Displaying items by tag: Demi Moore

THE SUBSTANCE

US, 2024, 140 minutes, Colour.

Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley, Denis Quaid.

Directed by Coralie Fargeat.

The substance is a serious, challenging drama on some key contemporary issues, winner of the Best Screenplay Award at Cannes, 2024. However, it could also be described as “not for the fainthearted”. The Australian government classification is indicative: R18+ ‘High impact violence, blood and gore’.

The film was written and directed by French filmmaker, Coralie Fargeat (whose previous feature film, 2017s Revenge, which treated similar themes with pervasive blood). This film, in fact, was made in Paris but with American key leads. Coralie Fargeat is an angry filmmaker, standing up and strongly assertive for women, targeting the exploitation of the “male gaze” and women’s treatment by sleazy males, here in the television industry and advertising.

To indicate the serious treatment here, this reviewer immediately started to think about Stevenson’s Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, the doctor at home and his experimentation, taking substances, and his public persona, charming but sinister, Mr Hyde. In fact, the director herself has suggested thinking about Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, the ugly ageing portrait at home, the seemingly perennial youthful public figure. And, some reviewers also offer helpful cinema and theatre comparisons, the 1966 Seconds, with Rock Hudson, a banker wanting to start his life again with a new identity and a new face. Another suggestion is the story of the ageing and fading star, Norma Desmond, in Sunset Boulevard.

Star of this film is Demi Moore, 40 years after she began her film career – appearing in this film and her being exposed in so many ways seems a courageous choice on her part. She plays a Jane Fonda like television host of aerobic exercises for women, quite a celebrity, a corridor filled with flattering posters… But, she is 50. She is 20 years over the expected age for such a less celebrity. She has to go. She is involved in a car crash – ironically as she stares at her image being torn down from a boulevard billboard.

While the film has a range of male characters, they are presented as leering, stupid, followers, incompetent… And, at the head, is Dennis Quaid as an over-the-top sleazy television producer. Satirical, maybe, but #Me Too exposes and court cases indicate the elements of truth.

This film runs for 140 minutes so the audience has plenty of time to contemplate what is happening, the ageing star taking the substance, the consequences for her inner self to emerge, physically, thirtysomething mentality and appearance, to take her place. The new self, is Sue, played by Margaret Qualey who is appearing in more and more significant roles in recent years. She is the right age for the male gaze, for audience popularity – and she basks in it only to be the agent of her own downfall. Some of the transformation sequences have their harrowing and startling moments, commentators referring to as “body horror”. But, as with Jekyll and Hyde, there has to be a reckoning, Jekyll becoming a monster, Hyde and his exposure.

Which means that the climax of the film has high monstrous elements, physically, psychologically, violently, a climax and a New Year’s Eve television show where everyone is spattered with the blood of the creatures.

Symbolically, the film opens with a popular star on the Hollywood catwalk of Fame , gradually deteriorating and ignored – and, that is where the film ends, a star is born and dies.

