‘The Stuff’ is a Slick Critique of Consumer Culture [Watch]
Tyler Doupe'
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Welcome to The Overlooked Motel, a place where under-seen and unappreciated films are given their moment in the spotlight. I hope you enjoy your stay here and find the accommodations to be suitable. Now, please take a seat and make yourself comfortable, I have some misbehaving guests to ‘correct’.
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This week’s selection comes to us from cult filmmaker Larry Cohen. The Stuff is a brilliant science-fiction-infused horror comedy that takes aim at the evils of consumerism and the advertising industry. It’s a lighthearted and entertaining effort that features colorful characters, a hefty helping of intentional camp, and a wild narrative that never takes itself too seriously.
The Stuff follows industrial espionage agent, Mo Rutherford (Michael Moriarty) as he sets out to determine the secret behind the dessert craze known as The Stuff. His quest begins innocuously enough. But as Mo continues to dig, he realizes there is something strange and unnatural about the yogurt-like substance. It seems as though The Stuff has a mind of its own and has begun to develop an unhealthy hold over consumers that routinely eat the product.
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The commercial spots, musical jingles, and branding for The Stuff are all such fun. They serve as a perfect time capsule of the era in which the film was released and really capture the essence of what consumerism looked like in the ‘80s. On that note, the film serves as a biting satire of that very subject. The Stuff squarely nails its depiction of the ways in which consumers were and are influenced by advertising and the way we are conditioned to always want more. Additionally, there’s the fairly straightforward suggestion that advertising works as a form of mind control. And that’s not too far from the truth. Many major corporations have some form of subliminal messaging in their advertising. Fed-Ex, Wendy’s, and Amazon all have some form of concealed messaging to be found within their logos, for example.
Though the film serves up some brilliant consumerism-based satire, it’s also a lot of fun taken purely at face value. Mo’s quest to uncover the secret formula for The Stuff and the practices put in place to keep the so-called ‘ingredients’ proprietary make for an amusing storyline. Further, watching Mo join forces with Chocolate Chip Charlie makes for a handful of truly exceptional comedic exchanges. Garrett Morris (who costars as Charlie) is such a talented, albeit underrated, character actor. He’s utilized to great comedic effect here. It’s hilarious to watch him running around threatening to unleash his kung-fu moves, always eager to offer the disclaimer that his fists are registered deadly weapons.
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On the subject of its colorful characters, The Stuff serves up some exceptionally memorable characterizations. Michael Moriarty is pitch-perfect as the somewhat-slimy-but-exceptionally-charismatic David ‘Mo’ Rutherford. He’s for sale to the highest bidder and lacks scruples. But he is nearly impossible not to like. Moreover, we get to see his character undergo a certain amount of growth throughout the picture’s runtime, making him even more irresistible.
Colorful characters aside, the flick also boasts some rather impressive practical effects sequences. The different ways in which the titular product takes shape and attacks anyone that gets in its way is depicted quite effectively. Even more memorable are the sequences where The Stuff takes over a person from the inside out, turning the person’s human form into a white puddle of goo. It’s especially impressive when considering this is a New World Pictures release.
Owned by genre icon Roger Corman, the production company and distributor had a reputation for making movies on the cheap. And The Stuff was no exception to that rule. The flick was made for an estimated budget of $1.7 million at a time when budgets simply didn’t stretch as far as they do now. As such, the effects surely represent a large portion of the budgetary funds. But that was a wise investment. Even though they are a bit dated by today’s standards, the practical effects work is still pretty impressive.
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As for why the film remains under-seen, I will say that The Stuff has something of a cult fanbase. However, given that it was put out by a smaller distributor and didn’t get a stateside theatrical bow, the flick has flown under the radar for many. But this smart, satirical take on consumerism and the advertising industry is ready to be discovered by a larger audience. If you’re ready to discover The Stuff for yourself, the film is streaming on Tubi and Pluto, as of the publication of this post.
That’s all for this installment of The Overlooked Motel. If you want to chat more about under-seen and underrated films, feel free to hit me up with your thoughts on Twitter @FunWithHorror!
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