Masterful horror craftsmanship: “The Substance” with Demi Moore is a radical satire about beauty and sexism.
It is no coincidence that Demi Moore plays the lead role in “The Substance.” Moore, who was one of Hollywood’s highest-paid actresses in the 1990s and was often reduced to her body, has been relatively quiet in recent years. In “The Substance,” she plays Elisabeth Sparkle. Once a major movie star, her star on the Walk of Fame now has some cracks.
The fact that Elisabeth Sparkle no longer looks like she used to is a problem. Therefore, her fitness show will now be hosted by someone younger. “At 50, it just ends,” explains the slimy TV producer Harvey. “People always want something new.”
Of clinical artificiality
The question of what exactly is ending cannot be answered by him. He is leisurely eating shrimp with cocktail sauce, while the camera zooms in on his smacking mouth. The sounds are amplified and unpleasantly distorted.
Caption:
Slimy with shrimp: TV producer Harvey (Dennis Quaid).
Filmcoopi
Right from the beginning of “The Substance,” it becomes clear: We are in an exaggerated version of reality. In this film, absolutely nothing is subtle, and it doesn’t make a secret of it.
Disgusting close-ups like those of Harvey alternate with perfectly arranged images. From the set to the costumes: Everything is glaring and possesses a clinical artificiality and perfection.
Me, but better
Perfection is also the thematic focus of “The Substance.” The fired Elizabeth, out of desperation, buys a mysterious liquid: “The Substance.” This is supposed to activate a better version of herself.
When Elisabeth injects the liquid for the first time, a younger, more beautiful body literally crawls out of her: Sue. Elisabeth’s old body then lies unconscious in the bathroom. As Sue, Elisabeth can take over her fitness show again.
Caption:
New body, new show: Sue (Margaret Qualley) is successful and desired.
Filmcoopi
But the substance also has a catch: one can only live in their younger, more beautiful body for exactly seven days. After that, one must switch back. Every hour spent longer than “better self” is siphoned off from the original body. If one stays longer than seven days in the optimized self, the original body ages rapidly.
It is predictable that Elizabeth does not adhere to this rule. Life as Sue is just too tempting. She is successful, loved by the television audience, and desired by handsome men.
Masterful horror
For Elisabeth, it literally begins a fight against herself. Because what happens to Elisabeth’s old body is of a disturbing, masterful craftsmanship. Impressive masks and prosthetics are just one aspect of the horrific transformation.
Caption:
Images that linger: “The Substance” is a radical satire about beauty and sexism.
Filmcoopi
The film builds to such an incredible crescendo that at some point in the cinema seat, one no longer knows how to react to this madness.
The grotesque satire about sexism, about the youth obsession in the media world, the value of beauty, and the fear of physical decay aims to uncover nothing new. “The Substance” escalates its critique with every insane scene. In this, the film is consistent and absolutely radical. A maximalist masterpiece.
Theatrical release: 19.09.2024
SRF 3, News, 19.9.2024, 12:20 PM.