Impact #3: The Substance.
Last Sunday I went to the theatre to watch “The Substance”.
As some people may know, I love horror movies.
“The Substance” is defined as body horror though, which know I understand what it means. Not a lot of movies make me feel in my own body what the main character is feeling. Not only the images were crazy, but also the audio during whole movie. Even if you covered your eyes so as not to see an image - which, if it wasn't disgusting enough to see from afar, was brought so close to you that it felt invasive - just the sound alone created an image in your own mind, perhaps worse.
Even though I’m not a fan of gore, this was one of the best horror movies I’ve seen lately and I’m here to tell you why.
First, both Demi Moore’s and Margaret Qualley’s acting were impressive.
The film deals with an issue that is socially accepted - integrated, perhaps, is the right word - but which (I believe) gradually makes us unhappier: the obsession with looking young. The film is mainly based on how society pressures women, specifically, to look young, emphasising the objectification and sexualisation of our bodies. Perhaps there are many films that talk about this, but what I liked is that Coralie Fargeat didn’t present it from the point of view of victimisation or vindictiveness, but rather she took it to such an extreme that it became so ridiculous that you ended up laughing and thinking how we humans can sometimes be so surprisingly foolish. Genius!
Photography direction is stunning! Benjamin Kracun’s work is a cinematic treasure without a doubt. As a horror movie fan, I noticed a lot of unsubtle references that pay homage to classic horror films. Starting with the corridor, that was definitely Kubrick-inspired (The Shining, 1980), to the bloodbath scene, clearly inspired in Carrie (1976), among others. Also, the use of color. Wow! Just perfect.
Last, but not least, graphic design. The graphic design in this movie is not that elaborate. It’s just a black-colored typography over white, but this typography is perfectly picked. This kind of graphic design reminds of propaganda, that voice that tells you what to do, what to buy, without even speaking. It’s impactful. Exactly what it needed to be. A perfect addition to a perfect movie.
