A FULL BREAKDOWN of ALL SYMBOLS and THE ENDING of The Substance | EXPLAINED

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  • Опубліковано 11 лют 2025

КОМЕНТАРІ • 1,2 тис.

  • @lucasblue20
    @lucasblue20  4 місяці тому +259

    This was incredible. I’d love to discuss your thoughts, and answer any remaining questions, lemme know below!

    • @kg-bv4nw
      @kg-bv4nw 4 місяці тому +5

      Thank you so much for the incredible videos. Could you please review the taste of things? It was such a beautiful film. 🇫🇷🙏🏻

    • @77Creation
      @77Creation 4 місяці тому +4

      Strange Darling is my fave so so far this year. But The Substance is excellent. Coralie Fargeat is awesome at what she does.

    • @orionred2489
      @orionred2489 4 місяці тому +8

      Just got back from watching it. Two details that I think go with what you said. First, the reaction of the "monster" to produce a breast to try and please the crowd. That seemed like "is this what you want???" The grotesque thing was done to try and stay in the lime light. Second, the subtitles looked an AWFUL lot like the ones from The Elephant Man. Then the people just standing there screaming, and then shoving her and calling her a monster. It seemed like it was saying we're still just like those crowds when it comes to appearance.

    • @juliusgold1
      @juliusgold1 3 місяці тому +5

      Is it possible that Elizabeth dies in the car crash and is in hell for the rest of the movie?

    • @a-dwi
      @a-dwi 3 місяці тому +3

      ​@@juliusgold1I'm not sure about the "hell", but I was also wondering, what if she was actually dying after the car crash...?
      But then again, the opening sequence at the Walk of Fame is a foreshadowing, especially the burger part. So who knows, we can interpret it however we want I guess 🤔

  • @meeduoh
    @meeduoh 3 місяці тому +1653

    What struck me the most is how careless Sue acts towards her original body. From the start, she leaves it on the ground to rot for a full week, without even thinking about the repercussions. And yet, she makes an insane effort to build a special room just so she can hide that alter body. Imagine the amount of pain you'd be in after being left out on the ground like that for a full week. And yet she doesn't even give a pillow to her poor original self. To me, the amount of self hatred was very clear from the start, it didn't need any more signs.

    • @LuzMontero-q9k
      @LuzMontero-q9k 3 місяці тому +76

      I thought the same while realizing that she was doing that to herself. Celebrities having treatments and surgeries, and cutting their bodies by their own will. Crazy.

    • @clouddavis
      @clouddavis 3 місяці тому +102

      Yea, Sue literally sees the body every time she takes spinal fluid and/or switches, and she sees what’s she’s doing to the older body…but seems to never care until it’s too late

    • @a-dwi
      @a-dwi 3 місяці тому +82

      @@meeduoh tbf both of them don't treat the other's body, or even theirs, that well. No comfy pajamas or blanket or anything. Most of the time they're just lying around naked and being cold 💀

    • @sff482
      @sff482 3 місяці тому

      Me same, why not put Lizzie on bed

    • @meeduoh
      @meeduoh 2 місяці тому +42

      @@a-dwi Agreed. She (they both) take her body as a vehicle for self gratification and nothing else. In them, there is nothing left of the idea that we have intrinsic value, and that we should care for our own well-being. All there is left is the value she has if she's seen and admired for her body and what her body can do. So of course, the lack of care goes both ways.

  • @stella-pp6tn
    @stella-pp6tn 4 місяці тому +2437

    A few things i noticed: the door to thesubstance stops half way forcing elizabeth to physically crawl inside. I feel like it shows how far are you willing to go for beauty that you’ll go into a shady building literally crawling inside.
    Also the male voice on the phone. We never see who he is yet he still has so much control over elizabeth and sue. Kind of showing how men we will never even see can make such damage to a woman’s mind

    • @alberttresslevic914
      @alberttresslevic914 3 місяці тому +115

      I took as Alice In Wonderland symbolism for going deep into the rabbit hole to a very dark strange place

    • @xXNekou
      @xXNekou 3 місяці тому +84

      I think the voice on the phone symbolizes all the men who expect women to jump through all these hoops to achieve the unachieavable (beauty standards), the voice (the men) doesn't care about health and happiness of Elizabeth/Sue, just cares about the subtance being used (like male millionaires and CEOs just want women's money for skincare and procedures they're selling no matter whether these procedures and cosmetics actually make a positive difference for women --which they don't--or not)

    • @questerperipatetic4861
      @questerperipatetic4861 3 місяці тому +30

      @@xXNekou Too many women selling and marketing product for that to get all blamed on men.

    • @TryinaD
      @TryinaD 3 місяці тому +7

      @@questerperipatetic4861the creators are mostly men tho right

    • @xXNekou
      @xXNekou 3 місяці тому

      @@questerperipatetic4861 most of billionaires and CEOs that profit from women's insecurities are men though

  • @UpNAtom77
    @UpNAtom77 4 місяці тому +1239

    One part of the chicken leg nightmare that stood out to me was how after the show taping is stopped to find out what happened, the director doesn't just go back and look at the footage in a monitor off to the side, he shows it on a HUGE screen in front of EVERYONE and even tells someone to play it back frame by frame. He also doesn't respond to it by saying "What was that??" or the like, he says "We have an anomaly" - very pointed & an interesting choice of words. Sue-self here is being scrutinized with a fine tooth comb and facing her ultimate fear - that something "wrong" will be found with her and she won't be perfect.
    It's also a great representation of how Elizabeth feels so scrutinized and more like a product than a person.

    • @theewildrose
      @theewildrose 4 місяці тому +20

      that scene was so funny and too real

    • @Doom_scroll_generation
      @Doom_scroll_generation 4 місяці тому +41

      Right. That is the ULTIMATE worst case scenario when you're someone whose livelihood & self-worth are entirely based around your looks. The director's takedown has obviously been a huge exaggeration (like everything else in the film (and intentionally so!)), but I bet such little horrors happen ALL the time, everyday in jobs based around looks, breaking people slowly apart

    • @vampirewilde
      @vampirewilde 4 місяці тому +1

      She

    • @fitch099
      @fitch099 3 місяці тому +3

      ​@@theewildrosei laughed way too much during this movie

    • @theewildrose
      @theewildrose 3 місяці тому +3

      @@fitch099 the final 30 minutes i was laughing the whole time and crying

  • @giorgiabarison
    @giorgiabarison 4 місяці тому +883

    ALSO, the refererence to the Picture of Dorian Gray?? the big portrait of Elisabeth that is slowly erasing itself as Sue takes Elisabeth's spinal fluid to survive? LOVED IT. this movie really felt like the modern adaptation of the picture of dorian gray

    • @CatrionaBell123
      @CatrionaBell123 3 місяці тому +22

      Also Jekyll & Hyde

    • @sharonjiang5006
      @sharonjiang5006 3 місяці тому +50

      YES! I definitely got The Picture of Dorian Gray vibes. Even the concept of 'how far would you go if you could do something heinous with no visible consequences' is very Dorian Gray!

    • @NatManzano
      @NatManzano 3 місяці тому +20

      I noticed that one. She is a modern Dorian Gray. Not morally, but the fact that she does not age. It is taken one step forward as she made herself her own portrait to ruin, not just the picture.

    • @martinsaugustaf
      @martinsaugustaf 3 місяці тому +3

      YESS!! EXACTLY WHAT I THOUGHT

    • @ShamanDandy
      @ShamanDandy 2 місяці тому +3

      Also reminded me of metamorphosis by Kafka

  • @NicolesNaturals
    @NicolesNaturals 4 місяці тому +1415

    When Elizabeth was kneeling over Sue and said "you're the only part of me that's lovable" (or something like that) made me cry. I really resonated with that. I grew up with very vain parents. There was always this underlying tone that no one will like you unless you're pretty.

    • @kitchencountertalk9115
      @kitchencountertalk9115 4 місяці тому +33

      I cried at that part too 😢

    • @toyosibee.mp3
      @toyosibee.mp3 4 місяці тому +66

      RIGHT, this movie made me so unexpectedly sad?? The fact Elisabeth doesn't see herself as beautiful or lovable...I wanted to cry so hard :

    • @franstclair
      @franstclair 4 місяці тому +21

      SO heartbreaking right !!! I also found that some people in the cinema were laughing at parts that made me feel like bursting into tears. Can't wait to rewatch it :')

    • @validus5808
      @validus5808 4 місяці тому +1

      Loool

    • @outsidesounds
      @outsidesounds 4 місяці тому +7

      but they weren’t part of each other. elizabeth didn’t vicariously share any of sue’s experiences. she literally didn’t know what was happening with sue, she was just unconscious on the floor. they were two different people living two different and completely separate lives.
      when elizabeth was on the phone and they said she could cancel the experiment, and she didn’t want to, it didn’t make any sense. WHY DID SHE KEEP DOING IT?? she experienced literally no upside to sharing the consciousness.

  • @wallhagens2001
    @wallhagens2001 4 місяці тому +1512

    59 YO woman here. Saw this last night and it felt so true to me in that I bought into my looks as my source of value when I was younger. But now I’m happy to be getting older and no longer having to deal with the leering men and the “smile” being yelled at me as I walk down the street. Now I’m invisible and I prefer it. I no longer criticize my appearance standing in front of the mirror because I no longer feel that’s what’s most important about me. I feel liberated and my self-hate has vanished. Youth is overrated.

    • @MagpieStudiosYT
      @MagpieStudiosYT 4 місяці тому +14

      great movie. a lot of symbolism and messages

    • @DanaJaneWriter
      @DanaJaneWriter 4 місяці тому +22

      Youth is definitely overrated

    • @anonz975
      @anonz975 4 місяці тому +15

      As a woman your age I can relate. I stopped focusing on what other people think or like and now focus on what **I** like and enjoy. Their opinion of me is none of my business. :)

    • @linn8487
      @linn8487 4 місяці тому +7

      This gave me goosebumps

    • @alexm-t9d
      @alexm-t9d 4 місяці тому +12

      Youth is wasted on the young, as they say. Says I at 39, but still xD

  • @joshuawhitton2976
    @joshuawhitton2976 4 місяці тому +2330

    For me, the monster represents Elizabeth finally appreciating herself, AS Elisabeth. She puts on Elisabeth’s face on the monster to go to the show, she even says “it’s me, Elisabeth” on the mike. No mentions of Sue. She got to be the young pretty Sue, but it took her becoming this horrible monster to actually realize, Elisabeth was always beautiful and loving herself. Even the final scene centers around Elisabeth’s face sliding on the floor, cause at the end of the day, it was always Elisabeth, her true self.

    • @ThePhobiephozee2000
      @ThePhobiephozee2000 4 місяці тому +313

      She actually does mention that she's still Sue in the show scene but I saw that as a "acknowledging who she was without obsessing over it" kinda way. Did adore the monster though! Grossed out at first but felt nothing but empathy when she was getting ready in the mirror and looked at herself with so much compassion.

    • @Seispieles
      @Seispieles 4 місяці тому +5

      Cómo podria Elisabeth adorarse asi misma? Si la pelicula trata totalmente de que no se acepta como es, por eso decidió usar la substancia. Nada que ver tu comentario

    • @millel1986
      @millel1986 4 місяці тому +20

      ​@@Seispieles🤦

    • @phaedrus7971
      @phaedrus7971 4 місяці тому +116

      As the other commenter mentioned, the monster does indeed include Sue. She has accepted herself completely. Remember, Elizabeth and Sue are one. Literally.

    • @frankman2
      @frankman2 4 місяці тому +13

      Bueno, interesting, I'll spanglish this one. Love that everyone has an interpretation. Yo lo vi como el final de "Sunset Boulevard". "I'm ready for my close-up, Mr. DeMille." A deluded person.

