This week on Horror Joy, Jeff and Brian delve into the unsettling world of body horror, examining how it reflects societal pressures and personal anxieties. They dissect Coralie Fargeat's 2024 film, The Substance, starring Demi Moore, a biting critique of female beauty standards and the male gaze. They also explore Nobel Prize winner Olga Tokarczuk's novel, The Empusium, a health resort horror story exposing the misogynistic views of the early 20th century and the body dysmorphia of its protagonist.

We discuss:

·The destructive nature of beauty standards on female bodies

·The predatory male gaze

·The horror of tuberculosis and terrible health politics in the United States

·The importance of catching our breath in troubling times

·The self-othering of gender dysmorphia

So, grab your favorite scalpel and join us for a more than skin deep conversation about aging bodies, failing lungs, and ephemeral mountain beings. Remember to keep breathing and try not to get chewed up along the way.

00:00 Introduction to Body Horror

01:31 Exploring 'The Substance'

04:52 Themes of Female Beauty and Aging

10:34 Critique of the Male Gaze

17:19 Cultural Commentary and Societal Critique

32:29 Transition to 'The Empusium'

33:51 Exploring Misogyny and Body Horror in the Novel

35:43 Voynich's Body Dysmorphia and Other Characters

42:08 The Role of Breath and Tuberculosis in the Story

45:00 Intersex Bodies and Historical Context

51:42 Philosophical Conversations and Gender Essentialism

01:00:28 Final Thoughts and Finding Joy in Art