1. The title, the focus, anonymous name, powerful substance program, consequences?
2. The work of the director, angry, targeting the male gaze, portraying ridiculous men, sleazy men? Presenting ambitious women? Glamorous women? Issue of ageing? Public response, television audiences?
3. The plausibility of the plot, the history of bodily enhancements? Consequences, glamorous appearance, ageing, artificiality? Surgeons – but, here, self-and administered procedures? The strict instructions, no deviation?
4. Demi Moore and her career, parallels with her character? No holding back in her performance? Margaret Qualey, young, glamour, success, ambition, ruthlessness, self-centredness?
5. The opening, the Hollywood star, preparing, success, age, people ignoring it, walking over it? Spilling the food? And the return to the star at the end, Elizabeth Sparkle and her face and the prosthetics, disappearing?
6. Elizabeth Sparkle, her story, the parallel with the Jane Fonda row pick programs? At 50, appearance, age, her team, her slogans, the corridor, her portraits? Her being fired, interactions with Harvey? His associates? His sleazy interventions? The impact, the billboard, taking her down, the car crash, no injuries, the assistant, his insinuations, the address on her coat?
7. Elizabeth and her moral stance, 50, her career, vanity, pride, her home in luxury, the big poster? Her angers, the quest for her successor? The maid, cleaning, boning the agency, the number, going, the backyard, stooping to go in, her locker, material, taking it home, the audience seeing the implications? Her decision to go ahead?
8. The Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde theme? The director and her reference to the Picture of Dorian Grey? 21^st-century versions, female versions? The same issues?
9. The drama of the transformation, the frank presentation of the bodies, naked, vulnerable, the emergence of Sue? The seven days for each of them to live, the transfer and’s? The rules? No deviation?
10. Sue, going to the studio, with Harvey, the two men and the auditions and their male gaze, criticisms of the women are auditioning, the response to Sue? Harvey and his excitement, the executives? The program, the rehearsals, the exercises, her style, the supporting cast, her looking at the audience? Success? Provision to be absent for a week to care for her mother? Harvey and his enthusiasm? The success of the program? The risks, deviating, the consequences for Elizabeth and her finger?
11. The success of weeks for each of the characters, Elizabeth collapsing, in the house, the gift of the French cookbook and the recipes, watching television, her anger with Sue? Going to collect the supplies? The discussions with the anonymous voice? Sue, success, summoned to Harvey, her fears, the offer of hosting the New Year’s Eve show?
12. Sue, her life, the men, sex, Oliver across the way? The consequences for her, drinking, the deviations?
13. Elizabeth, her anger, the temptation to stop the program, her motivation for not going through that, her change of mind, part of the process, stopping?
14. Sue, the New Year’s Eve, the dress, Harvey and the executives? The style of the show? The previous incident with a lump in her buttock, drawing it out? The restroom, her teeth, the body degenerating, in the corridor, smiling without opening her mouth? Her fleeing, going home, the confrontation with Elizabeth, the injections, the viciousness of the fight, Elizabeth and her age, monstrosity? Her being bashed?
15. The transformation in Sue, the prosthetics, the ugliness, the faces, Elizabeth and Sue, going to the studio, Elizabeth mask, the audience reaction, the revelation, the consequences, the crowds, the men denouncing her as monster, the violence, the vast spattering of blood?
16. The fact that the two women wore one, depending on each other, the final collapse, Elizabeth and her face, on the Hollywood star, disappearing? And the cleaners coming over it?
17. The description of the film as a horror film, as body horror, the classic allusions, the two aspects of the one personality, the public charm, the private monstrosity?

FEUD: CAPOTE VS THE SWANS

US, 2024, 8 x 60 minutes, Colour.

Tom Hollander, Naomi Watts, Diane Lane, Chloe Sevigny, Calista Flockhart, Demi Moore, Molly Ringwald, Treat Williams, Joe Mantello, Russell Tovey, Jessica Lange, Chris Chalk.

Directed by Gus van Sant, Jennifer Lynch, Max Winkler.

As the second in the television series of Feud, created by Ryan Murphy (also creator of American Horror Stories and Glee). The first feud was between Bette Davis and Joan Crawford during the filming of Whatever Happened to Baby Jane.

Response to this series will depend on audience sympathy or not with its central character, author Truman Capote (previously played by Philip Seymour Hoffman in his Oscar-winning role in Capote as well as by British actor Toby Jones in Infamous). Capote, from the south, found fame with Breakfast at Tiffany’s and then his research for and publication of In Cold Blood. However, effeminate in style, camp, openly gay, he found acceptance in affluent New York society, especially with a group of women in the 1960s whom he dubbed The Swans. However, he wrote fictitious articles about them, but their being quickly recognised, they turned on him.

Response to the series will also depend on audience attitudes towards the Swans, the self-centred way of life, their arrogance, social ambitions – and the vengeance on capacity.

The series has a very strong group of directors as well as acting cast. Tom Hollander is completely convincing as Truman Capote – and a bonus is the presence of Jessica Lange in memories and dreams of his mother.

