Exploring about the Consumption of the Body in the Society of the Spectacle through Film the Substance

Authors : Esennur Sirer, Sercan Kule
Pages : 131-149
Doi:10.56202/mbsjcs.1809594
View : 146 | Download : 202
Publication Date : 2025-12-30
Article Type : Research Paper
Abstract :This study examines the film The Substance through a semiotic analysis of the commodification of the human body, within the framework of Guy Debord\\\'s theory of the society of the spectacle and Mulvey\\\'s concept of the male gaze. The spectacle, a mechanism of the capitalist system, manipulates social relations through images, fostering alienation, passivity, and the displacement of reality through representation. Drawing on Laura Mulvey\\\'s concept of the \\\"male gaze,\\\" the analysis also explores how visual narratives in cinema reinforce patriarchal structures, gender hierarchies, and the objectification of women. Directed by a female director, Caroline Fargeat, The Substance critiques societal obsessions with youth and beauty through its narrative and visual composition. The film’s extensive use of macro shots accentuates the physical and emotional dichotomy between the protagonist’s aged self, Elizabeth Sparkle, and her younger alter ego, Sue. These visual techniques underscore the destructive impact of societal pressures on the female body, while also engaging the viewer in a deeper reflection on the protagonist’s inner conflict and transformation. While the film critiques the commodification of the body and addresses the \\\"female gaze,\\\" it ultimately fails to completely subvert classical Hollywood traditions. Sue\\\'s portrayal as an eroticized object is seen as perpetuating patriarchal ideals, undermining the potential for a liberating filmic language. This study aims to underscore the limitations of contemporary cinema in transcending traditional gender representations and to emphasize the need for alternative narratives that challenge the ideological foundations of the society of the spectacle.
Keywords : Feminist Film Teorisi, Gösteri Toplumu, The Substance Filmi, Film Analizi

ORIGINAL ARTICLE URL