This director is the queen of misandry. She hates one thing and it ain't Hollywood. It's MEN. All her male characters are disgusting, evil rapists or incel low lifes. You can pretend all you want that you don't see it. We wouldn't want you to get canceled.
I thought it was great up until the last 4 minutes when it turned into a Troma production with gallons of blood spraying out under high pressure. I had suspended disbelief and was totally on board when it worked within its own rules, and that was great. Then it turned into an idiotic mess at the very last minute.
This movie is far from subtle in my opinion. I still fucking LIVE for everything this movie is and does and says. I adore every bit of this damn movie. It’s taken up residence in my brain!!!
i also think that studios believe audiences are dumb and can’t comprehend movies with depth, where the plot isn’t spelled out, or that are “artistic”. when in reality, after years of marvel movies and remakes, that’s what audiences are CRAVING
@@poindextertunes The only Marvel films I liked were Sam Raimi's Spiderman (character, but Sony rights) and the first Ant Man was alright. First Iron Man was okay. Everything else, no.
@@berlin990 I'm curious who you think is the one actually responsible but didn't get mentioned. I pretty much felt she pointed the finger at everyone. That was the whole point.
The fact that Universal Studios helped finance Coralie Fargeat's The Substance but deemed it unworthy after a screening highlights everything wrong with the movie industry today.
lol I think the movie hit too close to home for them. But no worries, the film ended up in the right hands. Allowing it to breathe on its own instead of interfering with the vision that was intended
@@Jprager Not that all, its the most basic talking point of their side since forever regardless of how they live in reality. No different from their eco private jets.
man, The Substance is one of the best movies I've ever seen. I felt it, right there in my seat, this is cinema. Hearing people's reactions, it was glorious.
0:26 I can’t believe someone had the foresight to capture this moment in history. Jawbreaker and She’s All That playing at the same theater at the same time?! Man, what a time it was to be alive.
I remember a little classic called "Sunset Boulevard" which, for the longest time, was my favorite horror film about Hollywood. This film is "SB" on acid and amazing. I literally had a nightmare about its final image. That's show business.
This take is a little disappointing. Moore's body was filmed through a feminine lens, but I have to disagree that altering Margaret Qualley's body on screen desexualizes the character of Sue. At the very least, she's blatantly objectified on screen every time a camera or a man are around to perceive her. The workout routine is a whole montage of her being sexualized. We're being shown the viewpoint of a society that sexualizes her. More importantly, in discussing Elizabeth's aged form so harshly, I feel you missed the nuance of the ugliness presented; it is not "unrecognizable" at all, because it serves as that hyperbolic, self-loathsome fear of aging. If the ugliness of age is the focus, that only pushes a hagsploitation narrative and implies that aging IS to be feared. I think Fargeat's choices show us that she rejects that narrative; the final fight between Elizabeth and Sue and the formation of Monstro Elisasue are much, much more gruesome, disgusting, and horrific. Rather than the aging, I think it's most important to highlight the horrors the movie thematically warns against: self-hatred and twisting oneself beyond recognition to meet beauty standards.
The beginning of your video reminded me how many times I used to go to the movies just to go to the movies. I saw several movies without knowing anything about it more than what I saw on the movie poster when I got to the movie theater. It was a fun game to play. I kinda miss that.
Depending on how long ago you're referring to, it wasn't convenient to look up more about a movie other than those 2 things. With smartphones, it's so easy to get caught up in researching every move option in theaters.
Or blockbuster, just grabbing a movie that looked or felt cool. Nowadays it’s so expensive to live, that you can’t afford to gamble on movie tickets/ rentals. It’s different for streaming but not all of us have that either, so we depend on reviews that demystify the experience but…it’s nice to just dive head first sometimes
This movie is like Barbarian of 2024, it’s wild and insane. I freaking love it. This and Barbarian (the two most batsh@t movie of the decade) are easily my 2 favorite horror movie of the decade so far.
@@yamerojones This one movie in a couple months grossed 70 million vs lotr's 3 movies spanning 3 years based on the popular book which grossed 3 billion. Not to mention having a production only budget of 300 million whilst the substance was only 18 million. Therefore, yes, about the same regret.
I'm glad Coralie Fargeat is now getting attention. Her feature film debut Revenge was so moving in its means of confronting violence against women, and I knew it was only going to be a matter of time before she made a comeback. And boy did she make one. What a genius.
Just goes to show that horror movies are willing to take risks, have social commentary and not treat their audience like ignorant children. Something that BIG hollywood studios should actually learn. Another example is Terrifier 3. With a minuscule budget of 2 million dollars, it made 42.5 times its budget. Again, proving that you don't need 250 million dollars to make a good movie. Just passionate and dedicated filmmakers.
I only saw this because I love Demi more. Had no idea what to expect. Thought I was seeing a highly stylized noir movie. I was shocked and surprised. And I thank this movie for that. It was something so new and cleansed my pallet
This movie was incredible. I absolutely LOVED when it went completely camp at the end. It was insanity and it was brilliant. Not to mention the message that resonated with so many. Well, now I’m gonna go watch it again!
When I still think about a movie, days after viewing, I know I just watched something special. The only problem now is trying to get my friends to watch this film.
Thanks for reminding me Goku being cannotically scared of needles now I can't stop picturing chichi so desperately wanting to see what the hype is about this movie taking him to the movie theater and then him freaking out everyone in the building as they run for cover as he charges up a Kamehameha at the screen over every single needle scene
Loved the video. The title caught me as I was somehow completely unaware of The Substance so thank you for putting me on to that. All I have is an annoying nitpick. Intravenous is pronounced like "intra-venus" and viscera is pronounced like "vih-sir-uh".
Loved this movie so much! I saw it in the theaters, then showed my friends when it streamed on Mubi, and their first reaction to me when it was over was "What the fuck Diego" 🤣
I have really come to appreciate Margaret Qually´s choices in roles, becoming a big fan of her´s. Have not seen her in any major roles yet, but expecting a lot from her in the future.