For some perspective on the characters and moral issues, the fifth episode is interesting in a created meeting between Capote and author James Baldwin, his encouraging Capote but their discussing and analysing his relationship with The Swans and his writing.

The central characters are all real but this is an interpretation of them – and, to the anger of some reviewers, it is a hostile/critical interpretation of Capote.

1. The series on American Feuds?
2. Audience knowledge of Truman Capote? American society in the 1950s to the 1970s? Interest/not?
3. Truman Capote in himself, his life, his writings, success, reputation, vanity, gay orientation, love of society, the expose, vengeance wreaked on him, the impact of his mother, the meaning of his life?
4. The impact of the series, eight episodes, the range of writers, directors? The prestigious cast?
5. The episodes, moving around in time, flashbacks to Capote his childhood and relationship with his mother, as emerging in the 1950s, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, the 1960s, the research for writing In Cold Blood? His status? Yet his personal ambitions, the 1960s, society, friendships, his writing, the publication of the article, condemning the swans, reactions? His researching his reply, Answered Prayers? His drinking, drugs, health, relationships? Into the 1980s, his collapse, death?
6. The significance of the fifth episode, the conversation with James Baldwin, his character and career and writing in the light of this conversation, James Baldwin and his reputation, literature, living abroad, homosexuality? Discussing the situation with The Swans? An opportunity for moral evaluation of the themes and characters?
7. The attitude to New York society, wealthy, snobbery, status, moral perspectives, sexuality and relationships, betrayals, the impact of wealth, to be seen, restaurants, balls? Wealthy American New York society of the period? Households, mansions, lifestyle, fashion, beauty parlours and manicure is, servants…?
8. The portrayal of The Swans? Babe Paley and her relationship with Bill, his fears, his impact on the world of television, her patience with him, yet her coldness towards her children and alienation? The 1950s and 60s, Capote entering into this world, Bill Paley’s reaction? The cells next? Babe and her devotion to Capote, his devotion to her? Slick, haughty, her marriages and flaunting her husbands, vindictive attitudes? Gossip, the Royal family, international status? C.Z., her lifestyle, gardens, horses, posing nude for Frida Kahlo, the painting, her friendship with Capote, Brinkley to him, mediating? Lee Radziwill, her relationship with her sister, Jackie Kennedy, her place in society, interactions with Capote? Not supporting him?
9. Ann Woodward, her story, relationship with her husband, the shooting, her confronting Capote, the reaction of The Swans? His writing about her, her suicide? Her family coming later to haunt him?
10. The episode of the Black and White ball, the discussions, the guest of honour, the irony of the editor of the Washington Post, The Swans vying with each other, the visuals of the ball?
11. The Maysles Brothers? Their skills documentarians? The filming of the documentary on Capote in his life, in black and white, the presence of Albert Maysels’, devotion, dancing together? The effect of the film?
12. The bonds between the women, ladies who lunch, Capote and his entree into their world, friendship with Paley, Paley turning against him? Capote exploiting his friendships?
13. His writing, turning against the women, the visualising, the recognising themselves? The articles, widely read? The effect? The reaction of each of The Swans?
14. Capote, the baths, the encounter with John, the relationship, John and his moodiness, leaving his family, some violence towards Capote it? The irony of his daughter, her coming to Capote, his taking her on, as a project, as a model, the incident of her being bottled on babe Paley, Richard Avedon in the photo at his change?
15. Jack, the long relationship, his moving to Switzerland, his companions, trying to give advice to Capote?
16. The background of his feud with Gore Vidal?
17. Capote, the drinking, the intoxication of his connections, status in society, drugtaking, as range of partners and young men? Change of heart on not? The writing of Answered Prayers? Series dramatising the scenes from answered Prayers, the different light on The Swans?
18. Babe, arrogant, yet sympathetic, her husband, illness, revealing it, her death? Her grave?
19. The importance of his mother, her appearance in his fantasies, the reminiscence about the past, his bringing up, her influence, her being a prima donna?
20. His later years, Johnny Carson’s former wife, care for Capote, his death?
21. Audience response to the series, curiosity, prurience, revulsion, interest, judgement?