  • @alexknee1258
    @alexknee1258 3 місяці тому +1062

    This runs so deep, some other smaller symbolic details worth touching on:
    The Eggs what an egg represents, Elisabeth is cooking two, eventually she is beating 100s of them to a pulp and spraying them all over herself.
    Also tying into the eggs is the chickens. The chicken being the body that birthed the egg, sue gazes upon the carcass of a chicken in disgust.
    Food symbolism in general runs deep, when Elisabeth is looking at a cookbook it highlights ‘foie gras’ which is made by force-feeding cruelty to make a luxury product. Take of that what you will, but like they didn’t highlight muffins, they chose something emphasizes on fat and torture and the lengths you’d go create something desirable. Also prawns as a choice for the executive, taking subject after subject, discarding their useless brains and consuming the succulent bodies leaving behind empty shells. A poignant meal choice.
    The snow globe, Elizabeth trapped in a glass bubble full of sparkles. Eventually shattered with rage.
    The seven day system the seven deadly sins tell me there isn’t a scene for pride, greed, wrath, envy, lust, gluttony, and sloth. Maybe a reach one but I still noticed.
    The door to the dirty back alley room where they get the substance only half opening, forcing people to get on their knees and grovel.
    I’m sure there’s much more but that’s all I can think of off the top of my head

    • @Hellokittyy555
      @Hellokittyy555 3 місяці тому +12

      So good! 💯

    • @carminia271
      @carminia271 3 місяці тому +28

      You are so fricking brilliant

    • @PD-hv3my
      @PD-hv3my 3 місяці тому +8

      Wonderful analysis I love it

    • @neledemeulemeester754
      @neledemeulemeester754 3 місяці тому +25

      That's a lot better symbol detection and explanation than this video

    • @rekapeace6936
      @rekapeace6936 3 місяці тому +15

      Maybe you should create a video about reviewing this film! This guy mostly mentioned what is visible to the “male gaze”.

  • @MazbouQ
    @MazbouQ 4 місяці тому +691

    A more specific detail in the opening scene, the sauce from the guys dropped burger mainly covers the word "Sparkle", symbolising that Elizabeth is losing / has lost her sparkle.

    • @alexbond3812
      @alexbond3812 4 місяці тому +17

      Full circle moment

    • @bronson1392
      @bronson1392 3 місяці тому +3

      Captain obviously 😂..you think?

  • @insectsandanimals5535
    @insectsandanimals5535 4 місяці тому +1705

    The foreshadowing of the dropped hamburger…

  • @applenice1069
    @applenice1069 4 місяці тому +1047

    I agree with your take more than the director's about Monster Elisasue. I def think Elisasue is like what you said, a celebrity who's just totally gone botched but in their mind, they think they look amazing, and would be showered w/ love and flowers when they make a public appearance again...but only to be mocked and laughed at. Which leads to the ultimate destruction (Elisasue exploading), and spraying blood on the audience, symbolising that we ALL have blood on our hands. We expect celebs to look a certain way, to be a certain way, and causing them to go "crazy"...and wehn they go "crazy", we laugh at them, and doesn't realize that we are the very monsters who created that monster.

    • @lucasblue20
      @lucasblue20  4 місяці тому +110

      Omg everything you just said would’ve been this video’s breakdown of the ending had I not watched Coralie’s interview while outlining this. Your thoughts were my thoughts exactly as I was leaving the theatre haha

    • @AChickandaDuck
      @AChickandaDuck 4 місяці тому +18

      These were my thoughts too when I first saw it! Blood all over Hollywood. 😂

    • @Onlyone_Keke
      @Onlyone_Keke 4 місяці тому +2

      Good Take!!!

    • @jenn7754
      @jenn7754 4 місяці тому +11

      Blood on their hands was exactly my thoughts during that scene aslo.

    • @wademoores1201
      @wademoores1201 4 місяці тому +1

      Wowww

  • @lujansaravia759
    @lujansaravia759 4 місяці тому +251

    I cried watching this movie, since the moment elisabeth said sue was the only lovable thing about her I lost it, and watching her being attacked by herself broke my heart. The meaning of this movie is incredible, made my tummy hurt but I would watch it again without a doubt

    • @RS54321
      @RS54321 2 місяці тому +8

      Her brutally attacking herself was so horrific, I couldn't even watch.

  • @Ravuun
    @Ravuun 2 місяці тому +133

    I loved the shift from the cold, clinical camerawork used for Elisabeth in the bathroom, to the satirical level of male gaze used in Sue's scenes. It made me laugh, as did the chicken leg scene. We often joke about eating something and it going "right to my thighs/ass" etc., and that took it to the literal level! Elisabeth trying to get ready for her date was so relatable and heartbreaking, I am sure everyone has had that moment at least once in life. Elisabeth's final liberation from her body and her final feelings of acceptance and self-love on her star were poignant. She was finally free. I turn 49 at the end of this year, and it is deeply weird starting to see more age lines, gray hair, and the increasing level of invisibility in society.

    • @RS54321
      @RS54321 2 місяці тому +3

      We must have almost exact birth dates! It is very weird experiencing that increased invisibility over time.

    • @SusanDelgado1177
      @SusanDelgado1177 29 днів тому

      ​@@RS54321sounds like a nightmare

    • @happinesstan
      @happinesstan 17 днів тому

      Age lines are beautiful. They introduce you more honestly than anything you could tell me. I can see your smile, and your laugh, even when you frown.

    • @SusanDelgado1177
      @SusanDelgado1177 17 днів тому

      @happinesstan 🙄 give me a break with these profound tumblr wisdom-nuggets

    • @happinesstan
      @happinesstan 17 днів тому +1

      @ I don't even know what tumblr is.

  • @cuentadeyoutube5903
    @cuentadeyoutube5903 3 місяці тому +249

    As a gay guy in my 40s who tries to stay fit and young by working out and eating healthy, this film hit very close to home. There was a pivotal moment when the nurse character - the older version of him - says something like 'sometimes it's hard to remember that you are worthy of love.' I felt my blood rushing at that moment. It captured that feeling of having two versions of yourself: the fit, hot, beautiful, and confident part that you build with effort and present to the world, and the aging, private version that is slowly decaying, getting tired, that indulges, and is sometimes unable to accept love. Both these versions of myself exist, and it's hard to remember that both parts deserve love.
    That's also what I found interesting about the film - the substance came with a lesson about balance. In my opinion, the problem wasn't her wanting to look younger and healthier. The problem was that this desire was fueled by her self-hatred. That's what made her lose control.

    • @RS54321
      @RS54321 2 місяці тому +2

      Wow, very insightful. Her self-hatred was the saddest part of the whole movie, and it definitely hit a nerve with me. A lot to reflect on.

    • @r.s.fletcher7066
      @r.s.fletcher7066 Місяць тому

      Honestly, as a gay guy in his 20s, I feel you, but god damn am I ready to not tread down that path.
      I've seen it, the financial boycotting of men who think with their pricks, gus kensworthy is the only viable example here.
      Let us not forget the unhealthy hookup culture byproduct of this maddening community.
      I've already given up, I don't want this anymore. Where are all those "Pray the gay away" preachers again?

    • @Durbanstar
      @Durbanstar 17 днів тому +1

      Same! I felt like I was exposed - that I in fact am the same - trying to be young and hip to seek acceptance from the community

  • @BronteCulleton
    @BronteCulleton 4 місяці тому +488

    I thought the blood pouring on everyone at the end was to show “bloods on your hands” and that everyone / “society” is responsible for this

    • @karldergr0sse
      @karldergr0sse 2 місяці тому +8

      Not society, it’s a play on the audience (in my interpretation) as we all watch (or have watched) sexualising movies.

    • @RS54321
      @RS54321 2 місяці тому +6

      Definite Carrie vibes, which ties in with your interpretation, for sure.

    • @Bhdp7406shd-yr2ji
      @Bhdp7406shd-yr2ji Місяць тому +6

      Omg yes exactly the comment I was looking for! To add to that I think the blood spurting on everyone symbolizes the fact that they’re also inescapable from Elisabeth’s struggles and reality!

    • @erikbeck7802
      @erikbeck7802 Місяць тому +2

      Said this to my gf while watching. There were lots of hands in the shots getting bloodied.

    • @mysterykiddo2167
      @mysterykiddo2167 Місяць тому

      @@RS54321 Oh yes

  • @Simsim3e
    @Simsim3e 2 місяці тому +101

    The robe with the snake that Sue is wearing represents her new skin after shedding the old one.

    • @bilbopuggins
      @bilbopuggins 2 місяці тому

      i thought it was a dragon 😮

  • @Technique-kj2bp
    @Technique-kj2bp 3 місяці тому +377

    Notice how in every phone conversation that Elizabeth/Su has with the Substance provider, she constantly blames the 'other self' as if they are another person. In other words, she takes zero accountability for her own actions. She cannot comprehend that she herself is to blame.

    • @rayunited2010foryou
      @rayunited2010foryou 3 місяці тому +17

      Actually most of the comments you see women blaming all men for this kind of situation completely negating the fact that men and male actors go through issues too. Accountability, kryptonite for women.

    • @ricochetsixtyten
      @ricochetsixtyten 3 місяці тому +26

      She is split, thats the whole point, the movie wants to point out how we can get so attached to our desires we neglect ourselves as a whole

    • @Navi-vm2dl
      @Navi-vm2dl 3 місяці тому +45

      ​@@rayunited2010foryou "accountability, kryptonite for women" we can tell who you are.

    • @fabio-nc9gx
      @fabio-nc9gx 3 місяці тому

      @@rayunited2010foryouur not welcome here. yuck

    • @NatBKyiv
      @NatBKyiv 3 місяці тому +18

      @@rayunited2010foryouHow dare women talk about their experience! 😂

  • @vickicarringer4235
    @vickicarringer4235 4 місяці тому +411

    The biggest takeaway for me was the realization that she looked just fine as her older self but she was brainwashed by society to see herself as ugly. I would have preferred an ending where she was able to see how good she actually looked and coming to peace with herself.

    • @BMS469
      @BMS469 4 місяці тому +130

      But that isn't the reality of the entertainment industry. The ending is a harsh truth of women in the spotlight not being allowed to age gracefully without society shunning and replacing them with younger versions.

    • @osmanyousif7849
      @osmanyousif7849 4 місяці тому +40

      @@vickicarringer4235 for me, I would say it’s half society and half herself. The beginning shows that there are people out there who still view her for who she is. But the setbacks caused her to moon over what she lost, therefore decided that the only option was to create a new self, not realizing that Sue wants to be like this forever. Except Sue is Elizabeth. And Elizabeth wants to be Sue.

    • @NatManzano
      @NatManzano 3 місяці тому +27

      I think in the end she does love herself and she finally accepts herself.

    • @Banoffeenyx
      @Banoffeenyx 3 місяці тому +20

      @@NatManzanoI think so too, especially when she used the cut out of her photo to put on her face instead of choosing a photo of sue

    • @thebugman8696
      @thebugman8696 3 місяці тому +1

      It wasn't "society" that made her more ugly than Sue, she was in fact uglier than Sue it's just that she couldn't bear that fact because of how closely tied her ego was to how she looked. Saying beauty standards do not exist or are entirely subjective is an equally radical message as we should be obsessed with perfection.

  • @jessemontoya179
    @jessemontoya179 4 місяці тому +479

    Her ultimate villain is not food. Sue and Elizabeth’s villain is societal expectations of what women are supposed to be, disregarding they are human beings and not objects or things to be consumed.

