The Stuff
|
Our Price: $22.67 Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Buy Used: from $7.92 (click here) Category: DVD See more DVD releases |
|---|
Canada
Movie Reviews of The Stuff
Movie Review: Silly, Gooey Fun!
Summary: 4 Stars
Larry Cohen did it again with THE STUFF (1985): he concocted another Horror/Social Comedy offering, this time using the theme of food as the point of entry! A biting satire of advertising and consumerism (the best since George A. Romero's 1978 classic DAWN OF THE DEAD), THE STUFF is entertaining, gross and flat-out fun. Starring Michael Moriarty in another of his patented quirky Tab Hunter-Gone-To-Hell performances, this film is not great, but it is quite likable. After his breakout starring role in the great baseball drama BANG THE DRUM SLOWLY (1973), the Method-trained, blond-haired, blue-eyed, 6'4" Moriarty has carved out a niche starring in "B" movies (usually for Larry Cohen), and he's always fun to watch! Here he plays a Southern-drawlin' FBI agent named David 'Mo' Rutherford---"'cause no matter how much ah get, ah always want mo'" (great line!)---who is hired by the dairy industry to find out mo' about The Stuff. You see, The Stuff was discovered by an oil-well worker who witnessed a strange meteor crash and found a pool bubbling with thick, white goo, decides to taste it, discovers that it tastes sensational, and is quickly able to market it to the general public as---what else?--The Stuff! An instant hit, outselling ice cream by five-to-one, The Stuff unfortunately has some gruesome side-effects that gradually become known to the few who do not partake of it. Let's just say that it has a similar result as those nasty space-plants in INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS (1978). Mo and a ten-year-old boy named Jason (who is the only one in his family not to have eaten The Stuff) begin to get to the bottom of things, aided by a most unlikely pair: A black cookie entrepeneaur nicknamed Chocolate Chip Charlie (the hilarious "SNL" alum Garrett Morris) and a racist militia leader named Col. Malcolm Grommett Spears (an even-more hilarious Paul Sorvino). Add to the mix veteran actors Danny Aiello and Patrick O'Neal, and you have a recipe that calls for you to just sit back and have fun! THE STUFF may not be for everybody (certainly not for anyone under 13), and it's not to everyone's taste (or lack thereof), but if you like "B" films---especially those by schlock-meister Larry Cohen---then give THE STUFF a try. Don't say I didn't warn you!
RECOMMENDED
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FOR LARRY COHEN FANS
Movie Review: Strange but interesting movie!
Summary: 4 Stars
Weird white goop is discovered in an Alaskan mining facility bubbling out of the ground, a worker decides to taste it as it is a very sweet and delicious tasting thing. It tastes sooo good that it is being now sold as a popular desert product called " The Stuff" that has outsold Ice Cream and Cookie companies. However the food industries have hired an industrial spy named "Mo" ( Played by Michael Morarity) and a cookie king named " Chocolate Chip Charlie" ( Garret Morris) with a kid named " Jason" discover that the popular desert is actually an living deadly alien organism that takes over it's consumer's mind and body then transforms them into intelligent fast-moving zombies. They must stop the Stuff or else the world is in danger from the tasty but deadly resistance of " The Stuff".
An interesting but rather exciting if goofy horror/sci-fi parody from Larry Cohen ( director of " Q: The Winged Serpent" and "It's Alive!") that has an interesting satire of commercialism consuming people and parodies 50's sci-fi/horror movies. The special effects especially on the Stuff are done by David Allen, some of the acting is kind of weak and there is cameos by Abe Vigoda and Tammy Grimes ( whom did Molly on the 1982 cult animated movie The Last Unicorn).
The DVD is a clear transfer with a few flaws on a couple of scenes, there is a couple of good extras like audio commentary by the director and a trailer of the film.
I highly recommend this movie if you like a healthy fun dose of satire and horror with Sci-fi thrown into it.
