Published
17-7-2025
Type of Work
Conference Presentation
Abstract
This paper will examine Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance (2024) within the context of transnational body horror films, arguing that its power lies in its ability to entangle audiences in themes of identity fragmentation. The Substance, echoing work by filmmakers including David Cronenberg, Pedro Almodóvar, and Takashi Miike, depicts the disturbing erosion of self through visceral transformations and psychological disintegration. By analysing Fargeat’s
20
recent film alongside earlier films such as Videodrome (1983), The Skin I Live In (2011), and Audition (1999), this paper demonstrates how body horror, despite diverse origins, shares a preoccupation with blurring self/other boundaries. Drawing on Blasi’s (2019) application of entanglement theory to film studies, emphasising active viewer engagement over passive observation, this paper explores how body horror’s psychological techniques – paranoia, unease, and distorted realities – entangle viewers in characters’ experiences. The transnational appeal stems from its ability to evoke universal anxieties about identity loss. The Substance reconfigures these anxieties within a Hollywood context of beauty standards, demonstrating how body horror transcends national borders. This examination reveals the genre’s global significance, highlighting its capacity to connect audiences through shared psychological experiences within an increasingly interconnected cinematic landscape.
Citation
Hughes, J. (2025). Identity Entanglement in Transnational Body Horror Cinema [Conference Paper, Camera-Stylo 6, Macquarie University].