And Ugly Stepsister
Or Black Swan
May
Excision
Carrie
Or even Whatever Happened to Baby Jane
Films about female rage, sellebrity, Hollywood rot, vanity, female rivalry
Society is a good blend of the two.
I've seen this and looooved it. So campy and eighties, plays like trash porn story before the sex when it's not utterly insane.
I love Society (even got my pic with Brian Yuzna), but I don't see how it relates to OP's question. Fill me in on what I'm missing.
Easy. “Hollywood rot” and “vanity” body horror.
Dig. I don't recall Hollywood rot.
Pearl with Mia Goth
The themes of The Substance reminded quite a bit of the themes of X and Pearl. Different art styles for similar metaphors.
Censor!
Criminally underrated
Deserves way more attention, it was unfortunate to be released in the 2020-2021 era where movies flopped left and right because of covid restrictions. Saint Maud was another one from that era.
I got the Vinegar Syndrome blu-ray with the slip case. The special features are packed.
MaXXXine
Smile 2
Jennifer's Body
Smile 2 may be just what you're looking for!
MaXXXine is peak female rage
Loved the trilogy.
Maybe:
The Blackcoat's Daughter
Suspiria
Ooh yes! 2 goodies!
Revenge
That's the one I was looking for since it was directed by Coralie Fargeat like The Substance.
American Mary is so perfect for what OP is looking for!
Definitively more The Substance than Starry Eyes
This is good
Seen these except for Always Shine, Braid and Grafted and added those to my to watch list.
I suggest the unedited cut of Infinity Pool.
May I ask what's different about the unedited cut? I genuinely can't remember which one I watched
Is it the one where you get all the peen?
It is a prosthetic. I actually had the good fortune of speaking with the artist who created the prosthetic in this forum.
I know. Question still stands ;)
YES YES YES
Not really horror but this is the vibe Promising Young Woman gives me. I still think about this movie often.
I dunno there are a few scenes that are straight up horror. This movie traumatized me way more than most horror films
I mean I completely agree with you, but I just wanted to add that so no one jumped down my throat 😅
Love that film
It made me angry and radicalized me even more😩😅
Sunset Boulevard, Mulholland Drive, Possession
Have you seen All Cheerleaders Die, by Lucky McKee? It's female rage & rivalry & is one of my favorites that rarely gets mentioned.
Brand New Cherry Flavor (netflix) is a limited series that deals with feminine brutality & body horror in LA. It's sooo much fun, imo.
For female rage & the (grotesque outside of a Hollywood setting), another series I love is Sharp Objects.
I love the movies listed in your post, so I think we might have similar taste.
All Cheerleaders Die blew me away. I had very low expectations and was in awe.
I'd add Jennifer's Body too.
Oh, I love Jennifer's Body, too!
I'm so glad you enjoyed All Cheerleaders Die! It was one of my emotional support movies, that I watched over and over during quarantine. It's a shame the name might seem kinda generic & some might overlook it.
I've seen All Cheerleaders die. Doesn't quite measure up to May which is a classic but I liked it. The Woods by McKee was only fine but the style of it was my vibe.
The Perfection.
Luvit
I hated this one, can't quite put my finger on why since it was so long ago but I remember finishing it and wishing I had the time back.
Aww. It was an instant love for me cuz it was so unexpected.
Helter Skelter (2012) is a gorgeous looking film, its primarily a psychological horror/drama movie about a model going insane.
Looked at the poster and instantly put it in my to watch list.
On the Manson family theme, I'm surprised Once Upon A Time In Hollywood hasn't been mentioned yet.
Suspiria remake
Death Becomes Her (1992) and Sunset Boulevard (1950) are clear inspirations for The Substance.
The prior is from the perspective of a man, and directed by Robert Zemeckis (Forest gump, Back to the Future) who is also, obviously, a man. Because of this, the feminist themes become a bit muddied, but it’s a fun film regardless and Fargeat elevates Zemeckis’s idea in The Substance. This movie was also referenced in a Sabrina Carpenter music video.
I admittedly haven’t seen the latter film, but I have seen clips. I’m waiting for when it’s released in AMC theaters for its 75th anniversary on August 3.
Perfect Blue (1997) might also pique your interest, featured in a Madonna concert during her What It Feels Like to Be a Girl tour. It also has overlapping themes with Black Swan. It’s about a pop star who conforms to the male gaze, and faces the consequences.
Finally, Suspiria (2018), is an all-female cast (even the male characters!) with a great cast. It features wonderful choreography, if you liked that element in Black Swan, with a focus on body horror and supernatural horror. The feminist themes are there, but I had difficulty finding a clear feminist message. Still, one of my favorite horrors of all time.
Sunset Blvd is a masterpiece. I didn't know they were doing a theatrical release for the anniversary!
Braids is great
Underrated movie
Not to “well actually” you, but it’s called Braid… this movie is one of my favorites! I went into it blind when I was bored during COVID and I’m still waiting for the day I randomly find another movie this awesome!
