The Stuff, 1985.
Written and Directed by Larry Cohen.
Starring Michael Moriarty, Andrea Marcovicci, Garrett Morris, Paul Sorvino, and Scott Bloom.
SYNOPSIS:
A delicious, mysterious goo that oozes from the earth is marketed as the newest dessert sensation, but the tasty treat rots more than teeth when zombie-like snackers who only want to consume more of the strange substance at any cost begin infesting the world.
The Stuff is one of those 1980s horror films which has a reputation that precedes it. Larry Cohen’s gloriously absurd 1985 confection that blends body horror, sci-fi paranoia, and biting satire into one gooey package. Now Arrow Video has given this cult favourite the 4K restoration treatment, and seeing its lurid colours and gloopy effects so crisply preserved only adds to the fun. For all its rough edges and unashamedly schlocky energy, The Stuff still feels oddly prescient in its critique of consumer culture.
The premise is as mad as a box of frogs. Somewhere in snowbound America, two workmen stumble across a white, bubbling substance oozing from the ground. Naturally, they do what any sensible person wouldn’t: they taste it. Fast forward, and this mysterious goo has been rebranded “The Stuff”, packaged like ice cream, and sold to an unsuspecting public with the tagline “Enough is never enough.” A nationwide craze ensues, with Americans scooping it up in supermarket aisles and glossy TV ads. But there’s a snag – those who indulge in The Stuff soon find themselves hollowed out, their bodies turned into vessels for the sentient snack. It’s The Blob meets Invasion of the Body Snatchers with a hefty dollop of satirical bite.
Michael Moriarty stars as “Mo” Rutherford, a drawling ex-FBI agent hired by rival dessert companies to investigate what The Stuff really is. Moriarty is all wry charm and smirking asides, delivering deadpan lines that bounce between sharp and gloriously silly. Along the way, he teams up with ad executive Nicole (Andrea Marcovicci), a boy named Jason (Scott Bloom), and the wonderfully named Chocolate Chip Charlie (Garrett Morris), a cookie mogul turned martial arts expert. Together, they set out to stop The Stuff’s spread before it consumes America wholesale.
Watching it today, the satire still lands. Cohen’s disgust at corporate greed and mindless consumption is laid on thick, but it’s all so knowingly daft that it’s impossible not to grin. The parallels with processed food fads, Big Tobacco, and marketing excesses feel even sharper in an age of sugar-laden energy drinks and “mystery meat” burgers. The mock TV commercials for The Stuff are some of the film’s most effective gags, perfectly mimicking glossy ‘80s ad culture while hiding something sinister beneath the surface.
Arrow’s 4K restoration brings all the lo-fi magic to life. The practical effects, by turns ingenious and utterly ropey, are sharper than ever. Miniatures, matte paintings, and delightfully dodgy blue-screen moments all stand out in their full glory. The goo itself, reportedly made from melted plastic and yoghurt, glistens like a monster from a child’s nightmare. Arrow also piles on extras, including a fascinating 52-minute documentary where Cohen reflects on how the idea came to him (in the shower, naturally) and how his satire clashed with studio expectations.
Other nice extras include new commentary by writers and critics David Flint and Adrian Smith, a reversible sleeve featuring the fantastic new artwork by Chris Barnes, and an illustrated collector’s booklet featuring writing on the film by Joel Harley and a new essay by Daniel Burnett.
Watching the film, it’s clear that Cohen’s pacing is uneven and the tonal shifts – from horror to slapstick to sci-fi conspiracy – can be dizzying. Yet these are part of the film’s strange charm. The Stuff was never meant to be slick. It’s anarchic, scrappy, and wonderfully weird, the kind of B-movie that pokes fun at itself while still saying something very clever about the world.
This Arrow release makes a strong case for revisiting Cohen’s sticky satire. It’s far from perfect, but like the irresistible dessert it skewers, you’ll definitely want to go back for seconds.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★
Tom Atkinson – Follow me on Instagram
