As a seasoned film enthusiast who has witnessed the evolution of body horror genre through the years, I must say that The Substance, directed by Coralie Fargeat, is a groundbreaking masterpiece that has left an indelible mark on my cinematic memory. This French gem is a brutal satire of society’s obsession with women’s bodies, and it does not shy away from pushing the envelope in its depiction of the grotesque and the macabre.
Warning: Contains full spoilers for The Substance.
In simpler terms, “French director Coralie Fargeat’s new film, titled ‘The Substance’, is a chilling blend of body horror and societal satire that critically examines the fixation on women’s bodies. Its conclusion, arguably one of the most violent, revolting, and unpredictable in cinematic history, will leave viewers shocked.
We trace the journey of Elizabeth Sparkle, once a renowned aerobics teacher, whose stint on a popular TV show comes to an end upon turning 50. In a daring move, she decides to use an underground substance that triggers the body to produce a youthful duplicate.
From her back emerges Sue (Margaret Qualley), a more youthful, healthier iteration of herself, who tries out for Elisabeth’s role replacement and eventually lands her own series.
There’s just one catch: after seven days of being Sue, she must switch back to being Elisabeth.
As a dedicated cinephile, I can’t help but notice when a contract is broken – like when Sue seems to be straying from our agreement. And unfortunately, the repercussions are swift, as Elizabeth starts to exhibit distressing signs of premature aging. It all begins with a finger turning an unusual shade of black.
As the transition sequences continue to make loud, unsettling sounds, they grow progressively gruesome. However, these scenes pale in comparison to the intense, climactic events unfolding towards the end of the movie.
On New Year’s Eve, when Sue was supposed to be hosting the event, her teeth started falling out. In an attempt to rectify the situation, she used a small amount of the drug remaining in the package from Elizabeth’s initial injection as a starting point for a new process.
Rather than giving birth to an improved version, she’s a grotesque fusion of both their forms – Monstro Elisasue, as the movie terms it. She’s a hodgepodge of body parts, complete with extra eyes, sharp teeth, and breasts that seem out of place in this strange amalgamation.
Elisasue returns to the studio for the New Year’s Eve broadcast, but it’s at this point that the movie takes an unexpected turn for the worse. Instead of the usual celebrations, we witness scenes filled with graphic imagery, such as projectile body fluids, violent outbursts of blood, and intense explosions of flesh – a shocking, prolonged, and nauseating finale.
The conclusion has sparked disagreement among both critics and audiences, as certain individuals argue that the excessive violence in the climax overshadows the movie’s underlying theme.
However, I found it therapeutic, and I believe it was essential. Initially, the movie adopts a more somber tone when critiquing society’s apprehension towards aging, but there is a risk that it might reinforce beauty and youth stereotypes. Indeed, the film manages to evoke fear about an aging woman in the audience.
The movie effectively makes its point by exaggerating the fear of aging in its climax, demonstrating how absurd and comical our societal beauty standards have become. In essence, it aims to liberate us from these unrealistic expectations.
The horror I initially felt towards Elisabeth’s increasingly aged and monstrous body every time it was unveiled subsided completely in the final act, as I laughed out loud at the ridiculousness of society’s standards of women. And I left the showing feeling liberated.
Through its bold approach to redefining the horror associated with the female form, The Substance is disrupting the long-standing dominance of the male perspective in the body horror genre. Historically, this genre has been characterized by a male viewpoint and has often depicted women as inherently monstrous, attributing this quality to their physicality or sexuality.
Fargeat isn’t the only female/non-binary writer/director breathing new life into the genre.
This year, Rose Glass dared to redefine the crime thriller genre with Love Lies Bleeding. This unique production offers a distinctly female perspective on its principal characters, while also depicting its muscular leading actress undergoing self-inflicted, monstrous metamorphoses.
In 2023, Alice Birch remade Cronenberg’s Dead Ringers, swapping the gender of the twin gynecologists portrayed in the initial movie. This new interpretation delved into themes such as motherhood and personal body sovereignty through a female perspective and with a feminist approach.
The Material, indeed, adopts a unique feminist stance by not evading the perspective of the male observer, but rather redefining it. This critique is particularly evident in the climax of the movie, where this method proves to be the most impactful.
Initially in the film, frequent close-ups of Sue’s body during her aerobics scene might be seen as just mimicking the male perspective. However, the ending of the movie pushes this satire to an extreme point, making it clear that it’s critiquing how brutally violent and absurd such a gaze can be.
Just before the climax, Elisa, feeling a newfound pride in her appearance, struggles onto the stage. However, as the spotlights hit her, she starts to deteriorate, giving birth to a floating breast.
At this point in time, a quote from earlier in the movie resurfaces. It was said when a casting director expressed displeasure towards the actress who auditioned prior to Sue. The line goes, “I wish her breasts were on her face instead of that nose.” Indeed, it seems his wish has come true now, doesn’t it?
However, it proved to be an overwhelming situation for the audience, causing them to hurl insults such as “freak” and ultimately resorting to physical violence against Elisasue.
In the movie, at what stage does Fargeat aim to be subtle? However, it appears that she isn’t striving for subtlety at all. Instead, the film is a joyful, brutal critique, not just of the unrealistic beauty ideals imposed on women by men, but also of the embarrassment and derision faced by women who attempt to conform to these impossible standards.
The Substance is showing now in UK cinemas.
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2024-09-25 19:34