Bliss (2019) is also amazing if you haven’t seen that yet. It’s a different vibe, but somehow I feel like anyone who likes Braid would also enjoy Bliss :)
Sunset Boulevard and All About Eve are the alpha and omega of this subgenre. Strait-Jacket is a lot of fun, too, and Single White Female is worth a look as well.
The Woman (2011)
This was a great movie very upsetting
I hated the Dad so much
Perfect Blue - there's a fair argument that Black Swan ripped it off entirely.
Darren Aronofsky actually bought the rights to the entire live-action adaptation of Perfect Blue so he could use the "screaming in the bathtub" scene in Requiem for a Dream.
Not surprising that he used a lot of other elements in Black Swan.
This was gonna be my comment! 10/10 movie
the handmaiden (2016)
also, the favourite (2018)
Loved these two films. These two would make a good trilogy with Duke of Burgundy.
I love Starry Eyes.
Nightbitch was great! not really horror tho, so might not fully fit
Raw (2016)
Teeth (2007)
In My Skin (2002)
Repulsion (1965)
Dementia (1955)
Mildred Pierce (1945)
Teeth is and underrated gem.
The Descent has a serious female rivalry going on.
Oh yeah one of my faves. Team Juno for some reason lol
Saint Maud
Censor
Both Suspiria movies
The Loved Ones
Ginger Snaps
Love Ginger Snaps.
Seen all these and love
The wrath of Becky (2023)
The Hunt (2020)
Becky AND Wrath of Becky.
Ooh didn't know Becky had a sequel. I'll look for that.
You know what, there are not enough horror movies about those themes. I'd watch more, it's a deep well to draw from.
Inside (2007)
Suspiria (1977), Promising Young Woman, & Strange Darling
If you want a bit of campy comedy, try Death Becomes Her. It definitely touches on Hollywood, vanity, and obsession.
The Perfection (2018)-female rivalry
Beauty Water (2020)Korean anime-vanity
Promising Young Woman (2020)-female rage
High Tension (2003)French-female rage
I Spit On Your Grave (2010) -female rage. Also the original 1978 version, but I prefer the remake. There are also sequels which I have not seen.
American Mary
if you like black swan you NEED to see perfect blue, very clear inspiration (borderline plagiarism actually) so you need to watch it
Oh yeah I loved Perfect Blue. And Millennium Actress
The House of the Devil 2009
Along with The Substance, Strange Darling was one of my favorite movies I saw in theaters last year. I don’t want to say anything to give away the nature of the plot but think it’s one you may enjoy if you haven’t seen it yet.
The Seed, Eat
Yes! I was going to mention Eat because I rarely see it brought up for body horror.
Since you mentioned May, I have to recommend American Mary (2012).
ETA: fixed typo.
Liked American Mary a lot. Katherine Isabelle is an icon
American Mary
Nurse
Re/birth
Seen all these. Rated all these higher than 3 on my rateyourmusic film ratings catalog lol.
American Mary deals with female rage against rich, glitzy men and has a similar vibrant yet gorey vibe to some of the films you mentioned, but the female relationships are almost all pretty positive and wholesome. Lots of questions get posed regarding the concept of beauty, since the main character is a surgeon focusing on body mods, but the film sort of has a radical appreciation for people who want to change their bodies to look unusual to others but beautiful to them.
Been meaning to rewatch that. I liked the directors' other film too, of which I forget the title.
If I could just spend all my time watching films centered on female characters, flaws and all, villains or not... Hmmph.
This film doesn't have a female lead, but Seconds by John Frankenheimer was a big inspiration for The Substance.
It's a fantastic movie too
There's a decently effective 2017 movie called Replace that's similar to The Substance. Barbara Crampton has a small role.
Ooh love Crampton. Will seek this out
Not a movie, but Brand New Cherry Flavor on Netflix is superb.
Oh and Jennifer’s Body, Repulsion (fuck Roman Polanski though), and Mulholland Drive
Also not a horror, but Death Becomes Her has supernatural elements and it’s super campy and fun
Some of these are exploitation films, but: Switchblade Sisters, Savage Streets, Black Mama/White Mama, Big Bad Mama, I Spit On Your Grave (original but FYI there’s r*pe), Faster Pussy Cat Kill Kill, Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, Alice Sweet Alice, The Fury, Body Double, Dressed to Kill, Doppelgänger, Poison Ivy, Angel, Criminally Insane (70s movie about food and murder), poison for the fairies, the vampire lovers, desperate living, female trouble, polyester, repulsion, serial mom, showgirls, Sleepaway camp 1/2/3, gore gore girls, what’s the matter with Helen?, Hush, hush, sweet Charlotte.
Love those John Waters films. Love Edith Massey in Polyester. Divine was fab
Also loved Faster Pussycat Kill Kill and Beyond the Valley of the dolls was wild.
Poison Ivy was definitely foundational.
