THE STUFF
US, 1985, 93 minutes, Colour.
Michael Moriarty, Andrea Marcovicci, Paul Sorvino, Danny Aiello.
Directed by Larry Cohen.
The Stuff is one of the many tongue-in-cheek science fiction films written and directed by Larry Cohen. His films include the three variations on It's Alive (It Lives Again) and Q the Winged Serpent. It also stars Michael Moriarty, who was in the third It's Alive film as well as Q.
The film has a very good cast as well as Moriarty, with Andrea Marcovicci as the heroine, Garrett Morris doing a take-off of a Saturday Night Live character, Paul Sorvino as a gung-ho general (emulating Stirling Hayden in Dr Strangelove and Burt Lancaster in Twilight's Last Gleaming). There are guest appearances by Danny Aiello, Patrick O'Neill and some commercials for the Stuff offered by Lauren Landon, Tammy Grimes, Abe Vigoda and, after the film ends, Brook Adams.
The film has echoes of The Blob and The Invasion of the Body Snatchers. A mysterious Stuff is a dessert (getting just desserts!) which transforms people from the inside as they become ravenous and greedy for it. Families become robot-like and genteel, the ideal nuclear family. Meantime, the companies grow richer. The military intervenes and there is an ambiguous ending. It is enjoyably made, echoes of small budget and B-production style, and another contribution by Larry Cohen to the particular kind of science fiction and fantasy beloved of film buffs.
1. Entertaining science fiction, fantasy? Futuristic fable? B-budget style?
2. American cities, the countryside, suburbia, the factories? Authentic atmosphere for audiences to identify with? The visualising of the Stuff itself? Special effects? Stunt work, the attacks and military stratagems?
3. The parody on commercials? The stars performing, the outrageous claims, the appeal to human greediness? The effect of commercials? The jingles?
4. The introduction of the Stuff, the remote Arctic, the effect of the Stuff, people greedy for it, its destruction? The marketing of the Stuff? The business managers? The secrecy? The plant in Georgia, coming out of the earth? The mystery of the origin of the Stuff, the mystery of its effect, its destructiveness?
5. The portrait of ordinary people, the junk food, delicious, addictive? The problems with finance? The cartel and their hiring of Mo Rutherford, industrial espionage, the interview with Mo, his eccentric characteristics, ex-FBI, information? The group and their sinister intentions?
6. The presentation of the family, Jason and Long Island, the family becoming like TV commercials? His refusing to eat it? The devices to trick him into eating it, in his room, the escape, the pursuit? His joining Mo?
7. Nicole, the commercials, the campaign? Style of advertising, the ingredients of the campaign? Mo, Nicole and Jason combating the Stuff?
8. Chocolate Chip Charlie, the background of his cookies, his joining the group, going to Washington to get the FBI? (And disappearing for a long time from the film?) His return, consumed by the Stuff, the confrontation and his death?
9. Mo and his investigations, travelling through Virginia, the people, the deserted towns, the Stuff addicts, the factory, the complexity of the plant, the workers, their consuming the Stuff? His going into the headquarters? Nicole and her cover for the next campaign?
10. The attacks by the Stuff? Adventure and threats?
11. Mo going to Colonel Spears, Right-Wing? attitudes, paramilitary and his private army, the commie threat, fluoridisation, his agreement to go to Georgia? The attack on the plant? The patriotic radio station? The assault by the troops, Chocolate Chip Charlie and his death?
12. The overcoming of the Stuff, Mo and Nicole as hero and heroine, Jason surviving - after being locked in the truck and being almost overwhelmed by the Stuff?
13. Mo returning to the executives, their plans, their being forced to eat the Stuff - and their destruction? The irony of the new product on the streets, The Taste...?
14. Popular adventure ingredients, science fantasy? Spoof? All combining for a fable about American society?
