top of page
Alex Iwanoff

Is it an homage or a copy?

Have you seen The Substance? You know, Demi Moore’s new movie? Got a standing ovation in Cannes? Well, it’s… let’s say surprising. We walked in with little information, only to find a highly stylized film with great sound design and some memorable scenes (though the hag-sploitation is a bit on the brink). But we are not here to talk about that.



After seeing the movie, we started noticing posts and articles about all the easter eggs, references and homages scattered throughout. From Kubrick to Cronenberg and even Giallo cinema, it seems packed with deliberate nods. So, it got us thinking: when is it a copy and when is it a homage? Where’s the line? Nobody is accusing Fargeat of stealing from previous directors. Yet Tarantino, who has built his career on similar borrowings, finds himself constantly at the center of controversy.

“I steal from every single movie ever made”, Quentin Tarantino, Empire Magazine 1994

SO, WHAT IS AN HOMAGE? AND WHEN IS IT CONSIDERED A COPY?

Homage (noun) /ˈhɒmɪdʒ/
Expression of high regard: Respect
Something that shows respect or attests to the worth or influence of another: Tribute

An homage is a filmmaker’s way of paying tribute—a deliberate acknowledgment of another work or artist (movie, painting, poem, etc.!). It’s an act of respect that enriches a film by connecting it to its predecessors, often adding depth for cinephiles who recognize the references. Cinema is so filled with homages, that it’s hard to keep record of it.


One recent and interesting example is the opening of Barbie, which reimagines the iconic sequence from 2001: A Space Odyssey.

homage or copy
Barbie opening scene | ©Warner Bros

Copying, by contrast, lacks that transformative touch. It occurs when elements from another work are reused without reinterpretation or originality. The distinction between homage and copying can be subjective, but key factors include intent, execution and the degree of innovation applied to borrowed material. Meaning, that if you want to pay a homage, try to do it your way, don’t just recreate it plainly.


Take, for example, the controversy between Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Guillermo del Toro over The Shape of Water. Jeunet accused del Toro of plagiarizing a scene from his 1991 film Delicatessen. The Mexican director simply responded by pointing out that both filmmakers owed the idea to Terry Gilliam, framing it as part of a larger chain of influence. However, Jeunet maintained in a interview with Ouest-France that if he ever borrowed from other directors, it was done unconsciously.

"It's so copy-pasted from Delicatessen that at some point, I can’t help but think he lacks self-respect", Jean Pierre Jeunet about del Toro.

Another prime example of this debate is Quentin Tarantino’s work. His debut film, Reservoir Dogs (1992), has been accused of plagiarizing Ringo Lam’s City on Fire (1987), with critics pointing out that the last 20 minutes are almost identical. Tarantino’s Kill Bill series also draws heavily from the 1973 Japanese film Lady Snowblood. In fact, all of Tarantino’s movies borrow heavily from other works!

Left: Federico Fellini's 8 1/2. Right: Pulp Fiction by Tarantino


ENTER PASTICHE

To complicate the discussion even further, let’s talk about pastiche—a technique that blends multiple references into a single work. Think of it as a collage of inspirations, stitched together to create something entirely new.

“What makes Tarantino so special is that he never steals from one source. He rather steals from multiple sources spanning decades and then stitches them together to create something new. It's a technique known as pastiche, a vital element in postmodernism”, Business Insider

This idea of combining numerous references to form a patchwork of influences applies not only to Tarantino but also to del Toro, who is always open about the various inspirations behind his stories. Naturally, it also suits our case of interest: The Substance. To show you what we mean, here are four standout homages Fargeat makes in her movie:


ATTENTION: SPOILERS AHEAD (if you haven’t seen the movie, stop reading now!)


  1. The Shining

Kubrick’s The Shining casts a long shadow over The Substance. Demi’s “Wall of Successes” features a geometric carpet pattern that recalls the iconic flooring of the Overlook Hotel. But the parallels don’t stop there: the same corridor drenched in blood evokes the elevator scene. Certain shots of Demi’s character also mirror Jack Torrance’s shots. And what about the Red Bathroom? Or the old hag nod with hanging boobs? It seems the references to this movie are endless.


  1. The Fly

Cronenberg’s The Fly influences The Substance in a more thematic way. And Fargeat hints at it early in the movie. It happens in, arguably, one of the most grotesque scenes (at least for me), where Demi’s character is being callously dismissed by her boss, who’s voraciously eating shrimps while telling her she’s just too old. Then, we cut to a shot of a fly drowning in his wine—a foreshadowing of the body horror to come. Later, much like Seth Brundle, the films’ characters undergo a monstrous transformation, evolving into a creature called Monstro Elisasue.


  1. The Backburster

In a scene that would make Ridley Scott proud, Demi’s character takes the titular substance and, well, a horrifying “rebirth” scene takes place. Her “other self” bursts out of her back. Reminds you of something? Yes—Alien. To be specific, Covenant. By the way, we wrote an article about how every director reimagined this scene throughout the franchise instead of just copying it.

homage or copy
Backbuster scene | ©MUBI
  1. Carrie

The film’s finale gets inspiration from Carrie. The climactic chaos ends with everyone laughing and berating the protagonist—much like in the 1976 classic—and, as you might expect, it doesn’t end well. The result is a blood-soaked spectacle, though here it leans more into gory excess.


Bonus:  A 2001: A Space Odyssey Nod

As Demi’s character takes the substance, she’s plunged into a kaleidoscopic tunnel of colors, that immediately reminds you of the iconic “Stargate” sequence.


These are just a few of the many references in The Substance. There’s no shortage of material to dissect, but we’ll stop here and let you dig deeper for yourself.


All in all, it seems that if you copy visually – sorry pay homage – it’s OK. Because, in the end, when you try to reinterpret an idea, through your own creative process and with your own themes and concept, it transforms into something that’s yours, all while tapping into something that already has meaning, thus creating a new meaning overall.


That being said, never ever shy away from acknowledging your influences. After all, we all start by recreating what inspires us. That’s how art works. That’s how it evolves. And that’s how classical art stays alive.


What do you think? Where’s the line between inspiration and imitation?


21 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Kommentare


bottom of page