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Demi Moore’s The Substance has earned all my adoration by giving me something I rarely experience as a horror fan

Umito November 18, 2024

As someone whose horror fandom has been solidified for over three decades – a horrible thought in itself – I’m not often caught off guard when watching something in the genre for the first time. And even though I will maintain this state of mind during the screenings of all upcoming horror movies en route, I have the pleasure of telling the writer-director Coralie Fargeat, accompanied by the stars Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley, knocked me off my axis with The bottom (read our review).

Maybe it should go without saying that SPOILERS ARE COMINGbut just in case…

First of all, The Substance is just an incredible movie

Right away, I would like to clarify that I am not insinuating The bottom deserves my attention and appreciation for only one or two personal reasons. That couldn’t be further from the truth, which is “this fucking movie rules.” Fargeat crafted a clever story about age-related issues and phobias in Hollywood, and directed it like it was. Requiem for a dream on amphetamines instead of heroin, and featured practical body horror effects that rival The thingThe titular monster still impressive.

I don’t even want these complementary comparisons to seem demeaning. The bottom is absolutely its own beast; a cautionary tale coated in satire that’s barely a step or two beyond reality.

Demi Moore stepped out of her comfort zone to deliver a stunning and brazen performance as Elisabeth Sparkle, a fitness celebrity considered past her prime and whose desire to remain relevant in any way sends her down the dark path of self-cloning on the black market. On the opposite end of the ageist spectrum, Margaret Qualley is also ace as “Sue,” who quickly usurps Elisabeth’s TV time slot with her own highly sexualized approach to exercise, if only for a moment. week at a time.

Even if the cinematography and editing remain colorful and pop, The bottom brings out the fear as Elisabath and Sue – You Are One – lose sight of any common goal. And all the gloriously gross physical horror that unfolded earlier in the film is taken to the logical extreme at the end, leading to one of the most nightmarish creatures in cinema: Elisasue. I couldn’t have predicted how crazy this movie would get, and I’m all the happier for it.

The unique experience I had watching The Substance

As is undoubtedly the case with many (if not most) horror movie fanatics, I often put myself in the main characters’ shoes and in their headspaces, wondering how I would react and behave in such stressful and potentially life-threatening situations. Even though I don’t consciously intend or want to live vicariously as the victim or final daughter until the role in the credits, it still happens every time.

Would I also try to avoid sleeping on Elm Street altogether? Could I convincingly convince the other townspeople to believe my claims about local legends? Would I mess around and find out with a box of LeMarchand?

It’s true that I was already accepting the idea of sympathizing with Elisabeth’s headspace before the film even began, simply from the perspective of someone who fully understands the woes of aging and the desire to reclaim a part of this verve. I don’t have to be a gorgeous celebrity to feel this way. And for a short time The bottomDuring the performance, I was aligned with her until the end.

Then the substance itself was introduced, in all its mysterious, science-defying glory. And then it became abundantly clear what Elisabeth would have to do to maintain the abstract duality of sharing an existence with her younger form, and the “What would I do?” part of my brain completely shut down. If anything, it may have been replaced by the sporadic notion of “I would never…” which I suppose comes from the realization that I’m too lazy to achieve that kind of perfection.

First, Elisabeth regularly has to collect her packages from a very questionable location with a metal door that doesn’t even open all the way. Sure, it’s compatible with other minor inconveniences, but having to do all the refills every two weeks would be a chore, especially if I have to worry about half of my current body turning to shit because my younger version tears my whole body off. cerebrospinal fluids.

Second, I wouldn’t be anywhere near as adept with needles and IVs as Elisabeth was when she opened her first package. It would take me a while to fully master the process, and at that point I would probably face multiple concussions from hitting my head on the floor, toilet, etc. every time the change occurred.

Even if I were good at this part right away, I already know how quickly I would lose track of the proper planning patterns. Because there would be an inherent fear of all the injections and seeing myself on the floor, so I could totally understand why Elisabeth would just start sitting in her living room and watching a lot more TV during her weeks.

Screenshot of Harvey's creepy smile in The Substance

(Image credit: Mubi)

Third, no part of me would willingly do anything that would put me back in the grip of the professional squabbles of Dennis QuaidIt’s a human sweat stain, Harvey. I still don’t understand why Elisabeth and/or Sue continued working with Harvey instead of finding a new outlet, but I guess it’s easier to stick with what you know when you’re in a completely different body.

And then fourth, I really don’t want to give birth from my spine, which is not exactly what happens in The bottombut it’s close enough to make me squirm where I’m currently sitting. I have enough back problems as it is, I don’t need another version of myself making things worse.

So even beyond all my initial reasons to think The bottom is awesome, I also have to give Coralie Fargeat all the credit in the world for silencing a part of my brain that so often speaks loudest when I’m in horror movie mode, no matter how good the movie.

What if The Substance was delivered to my home and came in pill form? That’s a whole different story.

Apre-salomemanzo

Apre-salomemanzo

Demi Moore’s The Substance has earned all my adoration by giving me something I rarely experience as a horror fan

First of all, The Substance is just an incredible movie

Umito

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Demi Moore’s The Substance has earned all my adoration by giving me something I rarely experience as a horror fan

First of all, The Substance is just an incredible movie

Umito

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