A new horror thriller starring Hollywood heavyweight Demi Moore has been described as “the most disgusting film ever” by some viewers.
The Substance, which premieres today on global streaming platform Mubi, has been generating buzz since its premiere at Cannes in May.
It won the Best Screenplay award at the prestigious French film festival and was critically acclaimed, calling it “insane” and “the craziest movie of the last 20 years.”
Of course, this talk was related to some of the unsavory practices in the film, which include Moore’s 61-year-old character Elisabeth Sparkle going so far as to inject herself into her spine, all in an attempt to stave off the physical effects of aging by using a protocol described as “the stuff,” but this leads to some unexpected results, including a scene described by some as “tit vomit.”
In the picture, Moore’s character is an aging television fitness instructor who once had a prolific career but is now in her 50s and has been fired from her TV show due to declining ratings.
Demi Moore plays lead Elisabeth Sparkle in new film The Substance, which has been described as one of the “most disgusting” films ever made (pictured)
The gruesome film features a lot of blood, which left some viewers feeling physically ill, according to reports.
“A fading celebrity decides to use a black market drug, a substance that replicates cells and temporarily creates a younger, better version of herself,” reads the IMDb synopsis.
In her attempt to create a “younger, better” version of herself, Sparkle goes to repulsive extremes, resulting in a film filled with blood and gore. Viewers’ response has been both praise and horror.
Speaking to BBC News about the role, Moore said: “It was a completely unique script, out of the ordinary, you could tell it was visually stimulating and at the same time we had no idea how it would end, which made it even more risky and juicy.”
She added: “I felt like that’s kind of why I wanted to do it. Part of what made it interesting was going to such a raw, vulnerable place to really let go of it. And it was quite liberating in a lot of ways.”
After taking the experimental “substance”, a new version of the actress, played by Margaret Qualley, emerges from Sparkle’s body. There are then two versions of Sparkle, who have to hide from the public to keep their secret, which, if discovered, will have grotesque consequences for both of them.
And even though Sparkle and her alter ego, who calls herself “Sue,” live in separate bodies and lead separate lives, they have to “stabilize” each other every day. They are connected by Sparkle, who is the “matrix.”
They must inject themselves with cerebrospinal fluid daily through a nauseating process.
For the protocol to work, both versions of Sparkle have to be injected daily into the spine (pictured)
Oh, and they enjoy freedom every week, alternating between them. So, while one of the two characters lives his life outdoors, the other is in a coma locked in a bathroom.
The rule that they must never take more than their seven days each in the real world is emphasized, and when the two inevitably do, the other grows increasingly frustrated, leading to a brutal physical fight in Sparkle’s apartment.
According to some critics, despite the inevitable sense of dread that viewers feel when watching the film, the gore revealed in the film’s final act is truly shocking, with exploding bodies and even a vomited chest at one point.
However, while many gore fans may enjoy the blood, limbs, and vomit, there is a larger point the film makes.
This, of course, is the idea on which the film is based: how far this woman will go in an attempt to meet society’s beauty standards, which primarily incorporate youth and thinness.
For a Hollywood veteran like Demi Moore, an incredibly talented and beautiful actress who has graced the big screen for several decades, the challenge of playing the role of Elisabeth Sparkle, while large, was achievable.
The blood festival features massive amounts of blood, as well as other body parts, including a vomited chest.
According to the film’s director, Coralie Fargeat, Moore “really understood the role” and was willing to take the risk to play it.
She told BBC News: ‘‘I knew from the beginning that with that kind of story, casting an actress to tackle those very intense themes that resonate so closely was going to be really difficult.’
Fargeat continued: ‘And when Demi’s idea came up, I was sure she wouldn’t want to do it, I thought it would be too scary. And when I heard that she reacted positively to the script, I was like, “Oh my God!” I was so surprised.”
The level of gore was such that some Cannes audience members walked out during the screening, according to Kevin Maher of The timeswho called the film “childish, useless and intellectually misleading.”
However, other critics gave it five stars, including Rolling StoneAnna Smith, from the Hollywood film production company, has said the film will “make you think, talk and squirm”. She added that the body horror genre is pushed to the limit in the film, “daring the viewer to keep watching rather than hide, despair or even vomit – all reactions are entirely possible”.
Another five star review came from The telegraphTim Robey, who described it as ‘a marvel of a satirical horror thriller, by turns hilarious, moving and tremendously grotesque’.
Several teasers for the film have been shared, including a trailer that begins with a television executive played by Dennis Quaid telling Sparkle, “People are always asking for something new. It’s inevitable. At 50, well, it stops.”
The neon green liquid that Sparkle injects into the film. The black market product is called “the stuff.”
After taking the substance, Elisabeth Sparkle (played by Demi Moore) curls up into a ball in the shower.
This is followed by a dizzying collage of images, accompanied by a voice-over that says: ‘Have you ever dreamed of a better version of yourself, younger, more beautiful, more perfect?
‘A single injection unlocks your DNA and will release another version of yourself.
‘This is the substance.’
The viewer is then told that using the substance will give each version of the person seven days, before adding “the only thing you must not forget is that you are one. You cannot escape yourself.”
The role required Moore to be completely nude in a scene in which Qualley’s character is “born,” which shows Moore examining her own naked body before Qualley emerges and looks at her own skin in a fully frontal scene.
Moore said: “I had someone who was a great partner who I felt very safe with. Obviously, we were quite close, naked, and we also made light of the absurdity of certain situations very much in those moments. But ultimately it’s just about really directing communication and trust in each other.
Veteran actor Dennis Quaid (pictured) plays a flashy studio head named Harvey in the film.
In the image, Moore is transformed into a decayed old woman via prosthetics and said: “It was very strange. One thing that helped was that my dog still recognised me. He was my touchstone of reality.”
After the film’s premiere, it reportedly received a 13-minute standing ovation and Moore’s performance was called “fearless.”
Her co-star Dennis Quaid referred to her return to Cannes as an “amazing third act” during a press conference after the film screened during the festival.
After being called “inspiring,” Moore spoke about her own experience making the film, which she said “took her out of her comfort zone.”
She said: ‘I look for things that take me out of my comfort zone; the opportunity to be a better person and actress.
While the film is a horror thriller with an outlandish plot, the premise is very familiar: the importance society places on youth when it comes to women (pictured: Demi Moore)
‘This film touched on a lot of themes that we all face, searching for validation and belonging. Making it takes us to extremes and allows us to delve into it in a unique way.
‘Through the process of making the film, I think I came away with a greater acceptance of myself.’
The 13-minute standing ovation after the film was the longest yet seen at the 77th annual festival, as rapturous applause filled the theater.
Moore said the vulnerability required for her role in the body horror film was both demanding and exciting.
The Substance will be released on September 20.