I’m glad Hollywood is getting weird again. Growing up on Hitchcock and Twilight Zone reruns, the 90s theater and cable fronts were FULL of such interesting movies. Like I can still vividly remember seeing In The Soup on Cinemax late during Vanguard(their little indie block). Sucks to think those experiences are disappearing for future generations as far as current films. Loved this film!
She really just needed to love herself and get to therapy. Also her keycard/locker number of 503 if you turn it upside down it could be read as EOS….Elisabeth or Sue
I would love to see a sequel that shows the origin of how the substance was created, who made it, what was the purpose of it existing? How come the substance is given to people for free (at least it looked like the substance was free for Elizabeth without any charge). Or at least a sequel that shows the other people who use it.
I also think this movie is great evidence of why the theatrical experience is so important to protect and preserve. Being in a theater and hearing everyone’s reactions to the body horror (and the comedy!) was incredible and enhanced the experience immensely.
You're totally right. This movie is THE EXPERIENCE in a theater. I can't remember the last time I see so many people talking about the movie just after the end.
When you're talking about the history of film prior to the age of social media and streaming, it's also important to remember that we just used to go "to the movies." Sometimes we went because there was something in particular that we wanted to see; sometimes, we just wanted to go catch a film and would choose something based on almost no information (at least compared with what we have now): it was literally its own kind of leisure activity. And in the days of less surveillance/security/etc., it was also not uncommon to buy a ticket for one film, see it, and then maybe take advantage of underpaid slack employees' complete lack of interest in what we were doing and sneak into at least one other movie while we were there. There were also second- and third- run dollar theaters back in the day, and those were great places to discover random movies that you'd otherwise never see, especially in a theater.
Women face pressures regardless of whatever society they are in. Whether it's the East or West. You think only tinsel town is notorious for botching up people? 🌍🌏🌎🗺️ It's the same story everywhere! Beauty standards and the practices done to retain "that beauty (and youth)" are common in every part of the world. And the consequences are dire, at times.
I say this movie is resonating with an audience that knows the average Hollywood clown is destroying their own bodies and selling their souls for a pathetic attempt of living forever when in fact they will quickly be replaced by tomorrow's new talent.
It's crazy to me that a film like this exists in 2024 considering all the social and political influences that seeped into Hollywood in the last decade or so. And I'm so glad it does exist. We've been in need of a breath of fresh air and original ideas for a long time.
@@ynraiderand then you get left wing people writing movies like the substance saying “we know how bad Hollywood is and only talk about it, here’s a movie involving that. Plz like us”
I came away shell-shocked, which few horror movies achieve. And, once my nerves calmed down, I thought of actresses like Helen Mirren and Judi Dench, who don't appear to have submitted to plastic surgery or botox, accepting that they are aging, and are still getting great roles for mature women. And I thought of certain other actresses and singers, who have bought into the stay-young-at-any-cost culture, and are fooling no one but themselves with the grotesque procedures they've accepted. Elizabeth is one of those, just turned up to eleven. And it's not just what that leads to, but what she does thereafter, that makes THE SUBSTANCE truly nightmarish and savagely satirical.
This is a film that I once criticized for its lack of subtlety, but is something I haven’t stopped thinking about for weeks. I love this movie the more and more I sit with it, and this video just solidified that with me. The concept of “being one” is so intriguing. We don’t know how Elizabeth was when she was Sue’s age and coming up. She could’ve been just as self absorbed, making sense that Sue is the way she is if they’re the same person. I also love how you mentioned the overt nudity becomes too lingering and leaves men wondering why do they have such a fascination with this. It’s a really brilliant film, one of my favorites this year.
Ngl fave movie of this year, I feel like it conveyed its themes in the exact way current audiences need to see, given the negative reviews I’ve been seeing have been from the exact people that the film is critiquing. So I feel like the gore and over the top way to convey the themes just sorta needed to happen for it to be actually heard. Genuinely love every part of the movie, especially the body horror but I also love body horror stuff in general. Aswell as the iconography is so brilliant Sorry for rambling hehe ^^
Something about this stance reminds me of a Scorsese quote which i'm gonna paraphrase. Something about the audiences fed the same meal over and over and don't know any better. They think we are dumb yet they have little incentive to change so they force a She Hulk when other's crave The Substance
I feel like the more technological advances happen in cinema the more people strive for realism and I’ve seen people say this movie lacks realism and therefore it’s bad and it’s extremely questionable judgement when cinema is just stylized visual stories.
I have a different take on the film, that I haven't seen anyone else bring up. It's that at the start of the film when Elisabeth Sparkle is hit by a car and survives unscathed- is this perhaps illuding to the fact that the whole discourse that follows could be a metaphor for someone being in limbo/ purgatory?
It's a bizarre mix of Verhoeven's critique of Hollywood and his hyper realistic hyper sexual style with Cronenbergian body-horror + "artsy Neon Demon European director in hollywood". TBH I am a bit disappointed by the lack of versayce citation
The Substance is the best movie of the year and best horror movie of the year- it's not only so meaningful, but fun, unique, and creative. Moore deserves an Oscar for her performance. Wish I watched this in theaters. TT
@@poindextertunes I loooove Dune, but Dune 2 was a complete and total failure after the first movie. It completely botched the book story, it was so bad at dialogue and I never really felt Paul growing such as he does in Dune 1 or in the book. That was one movie that should have been 2. It won't get nearly as much recognition as Dune 1 got.