    • @lucasblue20
      @lucasblue20  4 місяці тому +56

      Yeah I think I used the term “ultimate villain” a little too loosely when talking about that dream sequence. I just meant to use that term within the scope of the dream itself with the chicken haunting her. The ultimate villain of of the film is most certainly the societal expectations as you’ve said and as I hope my video gets across

    • @MikeHuntBurns
      @MikeHuntBurns 4 місяці тому +10

      The villain is the female mind

    • @theveganpill5432
      @theveganpill5432 4 місяці тому +27

      Elizabeth is her own villain. Not standards, not Hollywood. It’s her! She doesn’t love herself, that’s why she’s alone. Her self esteem is the villain. Doing the work is hard, ridiculing yourself is easy which is why sue does the same thing Elizabeth does. She basis her beauty and popularity on something that’s surface level. That’s why she’s alone at 50 and feels she has to that this substance. It all falls on her. As a woman, women should stop blaming standards, starting learning to love and accept yourself. Do the hard work, stop sabotaging your future self. This movie actually made me feel a lot better about myself, I hope all women can feel that way after watching this.

    • @c.g.bspendersashtray3037
      @c.g.bspendersashtray3037 4 місяці тому +32

      ​@@MikeHuntBurns- No, the human mind is fine. It is society which does the harm and warps perception.

    • @anonz975
      @anonz975 4 місяці тому

      @@theveganpill5432 Well said!

  • @Ny_Mariee_1
    @Ny_Mariee_1 4 місяці тому +203

    I originally found out about this film from an article. It said moviegoers were walking out mid film because they couldn’t handle it. I’m so glad that I watched it though because this film is actually beautiful. It really speaks to how women are viewed in society and how we destroy ourselves to conform. It definitely opens the door for self reflection. Thank you for this breakdown, great video!

    • @boss_niko
      @boss_niko 3 місяці тому +4

      Thats Terrifier 3 not this one

    • @Model_Roe
      @Model_Roe 25 днів тому +2

      Because the movie is very gross and disgusting lol not to mention very bloody and gory it's not for everybody but if you're not squeamish and are a horror fan you'll love it

  • @Sai4651
    @Sai4651 3 місяці тому +492

    It also doesn't help that her entire life was her work. At the age of 50, she had no friends, no husband, no kids, no family, nothing.
    Her identity was defined by her work which was fueled by her appearance, when she lost that, she became nothing

    • @Technique-kj2bp
      @Technique-kj2bp 3 місяці тому +1

      yup, cautionary tale there, especially for young women

    • @nezeund
      @nezeund 3 місяці тому +15

      True message of the movie

    • @muhammadkhaled5543
      @muhammadkhaled5543 3 місяці тому

      women these days being manipulated into work life

    • @dandylandpuffplaysminecraf8744
      @dandylandpuffplaysminecraf8744 3 місяці тому +3

      Having no husband helps beyond words. I have children but the rest is no bonus. Never married. Is it fun?

    • @Sai4651
      @Sai4651 3 місяці тому +41

      @@dandylandpuffplaysminecraf8744 Look, not having a family is a fine decision if that's what someone wants. However, if you base your identity around one thing, and that one thing goes away, then you're left with nothing.

  • @laela6289
    @laela6289 4 місяці тому +521

    Justice for Fred 😭

    • @osmanyousif7849
      @osmanyousif7849 4 місяці тому +71

      Honestly, he deserved better. Like imagine learning your date stood you up and stopped calling you when you find out that she-
      Well.... actually I don't know how anyone would explain what happened to her in the end to him so easily.

    • @theewildrose
      @theewildrose 4 місяці тому +58

      the date part made me so fucking sad

    • @henrydikes6704
      @henrydikes6704 4 місяці тому +30

      @@osmanyousif7849I don’t even know if anyone would know that Elizabeth WAS Elizasue at the end, in the eyes of the people I’m sure it came off as just some random monster invading a New Year’s Eve broadcast only to be quickly killed, and I’m sure whoever is behind the substance had the resources to cover it up quite effectively as well.

    • @osmanyousif7849
      @osmanyousif7849 4 місяці тому +12

      ​@@henrydikes6704 , yeah honestly. That's the one of the few nitpicks with this movie I have. I mentioned this in another comment, but I kind of wish there was a little bit of time to flesh out (no pun intended...) the characters in Elizabeth's personal life. Other than Fred, I remember seeing how there was a maid when we first see Elizabeth at her home. I was thinking there was going to be a little scene with the two, maybe showing how despite her fame, Elizabeth cares for her employees and fans. In fact there could have been a dark running gag, where once Elizabeth becomes Sue, she starts to neglect her duties in compensating her maid for her time and work. I even wrote out a script for it:
      (Elizabeth's doorbell rings)
      Maid: 🎵Oh Elizabeth! It's your wonderful and loyal maid! 🎵What's the mess that must be cleaned?! Not to worry, you know I keep things spotless!
      Sue: Oh sorry! Not today, need to finish some work right now!
      Maid: What? But you said-
      Sue: Yes, I know! (Cuts to her finishing the body closet) But right now, I have something that just came up!
      Maid: You sound different. Is there someone else in there? Hello? Elizabeth?
      Sue: (tries to imitate voice) Yeah it's me! I'm fine! Just had a change of plans. My apologies, but you must leave.
      Maid: Well, okay.... just don't forget you owe me for the last two weeks. I'll be back next week.
      Sue: Yeah!
      Three week later....
      (Knock at Elizabeth's door)
      Maid: Hey Elizabeth! It's me again.
      Sue: Who?!
      Maid: Excuse me? Your maid, did you get amnesia or something? Why have you been ignoring my calls? Did you forget the contract that we promise upon?
      Sue: Look this isn't the best time! (Cuts to her draining Elizabeth out of Stabilizer.)
      Maid: Not the best time?! You said that before and I still haven't done my duties for you! And where's my checks?! I'm struggling finding work, and you told me before that you'd fight tooth and nail to keep me employed! Elizabeth?! Hello? Say something before I evolve!!!
      Sue: Hey just back off will you?! How about I fire you and you don't ever show up here again?! I don't care what I promised you!
      Maid: What has gone up with you? You are- that's it! I'll be back here and you better lawyer up, because this is violation of contract!
      Sue: Good luck with that! (under her breath) Ugly b***h...
      Three months later....
      (Banging on Elizabeth's door)
      Maid: HEY ELIZABETH!!! YOU SEE THIS IN MY HAND?!?! IT'S THE ORDER FOR YOU TO SHOW UP IN COURT!!! I have the authorities here right now (Cuts to show only show big dude next to her who looks nothing like a cop.) to confirm if you don't take these forms right now! ELIZABETH!!! (continues banging on the door) I am beyond your angsty excuses-
      Oliver: (Comes out of his room) WHAT THE F**K IS WRONG WITH EVERYONE!?!?!?
      Maid: Hey, mind your tongue buddy! How the blazes you put up with living with someone like Elizabeth?
      Oliver: What are you talking about?! She's gone! The new celebrity Sue took over!
      Maid: You can't fool me! I've been here long enough to know who I clean apartments for! (Turns to her big dude associate....) Open the door!
      Oliver: Hey, you can't do that! I'll call the cops!
      (Big Dude almost breaks door open only to see that it's unlocked. Him and the maid walk right in. Oliver follows.)
      Oliver: Hey, get out of there you-
      Maid: ELIZABETH!!! YOU HAVE A LOT OF-
      Oliver: BLOODY F**KING GUTS!!!!
      (All three of them look in horror at the sight of the bloody mess and the elderly, unrecognizable, corpse.)
      Big Dude: She hired you for this?

    • @thebeyourselfbiatch3
      @thebeyourselfbiatch3 4 місяці тому +26

      SHE SHOULDVE WENTTT i was so mad when she didn’t go

  • @shannonhall1465
    @shannonhall1465 4 місяці тому +163

    Wow. Very powerful. As a 70 year old woman I can definitely understand her emotions , how she feels about herself worth when she looks in the mirror.
    This movie sounds very gruesome despite its metaphoric story.

    • @mattmathematics3591
      @mattmathematics3591 3 місяці тому +9

      Im 28 and have felt like this since a young teen. Something that is very obvious in this movie, especially toward the end, is how we always look back and think ‘i used to look better i wish i was young’ we do this at 18,25,28,30,50…etc
      If you havent watched this movie its EXTREMELY gruesome, like extremely, and even more psychologically terrifying

    • @AndreaCornejo96
      @AndreaCornejo96 Місяць тому

      ​@@thisaccount4321my grandma's advice: Be Faithful to Yourself

  • @katiec-g3793
    @katiec-g3793 4 місяці тому +198

    If that final cut wasn't there and she just exploded i would have thought the same as you, but i got the directors message when they cut to Elizabeth smiling at the stars. I could see she was finally at peace. It wasn't her body that made her worthy, just her place under the stars was all that really mattered

    • @MilitantTalker
      @MilitantTalker 4 місяці тому +3

      As in the snow globe she crashed at her picture earlier...

    • @xXNekou
      @xXNekou 3 місяці тому +28

      Yeah literally she experienced peace and bliss only after she didn't have a body anymore. Kinda sad

    • @gonzalobroquen9603
      @gonzalobroquen9603 3 місяці тому +5

      Totally. But notice that her peace and liberation still relies on recognition, fame and people's gaze

    • @Pikachu-qr4yb
      @Pikachu-qr4yb 2 місяці тому +1

      also the fact she had nothing in the physical world left to appreciate, I think she just had to cope with the fact she was loved and lived a very blessed and successful life in the end

  • @mythiex
    @mythiex 4 місяці тому +95

    i don't know if i'm reaching, but the hallway of the studio being ORANGE is very smart. orange symbolizes energy, optimism and youth. blue is orange's opposite in the color wheel, so maybe in the movie it represents aging and decay. in the first scene elisabeth wears a blue bodysuit and the contrast between the orange walls and the blue she's wearing was very clever.

    • @J-Dune
      @J-Dune 3 місяці тому +10

      And the pattern is so similar to the hallway in The Shining

    • @fabio-nc9gx
      @fabio-nc9gx 3 місяці тому +4

      @@J-Dunei immediately thought of the shining with the blood-covered hallway at the end.

  • @briannabonilla110
    @briannabonilla110 4 місяці тому +55

    also i’d like to note that elizabeth is constantly reminded that she and sue are one, not two separate people. it’s HER. she hates her old self so much that she would rather destroy her body further than accept it as is and deal with being away from her younger self for a week.

  • @BarakaGitari
    @BarakaGitari 4 місяці тому +93

    When I saw this movie, some aspects reminded me of the relationship between a parent and their child.

    • @missdaydreamss
      @missdaydreamss 4 місяці тому +29

      It kinda gave me a vibe of an aging mother seeing her young beautiful daughter progressing into womanhood. I know a lot of moms feel like this when they see their daughter growing into a beautiful young woman while they themselves are aging dramatically

    • @jinx8504
      @jinx8504 Місяць тому +4

      Especially the beginning stages. She refers to Elisabeth as her mom and the interview scene. Sounds like a jealous Mom watching her daughter.

    • @AndreaCornejo96
      @AndreaCornejo96 Місяць тому +1

      It's too painful to me, my mom hates me and I feel it on my skin, specially when she gave me earrings for Christmas I could tell by her eyes it HURTS her that I am "young"... Meanwhile I feel elderly at 28​@@missdaydreamss

  • @hohurnham7583
    @hohurnham7583 4 місяці тому +113

    To me (female perspective you seeked out at the end), the monster shows acceptance. She has nothing to lose, no way of going back, there was no point in being anxious about her appearance anymore because she knows there is nothing she could fix, hence nothing to fix.
    So many women are trapped within the ideas of all these minor changes that would fix them, changes which seem possible, so they keep striving and being dissatisfied until they reach some arbitrary goal only for there to he a new one. But Elizabeth's final form resolves this conflict for her and brings her to a final conclusion. The decision was made by the substance, this is the body she has and there's no possible changing it to look perfect, now she embraces what she has in present without feeling like she should be doing something about her appearance.
    I felt liberated when my ed led to deficiencies which significantly impacted my life. I knew I couldn't live like that, I had no choice but to stop. Sometimes biology makes the decision for you, it's not what you want but it will set you free.