Depalma is always a worthy watch.
Of these, I think Angel is one that I haven't seen but always wanted to.
I hope it was a worthwhile thread. There are only a few you haven’t seen and I’ve read a lot of this post. You’ve got great taste; it’s good to meet other people who like these genres, themes, etc.
Angel is so good. Trashy, hardly believable, but good. Surprisingly nuanced and sympathetic to the queer characters, and while there's of course a streak of misogyny the protagonist isn't a damsel in distress. Plus I love seeing the Hollywood Boulevard of the 80s, and know where all they filmed. It's a fun time capsule!
Sunset Boulevard follows the theme of an aged actresses descent into madness. Definitely fits the Hollywood rot, celebrity, female vanity aspect. It's a sad watch.
Maps to the Stars (2014)
Helter Skelter (2012)
The Lonely Lady
Seen In my Skin - very thought-provoking
Honeymoon.
Rejuvenator!
I have a letter box list of feminine horror movies. If you are open to a dm I will send it to you!
I would love to see it!✨️
“Men,” it’s got body horror and creepy…well… men
The Amulet
The Seed
The appendage is kinda underrated IMO
Grafted for sure!
for The Substance the closest thing i can think of in terms of acting is probablt smile 2
Revenge ..same director as the substance
Antiviral for the celebrity theme, Hostel Part 2, Madhouse (1981), The Loved Ones, the Soskas' Rabid remake, Resurrection (2022).
Looooved Resurrection and I recently watched Loved Ones again and shockingly I thought it was crazy good. Gen y Misery
literally please watch helter skelter. it is on (edit) plex and is exactly what you are asking for.
edit: i haven’t seen it officially credited as inspo for the substance anywhere but if it wasn’t i would be so so shocked
From 2012? It looks great. I'll seek it out
Helter Skelter (2012)
So many similarities to The Substance, about the lengths someone will go to to maintain their celebrity status.
bliss
It’s more of a surreal psychological thriller, but Black Bear hits on nearly all the subjects you listed and is pretty devastating.
Same with The Congress, which is existentially horrifying.
Seen both of these because I love a fierce performance from actresses. Love Black Bear - Plaza is great. Also great in Ingrid goes west
The Nightingale dir. Jennifer Kent. If you can get through the really rough parts at the beginning, it's worth the watch.
Saw this when it came out. Became a fan of the director and the actress.
American Horror Stories Season 3, Episode 3 "Tapeworm"
"A peppy woman named Vivian attempts to audition for a role at Vogue but an agent named Sheila Klein tells her she is too fat to be a model."
Reminded me very much of The Substance.
Helter Skelter
Perfect Blue
Blink Twice
Woman Of The Hour
M.F.A.
I saw all these fairly recently haha. Love. MFA was surprisingly good.
Alyce aka Alyce Kills
The Audition
If that's the 2019 one, it sounds like a new favorite. Will definitely seek it out.
Sorry mate I get these confused. Try Starry Eyes (2014). On Peacock, which is free if Xfinity is your ISP.
The Perfection
Siempre he pensado que esas películas tienen mucha similitud
Syspiria
Teeth
Piggy
Bad Hair
Audition
Watcher
Seen these except for Piggy. Will seek that out. Liked all others a lot especially Watcher. So underrated
Watcher was a great movie, you have really good taste! I’m assuming you’ve seen Jennifer’s Body?
Yup. Saw that when it first came out. Been a Kusama fan since.
The loved ones
I think you might enjoy “Brand New Cherry Flavor” it’s got a similar vibe to Starry Eyes
Helter Skelter
Cam (2018)
Anything with Mia Goth as the main character is probably a good start
Yeah. She's great, been looking forward to anything she does since that Verbinski movie.
While it's certainly not for everyone, (r*pe/revenge) Revenge 2017 is a really well made film made by the same director who made The Substance. The actual scene where the protagonist is attacked isn't that graphic and some dope kills and beautiful cinematogrophy. The protagonist is so badass.
Incredible movie, and by far the best of its kind, with Ms .45 coming in a close second. The aforementioned SA is made all the more devastating by taking place offscreen, just barely hidden beneath the everyday sounds around it. And holy shit, the violence is intense, but the good-for-her aspect of the revenge at hand is SUPER fucking gratifying. This flick is cathartic as hell, and way more entertaining than an entry into that subgenre should be.
Ready or Not and You're Next both have badass heroines who going through incredible journeys of kicking ass.
Adore both movies! Also enjoy 'Mayhem' in large part for Samara Weaving (and her chemistry with Steven Yeun)
Ooo I'll check it out.
Did someone say The Re-animator? Lol
Malignant
I think The Neon Demon might interest you?
Ooh
It’s soooooo good.
Another fan of Neon Demon... don't see too many around lol but I really enjoyed that movie
There's dozens of us!
I didn't see you at the convention
DOZENS!
Bingo
I loved it but the necrophiliac scene is rough