While I kinda like the movie, the diatribe at the start of the video is kinda ridiculous... 1. No one gave a shit about not seeing the Sixth Sense. No one in general gave a shit about FOMO or spoilers. 2. There is a ton of apetite for smaller and weird movies, The Substance and it's performance at the box office are not outliers here. A24 was basically built on this and there are tons more independent or small budget movies that did even better than The Substance did. 3. The fact that movies are streaming in a couple of months is not the main factor here. Movie tickets are FUCKING EXPENSIVE these days. To the point you can't just go out and see something random on a whim. That's not on the audience or even the convenience of the platform, it's solely on cinamas being too expensive.
expanding on ur 3rd point, that’s not even the biggest factor. shareholders want more money, more money = more butts in seats, so they just rely on our nostalgia and remake classics we didn’t ask for or bring a popular book aimed for a female audience bc they know both get hella butts in seats. at the end of the day the shareholders/greed/capitalism is ultimately to blame with the deterioration of like… every industry rn especially creative industries
An instant classic through and through. Finally a movie who dares to describe the ugliness of reality up close and personal. Taking risks to do what movies can be used for and clearly not giving a fuck. Superb. The strongest message i took from this that many may miss is 'Balance'. Also, is it quietly mentioning 'Adrenochrome'..??
The substance feels like MGSV Phantom Pain. When it comes to body double. But unlike MGSV, where Naked Snake literally using Venom Snake(The doppelganger), and Venom just easily take the role of Boss. Sue was eager to take over the role of Elizabeth, and Elizabeth doesn't wanna lose her role. She didn't want to be used by Sue.
In my opinion The Substance is a perfect example that a little bit of studio meddling is generally a good thing. The latter half of the third act did not need to go on the way it did. It was so close to being a masterpiece but either way I still enjoyed the hell out of it.
My thought is that Dennis Quaid's character is also that of the devil...who gives those who desire fame, fortune, and youthful beauty, exactly that....but then also exacts horrific consequences in return. That being said, the fact that the great Demi Moore, who has spent her entire adult life in a Hollywood bubble, deigned to take on this role, looking at herself as an aging actress (over 50), says much about her own mind, and acting ability. And I knew Margaret would become a big star after seeing her on the series "The Leftovers."
This movie is certainly the top 5 of this otherwise very disappointing mainstream movies of 2024. I live in the Netherlands and had the privilege to see this in the cinema. The collective laughter, squirms, "oh no, no no", and "aww man" from men and women was something I barely see anymore. About what you said about western women having it difficult at 11:00 mark, women from my home country and surroundings have it so much worse. There is literally a face cream that promises to make your face skin tone many shades lighter. Not to mention the other types of female oppression, both in subtle and direct manner, is so fucking normalised. Anyway, kudos for your video essay. Fully agree with everything.
I remember when the movie Sucker Punch was released, its director (Zack Synder, IIRC) said that he wanted to present the audience with so much male gaze imagery that they would be overloaded and grossed out by it. Well, Coralie Fargeat actually did that successfully.
I miss what we had in the 90s and 00s. Today everything feels like the end. All of these films analyse parts of our lives as if it’s closing a book on this society. It’s kinda scary to look at the start of film and realise that this civilisation is nearing its end
I have not seen a major Hollyweird movie at any monetary cost to myself since 2018. Our physical bodies are really nothing more than the corporeal vessel for our soul. Our soul will continue on.
This movie had a tone problem for me. I also didn't get to really know Elizabeth Sparkle as a character. Who are her friends, why is she single? And the ending was idiotic after a movie of nonstop male gaze. They also set up multiple scenes for us to clearly laugh and be shocked by Elizabeth's old body, which really diminished the message. Still, I didn't hate it. I get what it was trying to do. And it was refreshing to see a movie willing to take risks.
I dont aggree about the backstory part: i loved that the story was straight to the point, and i didnt need anything else to understand et relate to her
I love The Substance mostly because it feels like, while still science fiction, an immediate and accurate snapshot of the time we live in, now. The world will change, as it always does, but it's nice to know there are movies that document this particular, widespread, and continually festering standard that women have to face. It's a phenomenon of the internet age as well as the enduring and ever-present, horrific legacy of how America treats its women: as customers, as objects, as entertainers and trophies, as human-being producers, but /rarely/ as human beings, in our entirety. Even when they say they do, it's subverted by a scheme to profit off us, to laugh at us, to use us (i.e., when the younger guys of my time like to talk on dates about how they support women and their rights, but aren't even registered to vote). I hope when future generations watch this, the world is different and better, and this unrelenting and violent pressure that women are subjected to has stopped evolving, has gone extinct, has been decimated. I can only hope sometimes
Great and mad applause to these actors, writer, director!!! Would make me even happier if this was not a robot narrating, a little ironic. I wonder: was this written by a real person?
THE SUBSTANCE is a movie that delivers on EVERY front: story, message, acting, aesthetics, effects, pacing, erotica, horror, cinematic homages, every aspect is NAILED perfectly
This is a good analysis. I agree that this is very much a female-view film, and that's what makes it great, but I've also been thinking about a male version of The Substance. The only way it would work is if the guy is physically inhabiting both bodies, because a guy would not sit back and let this other version live the good life while he suffers at home. You would have to have a guy who's short/ugly/bald/invisible to the world and women, become this tall handsome guy and get drunk on the attention and adoration. I guess sort of a reverse Jekyll and Hyde.
The fact that universal didn't take advantage of this film's success, only for Mubi to grow from it, only proves the stupidity of Hollywood, but also the film's victory over them!
This might be the one and only movie which scared the hell out of me and I couldn't watch it more than 45 minutes and this is pretty shocking cuz I've seen movies like Hereditary and Midsommar etc a couple of times without flinching.
The last 3rd of the movie ruined it for me. I was engrossed for the most part in the mix of bubbly, commercial-like visuals with gruesome horror of needles and beatuy procedures. But the bit with the monster made it sooo goofy, like I was watching the monster from The Goonies in a dress.
I disagree that the movie is profitable because it's good. It's not good. It's VERY on the nose. It's as subtle as Soviet Propaganda. Now, don't get me wrong, I agree with the message of the movie of course. But it could've been shortened into an episode of Black Mirror and even then it'd be an average episode. The reason why I think people like to watch the movie is because of VERY intimate nudity of Margareth Qualley. Very soft core porn and very well done.