    • @harumitsu3014
      @harumitsu3014 4 місяці тому +9

      This is a really good take on it. I like the no way back part, it does seem very fitting with the finality of it

    • @oniricPrj
      @oniricPrj 3 місяці тому

      But still..she glues a face on herself..so she does still try to fix something.

    • @hohurnham7583
      @hohurnham7583 3 місяці тому +1

      @@oniricPrjgood point. But was it done for fixing or so that people would identify her as elizabeth?

    • @hohurnham7583
      @hohurnham7583 3 місяці тому

      @@harumitsu3014 thank you :)

    • @oniricPrj
      @oniricPrj 3 місяці тому +4

      @@hohurnham7583 I think either way it means she seeks other people's approval. So one way or another, she tries to "fix" herself so that people will accept her.
      Unfortunately I've seen this in my family. It is traumatic and it never quite heals. It's heart breaking.

  • @kimdorcy5150
    @kimdorcy5150 4 місяці тому +66

    Women who aren't in Hollywood feel this too. women all over ......in your career , in your everyday life ........experience this. This made me cry

    • @Technique-kj2bp
      @Technique-kj2bp 3 місяці тому +1

      I'm interested to know what was the moral of the story you took away from this?

    • @sarah_elizabeta
      @sarah_elizabeta 3 дні тому

      ​@@Technique-kj2bpI'm obviously not the person you asked, but for me the moral was to value the days we have while we have them. We can get wrapped up in an endless amount of worries and fears, and spending so much time focused on them is a waste. We should appreciate what we have - be it good health or attractive features or kindness or a safe place to live or people who care for us. We should talk kindly to ourselves like we would our most treasured friend. We're the person we're going to be with all our lives. Instead of criticizing, we should be nourishing ourselves. We should be going on adventures and quests for personal growth and knowledge. We should be helping others find the way out of this empty mindset too. It's a massive waste of time and we should stop putting energy toward it. That's what the movie spoke to me. How about for you?

  • @coffee4789
    @coffee4789 4 місяці тому +114

    Sorry if bad English.
    One thing i have not seen a lot of people talking about is the parallel between the substance and EDs. The first thing Sue does when she wakes up is to vomit. Then, Elizabeth in a depressive state binges eat for seven days, before changing again into Sue. Even when she resents herself for eating so much food, she can’t help herself to stop doing everytime she is Elizabeth. I read both this and the cosmetic surgery metaphor as how the movie shows the brutal consequences of the sick beauty standards for women.

    • @MilitantTalker
      @MilitantTalker 4 місяці тому

      She vomited after all the martinis too.

    • @ezekieljakobs1145
      @ezekieljakobs1145 2 місяці тому +9

      bro. do not apologize for your english, you did not make a single mistake and you come off as very intelligent and understanding of the subject

    • @charlesbadger7987
      @charlesbadger7987 2 місяці тому +3

      No need to apologize. Only those grammar nazis criticize but your point is still understandable.

  • @HeyHeyItzGabbie
    @HeyHeyItzGabbie 4 місяці тому +57

    One detail that I really liked is that the color yellow can sometimes represent insecurity, fear or cowardice in film and she stayed wearing that yellow coat when she would go and reup on her stuff.

    • @morganberner2458
      @morganberner2458 2 місяці тому +4

      I felt like the yellow coat represented the egg yolk. And the chicken leg was representing the saying “Which came first? The chicken or the egg?” 🤯

    • @Iamthatgurrl
      @Iamthatgurrl Місяць тому +2

      And the coat was so nice I remember when I first saw her wearing it I thought it looked so soft and high quality cus… Demi Moore but then every time she wore it made me feel uncomfortable and kinda angry about seeing that damn coat again and again.

  • @theewildrose
    @theewildrose 4 місяці тому +228

    I had similar thoughts about the monster. Like she did all this for approval and then people mock and ostracize her. It's exactly how we treat women who get too much work done. But they did it because they were bullied for not being perfect.
    Then all the blood at the end made me think about the inherent violence of being female or feminine. Like how we bleed every month or during child birth. If a man bleeds something has gone wrong but if women don't bleed we are broken. This has an interesting overlap with the beauty and cosmetic industry. To bleed is to be womanly and fertile, but you're also supposed to have shame about it. I think this juxtaposition makes it clear why people go insane trying to balance the gore that lies under the facade.

    • @FreakGoat
      @FreakGoat 3 місяці тому +8

      It could be that but I disagree. The blood spraying all over the executives and the audience is literally telling you that they all have blood on their hands for creating this “monster”

    • @theewildrose
      @theewildrose 3 місяці тому +1

      @@FreakGoat I'm just saying it's what it made me think of. I'm not saying it was the intent

  • @maskofsanity2021
    @maskofsanity2021 4 місяці тому +77

    This has become one of my favorite movies ever. 5/5. A masterpiece and the best movie of the year. As a woman, I've never related so much to a film before. When Elisabeth says, "I hate myself. You are the only loveable part about me. I need you." that being an allegory for women accepting society only letting women get and keep jobs because of their physical appearance. And in the industry it's all judging people by their looks, which is so sad when Elisabeth is already a very beautiful woman, her not seeing the same in her as I do. Her believing she's not good enough. It truly broke my heart, and I've never wanted to hug a character so bad before. Elisabeth deserved better from society. As do all women.

  • @gothgirlfriend713
    @gothgirlfriend713 3 місяці тому +25

    As a female musician, I found this film tragically relatable. I often feel like there is a clock ticking - the threat of irrelevance in the industry due to aging looms over me. The Substance perfectly communicates that particular anxiety, and how destructive it can be.

  • @frankman2
    @frankman2 4 місяці тому +56

    Loved your analysis. I must say I've heard so many different "angles" from people. (Excellent body-horror, hollywood standards, misogyny, aging sucks, body acceptance, addiction, parent-child relationships) Everybody sees it from their own personal experience. That is a good sign for well made movie.

  • @gaddaitherage8204
    @gaddaitherage8204 4 місяці тому +111

    I like your take on this movie. Watching it I also identify w my internal hate. I’m a 50 year old guy who went through a body transformation 5 years ago, going from a post divorce pudgy dad bod guy to being pretty ripped. I literally look 15 years younger, women treat me differently. I become more assertive and confident. I wear better clothes. And these benefits also bleeds into my career.
    However, I often catch myself hating and looking down on the me from before. I hated the weak person that I was. I look back at past pictures and scoff at myself. But then one day I look in the mirror and realize that despite I kept up with my physique, my face continues to age. I realize that my healthy lifestyle can slow down aging, but eventually I will have to accept the day when I cannot keep it up and become invisible again.
    Anyways, I still continue my lifestyle but also accept my aging. I refuse to have surgery because many people my age look silly w procedures. But yeah this movie really digs deep at this.

    • @Doom_scroll_generation
      @Doom_scroll_generation 4 місяці тому +6

      Thank you for this comment. As someone who grew up with extremely vain, disturbed parents (and I'm NOT saying that is what you are! Their main problem was a complete and utter lack of self-awareness and an inability to self-reflect), me and my younger sister always try and remind people it is most definitely NOT only women who deal with these demons. Yes, society puts much, much more pressure on women in this regard, there's no single doubt about it. And yet.
      I just hope that when it comes to your kids, whatever their ages are, you don't talk badly about your old self as you do inside your own mind. That is the most important. I'm very glad to hear you now love yourself so much more and are reaping the benefits in your career as well. That is awesome.

    • @sideskroll
      @sideskroll 4 місяці тому +1

      Don't have surgery. But honestly, I feel like despising what you WERE (a "pudgy dad bod" per your own words) is good. Nobody should look like that. It's not the default human nature. Do you think humans hunted, climbed rocks etc while being overweight and out of shape? We SHOULD be fit. We should be "ripped". And everything else should be "judged" cause they're in the (objective) WRONG.
      That whole body acceptance/positivity movement is "permission" to let yourself go and become weak...

    • @sideskroll
      @sideskroll 4 місяці тому

      ​@@Doom_scroll_generationI have MANY doubts about it. For starters, it's much easier to go on a. Diet lose weight and be "more like a barbie" than it is to bulk up and look like he-man or Thor or all those superheroes. In fact, it is IMPOSSIBLE to be like that without the help of "the substance". So yeah, I don't agree with you. If anything we men have the WORST beauty standards.

    • @MariaPaula-uw3ds
      @MariaPaula-uw3ds 2 місяці тому

      Now imagine women going through this, except it's 10000× worse

    • @Doom_scroll_generation
      @Doom_scroll_generation 2 місяці тому +2

      @@MariaPaula-uw3ds i don't get the point in invalidating people's very real pain; this never leads to equality nor understanding. also, if anything, i'm glad when men feel comfortable enough to share their struggles in cases where they previously did not feel that way. as women, telling them "well guess what? women have it a billion times worth" is to me akin to other men telling them "quit whining".

  • @Satanna.avemaria
    @Satanna.avemaria 3 місяці тому +21

    I like to think that it was all a nightmare. Elizabeth woke up then learned to love herself ❤️

    • @DeliciaTrini
      @DeliciaTrini 2 місяці тому +3

      I was hoping that would happen at the end.

  • @abundanz
    @abundanz 4 місяці тому +40

    The cooking scene and Elizabeths reactions to Sue’s TV interview was hilarious to me. Watching it even the second time Made me laugh out so loud. Demi’s acting & that whole scene’s editing was very comedic. It was like a witchcraft spell scene. And this movie has endless references to cinema history some obvious ones are “Death becomes her” & “Alien” & “Species”. And there’s also a lot of symbolism including small details such as the door which doesn’t open all the way and Elizabeth must bend down - to me it says that we sometimes go out of our way and “lower & degrade ourselves” to obtain things which we pay a lot of money for - Like waiting several hours in line while dressed elegantly out in the cold or rain to buy something at a product launch. Or being served with attitude when you’re a customer paying what that server earns in a month.

    • @Pikachu-qr4yb
      @Pikachu-qr4yb 2 місяці тому

      that was the only time I truly laughed at the moment lol. She felt so cathartic I could just cheer her on and laugh as she cooked a banquet for the royal family of France :D:D

  • @muhdiskandar02
    @muhdiskandar02 4 місяці тому +42

    I believe the shared consciousness is like your sober and drunk self. You are still yourself when drunk but you might not remember or regret what you did.

    • @johngaver1104
      @johngaver1104 17 днів тому

      I thought this too. One person can be two very different people. And then the moments of waking up and looking around the trashed apartment felt very much like waking up after a night drinking.

  • @nulluser0
    @nulluser0 4 місяці тому +32

    so so good. i am super impressed with this whole thing. the symbolism, it's unrelenting. it's so full of so much meaning and so exciting the whole way through. the acting is perfection. the extremes between beauty and ugliness, attraction and disgust, youth and age, etc it's just freaking amazing. the brutality of how we treat ourselves and how others treat women. so much to this i couldn't even cover it in an hour long conversation.

  • @dariosanon
    @dariosanon 3 місяці тому +22

    I noted a parallel between the dead fly in the drink and the the extermination sign on the wall as she walks to the mail room for the first time. The sign was yellow just like her jacket and it was essentially like she was preparing to exterminate her old self. Maybe it’s a reach idk. Also i just remembered that one of the characters (not sure who) gave her some advice to gaze at the stars and that’s the same way she dies.

