*The Substance* (2023) is a psychological thriller that delves into the themes of addiction, identity, and the consequences of human desire. The film follows the life of a once-promising scientist, Dr. Evelyn Kane, who becomes entangled with a mysterious, experimental drug that promises to unlock the full potential of the human mind. As she begins to test the substance on herself, she finds her grip on reality slipping, leading to disturbing hallucinations, paranoia, and a deeper descent into addiction. The narrative alternates between her past and present, exploring how her obsession with the drug is tied to a traumatic event in her life. As Evelyn struggles to regain control, she must confront not only the dangers of the substance but also the darker corners of her own psyche. The film builds suspense through its unsettling atmosphere, blurring the lines between reality and illusion, and ultimately poses questions about the nature of human consciousness and the lengths one is willing to go to unlock it. It’s a haunting exploration of the price of ambition and the destructive forces of uncontrolled experimentation. The design comes in 2 options / Option 1: The hand drawn text is printed in a black on the front of the apparel reading PRETTY GIRLS SHOULD ALWAYS SMILE with the illustration of Monstro Elisasue with the ‘mask’ of Elizabeth. On the front chest in black, reads 'produced & released by" followed by our PAPER8 VHS logo, referencing the distributing studios logo at the beginning of the movie. Option 2: On the front chest is the PRETTY GIRLS SHOULD ALWAYS SMILE text and on the back is the illustration of Elizabeth Sparkles STAR on the Walk of Fame - a shot taken from the opening credits which features a burger being spilled, and ketchup going everywhere - representing her future, grotesque transformation.