Also recommended: "Lifeforce", " Fight Club", " Shaun of the Dead", "Dead Alive", " The Return of the Living Dead Trilogy", "Day of the Dead", " Attack of the Killer Tomatoes", "Return of the Killer Tomatoes", " The Blob ( Both versions)", " The Hidden", "Invasion of the Body Snatchers", " The Deadly Spawn", " Riki-Oh The Story of Ricky", " Re-Animator", " The Toxic Avenger", " Evil Dead 2: Dead By Dawn", "An American Werewolf in London", " Killer Klowns from Outer Space", " Bad Taste", " Q: The Winged Serpent", " 28 Days Later...", " Hell of the Living Dead", " Dawn of the Dead ( 2004 remake)", " House of the Dead", "Resident Evil 1 & 2" and " Fist of the North Star" (Animated version).
Movie Review: Blob meets Bodysnatchers in this classic horror/comedy satire!
Summary: 4 Stars
When miners discover a tasty, white treat resembling marshmallow sauce bubbling up from under the snow-covered ground, they immediately turn the all-natural ice-cream substitute into a nationwide dessert craze! Unfortunately, the completely unprocessed "Stuff" has some sinister surprises. The Stuff is alive! It's addictive and takes over the bodies and minds of its eager eaters. The Stuff: "Are you eating it... or is it eating YOU?" This is the question asked by former FBI agent turned industrial saboteur David "Mo" Rutherford, who teams up with a young boy, a former Stuff employee, a militia-leading conspiracy theorist, and cookie mogul Chocolate Chip Charlie to take down the deadly dessert and the people selling it.
Starring Michael Moriarty as David "Mo" Rutherford, and featuring Andrea Marcovicci, Paul Sorvino, Garrett Morris, and Scott Bloom in supporting roles, "The Stuff" is a true delight of a social commentary from the sci-fi/horror/comedy genre. Great characters/performances and the goofy yet disturbing premise are the driving force, as it suffers from some awkward editing here and there. Some have called "The Stuff" a zombie film. I don't really see it as such. The characters become much more like those in "Invasion of the Bodysnatchers" than zombies. Meanwhile, the Stuff itself wreaks havoc as a blob-like entity as it travels from person to person and attempts to preserve its existence and spread.
The anamorphic widescreen DVD includes a fine commentary from writer/director Larry Cohen, the man behind the "It's Alive" series and the films "Q the Winged Serprent" and "God Told Me Too". It also includes the theatrical trailer and a text bio on Cohen. Great purchase for those into such weird sci-fi/horror-type films that are heavy on consumerism satire.
Movie Review: Yum, yum more Stuff
Summary: 4 Stars
This classic 80's B movie is really quite entertaining over 20 years later. I first watched this movie when I was a kid and I remember how much it captivated me. It was definately one of my favorites. I recently bought the dvd version. The movie made me nostalgic for the classic B movies that were more common not that long ago. The concept behind this movie is very good. How it's played out is what makes it special.
The story is rather simple. There is somthing bubbling out of the earth. It's not oil it's some strange substance that resembles yogurt. But this substance is odd and causes people to become addicted to it. Although most people can't see any negative side effects. Actually the effects are positive. More energy and the ability to lose weight causes this products popularity to skyrocket.
I will save the story for those who haven't seen it. There is a whole new crowd of teenagers and other B movie watchers who should love it's cheesy acting and subpar special effects. Sometimes it doesn't take a multimilliion dollar budget to make a good film. Sometimes all it takes is a good storyline. This movie is well worth the $5.99 price tag and could easily become a popular title in anyones DVD library. Once you get some of the Stuff you won't be able to resist.
Movie Review: A cassic comes to DVD
Summary: 4 Stars
Got the DVD - i've been a fan of The Stuff ever since it came out. I love Larry Cohen movies, but this, by far, is his most intriguing. I almost had a heart attack when I saw it was available on DVD. The film is great - accept its many flaws and hammy dialogue - because it's worth checking out for its pure brashness and unflinching consumer pops. For all of you out there who want to know how it translates to DVD - let me explain. The print is of very good quality and sound. Everything is fine in those departments. There's only one criticism I have about the DVD transfer - it brings out the special effects and spoils them. There are numerous moments throughout the film where it blatantly uses blue screen and those shots are very noticeable and apparent. They're not so bad in the video version. Apart from that, everything's great. The menu screen is excellent and inspiring; a splat of the white goo slurps and bubbles over the menu screen to the music from the film. But what I really fell in love with was the director's commentary from Cohen. He rarely stops speaking and goes into minute attention to every detail as it happens. What a great guy. Find out for yourself and buy the DVD - a very worthwhile purchase (particularly because the video is hard to find).