Demi Moore's 'gory as hell,' 'f---ing insane' body horror movie gets huge standing ovation at Cannes

The “Demi Moore Renaissance is upon us,” according to reactions to the star's new movie “The Substance."

Demi Moore's iconic essence is moving — or, well splattering, splashing, and bleeding — into a new phase of her legend era, after the actress' upcoming "f---ing insane" body horror movie The Substance received a huge standing ovation at Cannes over the weekend.

Reports from the renowned festival (which often launches prestige projects into the market and/or positions select Oscar contenders in the awards race at large) indicated that the 61-year-old's grotesque opus received a 13-minute standing ovation following its world premiere Sunday night. Video from the event shows Moore, director Coralie Fargeat (Revenge), and costars Margaret Qualley and Dennis Quaid beaming at the audience around them, though reactions to the film celebrated the film's dark nature.

The film follows the Ghost and G.I. Jane star as an aging actress who undergoes the film's titular medical treatment that uses cell replication to create a younger version of herself that, per Variety's reaction to the film, leads to a scene where Qualley squeezes out of Moore's spine.

"HOLY F---! A modern day Death Becomes Her with a dash of Drag Me To Hell. Coralie Fargeat puts both [David] Cronenberg and [Julia] Ducournau to shame! Demi Moore Renaissance upon us," tweeted attendee Ali Benzekri, while IndieWire's David Ehrlich compared the project to two other tonally distinct titles.

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"The Substance is absolutely f---ing insane and by *far* the best film in Competition so far. an instant body horror classic, equal parts Freaky Friday and The Fly, Demi Moore going full demented. Loved," he tweeted after the screening.

Slate's Sam Adams also called the movie "hilarious, unsettling, and gory as hell," as well as "a feminist parable for splatter junkies."

In the room, Moore thanked viewers for their enthusiastic reaction.

"I'm so honored to be here. This is my first time with a film in Cannes. This is incredible," the star said as the crowd rose from their seats to applaud her work. "I'm a little exhausted! That was intense."

Added Quaid: "Coralie, congratulations. [You're] as good as it gets."

Reception for The Substance caps a recent, successful stretch in Moore's career, after the performer earned praise for her work in the second season of FX's Feud anthology series, Capote vs. the Swans, in which she starred as socialite Ann Woodward in a story about Truman Capote's (Tom Hollander) bitter clash with an elite circle of New York City women (Naomi Watts, Diane Lane, Chloë Sevigny).

Though The Substance does not yet have a release date, it was acquired prior to Cannes by Mubi, and is expected to debut in the near future.

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