The Substance: Body Horror is so back

By Amy Lonergan

Coralie Fargeat’s second feature film, The Substance (2024) does not tread lightly in any regard. Following her horror-thriller Revenge (2017), Fargeat is slowly cementing herself as an iconic feminist horror director. This time around, using satire and gore to critique Hollywood’s obsession with aging women. The film’s satirical tone helps to reflect the absurdity of the current unfeasible beauty standards for women. Drawing inspiration from classic horror auteurs, Fargeat is working to revamp the old-school body horror genre.

The film follows Elisabeth Sparkles (Demi Moore), an ex-A-lister whose career in Hollywood is on the decline due to her age. The film opens with Elizabeth noticing that her movie poster has been removed—a moment that symbolizes her slipping relevance in the industry (yes, most of the visual imagery is this conspicuous). In a desperate attempt to reclaim her youth, she begins taking a new black-market drug, that can create a more youthful, “better” version of herself. This new, fresh-faced version of Elisabeth – named Sue (Margaret Qualley) – shares her body in alternating seven-day cycles. While Elizabeth expects Sue to be an enhanced version of herself, it becomes clear that Sue is an entirely separate consciousness. As Sue begins fighting for more time in control of the body, Elisabeth’s physical and mental state deteriorates. Sue’s growing dominance coincides with Elisabeth’s transformation into a grotesque figure – her appearance resembling a Gollum-like creature towards the end of the film. This portrayal of Elisabeth as an “old hag” drives home Hollywood’s perception of aging women as monstrous and something to be feared. The conflict between Elisabeth and Sue escalates: Elisabeth loathes Sue because she represents a past, desired version of herself that she can never return to, while Sue sees Elisabeth as a future she desperately wants to avoid. Both characters fight for control over the same body, each terrified of what the other represents.

Demi Moore delivers a raw performance as Elisabeth, capturing the fear, desperation, and madness of a woman losing control of her own body. Margaret Qualley as Sue – who is equally as desperate for fame – has the perfect blend of charisma and malice, which makes the ending even more tragic. Dennis Quaid does well as the antagonist of the film, fitting into the perverted network executive type well. The exaggerated personalities of the characters – that are intentionally underdeveloped – highlight the film’s focus on bodies and appearances, keeping the narrative centred on the physical. The amped-up campy performances work well with the film’s over-the-top tone.

The Substance fully embraces body horror, with graphic depictions of Elisabeth’s transformation that serve as a reminder of the consequences of vanity and greed. The kitschy practical effects, combined with CGI, make the metamorphosis scenes between Elisabeth and Sue sickeningly transfixing. Fargeat focuses heavily on the transformation between the two bodies, with Elisabeth’s skin stretching, muscles contorting, and flesh ripping – all in visceral detail. These grotesque transformations aren’t merely for shock value; they force the viewer to confront the discomfort of body dysmorphia and the extremes people go to, to maintain an idealized version of themselves.

The cinematography,  by Benjamin Kracunis is cold, clinical, and unsettling, with the sterile palette aiding in creating an unsettling atmosphere. This visual style works well to complement the film’s themes of superficiality and discontentment. Throughout the film, Sue is often shot through the lens of the male gaze, with the camera lingering on her lips and breasts, mimicking the objectifying depictions of women that dominate Hollywood.  The message of The Substance isn’t subtle – Fargeat slaps the audience with a bold critique of beauty standards and the cultural obsession with anti-aging. The film indubitably places the blame on the entertainment industry, painting the male Hollywood moguls as perverted chauvinists, who are ultimately the cause of Elisabeth’s demise.

While the film’s graphic nature may not be for everyone—especially those with a low tolerance for gore – The Substance’s satirical commentary and unsettling visuals, will stick in your head long after the credits roll.