There's nothing wrong with the beauty standard. The problem is with vanity and the overvaluation of beauty over every other charming quality a woman could possess. And it's about time. About how we think of our older self as someone else, while every move we make to value what is passing away, takes away from the value we invest or see in that older person. We are our own enemies, in so many ways. Blame the culture if you want. Blame men, like they always do. Or look in the mirror, as this film is urging you to do, and self-reflect on where your priorities are now. It's about more, too, including celebrity, but that's the gist as I understood it. Amazing film.
I'm gonna be a contrarian here, and say the movie was good, I'm glad it exists, but I don't think PERSONALLY (and that's the most important point) this movie was great. Why? I understood the message, how exploitative, empty, and disgusting Hollywood and the celebrities' world can be, but I've never liked much either of them, and I already knew and felt they were disgusting and not my cup of tea for not just some years since the case of Harvey Weinstein, but even before, a couple of decades. So the shock factor was there, but as I already dislike Hollywood for some time, and the movie felt a bit like a "I GET IT" message for some time, and the shock factor was even gone for me (not that "Hollywood=disgusting, hypocritical, superficial" was the only message of the movie, but it was clearly the center of it, and PERSONALLY it felt too repetitive in its delivery)
To me, the most vital and devastating scene is when Elizabeth keeps almost going out on the date, and then never does and ghosts the nice guy. It shows the stranglehold of her past life on her - she still has a choice to transcend it, but lets her own self-loathing, and loathing of Sue, win. Its the tipping point. I think its indicative of a lot of the challenges people face when setting up dates at all in the modern era - there's so much noise in the way of what could otherwise be a simple thing of loving ourselves enough as we are to let us be loved by others. As someone who performs in drag and has really grappled with gender dysphoria, I really felt for her in that scene. And I've known women as stunning as her with that exact degree of self-abusing within them.
Some people were disappointed with the plot probably because it's only women who suffer in the film (Elizabeth, the crying girl in the audience etc) but I think that's what the director intended for
I see this as a warning as to what happens when you only give your labor instead of acquiring capital. Elizabeth spent her whole life working to earn money off her image. That's fine when you're 25, but you dont wanna be 55 and in a place where you still have to trade your labor. What Elizabeth should have done, at 55, is started franchising herself. Start a chain of aerobic studios licensing her name. Let 25 year olds labor to run the studios.
@hikariluanGC You're right. Men, too, need to stop seeing themselves in terms of labor and start seeing themselves in terms of capital. So many men wear themselves down earning money, but they only end up building capital for someone else. It's not a gender issue, it's a class issue. I can easily see a Substance-like movie about a middle-aged corporate manager who's about to be downsized, so he takes a drug to turn himself into a younger man so he can once again rise up the ladder. Oh, and what about the major league ballplayers who take steroids to prolong their careers? Can you blame them? They don't want to be replaced by some kid in the minors.
What did YOU think of The Substance?🧪💉 One of the craziest watches of the year?? Comment below!💥
This director is the queen of misandry. She hates one thing and it ain't Hollywood. It's MEN. All her male characters are disgusting, evil rapists or incel low lifes. You can pretend all you want that you don't see it. We wouldn't want you to get canceled.
It's about mother-daughter relationship.
Very graphic
@@svizac69u need to think more, if that’s possible
I thought it was great up until the last 4 minutes when it turned into a Troma production with gallons of blood spraying out under high pressure. I had suspended disbelief and was totally on board when it worked within its own rules, and that was great. Then it turned into an idiotic mess at the very last minute.
I love this film so much. I want to see more unsubtle yet nuanced messages sometimes. Every beat just felt so stylised and bold
100% I love the bluntness of how the message is delivered.
french movies
This movie is far from subtle in my opinion. I still fucking LIVE for everything this movie is and does and says. I adore every bit of this damn movie. It’s taken up residence in my brain!!!
@@idgelee They said "unsubtle"
i also think that studios believe audiences are dumb and can’t comprehend movies with depth, where the plot isn’t spelled out, or that are “artistic”. when in reality, after years of marvel movies and remakes, that’s what audiences are CRAVING
I find European cinema more introspective and deep. It took a French lady to make the Substance and take it to the USA to raise awareness
It’s just consumerism like the clothes bought KNOWING how sh***y they are for the earth and all people
So sick of Marvel slop.
@@samjiman Heard. I was never a fan so I’m more than over it. How ppl can like a franchise that literally makes the same movie 20 times is beyond me
@@poindextertunes The only Marvel films I liked were Sam Raimi's Spiderman (character, but Sony rights) and the first Ant Man was alright. First Iron Man was okay. Everything else, no.
She is BOLD for making this movie.. like everything is unrealistic but relatable at the same time
Heightened? Hyperreal? Satirised?
@@berlin990okay enlightened one, do bless us with your knowledge
@@berlin990 I'm curious who you think is the one actually responsible but didn't get mentioned. I pretty much felt she pointed the finger at everyone. That was the whole point.
@@berlin990 just say it dude, we’re waiting
depends on which aspect you deemed as unrealistic
The fact that Universal Studios helped finance Coralie Fargeat's The Substance but deemed it unworthy after a screening highlights everything wrong with the movie industry today.
lol I think the movie hit too close to home for them. But no worries, the film ended up in the right hands. Allowing it to breathe on its own instead of interfering with the vision that was intended
@@Jprager Thank you, MUBI!
@@Jprager Not that all, its the most basic talking point of their side since forever regardless of how they live in reality. No different from their eco private jets.
Reality following the movie itself.
man, The Substance is one of the best movies I've ever seen. I felt it, right there in my seat, this is cinema. Hearing people's reactions, it was glorious.
0:26 I can’t believe someone had the foresight to capture this moment in history. Jawbreaker and She’s All That playing at the same theater at the same time?! Man, what a time it was to be alive.
