I just had my underused brain yanked out of my head like a peach pit, dribbled around the room like a basketball and handed back to me like a letter to to Bigfoot without a stamp by THE SUBSTANCE. Oh, how ill prepared I was. Poor me wandered innocently into the movie theater (finally utilizing my free pass) expecting a stylish dark psychological thriller that was vaguely horror adjacent like say, BLACK SWAN but Coralie (THE REVENGE, 2018) Fargeat’s gloriously surreal takedown of engorged ego, body dysmorphia, misogyny, ageism, corporate exploitation and the shallowness of society in general, is a pure capital H, mega-dose of Horror (particularly of the body variety) and the florescent light it’s hiding under its bonkers bushel is that it’s the most eye-poppingly awesome and bizarre special make-up effects extravaganza the cinema has seen since Rob Bottin abandoned horror fans like a deadbeat dad (Seriously, bring goggles with windshield wipers on them in preparation for the film’s climax).
This many layered psyche crusher burrows bone deep and features a truly extraordinary (and Oscar worthy) performance by a fearless Demi Moore (PARASITE, THE SEVENTH SIGN, model for the I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE poster) as a theoretically past her prime celebrity who is prepared to demolish everything (even herself) to be adored with the same ferocity as she was in her youth. Unfortunately, she makes a Faustian bargain with a faceless pharmaceutical company (and apparently David Cronenberg) and ends up with a vampire level addiction doing the REQUIEM FOR A DREAM downward spiral shuffle which never ends well, and always leaves yours truly in an emotional fetal position.
As always, the less you know the better so I’ll say no more, just drop everything that you’re doing and run out and make sure you see what is the greatest and goopiest horror spectacle to come howling down the pike spraying ooze in decades. THE SUBSTANCE is a highly original affair like nothing you’ve seen before but that doesn’t stop it from stoking and rekindling memories of many other fine slices of nightmare cinema. Therefore, since we had no Funhouse this week, here are 15 images for you to identify from 15 movies this bravo-worthy instant classic might pal around with:
I think #1 is Cronenberg’s The Fly.
#9 looks like 2001!
#10 is The Hunger.
I am getting a Sisters vibe from #8, but I’m not sure.
Oh, #13 is Re-Animator, of course.
#5. The Beast Within
#6. Mulholland Dr.
#7. Sisters
#8. Carrie (1976)
#9. 2001: a space odyssey
#12. The Thing (82)
1.) The Fly
2.) Society
3.) The Immortalizer
4.) Excision
5.) The Beast Within
6.) Mulholland Drive
7.) Sisters
8.) Carrie
9.) 2001: A Space Odyssey
10.) The Hunger
11.) Black Swan
12.) The Thing
13.) Re-Animator
Whoa!,
Nice job! Ghastly1 made the perfect key! 100%!
I’m actually just going to cut and paste it here:
1.) The Fly yay SDC and Ghastly1 (who got them all…)
2.) Society
3.) The Immortalizer
4.) Excision
5.) The Beast Within Nice catch MS!
6.) Mulholland Drive exactly MS!
7.) Sisters + I’m know you meant 7 SDC! Also correct MS and G1!
8.) Carrie correct Matt!
9.) 2001: A Space Odyssey = you were right SDC & MS !
10.) The Hunger good eye SDC!
11.) Black Swan
12.) The Thing the classic! Nice job MS!
13.) Re-Animator of course SDC!
Excellent work! Thanks to all who played!
Very impressive!
Hope you are all having a good weekend!
And please do go see THE SUBSTANCE
even if by chance you don’t like it, it’s a highly memorable experience and you’ll be glad you saw it in theater!
UPDATE: Had to add:
14= DEATH BECOMES HER
15= PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY ('45) with that incredible painting by Ivan Albright
Sorry I missed them before and yes, I'm still thinking about this movie!