Horror movies find all sorts of creatures to scare us—masked killers, demonic forces, brain-hungry zombies. But nothing is quite as terrifying as the human body. Whether it is our appearance or what is lurking inside, nothing stirs anxiety like the skin we live in.
The body horror genre taps into that anxiety, exploring fears and obsessions that can consume us. From jealousy (“The Fly”) and paranoia (“The Thing”) to fears of the modern world (“Videodrome”) or the natural one (“Annihilation”), body horror makes the metaphorical literal, showing how our worst instincts lead to our physical and emotional decay.
This concept reaches an extreme in “The Substance,” director Coralie Fargeat’s surreal take on ageism and beauty standards. The film follows Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore), an Oscar-winning actress turned fitness guru who gets fired on her 50th birthday. Desperate to reclaim her career, she turns to “the substance,” a shady health supplement that creates a younger version of herself (Margaret Qualley) with whom she enters a bizarre body timeshare arrangement.
This movie is not for the faint of heart. There is enough viscera, blood, and intense food-chewing to make even seasoned horror fans squirm. But if you can tough it out, “The Substance” offers a darkly comic fable about modern society’s obsession with beauty.
It is also a reminder of how movies allow us to confront our fears. While you may watch much of “The Substance” through your fingers, pushing through that discomfort can lead to some of the most cathartic laughs, tears, and screams you will experience in a theater. And when the credits roll and the gore fades, you might just feel a little more comfortable in your own skin.
Now Playing
“Conclave”
A religious thriller with Ralph Fiennes.
A politically tinged thriller perfect for election season, “Conclave” delves into one of the world’s most secretive events: the election of a new pope. Ralph Fiennes leads an all-star cast, including Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, and Isabella Rossellini, in this twisty tale of a cardinal who uncovers a conspiracy that could shake the Church to its core.
Starts Friday.
“Saturday Night”
A kinetic recreation of the moments before “Saturday Night Live” premiered.
At 11:30 p.m. on October 11, 1975, television changed forever. Experience the chaos that came before in “Saturday Night,” director Jason Reitman’s recreation of the 90 minutes leading up to the premiere episode of “Saturday Night Live.” Featuring a cast of rising stars stepping into the shoes of legends like John Belushi, George Carlin, Gilda Radner, and more, “Saturday Night” is a frenetic tribute to the iconic comedy institution.
Starts Friday.
“The Outrun”
A powerful story of addiction and recovery with Saoirse Ronan.
Saoirse Ronan delivers a knockout performance in “The Outrun,” a powerful story of addiction and recovery. After leaving rehab, Rona (Ronan) returns home to Scotland’s Orkney Islands for the first time in years. As she reconnects with her family and hometown, memories of her troubled past begin to emerge, painting a picture of her journey to recovery.
Held over for one more week!
“Killer Klowns from Outer Space”
A cult horror-comedy classic perfect for Halloween weekend.
We’re getting craaaaaaazy this Halloween weekend! Finn Baack from Simon Rock’s Horror Movie Club joins us to introduce “Killer Klowns from Outer Space,” the Chiodo Brothers’ 1988 cult horror-comedy classic, on October 26!
A small town is invaded by a troupe of grotesque extraterrestrial clowns who kill and capture the townsfolk with an assortment of sinister tricks. Featuring an amazing display of late-1980s practical effects, “Killer Klowns” is the kind of bizarre genre mashup that you need to see with a crowd.
October 26 at 9 p.m.
“Food Inc. 2”
A timely follow-up to the hit documentary.
The Triplex is excited to partner with the Berkshire International Film Festival on their Environmental Film Focus Series, which kicks off with “Food Inc. 2” on October 27.
The groundbreaking Oscar-nominated documentary “Food Inc.,” which screened at BIFF in 2008, ignited a cultural conversation about the multinational corporations that control our food system at enormous cost to our planet, workforce, and health. In this well-timed sequel, “Food Inc. 2” comes “back for seconds” to reveal how corporate consolidation has gone unchecked by our government, leaving us with a highly efficient yet shockingly vulnerable food system dedicated only towards increasing profits.
The film stars Michael Pollan, Senator Cory Booker, Senator John Tester, and Eric Schlosser. Join BIFF after the screening for a panel discussion with Maryann Tebben and Dan Carr of Berkshire Agricultural Ventures and BIFF programmer Lillian Lennox.
October 27 at 3 p.m.
“Medium Cool”
An innovative blend of documentary and fiction from Haskell Wexler.
An innovative blend of fiction and documentary that filmed its actors at the actual 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, “Medium Cool” follows Robert Forster’s veteran television cameraman as he realizes he can no longer stay a passive observer when he discovers his network has been giving his footage to the FBI.
Barbara Zheutlin, co-author of “Creative Differences: Profiles of Hollywood Dissidents,” introduces our screening with a discussion of Wexler’s real-life politics, how they influenced the film, and the legacy of the politics of the New Hollywood movement.
Part of The Triplex’s “Dying in Darkness” series, “Medium Cool” screens on October 27, at 7 p.m.
“The Week”
A climate activist workshop with author Anne Therese Gennari.
What is climate change? And what can we do about it?
Join us for “The Week,” a three-week climate docu-series facilitated by author of “The Climate Optimist Handbook” (and Berkshires local) Anne Therese Gennari.
Three Wednesday nights in October, Anne Therese will present a short documentary about climate change followed by a conversation to discuss what we have learned and process the powerful emotions that the climate crisis evokes.
These three meet-ups will bring you on a journey of climate awareness and empowered optimism, leaving you both alarmed and (hopefully) inspired to do something about it!
Wednesday, October 30, at 7 p.m.
Coming Soon
“Here”
Reuniting Tom Hanks and Robin Wright with their Forrest Gump writer and director Robert Zemeckis, “Here” is a singular vision of family and the space they inhabit. Based on the acclaimed graphic novel by Richard McGuire, “Here” is a testament to how much life can be lived in the smallest of places.
Starts November 1.
“My Old Ass”
A coming-of-age movie with dashes of stoner comedy and time travel, “My Old Ass” is a surprisingly emotional story of a young woman redefining her life at a transitional moment. When Elliott (Maisy Stella) takes mushrooms on her 18th birthday, she comes face to face with her 39-year-old self (Aubrey Plaza). When Elliott’s “old ass” begins offering up advice on her future, she is forced to rethink everything she knows.
Part of The Triplex’s Limited Engagement series, “My Old Ass” screens from November 1 to 7.
“Wag the Dog”
As a presidential sex scandal begins to go public, spin doctor Conrad Brean (Robert DeNiro) enlists Hollywood producer Stanley Motss (Dustin Hoffman) to produce a fictional war that will distract the media and the public. Released shortly before the real-life Clinton-Lewinsky scandal swept the nation, “Wag the Dog” perfectly predicted the ways political narratives could be manipulated in the cable-news era.
Before the movie, Bill Shein, founding editor of The Berkshire Argus and a recipient of the National Press Club’s Award for Humor for his column “Reason Gone Mad,” will discuss the way that Hollywood has influenced political narratives in the post-Clinton media era.
Part of The Triplex’s “Dying in Darkness” series, “Wag the Dog” screens on November 3 at 4 p.m.