I hope this film gets awarded appropriately.
This is why I love movies and the Substance is an example of great storytelling.
I remember a little classic called "Sunset Boulevard" which, for the longest time, was my favorite horror film about Hollywood. This film is "SB" on acid and amazing. I literally had a nightmare about its final image. That's show business.
This take is a little disappointing. Moore's body was filmed through a feminine lens, but I have to disagree that altering Margaret Qualley's body on screen desexualizes the character of Sue. At the very least, she's blatantly objectified on screen every time a camera or a man are around to perceive her. The workout routine is a whole montage of her being sexualized. We're being shown the viewpoint of a society that sexualizes her. More importantly, in discussing Elizabeth's aged form so harshly, I feel you missed the nuance of the ugliness presented; it is not "unrecognizable" at all, because it serves as that hyperbolic, self-loathsome fear of aging. If the ugliness of age is the focus, that only pushes a hagsploitation narrative and implies that aging IS to be feared. I think Fargeat's choices show us that she rejects that narrative; the final fight between Elizabeth and Sue and the formation of Monstro Elisasue are much, much more gruesome, disgusting, and horrific. Rather than the aging, I think it's most important to highlight the horrors the movie thematically warns against: self-hatred and twisting oneself beyond recognition to meet beauty standards.
The beginning of your video reminded me how many times I used to go to the movies just to go to the movies. I saw several movies without knowing anything about it more than what I saw on the movie poster when I got to the movie theater. It was a fun game to play. I kinda miss that.
Depending on how long ago you're referring to, it wasn't convenient to look up more about a movie other than those 2 things. With smartphones, it's so easy to get caught up in researching every move option in theaters.
You can still do that 🤍
@ You’re right. I should!
Or blockbuster, just grabbing a movie that looked or felt cool.
Nowadays it’s so expensive to live, that you can’t afford to gamble on movie tickets/ rentals. It’s different for streaming but not all of us have that either, so we depend on reviews that demystify the experience but…it’s nice to just dive head first sometimes
We were surprised at the cinema. Nowdays you even know the scripts a year before release😅
This movie is like Barbarian of 2024, it’s wild and insane. I freaking love it. This and Barbarian (the two most batsh@t movie of the decade) are easily my 2 favorite horror movie of the decade so far.
100% haha that's actually why I linked the Barbarian video we did in the top line of the description.
Don't forget Malignant
@@michealvega1373 Hell yeah, I love that movie! Absolutely BONKER
@ absolutely!
@@michealvega1373 awesome movie 😄
I already know universal is turning red in there seats after the success this movie got. The money I’d pay to see there regret 😂😂
The same regret studios felt when they turned down Peter Jackson's lord of the rings.
@@zzygyy This movie brought in 16 million dollars, the Lotr brought in a billion dollars.
@@yamerojones This one movie in a couple months grossed 70 million vs lotr's 3 movies spanning 3 years based on the popular book which grossed 3 billion. Not to mention having a production only budget of 300 million whilst the substance was only 18 million.
Therefore, yes, about the same regret.
great video. as a 48 year old woman it resonated like a looney tunes acme anvil!! 🤯☠😅
I'm glad Coralie Fargeat is now getting attention. Her feature film debut Revenge was so moving in its means of confronting violence against women, and I knew it was only going to be a matter of time before she made a comeback. And boy did she make one. What a genius.
IMO Coralie Fargeat can direct Uzumaki or Spiral manga due how unhinged tone and unsettling body horror prosthetics in The Substance
Can't wait to see what she does next. I absolutely loved the naked brutality of Revenge. Underrated. The Substance is best horror movie of this year.
The pump it up dancing looked so painful and uncomfortable it was so stressful to watch
I like how everyone in the beginning speaks about Elisabeth and Sue as one person. Later on speak like they are two different people.
Just goes to show that horror movies are willing to take risks, have social commentary and not treat their audience like ignorant children. Something that BIG hollywood studios should actually learn. Another example is Terrifier 3. With a minuscule budget of 2 million dollars, it made 42.5 times its budget. Again, proving that you don't need 250 million dollars to make a good movie. Just passionate and dedicated filmmakers.
The timing is insane, I just watched it earlier today
HELL yeah haha you love to see it.
I only saw this because I love Demi more. Had no idea what to expect. Thought I was seeing a highly stylized noir movie. I was shocked and surprised. And I thank this movie for that. It was something so new and cleansed my pallet
This movie was incredible. I absolutely LOVED when it went completely camp at the end. It was insanity and it was brilliant. Not to mention the message that resonated with so many. Well, now I’m gonna go watch it again!
When I still think about a movie, days after viewing, I know I just watched something special. The only problem now is trying to get my friends to watch this film.
Thanks for reminding me Goku being cannotically scared of needles now I can't stop picturing chichi so desperately wanting to see what the hype is about this movie taking him to the movie theater and then him freaking out everyone in the building as they run for cover as he charges up a Kamehameha at the screen over every single needle scene
Loved the video. The title caught me as I was somehow completely unaware of The Substance so thank you for putting me on to that. All I have is an annoying nitpick. Intravenous is pronounced like "intra-venus" and viscera is pronounced like "vih-sir-uh".
The best of the year imo its so good
Bruh
Loved this movie so much! I saw it in the theaters, then showed my friends when it streamed on Mubi, and their first reaction to me when it was over was "What the fuck Diego" 🤣
I have really come to appreciate Margaret Qually´s choices in roles, becoming a big fan of her´s. Have not seen her in any major roles yet, but expecting a lot from her in the future.
I’m glad Hollywood is getting weird again. Growing up on Hitchcock and Twilight Zone reruns, the 90s theater and cable fronts were FULL of such interesting movies. Like I can still vividly remember seeing In The Soup on Cinemax late during Vanguard(their little indie block). Sucks to think those experiences are disappearing for future generations as far as current films. Loved this film!
