Wood River Museum Collections Specialist Ellie Norman recommends the film, The Substance, starring Demi Moore.
I first saw The Substance at last winter’s Sun Valley Film Festival, and it immediately stuck with me. Coralie Fargeat’s latest film is an audacious, bloody, and bitingly intelligent horror movie that digs deep into our cultural obsession with youth and beauty.
Demi Moore stars as Elisabeth Sparkle, a once-famous television personality whose career begins to fade as she ages. Desperate to regain her former glory, she turns to a mysterious new medical treatment known as “the Substance,” a serum that allows her to create a younger, more vibrant version of herself (played by Margaret Qualley).
The experiment, of course, comes with a horrific cost.
Beneath its shocking gore and satirical excess, The Substance is a sharp commentary on the pressures placed on women to remain youthful, desirable, and relevant. It’s both grotesque and deeply sympathetic — a body horror film that doesn’t just revel in the physical but explores the emotional pain of invisibility and self-erasure. Moore gives one of the boldest performances of her career, while Fargeat’s direction turns every glittering surface into something sinister.
Be warned: this movie is very gory and not for the faint of heart. But if you’re looking for something provocative, stylish, and thematically rich for this Halloween season, The Substance is a perfect October watch. Library patrons can check out The Substance on DVD with their library card. Just maybe don’t watch it right before bed!
Rated R for strong bloody violent content, gore, graphic nudity, and language.
Find it in our collection here.
