Warning: Contains spoilers for the material!
The Substance is one of the best horror movies of 2024, and here are 10 other films to watch if you like Coralie Fargeat’s terrifying thriller. The substances body horror is some of the best that has been seen on the big screen in years, with it calling back to some of the body horror greats like David Cronenberg. The substanceThe mix of gore, comedy and social commentary makes it a very unique experience that is deserving of praise, with its style making it stand out among the many horror movies that have been released in recent years.
The substance Follows Demi Moore’s Elisabeth Sparkle, an aging actress and model who wants nothing more than to be as beautiful as she believes she once was. Elizabeth signs up to try a new drug called The Substance that promises to create a new you, with only a few rules about its use. The substance causes the seemingly perfect version of Elizabeth to emerge from her bodyBut things quickly turn dire when Elizabeth and her rival Sue start butting heads over who gets to be in control. So, here are the best movies like The substance.
10
Revenge
2017
One of the best parts of The substance was his direction, with Coralie Fargeat crafting The substance In a way that makes it feel completely unique. luckily, The substance is not Fargeat’s first film, with her also behind the cult 2017 hit Revenge. Revenge Follows a girl named Jen who goes on a getaway with her boyfriend, though two of his friends interrupt the occasion. Things turn violent and lead to Jen getting badly beaten, but after she survives the attack, she sets out on a quest to take revenge on her assailants.
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Not only does Revenge See many of the same directing techniques as The substanceBut it also features another element that made The substance Great: The shocking violence. Revenge is incredibly bloody, and while it may not rely on body horror as much as Fargeat’s 2024 film, it’s another fun outlet for viewers to see some blood splatter and gore.
9
The Babadook
2014
Although many of the horror movies on this list are older, there are some more recent ones that may be of interest to fans of The substance. Jennifer Kent’s 2014 film The Babadook is one of those examples, and although it may not initially seem like it has a lot in common with Coralie Fargeat’s body horror film, there is one big parallel. One of the best parts of The substance is his thematic narrative, with all kinds of points throughout the film. Viewers can pick apart the central dramatic argument of The substance For hours, and the same can be said for The Babadook.
The Babadook is also a thematically rich film that uses its horror to highlight ideaswith The Babadook Mostly focusing on how grief can affect a person. While The substanceThe themes of envy, obsession and self-loathing are different, the idea of ​​a monster representing the inner feelings is evident in both films.
8
Dead ringers
The works of David Cronenburg are clearly an inspiration for The substanceAnd one of the director’s films that is most similar to the 2024 movie is 1988’s Dead ringers. Dead ringers Star Jeremy Irons as twin gynecologists, with one often getting into sexual relations with his patients before he switches with his twin brother without the patients knowledge.
Much like The substance, Dead ringers Manages to combine body horror with incredibly sexual contentCreating a unique feeling that leaves viewers incredibly uncomfortable. The twin storyline is also incredibly similar The substances clone storyline, with both sets of protagonists sharing a similar dynamic. Dead ringers Also has a TV miniseries remake in 2023, with this is another great choice for fans of The substance.
7
Death is yours
1992
The substance is undoubtedly a horror film, and while Death is yours Sharing an incredibly similar story to the 2024 thriller, it actually puts a more comedic spin on the premise. in Death is yoursTwo women are trying to get with the same man, with the man discovering that they have taken a potion that grants them eternal life. Although this potion allows them to maintain their beauty, it also has disastrous consequences, something that can also be found in The substance.
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Robert Zemeckis’ 1992 horror comedy shows both of these characters becoming horribly disfigured as their conflict grows.With this being a major parallel to The substance. While Death is yours Is not nearly as horrifying as The substanceThe similar themes and story details make them great companion pieces that can be enjoyed by the same audience.