She really just needed to love herself and get to therapy. Also her keycard/locker number of 503 if you turn it upside down it could be read as EOS….Elisabeth or Sue
I cried through the entire end. I miss my mom she was beautiful.
I would love to see a sequel that shows the origin of how the substance was created, who made it, what was the purpose of it existing? How come the substance is given to people for free (at least it looked like the substance was free for Elizabeth without any charge). Or at least a sequel that shows the other people who use it.
Perhaps a prequel of how the old man / young nurse got the substance
Or a sequel where someone manages to keep the balance for longer
I also think this movie is great evidence of why the theatrical experience is so important to protect and preserve. Being in a theater and hearing everyone’s reactions to the body horror (and the comedy!) was incredible and enhanced the experience immensely.
You're totally right. This movie is THE EXPERIENCE in a theater. I can't remember the last time I see so many people talking about the movie just after the end.
When you're talking about the history of film prior to the age of social media and streaming, it's also important to remember that we just used to go "to the movies." Sometimes we went because there was something in particular that we wanted to see; sometimes, we just wanted to go catch a film and would choose something based on almost no information (at least compared with what we have now): it was literally its own kind of leisure activity. And in the days of less surveillance/security/etc., it was also not uncommon to buy a ticket for one film, see it, and then maybe take advantage of underpaid slack employees' complete lack of interest in what we were doing and sneak into at least one other movie while we were there. There were also second- and third- run dollar theaters back in the day, and those were great places to discover random movies that you'd otherwise never see, especially in a theater.
Agreed. Before streaming. Before youtube. Cultural social norms. Friday and Saturday night at the movies.
Man I miss dollar theaters
"Intravernouse?"
in·tra·ve·nous
adjective
existing or taking place within, or administered into, a vein or veins.
18:39 lol
This movie was SO good! Demi and Margot are SO talented 👏
Women face pressures regardless of whatever society they are in. Whether it's the East or West. You think only tinsel town is notorious for botching up people?
🌍🌏🌎🗺️
It's the same story everywhere!
Beauty standards and the practices done to retain "that beauty (and youth)" are common in every part of the world.
And the consequences are dire, at times.
I don’t think that I could watch this film - too nauseating - however it seems incredible.
A great review.
I say this movie is resonating with an audience that knows the average Hollywood clown is destroying their own bodies and selling their souls for a pathetic attempt of living forever when in fact they will quickly be replaced by tomorrow's new talent.
dr rajani is on here and talks about their procedures, it's basically another full time job
I didn't know revenge was her movie. That movie could hold an audience for sure, just not your regular movie.
It's crazy to me that a film like this exists in 2024 considering all the social and political influences that seeped into Hollywood in the last decade or so. And I'm so glad it does exist. We've been in need of a breath of fresh air and original ideas for a long time.
Rightwing hollywood faking leftwing films...
Aliens, Robocop, Star Wars, and Terminator 2, all are classic LEFTWING POLITICS!
@@ynraiderand then you get left wing people writing movies like the substance saying “we know how bad Hollywood is and only talk about it, here’s a movie involving that. Plz like us”
I came away shell-shocked, which few horror movies achieve. And, once my nerves calmed down, I thought of actresses like Helen Mirren and Judi Dench, who don't appear to have submitted to plastic surgery or botox, accepting that they are aging, and are still getting great roles for mature women. And I thought of certain other actresses and singers, who have bought into the stay-young-at-any-cost culture, and are fooling no one but themselves with the grotesque procedures they've accepted. Elizabeth is one of those, just turned up to eleven. And it's not just what that leads to, but what she does thereafter, that makes THE SUBSTANCE truly nightmarish and savagely satirical.
This is a film that I once criticized for its lack of subtlety, but is something I haven’t stopped thinking about for weeks. I love this movie the more and more I sit with it, and this video just solidified that with me. The concept of “being one” is so intriguing. We don’t know how Elizabeth was when she was Sue’s age and coming up. She could’ve been just as self absorbed, making sense that Sue is the way she is if they’re the same person. I also love how you mentioned the overt nudity becomes too lingering and leaves men wondering why do they have such a fascination with this. It’s a really brilliant film, one of my favorites this year.
Ngl fave movie of this year, I feel like it conveyed its themes in the exact way current audiences need to see, given the negative reviews I’ve been seeing have been from the exact people that the film is critiquing. So I feel like the gore and over the top way to convey the themes just sorta needed to happen for it to be actually heard.
Genuinely love every part of the movie, especially the body horror but I also love body horror stuff in general. Aswell as the iconography is so brilliant
Sorry for rambling hehe ^^
Something about this stance reminds me of a Scorsese quote which i'm gonna paraphrase. Something about the audiences fed the same meal over and over and don't know any better.
They think we are dumb yet they have little incentive to change so they force a She Hulk when other's crave The Substance
I feel like the more technological advances happen in cinema the more people strive for realism and I’ve seen people say this movie lacks realism and therefore it’s bad and it’s extremely questionable judgement when cinema is just stylized visual stories.
I have a different take on the film, that I haven't seen anyone else bring up. It's that at the start of the film when Elisabeth Sparkle is hit by a car and survives unscathed- is this perhaps illuding to the fact that the whole discourse that follows could be a metaphor for someone being in limbo/ purgatory?
It's a bizarre mix of Verhoeven's critique of Hollywood and his hyper realistic hyper sexual style with Cronenbergian body-horror + "artsy Neon Demon European director in hollywood". TBH I am a bit disappointed by the lack of versayce citation
The Substance is a movie I will never watch, but I am delighted to hear that it was made. Viva la Creativity!
