The ‘feminist body horror’ resurgence is here – but where does transness fit in?
For many trans people, The Substance will contain an obvious, and at times unsettling, queer reading. WRITER EMILY CAMERON IMAGES COURTESY OF MUBI If you’ve been on the internet over the past few weeks, it’s been near impossible to avoid talk of The Substance, the best-known example of the “feminist body horror” revival which also includes Nightbitch and Shell.
From tales of Demi Moore’s career best performance, to its scathing critique of the beauty industry and society’s attitudes towards ageing women, the internet is awash with (mostly) praise for Coralie Fargeat’s second feature.
The film stars Moore as Elisabeth Sparkle, an Oscar-winning actress who turns 50 and is promptly fired from her TV aerobics instructor gig.
Desperate, she signs up for blackmarket injections that create Sue: a younger version of her that she can live as for one week at a time, before switching back for the next seven days.
