnant wife Yanka. One day, a leopard is brought to the circus post it is captured in Africa but it dies mysteriously. A snake-like parasite is seen bursting out of the leopard’s body and making its way towards the trailer of the pregnant Yanka, who by the way also happens to be a performer at the circus.
It not only ends up impregnating Yanka but also takes over her fetus. In due course, it starts to demand blood. A reluctant Yanka is eventually left with no other options but to turn herself into a killer and consume the victim’s blood to nurture the wicked fetus growing inside of her.
You will be surprised to know that almost 80 women had auditioned for the character of Yanka before it was eventually passed on to Emmanuelle Escourrou. Trust us when we tell you that this gory French horror black comedy treat here is truly better than a lot of movies combined.
So, a woman gets possessed by a slithery Lovecraftian creature, which eventually takes over her baby and holds her as a hostage – can you think of a better premise than this? We know we can’t. Gorehounds out there would be thanking Robak for having on display a significant amount of graphical gore.
There are throats getting ripped open, blood and all things red spurting all over, heads getting smashed; in short, there are plenty of over-the-top sadistic killings on display. Let’s not disregard the solitary fact that this entity is also very chatty.
It tells her to get blood, even hurts her from the inside, and threatens her if she doesn’t feed it. Also, those who have seen the English version should know that it is the celebrated Gary Oldman who provided the voice of the fetus monster.
Inseminoid (1981)
Released as Horror Planet in the United States, Norman J. Warren’s British science fiction horror movie has a group of 12 Xeno Project archaeologists along with scientists digging the ruins of an ancient civilization in a distant, mysterious, freezing planet.
The expedition turns into a complete nightmare when one of the space exploration team members, Sandy, ends up getting abducted, raped and impregnated by what appears to be a foul extraterrestrial monster.
This sets off an accelerated pregnancy giving Sandy exceptional strength and leading her to eventually develop psychosis. Next, she turns into a raving maniac and brutally starts to slaughter her colleagues one after the other. She even goes to the extent of eating their flesh.
Boasting a screenplay by husband and wife duo Nick and Gloria Maley, the script was literally written in a span of four days, and to top things further, the film was completed its shooting in about four weeks. A major part of the movie was filmed inside the Chislehurst Caves in Southeast London, England, with the sole purpose of boosting the production value.
Judy Geeson’s portrayal as Sandy was highly applauded by everyone. In fact, the scream heard in the scene that involved the alien pregnancy is actually the famous jump scare scream from Scott Cawthon’s 2014 horror indie game called Five Nights at Freddy’s.
The content of gore featured here is pretty high; you have stomachs being torn open which leads our viewers to witness a graphic display of the intestines. Geeson gives us a frightening portrayal of evil blended with madness.
The highlight of the film has to be Geeson’s character giving rather painful birth to two slimy humanoid alien babies. Mind you, the scene is not for the squeamish and comes as a shock to many.
What makes Inseminoid even more compelling to watch is John Scott’s electronic score in the flick, one that made him win the Best Music Composer award at the 1981 Madrid International Film Festival. Conclusively a movie that is twisted enough to keep you on the edge of your seats. Don’t miss this if you get a chance to watch it!