In “The Substance” movie, the patriarchal spotlight fragments a woman’s personality into the id, ego and superego as characters leading to self-destructive behaviors.
Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic theory describes human behaviors and personality as being composed of the id, ego and superego in the subconscious and conscious.
In the horror film, fitness star Elisabeth (Demi Moore) ages out of the spotlight. Since the former actress is no longer the ideal spectacle for men, Elisabeth is fired by her male boss Harvey (Dennis Quaid).
According to a verywellmind article from early this year, “[t]he ego operates based on the reality principle, which strives to satisfy the id’s desires in realistic and socially appropriate ways.” Although Elisabeth’s ego wants to remain in the patriarchal spotlight, it is impossible.
After Elisabeth takes the eponymous “Substance,” a young, beautiful woman (Margaret Qualley) emerges from her, later calling herself Sue. Even though Sue and Elisabeth are physically two different characters—the rule of the substance is that you are one. Similar to Freud’s theory, the ego, superego and id exist within the individual’s mind, simultaneously.
Over time, being the market’s ideal, Sue takes Elisabeth’s place as the new fitness actress. Sue becomes more famous and takes satisfaction in the patriarchal spectacle so much that she does not switch with Elisabeth, though this is expressly warned against. This selfish cannibalization drains and transforms Elisabeth into an old woman with wrinkles, freckles and gray hair.
Unlike the ego, the id is driven by the pleasure principle for instant gratification. Sue, as the id, causes tension and stress with Elisabeth. Neither can survive without being a patriarchal spectacle; they cannot live without having their value dictated by the patriarchal spotlight.
As a result, Elisabeth and Sue internalize and reinforce the patriarchy’s moral standards and ideals for women. The relationship between Elisabeth and Sue relies on consuming each other to the point of self-destruction just to maintain this status within the patriarchal schema.
Ultimately, the superego—the morals and virtues of the patriarchal society—transforms them into a horrific personification and forced capitulation to these standards called Monstro ElisaSue (Margaret Qualley).
This all happens as Harvey takes credit for his new young prodigy, Sue: “You will not be disappointed. She’s my most beautiful creation. I have shaped her for success,” he professes to a gaggle of predictably old, white, male stockholders.
In the final moments of the film, men attack and women scream at the sight of Monstro ElisaSue. Both Elisabeth and Sue are rejected as the patriarchal spectacle. Neither is good enough, and what they were made to become is an unbearable monstrosity.
“The Substance” tackles and satirizes the pattern of women being consumed by a patriarchal system until they have no value within it before being discarded, only to have the cycle of abuse continue on to the next woman, uninterrupted.
