Have You Watched the Japanese Counterpart of “The Substance?”
When a woman disfigures herself to avoid becoming obsolete
This Halloween, one particular movie is hogging the spotlight, along with the discourse on pursuing “artificial” beauty at the risk of one’s well-being. It’s called The Substance, directed by Coralie Fargeat and starring Demi Moore.
Elisabeth Sparkle was once a Hollywood A-lister, but now she’s reduced to hosting an aerobics TV show (with a full-on 80s-style neon aesthetic). Now that her age is tipping over 50, that humble position is threatened. Desperate to cling to her fading fame, Elisabeth resorts to a black-market serum that promises to create a younger, more perfect version of herself.
Thematically, it’s a satirical movie that exposes the dark underbelly of the entertainment industry and the burdens a woman must bear to remain in the rat race.
When I first read the introduction, my immediate reaction was, “Hey, isn’t that Helter Skelter?”