  • @adityakishtawal9606
    @adityakishtawal9606 3 місяці тому +22

    I couldn't help but notice the wide array of references that this film made:
    1) The Fly, as rightly spotted out, symbolises one of the pioneering movies in the body horror genre by David Cronenberg.
    2) KUBRIK. My god, the film takes so many inspirations from Stanley Kubrik's phenomenal projects. The orange hallway is no doubt a direct reference to the infamous hallway of the hotel shown in The Shining (I was sceptical at first, but the bloody hallway scene at the end of the movie definitely confirmed it). Then there's a direct reference to 2001: A Space Odyssey (the film's theme plays whilst ElisaSue is on the stage).
    3) Again, you caught the King Kong reference quite rightly, was waiting for someone to point it out.
    4) Finally, and I do not know WHY people are not talking about this enough - There's a TON of inspiration that's been taken from Rick and Morty. The cellular-splitting causing the character to de-age (Rick and Morty S5E10, where Morty goes back to get de-aged after purposely aging himself to convince Rick to come back to him) OR, S2E07, the episode where Tiny Rick takes over and does not allow the original Rick to come be back in his body. Finally, I think the appearance Mostro ElisaSue was strongly inspired by one of Rick and Morty's famous episodes - Rick Potion #9 (S1E06), where Rick accidentally ends up turning the whole world into "cronenbergs" (haha!) (After the episode's end credits roll, we see a cronenberged version of Rick and Morty which looks eerily similar to ElisaSue in the film).

    • @steffiwoda6738
      @steffiwoda6738 15 днів тому

      When you say that, I also have to think about the episode in which the exploited night Persons take over the live of the daypersons. They had advantages all the time at the expense of the night persons (Rick and Morty, dunno which episode, sorry :)

  • @markhernden9472
    @markhernden9472 4 місяці тому +208

    After so many reviewers were saying how gross and graphic the body horror elements are, I was actually kind of worried. Lol Should I eat popcorn? As it turned out, I did not find it that bad at all. It's so over the top and almost cartoonish there was no need to close my eyes or stop scarfing down the corn. It's a very entertaining movie.

    • @alexp601
      @alexp601 4 місяці тому +19

      Yeah I wasn't as close to gagging as I thought I might get, based on some people's reviews/reactions.

    • @Collect2Disconnect
      @Collect2Disconnect 4 місяці тому +26

      @@alexp601 for me it was the combination of all the fast cuts, the lights, the loud sound and then throwing gore on top, that almost made me puke. I’ve never come this close to puking at a movie ever, not even roller coasters make me that type of sick.
      I freaked out at the fact I was genuinely feeling this way and didn’t think I would ever be one to walk out of a movie .
      Gore and blood im usually good with but the Monstro Elisasue shooting blood into the crowd scene is something I never want to see again in my life haha

    • @Tatianarain
      @Tatianarain 4 місяці тому +17

      The difference is you were prepared. They weren’t . If you had seen it for the first time at the premiere you would have felt nauseous too. Stop the cap

    • @covu4746
      @covu4746 4 місяці тому +5

      @@Collect2Disconnectsame, the last 20 minutes i was so overstimulated by the loud volume i had to run out to calm myself down

    • @markhernden9472
      @markhernden9472 4 місяці тому +2

      @@Tatianarain Nah. Don't think so. I had extra butter on the corn too.

  • @katelyngummere
    @katelyngummere 4 місяці тому +49

    another little symbol (could also just be product placement) the type of lipstick elizabeth uses. clinique’s market is usually middle aged to older women. then when she adds the gloss/oil (lip oil products v trendy rn) with a brush (which applies less product) thus to make her more youthful but also without the gloss/oil creeping into those finer lip lines

    • @godisjihyo3615
      @godisjihyo3615 2 місяці тому +4

      it was poignant to me how she used makeup to replicate (what i assumed to be) sue's natural features but quickly realized she can never look like that

    • @cojinmango
      @cojinmango 17 днів тому

      Also the fact she applies more blush to simulate the natural rosy cheeks of Sue 😢 and ofc the foundation to mimic a glass like skin

  • @xXNekou
    @xXNekou 3 місяці тому +12

    For me the saddest scene of the movie is when Elizabeth is getting ready for her date and at first she's confident and happy with her looks, but she cannot shake off the comparison with Sue so she gets more and more frustarted and unhappy about how she looks to the point she loses all confidence and doesn't go to the date at all. I feel like that is very relatable to most (or even all) women at one point on another. It's really hard to not compare ourselves to other girls/women, especially in today's times when we are bombarded left and right with "perfect" bodies and faces (like Sue's face on the billboard is so huge and intimidating right outside Elizabeth's window).

  • @moonangel727
    @moonangel727 2 місяці тому +5

    Another thing: the note in the beginning said “it changed my life.” I can say as a 19 year old woman that “The Substance” has changed MY life. I pick myself apart some days, thinking about what I could do to look better. But youth and the looks that come with it are fleeting, and it’s what’s on the inside that people remember you for. Why would I spend so much time scrutinizing my face and body in the mirror, when I can spend that time bettering myself as a human being, being with my friends and family, taking care of myself, etc.? What a waste! You think it’ll make you feel better…”if my lips were just a bit bigger, if my stomach was just a bit flatter…etc.” but with each insecurity that you “fix,” you’ll gain a new one. What we don’t realize is that it’s not the outside that needs fixing, it’s the inside. It’s how we perceive ourself, how we are unkind to ourselves, etc. There must be a “balance,” as the younger me is preparing myself for the older versions of me. The way I talk to myself now will be how I treat myself when I’m older, so I can’t take my youth for granted, I have to start the good habits now. I have to love myself now, look out for my future self.

  • @AlexOrozco-Social-Pariah
    @AlexOrozco-Social-Pariah 4 місяці тому +75

    As a gay man that apparently has had symptoms of Body Dysmorphia since 14, this movie while centered on women it hit hard on me too. This whole movie is an allegory of body dysmorphic disorder in the sense that Elisabeth hates her aging body to the degree Sue seems to be the externalized self hatred. This disorder makes you hate parts of your body if not your whole appearance, to degrees were people can develop other disorders like food disorders and self harm in different ways, and it is almost palpable when Sue is kicking Elisabeth on the floor, it's like the disorder winning over yourself. I came out shaking a little bit out of adrenaline and after analyzing it further, out of identification with the main problem. I wasn't triggered but I felt sadness and compassion for Elisabeth, especially after this year before meeting my now boyfriend I went into the app Scruff after years of not using it and immediately felt anxiety and depressive-ish sensations when looking at how many masculine, hard bodied, hairy men there were in the app and how far I was from them physically. I'm going to watch this movie over and over lmfao.

    • @FreakGoat
      @FreakGoat 3 місяці тому +1

      Not gay but relatable fr. This was really an amazing movie

    • @AlexOrozco-Social-Pariah
      @AlexOrozco-Social-Pariah 3 місяці тому +3

      @@FreakGoat men in general DO get affected by body dysmorphic disorder, otherwise there wouldn't be forums of incels looking at each others' features and lashing themselves for not having a square jaw, a nice chin and a thick neck. Or men that won't take off their shirts or even socks when having sex or going to the pool (a lot of men do feel shame from having "breasts"). This is not just muscular dysmorphia.

    • @Aztecas06
      @Aztecas06 3 місяці тому

      ​@@AlexOrozco-Social-Pariah men having breasts can happen due to hormonal changes.....it is called gynocomaestia* it's actually not a good feeling having that thing as a MAN, but what do you say about it? How do women feel about men having gynocomaestia??

    • @AlexOrozco-Social-Pariah
      @AlexOrozco-Social-Pariah 3 місяці тому

      @@Aztecas06 I've seen women that don't give a damn about men having gynecomastia, it is nothing of another world. And not every perky tits in men is due to hormonal changes or gynecomastia, some dudes just got more muscle in different parts of their bodies than others.

    • @Aztecas06
      @Aztecas06 3 місяці тому

      @@AlexOrozco-Social-Pariah oh okay thanks dude.

  • @andgo1400
    @andgo1400 4 місяці тому +47

    Not sure that Elisabeth/Sue accepted herself in the final New Year's reincarnation because she still plastered a photo of Elisabeth on her deformed face as to convince the audience that she still looked beautiful.

    • @tamaraelders
      @tamaraelders 4 місяці тому +7

      Yeah I agree with this I think she accepted herself but not sue or the monster

    • @osmanyousif7849
      @osmanyousif7849 4 місяці тому +3

      @@andgo1400 , honestly, when she taped the photo over her face, I started to have flashbacks to Deadpool’s 2016 ending, if you know what I mean.

    • @oniricPrj
      @oniricPrj 3 місяці тому +8

      totally on spot. I thought the same thing.
      I don't think she actually learns her lesson even at the very end. She does "crawl" all the way to the star on the walk of fame, which means that really all she knows is the world of entertainment and she couldn't be anywhere else, really.
      In the end, she's "washed away" and what remains of her is just a "cracked" memory (one people walk over and occasionally stop to look at going like "oh ..that star...what movie was she in?).
      So yeah: my interpretation is that there might be a "fake self acceptance" (people tell themselves lots of stuff) but she doesn't ever really accept herself or learn a true lesson.

  • @eden20111
    @eden20111 2 місяці тому +38

    As a gay guy in my 30s, this hits really close to home.. I was at my prime in my mid 20s and i always took care of myself, ate healthy, worked out everyday. However, I never had any friends, never went out, never dated or had any relationships. It was just constant one night stands. I worked hard to maintain my image and look good for guys who wouldn't even remember my name the next day. I was trying to please a bunch of strangers who had no meaning in my life. I pretty much wasted my 20s and once i hit my 30s, I was no longer that slim lean twink i use to be. I gained weight. My face shape changed and became more round. No matter how hard I did cardio everyday, I could not maintain my slim physique like i use to. The men I tried to please were no longer interested anymore. I was completely alone and it seriously messed with my mental health.
    However, in my 20s there were some men who wanted to get to know me, take me out, wanted to spend more time with me than just a one night stand. I ignored them. To me, they were an inconvenience because one guy wasn't enough for me to satisfy my attention.. i was a selfish person who only cared about myself who seeked validation from others.
    Looking back, I regret not giving those guys a chance. I regret not making friendships or relationships with anyone. I regret seeking validation from others. I regret only caring about myself. This is my karma.
    To this day I'm still single and alone i realize that if anything were to happen to me, NOBODY would know or care. Except for work. They would call if I don't answer, thats it. They will mark it as a no call no show and just replace me with someone else and move on. No welfare check or nothing because i never formed any friendships at work for them to care. For me my life is just work, pay bills, go home, play video games, sleep, repeat.
    Watching this movie, really hit hard and i truly feel what Elizabeth felt. I really hope this movie will win some awards.

    • @vadhanythuy1976
      @vadhanythuy1976 2 місяці тому +8

      I know we are complete strangers, here are some words of encouragement. A life of solitude can be peaceful and fulfilling. Even if you made poor choices in the past doesn't mean you're undeserving of love now, I hope you find genuine people who appreciate you for you(or they find their way to you). Most importantly, I hope you can find contentment with yourself as you are now.

    • @VinceP1974
      @VinceP1974 2 місяці тому +1

      I have news for you.. cardio isn't going to assist weight loss. You need to lift weights. And you have to stop eating processed and toxic food

    • @margaretmurray5638
      @margaretmurray5638 Місяць тому +1

      8:43 pm…Eden your life has VALUE!

    • @bioshock8787
      @bioshock8787 22 дні тому

      HAHAHAHA 🫵🏻🫵🏻😂😂

    • @thesweetestbear
      @thesweetestbear 22 дні тому

      30s is still young

  • @marcaronincheese
    @marcaronincheese 3 місяці тому +4

    instant fan for the first few minutes alone. i’ve been avoiding analyses from men about this movie (except one where he kept pointing out the nudity and not expanding on why it *might even just be important*) so you have no clue how much i appreciate you having the character to reflect on your lens of the world.