This movie is like a comedy told like the original tragedy... then they continue the joke too far until you want to stop it... i love it n.n
The Substance is the best movie of the year and best horror movie of the year- it's not only so meaningful, but fun, unique, and creative. Moore deserves an Oscar for her performance. Wish I watched this in theaters. TT
this is crazy talk. Dune 2 is the best movie of the year and also maybe of the last decade
@@poindextertunes I loooove Dune, but Dune 2 was a complete and total failure after the first movie. It completely botched the book story, it was so bad at dialogue and I never really felt Paul growing such as he does in Dune 1 or in the book. That was one movie that should have been 2. It won't get nearly as much recognition as Dune 1 got.
It was made for grownups, a niche audience for American entertainment.
While I kinda like the movie, the diatribe at the start of the video is kinda ridiculous...
1. No one gave a shit about not seeing the Sixth Sense. No one in general gave a shit about FOMO or spoilers.
2. There is a ton of apetite for smaller and weird movies, The Substance and it's performance at the box office are not outliers here. A24 was basically built on this and there are tons more independent or small budget movies that did even better than The Substance did.
3. The fact that movies are streaming in a couple of months is not the main factor here. Movie tickets are FUCKING EXPENSIVE these days. To the point you can't just go out and see something random on a whim. That's not on the audience or even the convenience of the platform, it's solely on cinamas being too expensive.
expanding on ur 3rd point, that’s not even the biggest factor. shareholders want more money, more money = more butts in seats, so they just rely on our nostalgia and remake classics we didn’t ask for or bring a popular book aimed for a female audience bc they know both get hella butts in seats. at the end of the day the shareholders/greed/capitalism is ultimately to blame with the deterioration of like… every industry rn especially creative industries
An instant classic through and through. Finally a movie who dares to describe the ugliness of reality up close and personal. Taking risks to do what movies can be used for and clearly not giving a fuck. Superb. The strongest message i took from this that many may miss is 'Balance'. Also, is it quietly mentioning 'Adrenochrome'..??
The substance feels like MGSV Phantom Pain. When it comes to body double. But unlike MGSV, where Naked Snake literally using Venom Snake(The doppelganger), and Venom just easily take the role of Boss. Sue was eager to take over the role of Elizabeth, and Elizabeth doesn't wanna lose her role. She didn't want to be used by Sue.
The substance had me sobbing during the entire last 30 minutes, I was inconsolable.
AYYYY happy this movie is doing well and that mubi gave it a chance
See her first film, Revenge, far more conventional but still ... ENJOY.
Watched this in theater with a friend, we were the only 2 people and I absolutely loved it!
In my opinion The Substance is a perfect example that a little bit of studio meddling is generally a good thing. The latter half of the third act did not need to go on the way it did. It was so close to being a masterpiece but either way I still enjoyed the hell out of it.
My thought is that Dennis Quaid's character is also that of the devil...who gives those who desire fame, fortune, and youthful beauty, exactly that....but then also exacts horrific consequences in return. That being said, the fact that the great Demi Moore, who has spent her entire adult life in a Hollywood bubble, deigned to take on this role, looking at herself as an aging actress (over 50), says much about her own mind, and acting ability. And I knew Margaret would become a big star after seeing her on the series "The Leftovers."
Fantastic commentary! Such a profound movie!!!
This movie is certainly the top 5 of this otherwise very disappointing mainstream movies of 2024. I live in the Netherlands and had the privilege to see this in the cinema. The collective laughter, squirms, "oh no, no no", and "aww man" from men and women was something I barely see anymore.
About what you said about western women having it difficult at 11:00 mark, women from my home country and surroundings have it so much worse. There is literally a face cream that promises to make your face skin tone many shades lighter. Not to mention the other types of female oppression, both in subtle and direct manner, is so fucking normalised.
Anyway, kudos for your video essay. Fully agree with everything.
Definitely one of top tier surreal, camp and satirical movie we got this year honestly, and in like a newer modern sense 💅🧪🧫💉
I remember when the movie Sucker Punch was released, its director (Zack Synder, IIRC) said that he wanted to present the audience with so much male gaze imagery that they would be overloaded and grossed out by it. Well, Coralie Fargeat actually did that successfully.
I miss what we had in the 90s and 00s. Today everything feels like the end. All of these films analyse parts of our lives as if it’s closing a book on this society. It’s kinda scary to look at the start of film and realise that this civilisation is nearing its end
I disagree. It’s just a progression of societal exploration of themes.
I think the ending could be more subtle, not so gore and grotesque but still I really liked it - I love untypical movies and the esthetic like that
I have not seen a major Hollyweird movie at any monetary cost to myself since 2018. Our physical bodies are really nothing more than the corporeal vessel for our soul. Our soul will continue on.
This movie had a tone problem for me. I also didn't get to really know Elizabeth Sparkle as a character. Who are her friends, why is she single? And the ending was idiotic after a movie of nonstop male gaze. They also set up multiple scenes for us to clearly laugh and be shocked by Elizabeth's old body, which really diminished the message. Still, I didn't hate it. I get what it was trying to do. And it was refreshing to see a movie willing to take risks.
i completely agree.
I dont aggree about the backstory part: i loved that the story was straight to the point, and i didnt need anything else to understand et relate to her
I love The Substance mostly because it feels like, while still science fiction, an immediate and accurate snapshot of the time we live in, now. The world will change, as it always does, but it's nice to know there are movies that document this particular, widespread, and continually festering standard that women have to face. It's a phenomenon of the internet age as well as the enduring and ever-present, horrific legacy of how America treats its women: as customers, as objects, as entertainers and trophies, as human-being producers, but /rarely/ as human beings, in our entirety. Even when they say they do, it's subverted by a scheme to profit off us, to laugh at us, to use us (i.e., when the younger guys of my time like to talk on dates about how they support women and their rights, but aren't even registered to vote). I hope when future generations watch this, the world is different and better, and this unrelenting and violent pressure that women are subjected to has stopped evolving, has gone extinct, has been decimated. I can only hope sometimes
Great and mad applause to these actors, writer, director!!! Would make me even happier if this was not a robot narrating, a little ironic. I wonder: was this written by a real person?
