Director’s Two Key Words Transform Horror Creature into a Tragic Masterpiece!

by

In top-tier horror flicks and suspenseful psychological dramas, each monster concept carries a narrative, and that’s true for Coralie Fargeat’s Academy Award-nominated film “The Substance“. The movie’s makeup team has shared insights into the detailed work behind creating Monstro Elisasue, the chilling yet profoundly meaningful character central to the story. As per Pierre Olivier Persin, who oversaw the prosthetics, Fargeat consistently emphasized two words during the design phase for this creature, and I can see why she did so.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Persin – the chief makeup artist for the movie – disclosed that the director of “Revenge”, insistent on his unique perspective, prioritized portraying the character’s tragic side rather than solely focusing on terror. Persin explained this point further.

Coralie told me: ‘Elisabeth was likened to a blender character by her repeated quote from the movie where Monstro says, ‘It’s me!’. I believe this line held significant importance for both Elisabeth and us. It wasn’t a monster that harms people; it was a complex character instead. Looking back, it may have been Elisabeth’s most joyful moment amid her physical and mental struggles. However, Coralie yearned for the Elephant Woman.’

The team performed exceptionally well. The bizarre fusion of the two characters strongly resembles a chaotic blender creation and brings to mind the atmosphere of “Elephant Man”. The melancholy and exhilaration felt in the movie’s climactic scenes are skillfully expressed through remarkable prosthetic effects.

This detailed method wasn’t limited only to the main structure; even Monstro’s head design posed a significant hurdle. The team found it tough to strike an ideal equilibrium between instilling fear and evoking sympathy, as Persin explained further.

After Coralie approved the body design, we hadn’t located the head yet. I recall often emphasizing the need to begin constructing Monstro due to its size and quality requirements. However, she insisted on being completely certain about the design first. One day, while at the workshop, she spotted one of the final sketches for the heads. Excitedly, she hugged me and exclaimed, “Yes! We’ve found her!

As I, the movie maker born in France, dedicated my patience and keen eye for detail to the creation of Monstro Elisasue, it became more than just another horror antagonist; instead, it evolved into a fully-fleshed character brimming with depth and emotional resonance. The final design masterfully straddled the line between fearsome and deeply sorrowful, offering a visually arresting portrayal of the film’s themes revolving around identity, transformation, and acceptance.

It appears that this endeavor has proven successful, as “The Substance” shared the spotlight with “Nosferatu” in the 2025 Academy Award nominations, shattering a long-held trend of horror films being disregarded at forthcoming award ceremonies.

On previous occasions, we’ve had a rare look at the making of this contemporary horror classic, The Substance. The behind-the-scenes video offered an insightful view of the immense creativity and dedication director Coralie Fargeat invested in the film. Her meticulous, hands-on approach to filmmaking is what makes me believe that the movie truly deserves all the praise it’s receiving.

Read More

2025-02-01 20:07