  • @jameswatling3203
    @jameswatling3203 4 місяці тому +47

    Kubrick (The Shining and 2001), Lovecraft (Reanimator!), Peter Jackson Braindead, Carrie, Verhoeven, Gaspar Noé (Irreversible), Carpenter (The Thing), Miike Takashi, Sunset Blvd, Cronenberg (The Fly), Brian Yuzna's Society - basically this movie is a 2hr20mins nod to all my fave movies and directors. Outstanding.

    • @osmanyousif7849
      @osmanyousif7849 4 місяці тому

      @@jameswatling3203 don’t forget to touch of graphic anime.

    • @chickentycoon-1
      @chickentycoon-1 4 місяці тому +6

      Requiem for a dream, satisfaction music video, pulp fiction, Alice in wonderland, mulholland drive etc.

    • @Doom_scroll_generation
      @Doom_scroll_generation 4 місяці тому +1

      ​@@chickentycoon-1 I just realized how bizarre it is that NOBODY mentions the Satisfaction video 😮 it's almost like a case of something being SO obvious people psychologically forget about it. Damn

    • @Doom_scroll_generation
      @Doom_scroll_generation 4 місяці тому +1

      Wait no, sorry, it's not only Satisfaction, I think it's also Call on Me that I meant.

    • @Doom_scroll_generation
      @Doom_scroll_generation 4 місяці тому

      I heard someone say Noe's Climax and I see that, but how so Irreversible? Btw these are some of my all-time faves too haha. Yeah, it was awesome seeing.

  • @lilmeowmeow0901
    @lilmeowmeow0901 3 місяці тому +6

    Love your explanation. I love every clever metaphor and details in this movie, especially little details showing how Elisabeth hating herself and rejecting her existence with a progressing level: at first she walked out in young body with Elisabeth's yellow long coat, but soon replaced with all new clothes like shorts and crop-top, then she marked on the calendar when she's in the Elisa's body with the cross and marked the day in younger body by writing "Sue". Amazing movie!

  • @Online-Quinn
    @Online-Quinn 2 місяці тому +7

    Watching this film, I remember thinking during the opening sequence “I hope there is a call back to the sandwich being dropped on her Hollywood walk of fame star”
    I think this film was so amazing and every scene was so thought out and perfect and intertwined with the rest of the story so well.

  • @Arithekiller
    @Arithekiller 2 місяці тому +4

    The metal heels that the producer wears is rarely mentioned but it’s one of the thing that stuck with me, how we can hear him walk in/out of the room basically symbolizing how when men enter a space especially the workspace they expect and they’re given more attention than women and just make everything about themselves even when they’re not deserving of attention or particularly the most interesting person in the room, you just hear the heels and feel overwhelmed and uncomfortable with their presence. That’s just on point and one of the many details that make this movie incredible

  • @camillevitoriat
    @camillevitoriat 3 місяці тому +22

    The fact that you quote the creator and actresses to talk about the movie is so, so, so important! For me, this movie is just like Barbie, women made them for women.
    Loved your video and subscribed. Great review!

    • @Twh5
      @Twh5 17 днів тому

      The Barbie movie is shallow af wth

    • @camillevitoriat
      @camillevitoriat 12 днів тому

      @@Twh5 Look up some reviews and you just might like it. There are a lot of critics made in a really soft way.
      Billie's song for Barbie (What Was I Made For?) is an example of a lot of the topics that were brought up for discussion in the movie.
      To exemplify one scene: As soon as Barbie gets out to the real word she suffers a lot of har4ssment and when she reacts to SA she goes to jail, not the man who SA'd her. Also, they just show how Ken enjoys the real world meanwhile Barbie just wants to get tf out, showing women's perspective of how things are nowadays.
      At the end of the movie they understand that a world that is dominated by men isn't ideal,and a world that is dominated by women isn't the solution as well.
      But there's so much more during the movie, give it a second try!
      If you look these things up lmk what you think.

  • @osmanyousif7849
    @osmanyousif7849 4 місяці тому +60

    Here’s an equation for you people:
    David Cronenberg style direction + Demi Moore reflecting on her 90s career × a theme about the abuse of performance/psychoactive drugs + a vibe like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde × the climax of Akira^Perfect Blue
    Put them all together and what do you get?

    • @stickynorth
      @stickynorth 4 місяці тому +3

      A Best Picture/Best Actress/Best Director trilogy if I have my way!

    • @Seispieles
      @Seispieles 4 місяці тому +4

      You nailed it. I said to my gf that this movie was a mix between The Fly, Videodrome and Akira

    • @BeeryGamer
      @BeeryGamer 4 місяці тому +2

      I dont think the ending was very Akira at all, it had more common with Carrie than Akira

    • @osmanyousif7849
      @osmanyousif7849 4 місяці тому +1

      @@BeeryGamer , Well sure, Sue doesn't over-mutate the same way Tetsuo does, but the designs have some similarities. Also, I wouldn't be surprised of that was what was originally going to happen.
      But yeah, I do see some Carrie, maybe even a bit of Wednesday and Pugsley's bloody climax of their play in The Addams Family (1991) and the audience's horrified reactions.

    • @GuiSmith
      @GuiSmith 4 місяці тому +3

      Okay I didn’t originally get Perfect Blue from this, probably because I’ve only seen that film once, but that encapsulates the feel at the end of The Substance very well

  • @Zimbrabim
    @Zimbrabim 3 місяці тому +7

    Thanks. That was the best analysis of the film I've seen so far. (Which is to say, it pretty much coincides with mine, but expressed much more eloquently.) The key scene in the film is when she chickens(!) out of her date because her older self isn't to her satisfaction. That was her chance of salvation, but she couldn't do it, because the thought of her younger self got in the way. That's the tragedy right there. But the finale is so over the top that you've just got to laugh, or leave, or heave. We laughed, partly at the sheer audacity and partly at the disapproving comments of the (much younger) blokes in the row behind us, who had obviously not finished their popcorn yet.

  • @Setyx
    @Setyx 4 місяці тому +41

    this is my second favorite of the year so far, right behind kinds of kindness... 9.8/10

    • @AChickandaDuck
      @AChickandaDuck 4 місяці тому

      Same!

    • @m.h.1593
      @m.h.1593 4 місяці тому

      It would be the best I’ve seen in the last four years

    • @layoutkimsstudio2341
      @layoutkimsstudio2341 4 місяці тому

      U watcheds blink twice? Is great too. This year is a banger.

  • @komorebecca
    @komorebecca 3 місяці тому +4

    Great video commentary! 💕👏🏼
    My perspective of Monstro is that, in the bathroom, she realises there is no turning back: that's who she is now and there is no "substance" she can take which could change that. Some could say (similar to what you implied about the extreme plastic surgeries) that she went to far, but she accepts it. For the first time she accepts herself for what she looks like and for who she is internally, and finally understand: she is ONE, herself. She has always been her deep down, while being Elizabeth, Sue, or Monstro, but the external and internal expectations and the way that her world works made her hate that, resulting in the split personality. In that final scene, she finally accepts and even love herself, for who she is, to the point that she's getting ready and pretty for the night. The director said that her final smile, while she's decomposed on top of her star, is the only moment when she's truly happy: she doesn't have a body anymore, she's just BEING.
    I'm so happy to see more and more movies like this in the mainstream, it makes us hope for a better and equal society, and for the bright future of women in the arts 🥺💞

  • @juancarlosrodriguez2850
    @juancarlosrodriguez2850 2 місяці тому +2

    I have seen it 5 times and enjoyed each time better than the previous....with each new view my eyes were able to enjoy each frame and squish the substance out of it. Simply amazing movie.

  • @jjcleansessions
    @jjcleansessions 4 місяці тому +35

    I was hoping you would cover this film because it’s well deserving.
    Your breakdowns on movies are top tier. Great video man.

    • @lucasblue20
      @lucasblue20  4 місяці тому +5

      Yeah as soon as I saw it, I couldn’t wait to get started and I’m so happy you enjoyed, thank you so much!

  • @WaterHazard86
    @WaterHazard86 4 місяці тому +84

    I had the whole auditorium all to myself when I went to go watch this. Not gonna lie, I wish I was there with a packed audience since that would've been an absolute hoot, lol.
    Regardless, we will storm the Academy on nomination morning if The Substance gets snubbed of a Best Makeup & Hairstyling nomination.

    • @KhailSOLO
      @KhailSOLO 4 місяці тому +7

      Go bigger! Best picture and best actress and supporting! Bout time those cowards at the academy give what is due to genre films.

    • @osmanyousif7849
      @osmanyousif7849 4 місяці тому +2

      @@KhailSOLO, eh don’t know about picture, but certainly Actress, Cinematography, Sound, and VFX.

    • @ReelTakesMovieBreaks
      @ReelTakesMovieBreaks 4 місяці тому

      😂

    • @m.h.1593
      @m.h.1593 4 місяці тому +2

      Nominations for acting (lead and supporting actress) for sure and hoping for a win for Demi Moore.

    • @ReelTakesMovieBreaks
      @ReelTakesMovieBreaks 4 місяці тому +4

      @@m.h.1593 I’d bet money she’s going to win an award for this. Seems like all signs point that way

  • @sharonjiang5006
    @sharonjiang5006 3 місяці тому +6

    I feel like the film also plays on the Disney fairytale idea of young princess and older 'witch' villain especially the story of Snow White.
    When Elizabeth becomes significantly older, they styled her in this 'witchy' manner, most evident in the cooking scene i.e. crazed body language and appearance.
    She was also becoming more jealous/hostile towards Sue who is taking Elizabeth's beauty. It reminds me a lot of mirror mirror on the wall, whose the fairest of them all.
    The termination liquid can be a parallel of the apple that the Evil Queen dressed as the witch gives Snow White. Both designed to eliminate the more beautiful being.
    It's not a direct copy as Snow White wasn't aggressive like Sue but maybe the general idea was a source of inspiration.

  • @Miltiadis_Rokos
    @Miltiadis_Rokos Місяць тому +1

    I liked the video straight from the start. I don't know what it is, but I like your tone and voice as well as how you portray the movie! Keep up the great work!

  • @AngelaBetasso
    @AngelaBetasso 4 місяці тому +148

    I'd love to meet a ton of Hollywood legends, but if I had to pick one, it’s hands down Keanu Reeves. The guy just radiates kindness and authenticity, plus he's got that quiet intensity that makes you feel like you could have the deepest conversation about life, the universe, and motorcycles. Meeting him would be like meeting the zen master of action stars-total dream come true!

    • @eriklong6152
      @eriklong6152 4 місяці тому

      Wow, just had the most amazing experience meeting Keanu Reeves via Radiant Reservation! After watching his interview on Entertainment News where he mentioned connecting with fans through a private fan club, I couldn't believe I'd get the chance. Keanu was so genuine and down-to-earth, making the whole encounter unforgettable. His dedication to his fans truly shines through, and I'm still on cloud nine from the privilege of meeting him.

    • @DianaFoster-
      @DianaFoster- 4 місяці тому

      No way! That's incredible! I caught that Entertainment News interview too, and it's so heartwarming to hear about celebrities like Keanu Reeves going the extra mile for their fans. Radiant Reservation sounds like a dream come true! How did it all happen? I'm living vicariously through you right now!

    • @eriklong6152
      @eriklong6152 4 місяці тому

      Right?! I still can't believe it happened, All that is required upon discovering them is a straightforward response to emails. So, I joined this private fan club /Group via Radiant Reservation and they organize meetings with public figure It's like winning the lottery! Meeting Keanu Reeves was surreal. He's even more charming in person.