THE SUBSTANCE is a movie that delivers on EVERY front: story, message, acting, aesthetics, effects, pacing, erotica, horror, cinematic homages, every aspect is NAILED perfectly
Hey! You did the video I asked!!! ❤
This is a good analysis. I agree that this is very much a female-view film, and that's what makes it great, but I've also been thinking about a male version of The Substance. The only way it would work is if the guy is physically inhabiting both bodies, because a guy would not sit back and let this other version live the good life while he suffers at home. You would have to have a guy who's short/ugly/bald/invisible to the world and women, become this tall handsome guy and get drunk on the attention and adoration. I guess sort of a reverse Jekyll and Hyde.
Its still in its own world not the world we live in .
Like a Twlightzone episode or something straight out of black mirror you'll get the same feel.
The fact that universal didn't take advantage of this film's success, only for Mubi to grow from it, only proves the stupidity of Hollywood, but also the film's victory over them!
This might be the one and only movie which scared the hell out of me and I couldn't watch it more than 45 minutes and this is pretty shocking cuz I've seen movies like Hereditary and Midsommar etc a couple of times without flinching.
Best film seen in a long time
You are missing the point saying it's about capitalism.
Movies can be about multiple things; he’s not wrong to view it through a lens of capitalism…
What was the film at 2:20?
I LOVE REVENGE AND THE SUBSTANCE. IVE SEEN BOTH OF THEM SO MANY TIMES
The last 3rd of the movie ruined it for me. I was engrossed for the most part in the mix of bubbly, commercial-like visuals with gruesome horror of needles and beatuy procedures. But the bit with the monster made it sooo goofy, like I was watching the monster from The Goonies in a dress.
I disagree that the movie is profitable because it's good. It's not good. It's VERY on the nose. It's as subtle as Soviet Propaganda. Now, don't get me wrong, I agree with the message of the movie of course. But it could've been shortened into an episode of Black Mirror and even then it'd be an average episode.
The reason why I think people like to watch the movie is because of VERY intimate nudity of Margareth Qualley. Very soft core porn and very well done.
I totally disagree with you. Things dont need to be subtle to be good.
@@paulclousier3856 OK. I respect that.
The Substance for me was bizzar, grotesque ,memorable, frustrating like a car wreck 😮
There's nothing wrong with the beauty standard. The problem is with vanity and the overvaluation of beauty over every other charming quality a woman could possess. And it's about time. About how we think of our older self as someone else, while every move we make to value what is passing away, takes away from the value we invest or see in that older person. We are our own enemies, in so many ways. Blame the culture if you want. Blame men, like they always do. Or look in the mirror, as this film is urging you to do, and self-reflect on where your priorities are now. It's about more, too, including celebrity, but that's the gist as I understood it. Amazing film.
haha YES THIS IS ABOUT DARK CITY. saw the jennifer connelly edited thumbnail and was like *eyeballs popping*
oh no ,, it wasn't....
The wildest movie i've ever seen in my entire life, i wanna see the tutorial of wearing monstro suit. 😂
this movie was so perfect i loved it so much. im still thinking about it
I. Just. Wanted. To see. The monster. For longer...
I was also expecting the second one to tumor out not to do what they did.
when the director has her cake and eats it too
everybody talking about this film now but who actually saw it in theaters.. 10/10 experience.
tldr: movie execs dont know sh!t
I'm gonna be a contrarian here, and say the movie was good, I'm glad it exists, but I don't think PERSONALLY (and that's the most important point) this movie was great. Why? I understood the message, how exploitative, empty, and disgusting Hollywood and the celebrities' world can be, but I've never liked much either of them, and I already knew and felt they were disgusting and not my cup of tea for not just some years since the case of Harvey Weinstein, but even before, a couple of decades. So the shock factor was there, but as I already dislike Hollywood for some time, and the movie felt a bit like a "I GET IT" message for some time, and the shock factor was even gone for me (not that "Hollywood=disgusting, hypocritical, superficial" was the only message of the movie, but it was clearly the center of it, and PERSONALLY it felt too repetitive in its delivery)
Wow, Alien meets Dorian Gray. Gotta watch it.
To me, the most vital and devastating scene is when Elizabeth keeps almost going out on the date, and then never does and ghosts the nice guy. It shows the stranglehold of her past life on her - she still has a choice to transcend it, but lets her own self-loathing, and loathing of Sue, win. Its the tipping point. I think its indicative of a lot of the challenges people face when setting up dates at all in the modern era - there's so much noise in the way of what could otherwise be a simple thing of loving ourselves enough as we are to let us be loved by others. As someone who performs in drag and has really grappled with gender dysphoria, I really felt for her in that scene. And I've known women as stunning as her with that exact degree of self-abusing within them.
Some people were disappointed with the plot probably because it's only women who suffer in the film (Elizabeth, the crying girl in the audience etc) but I think that's what the director intended for
never clicked so fast on a vid before
I hope you dig it!!
clicked away
I see this as a warning as to what happens when you only give your labor instead of acquiring capital.
Elizabeth spent her whole life working to earn money off her image. That's fine when you're 25, but you dont wanna be 55 and in a place where you still have to trade your labor.
What Elizabeth should have done, at 55, is started franchising herself. Start a chain of aerobic studios licensing her name. Let 25 year olds labor to run the studios.
If even a woman like Elizabeth makes that mistake, just imagine how hard it is for common folk to do that.
@hikariluanGC You're right. Men, too, need to stop seeing themselves in terms of labor and start seeing themselves in terms of capital. So many men wear themselves down earning money, but they only end up building capital for someone else. It's not a gender issue, it's a class issue.
I can easily see a Substance-like movie about a middle-aged corporate manager who's about to be downsized, so he takes a drug to turn himself into a younger man so he can once again rise up the ladder.
Oh, and what about the major league ballplayers who take steroids to prolong their careers? Can you blame them? They don't want to be replaced by some kid in the minors.