‘Are We Just Repeating Get Out?’: Concerns Rise for ‘The Substance’ as It Enters Golden Globes as a Musical/Comedy

The film “The Substance”has been captivating audiences in theaters for quite a while, and the buzz around it has intensified following the Golden Globes’ nomination in the musical/comedy category.

Divided Opinions on The Substance’s Genre Classification

Wrong category? ?‍♀️, wouldn’t class it as a musical or comedy lol

— Jonathan (@HomeCinemaAV) October 21, 2024

Many fans are expressing their confusion and frustration over the jury’s decision. A significant portion of viewers believes it is a major oversight to label the film a comedy or musical, suggesting the awards should consider introducing a horror genre category to prevent such classifications in the future. Conversely, a smaller group contends that Coralie Fargeat’s unique blend of satirical body horror fits the definition of dark comedy.

Here’s a glimpse of fan reactions that reflect this sentiment of disappointment:

Nothing about this film says comedy, what are they even doing

— harv (@harvv) October 21, 2024

(It’s not a comedy or a musical)

— Mauricio? ? (@MauBoat) October 21, 2024

The Substance is nominated for Best Musical/Comedy? I guess the Golden Globes are redefining ‘comedy’. Can’t wait to see the nominees include my cat’s latest TikTok!? ?

— Praise Nnaam (@praisennaam) October 21, 2024

Comedy….?????? Oh @TheAcademy…. PLEASE MAKE A HORROR CATEGORY, WE’RE BEGGING YOU

— ✨Lucky Laura ‘24✨ (@Laura_Zisko) October 21, 2024

Comedy? Huh?

— AmericanNightmare (@PewNightmare) October 21, 2024

The Golden Globes Have a Track Record of Similar Controversies

So we’re doing Get Out all over again, huh? https://t.co/eeSsuBvkFS

— Dark Lord Of The Bait (@LordOfBait) October 21, 2024

Historically, the Golden Globes are known for their questionable categorization decisions, with examples dating back to the early ’90s. One notorious case was the 1990 film “Ghost,”which was incorrectly classified as a comedy despite being a romantic thriller starring Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore.

Other films that have suffered similar category misclassifications include Jordan Peele’s “Get Out”(nominated as a musical/comedy), Ridley Scott’s “The Martian”(classified in the comedy category), Martin Scorsese’s “The Wolf of Wall Street”(a biographical crime drama also nominated in the comedy section), and the 2011 film “My Week with Marilyn,”another biographical drama that found itself placed with comedies once again.

As for Fargeat’s latest film, it continues to attract attention after this announcement, likely enhancing its already strong box office performance. This remarkable blend of stunning body horror with sharp social critique has enabled the MUBI release to approach $30 million globally against its $17.5 million budget, nearly doubling its initial investment.

Featuring powerhouse performances from Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley, and Dennis Quaid, “The Substance”is noteworthy for its exceptional screenplay, direction by Fargeat, and an ending that resonates profoundly, concluding a cautionary narrative about the entertainment industry’s prevalent double standards.

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