    • @AngelaBetasso
      @AngelaBetasso 4 місяці тому

      I found RR. Radiant Reservation is a fantastic community, that help make any form of arrangements with celebrities or public figures and are incredible supportive

    • @AlexBolotovsky
      @AlexBolotovsky 4 місяці тому

      Meeting Keanu Reeves is like a bucket list item for so many people. Thanks for sharing your incredible experience! I’ll definitely look into joining the club .

  • @iamcelieann
    @iamcelieann Місяць тому +1

    I love the male voice. He stated the facts and was always advising Elisabeth/Sue to abide by the rules of the procedure. It’s interesting how we can have all the information, know the pros and cons, see the results of the cons and still proceed with doing even more damage. Love yourself, there’s only 1 of YOU! 💜🙏🏿

  • @perfectsplit5515
    @perfectsplit5515 4 місяці тому +15

    I am mad at her for standing up the schoolmate from tenth grade at Luigi's Restaurant. He appreciated her the way she was naturally. He did nothing wrong.

    • @yourdogisbeautiful5845
      @yourdogisbeautiful5845 4 місяці тому +17

      Yeah, that was upsetting, but it was clearly done out of enormous self-hatred and depression rather than malice or other less justifiable reasons.

    • @Asia-rs6wc
      @Asia-rs6wc 3 місяці тому +3

      I know that sucked . He really liked her

  • @MrDannyArroyo
    @MrDannyArroyo Місяць тому +1

    Man!!! I was LOVING this film so much. Terrific story. Excellent acting. Was on the edge of my seat waiting for what was to happen next. The camera shots were unique, odd and off kilter, but only added to this story. The sound effects were spot on. This is a great film... UNTIL
    If only the film ended at about the two hour mark when the final "abomination" was briefly revealed. This film is a suspense horror thriller. Period. End. It did not need the excessive gore the final 20 minutes. Unnecessary and took away from, what sadly was, a great film. It became an entirely different movie at that point from where it began.
    Kudos to Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley for their bravery and performances. Excellent work.

  • @theveganpill5432
    @theveganpill5432 4 місяці тому +40

    The movie shows a woman that just turned 50, who for over half her life has probably been on tv and popular for their looks/physique. At her age, you can tell she’s never done the work on the inside and has solely relied on her appearances to get her by on a surface, very shallow level. Which is why at her age she’s alone. The only photo she has is of her, which is huge. The kitchen is small and with walls closing it in and only a small table for 1. She was lonely. Had no meaningful relationships or connections. I found it to be very sad. When she creates sue, she falls into the same patterns. Look t who she sleeps with? Who she goes to hangout with. She continuing seeing life through that surface level and never goes deeper with herself or anyone. I couldn’t care less about Hollywood agenda and standards. I saw a middle aged woman who had no friends or family, no kids, and drove herself mad because of the loneliness which caused her to fixate in her looks. She could’ve been happy but she chose not to.

    • @anton_c8gur
      @anton_c8gur 4 місяці тому +1

      That's the saddest part of the movie. went old with all the shows she has been in and still like living paycheck to paycheck in her 50's no certainty and that's it her entire life.

  • @chaseism
    @chaseism 12 днів тому

    I just saw The Substance yesterday and found your video today. Wonderful analysis! It was great hearing that we shared similar takeaways from the film, but you mentioned a lot of things I didn't consider. I'm watching through a lot of the films you've previously made videos, so I can't wait to go back and hear your thoughts on those. You just got another sub!

  • @thewebstylist
    @thewebstylist 4 місяці тому +17

    First vid of yours I’ve seen, great review and take on this whole truly insane amazing movie

  • @natashalebedeva5465
    @natashalebedeva5465 Місяць тому

    I just watched you for the first time ever explaining the movie that I have actually never seen (I can never feel ready for some reason) and I wanted to say how nice you are to watch and listen to. Very endearing and sweet. Thank you! I might watch it tonight after your thorough description

  • @twentyoneplusvideo0472
    @twentyoneplusvideo0472 4 місяці тому +9

    It's very rare that a movie, any movie, lives up to the hype that this was getting. I did not know much about this movie going in. I just thought the 1st preview looked batshit crazy. The weird closeups of Dennis Quaid. It has been a very long time since I have taken the time to see a truly crazy movie. I love a movie with a point of view, I like that the director put her stamp on this, had something to say and totally stuck the landing. It's a hard sell for a lot of people. Once I got word about the craziness, I asked my wife if you wanted to see it with me, knowing the answer would be no, after seeing it today, I wish she would have seen it, but I know she would not have made it past the rebirth scene.

  • @AFoxInFlames
    @AFoxInFlames Місяць тому +1

    I just watched this last night, idk why I waited so long, this kind of movie is right up my alley, and I was surprised at how grossed out it was able to make me. Really great acting, love the actual message and the ending is like the most metal think I've ever seen, the music was perfect😂❤. I'm surprised how many people did like it only because how out there it was, people seem to appreciate the more "artsy" and "weird" movies...embrace the weird, it makes a story like this so much more interesting. Demi's performance was incredible, best I've seen her in years. That mirror scene, as a woman, we have all been there trying to get ready, that moment hits hard.❤thanks for the review, always love hearing other people's ideas on it.❤

  • @shawnpierre5755
    @shawnpierre5755 4 місяці тому +13

    Thank you! I knew I loved what I was seeing but I’m so glad you cleared up so many of those symbolic moments and the meaning of that insane ending! I love it even more now!!

    • @lucasblue20
      @lucasblue20  4 місяці тому

      @@shawnpierre5755 really pleased to hear this, thank you so much! And I totally agree that it’s a film you’ll love even if you don’t understand all the details, there’s just so much style and unique artistic voice, it’s unforgettable

  • @auntiecreeps1414
    @auntiecreeps1414 2 місяці тому +2

    Huh. I just thought that when she transformed into Monstros what was left of her sanity finally snapped and it was time for the show so she got prettied up and went lol. But yeah the director’s explanation is way deeper. I was into the monster movie it became and actually hoped her surviving face would grow a new body in true Tomie style (if ya know ya know!😮) and be good as new 😂 but that would have been a dumb ending. I just really loved her. Anyway hi, I’m late to the Substance party but it’s got to be my favorite this year. Great video! 🤗

  • @K3VINM
    @K3VINM 3 місяці тому +17

    Something I’ve noticed in movies that are about addiction or having an obsession with being perfect is the characters always self-harm themselves to achieve their goal.
    Movies like:
    Black Swan
    Whiplash
    Requiem for a Dream
    Flight
    Will the Machine(short film)
    There Will be Blood
    Nightcrawler
    Birdman
    The Substance
    The Prestige
    Phantom Thread
    all have characters that compulsively self destruct.
    By the end of the film you can see how the protagonist started off a normal person then transformed into something inhuman. Now in their inhuman form that person has lost sense of what’s considered dangerous because they have accomplished being “perfect.”

  • @DanielleMendham
    @DanielleMendham 2 дні тому

    I love the comments you made on this video, I also wanna thank you for being self-aware when talking about feminist issues as a man and crediting the women involved in this movie when bringing these things to light. I really appreciate you being so considerate of women's issues and it's refreshing to hear and see that. Great video, can't wait to watch more!

  • @FilmsIMet
    @FilmsIMet 3 місяці тому +5

    Oh that last bit about Monstro made cry! It took her this far to love herself only to die minutes later 😭

  • @Boahemaa
    @Boahemaa 2 місяці тому +2

    Your interpretation of Monster Eliza-Sue is illuminating. My favorite thing about this movie is the very little dialogue. It gives us the audience the freedom to interpret the actions any way we see fit.

  • @MarthaMcCrum
    @MarthaMcCrum 4 місяці тому +12

    Beautifully and thoughtfully reviewed. I loved hearing your insights.

  • @alifpr
    @alifpr 4 місяці тому +1

    When I watched this movie, I know that I instantly need to see a video or a forum post about all the meanings of the symbolism in this movie. Searched it up on YT and your video was at the top. After seeing both your Zone of Interest and TV Glow videos I know this is gonna be a banger.
    Amazing vid as always my man!

  • @commonsense7793
    @commonsense7793 3 місяці тому +5

    11:12 she's deteriorating because the "termination" solution was injected into her. About 2/3 of syringe was injected. So that is why she's starting to fall apart, her cellular structure is breaking down.

    • @melissaleon1489
      @melissaleon1489 2 місяці тому +2

      She would of fell apart regardless because they were one. Sue couldn't survive without Elizabeth. Once the spinal fluid Elizabeth saved Sue with, (at the end) wore out she deteriorated.

  • @jpbalx
    @jpbalx 3 місяці тому +2

    Gosh I'm feeling so disturbed right now after watching the movie. Your video really helped me digesting it, so thank you!

  • @SecondLifeAround
    @SecondLifeAround 4 місяці тому +8

    I love the Stanley Kubrick hallway!

  • @ChristenMestre
    @ChristenMestre Місяць тому +2

    Great film! Really unique. I’m happy to provide my thoughts. As background, I am a 54 year-old woman in the tech industry where I’m surrounded by men, I am a 5'8" tall female, who has always been quite attractive, and I know the struggles of being taken seriously and promoted in an industry and world run by mostly men when you are an attractive, intelligent and creative woman and I found this movie really interesting. Somewhat like the entertainment industry, the tech industry also trends, younger and though I still have a good 10 to 15 years left of my career, last year decided to stop dying my hair and embrace aging in a beautiful way but then found myself struggling to compete for new jobs with people half my age so considered wearing a wig on virtual interviews (I didn't but bought a few just in case) doh.
    Symbolism:
    1) I was curious what the symbolism of the half-open middle door to get to her kit was as well as how impersonal the whole process of using the substance was. I also wager that the director had toyed with the idea of her paying for the service which clearly you would have to pay through the nose for something like that, but probably just wanted to focus on that internal strife instead.
    2) Lucas, you may be too young to know this, but the scene where Sue was losing her ear, her fingernails her teeth was almost the exact same as in the 1986 film remake of The Fly that Jeff Goldblum starred in. I would wager that the imagery of the actual fly at the beginning of the movie and that scene full-circle near the end, made me think of that movie and wondered if that was just homage to that movie or some other symbolism, something I thought you might talk about here. Could the fly at the beginning be drawn to rotting meat (flesh near the end of its life)?
    3) I thought the use of her wearing black and yellow, I thought maybe something would be tied into Yellow Jacket wasps as they are also drawn to flesh maybe? To me clearly the yellow of her jacket seemed like something important. Was she the "queen wasp/bee/fly"?
    4) The focus on her spine for extraction of her "better younger self", was that about having or not having "backbone"? IDK.
    As for the director’s intent for the monsta-collab, I would say it definitely fell short of what her stated intention was. When it tried to curl it's "hair" and failed it seemed like a desperate attempt still to meet the world's and industry's expectations of how women look and act in it. Also, and more importantly, why would it/they feel the need to attach the poster of Elizabeth’s face on itself if it were TRULY feeling free to be itself. IMO that monster version after seeing her internal turmoil with herself, seemed more like an externalization of her self-hatred and struggles to make others and herself happy.
    5) What’s up with all of the blood squirting out at the audience and DRENCHING the walls of the hallway (AKA her life's work). To me, it seemed more likely to symbolize the monster’s FU to everyone who contributed to her struggle as a woman within the industry (and the world for the rest of us, women).
    That to me might’ve also been an homage to The Shining and Kubrik’s brilliant use of imagery and symbolism in his films. As could've the yellow jacket, but I still think there's a bug connection there. Oh
    6) Was the director's use of topless showgirls for a NYE television show just going over the top of what the sleezy producer men might love to see if they had no limits? IDK, made me scratch my head.
    7) I’m also not convinced that the final scene was her finally being happy with herself. It seems more like she’s still, even after being super-marginalized, trying to find that adoration that she’s always lived off of in her career.