6
Little Shop of Horrors
1986
Much like The substance1986 film adaptation of Little Shop of Horrors is an incredibly dark film that also has comedic elements, although the musical relies more heavily on its comedy than the 2024 thriller. Elisabeth Sparkle and Seymour Krelborne are similar protagonists, with their use of a mysterious new object that allows them to gain massive wealth and influence. Although the deadly consequences of the continued use of these products is clear, it is not enough to stop the protagonists from benefiting from them, leading to their downfall.
The biggest difference between the two films is that Frank Oz Little Shop of Horrors is a musicalBecause it is an adaptation of a play with the same name. However, that doesn’t take away from the thematic similarities that both films share, with their commentary on wealth, fame and capitalism making them perfect examples of how horror stories should work.
5
Titan
2021
In the 2020s, body horror has become a rarer genre than it once was at the height of David Cronenburg’s popularity in the 1980s and 1990s. However, one of the most notable body horror films of the 2020s before The substance was the French film in 2021 Titan. Titan Follows a murderous woman with a metal plate in her head who has a sexual obsession with cars, with her pretending to be an elderly missing child in an attempt to hide after yet another murder. This strange film is full of some truly uncomfortable moments, many of which fit perfectly in line with the scares of The substance.
Similarly to The substance, TitanIts performance at film festivals led to its critical reception to launch the film into the public eye. Titan is nominated for all kinds of awards and is considered one of the best movies of 2021, meaning that it has a similar trajectory to The substance.
4
People
2022
Body horror can often be a controversial genre, as seen in the performance of Alex Garland’s 2022 film People. After the death of her husband, Harper (Jesse Buckley) goes on vacation in the countryside in an attempt to get away from life for a while. However, she soon realizes that something is off in the town she is staying in, with each of the creepy people living there by Rory Kinnear.
While People Received acclaim for its performances and visuals, the film’s themes have been the main point of controversy, with it using body horror to make an incredibly specific thematic point. Some viewers loved it while others didn’t, with the controversy surrounding the film making it such an interesting watch. The horror of People is incredibly similar to that of The substanceMaking it a great choice after seeing the 2024 film.
3
Alien
1979
Of all the psychosexual horror films with feminist themes, Ridley Scott’s 1979 masterpiece Alien is the most famous one. Alien Perfectly blending together the horror and sci-fi genres, the film is considered one of the best horror movies of all time. While most of the films in the Alien Franchises are good, the 1979 original is obviously the place to start, with it being the closest to The substance In terms of scale and thematic purpose.
While Alien is not technically a body horror movieThe design of the Xenomorph definitely invokes the same feelings that The substanceS body horror does. The titular extraterrestrial’s incredibly sexual design is key to the film’s central dramatic argument, even if it’s not that sexual. The substance.
2
Videodrome
1983
Back to the films of director David Cronenberg, another one of his best body horror movies is Videodrome. The 1983 horror film stars James Woods as Max RnThe president of a television channel who comes across a smack film TV show while trying to find new programming. His obsession with the incredibly sexual and violent program only grows greater as the film goes on, with his curiosity and continued investigation into the show leading him down a dark path.
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Videodrome And The substance have many parallels, with both films using body horror as a means to explore themes of capitalism and fame. Max Ren and Elizabeth Sparkle are both tragic characters whose greed leads to their downfall, and Renn’s TV channel president is also incredibly similar to Dennis Quaid’s character in The substance.
1
The flight
1986
For fans of The substanceThere is no follow-up more perfect than Cronenberg’s 1986 remake of The flight. The iconic film follows Jeff Goldblum as Seth Brandle, a scientist who finally invents a successful teleportation machine. While testing the device, however, a fly enters the teleportation pod with Brundle, causing his DNA to be stitched together in the process. The flight Chronicles Brundle’s painful transformation into the Brundlefly, highlighting Brundle’s deteriorating mental state and its effect on those who surround him along the way.
The substances parallels to The flight are greatTheir stories, characters, thematic points and body horror are incredibly similar. The flight is a must-see for viewers looking for an experience similar to The substanceThis makes Cronenberg’s 1986 film even more relevant today.