Compendium of Melt Movies

If you don't know what a melt movie is, it's basically any movie that features gratuitous and utterly disgusting, horrific melting of the human (or subhuman) body into either puddles of goo, gelatinous substances, monstrous transformations, or even just a skeletal structure with bits of flesh hanging off.

This isn't a fully defined or recognized genre. It's what horror aficionados refer to among themselves as a "micro-genre". There aren't a whole lot of melt movies, so fans of the melt have to dig around and discover what is and what isn't a "Melt Movie".

One thing that most people engaged in this useless, yet entertaining micro-genre discussion agree upon: It's not a melt movie if it's just one scene and/or melting bodies isn't part of the main plot. For example, the face melting scene at the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark, or the wicked witch melting into a puddle of goo in Wizard of Oz.

But that doesn't mean we can't enjoy the one off melting scenes in movies. That's why I have an extended list: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls090820769/

Notes:
i. Mandy is on this list because it pays homage to melt movies with some of the villains drinking goo out of a jar, gaining psychotic strength, and making squishy sounds while they walk; which reminded me of a plot device from Slime City. About halfway through, the jar of goo is revisited and goes full melt movie for a good minute or so. Great fantasy/horror/psychedelic movie regardless. When I watched it the first time, I honestly had no idea it was going to have anything to do with the melt micro-genre, but was pleasantly surprised. It stays on this list because the plot device isn't isolated to just one scene. You may disagree -- hell, I'm tempted to take it off the list after the kitsch wears off, but it's a hidden gem that I haven't heard any melt fans talking about.

ii. If you don't think Season 3 of Stranger Things is worth your time, watch the last 5 minutes of episode 6. Perhaps the greatest melt scene of all time. (They really put their big budget to good use!!!) There's more melt at the beginning of the episode and scattered throughout the season, and The Stuff is referenced at a movie theater. Really worth watching if you like melt movies and 80s horror/fantasy/scifi in general.

iii. Toxic Avenger isn't pure melt, but the main character's origin and skin transformation is very melty, so you have no choice but to gaze into his melted face the whooole movie. However, if you want to see the best melt scene in the series -- seeing as this is a melt movie list -- watch the ending scene of Part III. I think it occurs in "Level 5". It's such a boring, boring movie, but when Toxie is reverted back to being weak little Melvin, it's pretty rad. Also, when he turns the devil inside out it reminded me of that one part in Society. Silly but disgusting.

iv. Troll 2 is a melt movie. They turn people into goopy plant material to consume. It's not a one off scene. It's a main plot device for the trolls to trick humans into eating food that will chemically alter them into plant goop. In some ways its more melt than The Stuff, which doesn't really melt so much as pour and explode out of bodies. Sorta like the Stay Puff Marshmellow Man. Troll 2 gets denied -- but not by me! It's a bad movie, but it hurts so good.


And now, without further ado -- adieu, adieu, adieu -- The Compendium of Melt Movies: