The Stuff
A hard-edged industrial spy and his allies battle a delicious mind-controlling dessert that turns consumer craving into supernatural invasion.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- campy
- satirical
- grotesque
- cult movie night
- late night horror
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the film as an entertaining, barbed consumerist horror satire whose inventive premise and Michael Moriarty's performance outweigh uneven effects and a straggling plot.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The edible substance becomes a nationwide commodity whose mind-controlling effects literalize consumer conformity and addiction.
The Stuff is aggressively marketed as irresistible dessert while public consumption spreads the entity's influence.
The film combines goo effects, explosions, parody, and idiosyncratic performances in an intentionally pulpy register.
Industrial spy David Rutherford pursues the substance's origin and threat amid commercial secrecy and widespread public enthusiasm.
Films like The Stuff, and why
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
paranoid body-invasion horror with social conformity and consumer anxiety
The Blob
gooey creature feature horror combining comedy, practical effects, and consumer satire
Street Trash
schlocky body horror satire targeting consumer culture and corporate exploitation
The Substance
consumerist horror satire with grotesque transformation and dark humor
Movie Details
- Director
- Larry Cohen
- Release Date
- 1985-06-14
- Runtime
- 86 min
- Rating
- 6.0 / 10 (549)
Cast
- Michael Moriarty
- Andrea Marcovicci
- Garrett Morris
- Paul Sorvino
- Scott Bloom
- Danny Aiello
- Patrick O'Neal
- James Dixon
- Alexander Scourby
- Russell Nype
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Shout! Factory Amazon Channel, Howdy Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Stuff about?
- A hard-edged industrial spy and his allies battle a delicious mind-controlling dessert that turns consumer craving into supernatural invasion.
- What is The Stuff like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Stuff as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Stuff violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in The Stuff as moderate.
- What did critics think of The Stuff?
- Critics broadly regard the film as an entertaining, barbed consumerist horror satire whose inventive premise and Michael Moriarty's performance outweigh uneven effects and a straggling plot.
- Which films are like The Stuff?
- Films with a similar feel include Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Blob, Street Trash, and The Substance.
- How long is The Stuff?
- The Stuff runs 86 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Stuff?
- In United States, The Stuff streams on Shout! