CTVA 215 Week 7 - The Stuff (1985)

I don’t think I’ve ever watched a film that made itself up as it goes as obviously as this does. At no point could I predict what would happen next, not just in terms of where the story was going, but what the tone of the next scene would be. I knew next to nothing about The Stuff going in, only that it was an 80s horror movie about a dessert that kills people. I expected it to be a pretty standard 80s horror with, y’know, a consistent tone, performances that felt like they were in the same movie, a story where one event led to another. That’s not The Stuff! This was actually the most challenging film I’ve watched for this class so far, more so than even El Topo or Pink Flamingos, because I had such a hard time following the story and getting on the film’s general wavelength. None of the decisions the characters made were logical, so many aspects of the story were left unclear, and every scene feels like the movie is actively trying to reinvent itself and find its own story.

Having said all this… The Stuff is still really fun. There is still a lot to admire about this film, particularly the special effects. The titular Stuff looks really good (and a little too tasty), and the scenes where it’s out of control and spilling everywhere are impressive. I wish there had been more kills in this film, because seeing what the Stuff actually does to people was my favorite part, the prosthetics are excellent and some of the best I’ve seen in 80s horror. I also appreciate the commentary in this film. There are people who think this film is a genius satire on consumerism, the food industry and how corrupt that industry and its regulators can be. I see where these people are coming from, and there is some smart commentary within this film, I just wish they were in a film where the plot made any sense. The Stuff could’ve been a really great 80s horror film with some rewrites and fine tuning within the script, but then again would it still have been The Stuff? This is an odd, confusing, and truly singular film that is still worth watching and discussing despite, or really because of, its many flaws.