    • @ChristenMestre
      @ChristenMestre Місяць тому

      Oh and interestingly enough, the women’s movement to stop dying our hair in our 40’s+ and enjoy our natural grey hair tends to call those gray strands of hair “sparkles.”

    • @ChristenMestre
      @ChristenMestre Місяць тому

      Oh and interestingly, enough, the women’s movement to stop dying our hair in our 40’s+ and enjoy our natural grey hair tends to call those gray strands of hair “sparkles.”

  • @clairicci
    @clairicci 3 місяці тому +5

    One more thing that I noticed is when Elizabeth calls the substances customer support (?) the first time when a problem occured, the manager has zero reaction on Elizabeth's name when she introduced herself, he only reacts when she names her number 503, which tells us imo that the company that deals with clients that don't love and appreciate themselves won't do it either and remember names of clients

  • @alexdjukic8658
    @alexdjukic8658 2 місяці тому +1

    Solid analysis. It was refreshing for me to see something so purely cinematic. The influence of Lynch, Cronenberg, and Kubrick were all apparent to me but not overdone, resulting in something wholly original.

  • @user-dv9xx3yy8v
    @user-dv9xx3yy8v 4 місяці тому +3

    I would've thought the same regarding your interpretation of monstro elisasue. I got teary eyed while you were describing the final scene. Great analysis on the movie!

  • @dom16158
    @dom16158 6 днів тому

    This was an incredible analysis and really got me thinking! Thank you so much for sharing! For me the scene where sue smashes Elizabeth into the mirror represents how emotionally and mentally harmful it is to yourself when you look into the mirror as a woman and only focus on flaws, things you could spend tens of thousands on to improve (beauty products and/or surgeries), and compare yourself to edited social media posts.
    It really got the message through to me that when you think those things about yourself in the mirror, it is comparable to the physical violence shown in the scene. While in real life you do not see the damage on the outside (like Elizabeth when her face was smashed up) this damage is manifested on the inside as self hatred and destroys your soul as well as your mental and emotional well being.
    This ultimately weakens your ability to connect to your own true self and to the outside world in the context of how you are perceived on a deeper level other than physical appearance.

  • @JohnDriver-k8y
    @JohnDriver-k8y 4 місяці тому +7

    Hey ,I'm a man and I got most of the " Jokes " ... really nice take down of Hollywood's arrogance and the the way they discard people because age .. Thanx ya'll >>> J D

  • @ajaiahmathebula813
    @ajaiahmathebula813 Місяць тому +1

    Other things to discuss:
    Objectification of Women & Societal Pressure: The film explores how society values women primarily for their physical appearance, particularly their youth. Elisabeth's desire to remain young stems from this societal pressure, where her job demands a youthful body to remain relevant. This societal ideal is reflected in Elisabeth’s transition into Sue, where she essentially sacrifices her identity to fit society's narrow standards of beauty.
    Male Gaze: The Substance is a critique of the male gaze, where women are reduced to objects of lust and admiration. Men, even those who don’t measure up socially, financially, or in terms of beauty, still hold power and dictate societal standards for women. Some examples are: Elisabeth's loss of identity in favor of Sue, the assistant being stripped of her name, and the candidates’ cruel comments when trying to find the next big Elisabeth star. The most noticeable of all is the scene where the video of Sue "twerking" is replayed and analyzed by the men, while other women in similar staff roles to those men are sidelined in the background because they too are helpless to this objectification by men.
    The Destruction of Self: Elisabeth's transformation into Sue reflects her attempt to reject her aged body. Substance depicts Elisabeth’s struggle with aging and how it leads to her feeling disconnected from herself, especially when she begins to see her own body as unworthy. Despite being beautiful even at that age, she can only see herself through what society deems beautiful. It's worse that she works in a job market which operates with extreme beauty standards. Her insecurity subtle but gradually grows as her body physically changes more. This is evident when she refrains from touching her own body in the shower, seeing it as less valuable because of its age.
    Ageism and the Disposability of Women: The film underscores how older women are discarded once they no longer fit the youthful ideals of beauty by the entertainment industry. Women are treated based on their appearance, Elisabeth’s body, in her older age, is treated as a "hag" or "witch," quite literally appearing as one, with her hunched back and wrinkled colored skin. She is disrespected, yelled at and sidelined by the men of different ages - the motorcycle guy, the neighbor even her boss. Yet Sue is treated the opposite by these same men.
    Sue's Role & Insecurities: Sue is a younger, idealized version of Elisabeth, embodying the body men desire-youthful, perky, and flawless. However, Sue's insecurities start to mirror Elisabeth’s once she internalizes society’s expectations. Sue's discomfort with aging becomes clear when she is shown removing a lump in her body, revealing a drumstick (metaphorically referencing how food shapes the body as mentioned by this UA-cam creator). The sacrifice for beauty is the sacrifice of basic necessity, in this case food and Sue. We never see her physically eat, as not eating is her way of controlling her body, one she prides herself of, because that is what society has prized her for.
    Additionally, Sue’s bitterness toward Elisabeth is the same frustration and resentment Elisabeth felt deep inside-about the way society treats women, about aging, and about her diminishing beauty-seems to have taken root in Sue. Even though she embodies the youth and beauty that Elisabeth once had, she too is trapped in a system that will never truly allow her to be free
    Jealousy Between Women: A major theme is the toxic relationship between Elisabeth and Sue, which reflects how women are often pitted against each other due to societal pressures. Sue who makes a remark about Elisabeth's show being jurassic, gained laughs at Elisabeth's expense.
    Sue’s hate for Elisabeth is not immediate. It happens slowly, influenced by the toxic standards around her. Remember, Sue at some stage did care, example is when she puts a rolled up towel under Elizabeth's head for comfort. Sue, being young and initially not having those fears and just saw Elizabeth as a person. Not ugly, but as a person. Slowly Sue, succumbs to the influence of society’s unrealistic beauty ideals. This shift is heartbreaking because it shows how Sue, at one point, might have seen Elisabeth’s aging as a part of the natural cycle but eventually reduces Elizabeth to the physical representation of ugliness in society's eyes. not as a person anymore but as something to fear and reject.
    Mother-Daughter dynamic: Elisabeth, representing the mother, projects her unfulfilled dreams onto Sue and sending her into entertainment industry, example beauty pagents, acting but in Sue's case Fitness. This leads to jealousy when Sue begins to garner admiration and praise. The jealousy Elisabeth feels mirrors the complex and sometimes painful relationships some mothers have with their daughters-seeing them as extensions of themselves while simultaneously resenting the youth and opportunities they no longer possess. Sue, in turn, begins to internalize the insecurities - need for validation Elisabeth has passed onto her, fueling her own insecurities about her body. Her body in this scene also represent how older woman who've undergone post partum transformation. Elisabeth’s coping mechanisms, like binge eating and self-isolation, are stark manifestations of her internalized shame and self-loathing, behaviors that Sue learns and reinforces. The dark room symbolizes not just Elisabeth’s withdrawal but how she’s taught Sue to compartmentalize and suppress anything deemed “ugly” or “unworthy.” Elisabeth who eventually tries to terminate Sue is a perfect example of what jealousy does to a mother daughter relationship, it leads to some mothers sabotaging their daughters.
    Destruction of the Female Body: The violence toward Elisabeth's body by Sue, especially when Sue physically hurts Elisabeth in a specific area of her body (the breasts, the face, the midsection), symbolizes the destruction of what society values in women-youthful, perky breasts, flat stomach and defined face. It’s a symbolic act of self-loathing, as Sue is attacking what she fears she will lose in the future.
    Transformation and the "Monster" Moment: Sue's & Elisabeth's final form-where they becomes a grotesque, dehumanized version of herself-represents how aging and societal rejection turn women into "monsters" in their own eyes. They doesn't see themsleves as a person anymore-they sees themself as a collection of body parts, or worse, as something broken and monstrous. The scene at the New Year's show, where a youthful, perky breast pops out, is an act of mutilation to fit society's expectations.The breast itself becomes a symbol of the idealized body-something that is "acceptable" and "prized." It's a tragic moment where both Elisabeth and Sue offer their perfect, youthful selves to the industry, but in the end, they are left with nothing but a distorted and monstrous version of their bodies.
    The Final Scene: Elisabeth, reduced to a lump of mashed flesh, clings to the cracked star, representing her desperate attempt to hold on to her value in a society that has discarded her. The film ends with Elisabeth’s face intact, but her body is unrecognizable, symbolizing how society reduces women to their physical appearances, just a pretty face but with a lumpy body. Elisabeth's final act of clinging to the star is a desperate plea for validation-a validation that, in the end, will never come, because society has already moved on to the next youthful, idealized image.

  • @fiazrahman4552
    @fiazrahman4552 4 місяці тому +8

    You should have talked more about the Palm trees in the movie, because I feel like it was a type of symbolism in the film
    Otherwise, good video!!

    • @eu_o_andy
      @eu_o_andy 4 місяці тому +2

      I think it was her peace, don't know how to explain tho lol

  • @JohnJohn-fq5bl
    @JohnJohn-fq5bl 3 місяці тому +1

    This movie has remarkable depth, reflecting the inner emptiness that many of us feel. We try to fill that void with everything within our reach, ignoring the signs and opportunities life offers us and forgetting the serious consequences that can even lead to death. We turn our backs on the true purpose of our lives, without accepting the reality that each of us faces.
    Let’s learn to value what we have; let’s not allow external things, the superficial, or our inner voices to determine our destiny. And when we go through these kinds of situations, let’s seek help; let’s also offer support to those around us. It’s sad to end this way when we have a life filled with obstacles and opportunities that allow us to grow and move forward toward our purpose.
    This is a message so that we don’t repeat the same cycle and instead unite to break this chain that is destroying our society. No matter which doors close before us, let’s make the most of our time and create new opportunities through our adversities, so that we can impact the lives of others.

  • @AaronTheDogMMA
    @AaronTheDogMMA 4 місяці тому +4

    The best movie analyst on UA-cam

    • @lucasblue20
      @lucasblue20  4 місяці тому +2

      I’m never gonna forget this haha thank you so much!!

    • @AaronTheDogMMA
      @AaronTheDogMMA 4 місяці тому

      @@lucasblue20 I really admire your approach. Thank you for the great work

  • @DaniCat99
    @DaniCat99 2 місяці тому +1

    Loved it! HEAVY requiem for a dream vibes

  • @jamesb7924
    @jamesb7924 3 місяці тому +3

    I agreed with everything you said, up to the point where you said women (like Madonna) look unnatural. Like, did you miss the entire point of the movie? Don't judge others based on their age, looks, etc? Monstero is very clearly what the director said, a woman who is happy in her own body, even if the world sees her as a monster for not conforming to their conventional beauty standards. She is judged for not conforming and even attacked, something that has happened to women like that in all manners for ways. For example, Pamela Anderson no longer wearing makeup caused so much hatred towards her, and for what? Just not conforming to societies narrow beauty standards.

  • @NatManzano
    @NatManzano 3 місяці тому +2

    I knew almost nothing about this film when I got the ticket. When I saw "gore" in the content warning I thought: "It might not be that bad". Then people started leaving the theatre every now and then, but I stayed. When a cookbook is taken out, I told myself: "If she cooks her and eats her, I am going". But it was not that. So I stayed until the end. But it was too loud. I have incredible hearing and I absolutely love what they did with the sounds in this film. Especially all the leathery clothes of the producer on the leather chair. Brilliant. I just generally hear too much. So I put on protective headphones and I watched it all. I am glad I did. So much meaning.

  • @KerstinBrinkley
    @KerstinBrinkley 3 місяці тому +107

    whatsinmy AI fixes this. Substance film symbols and ending.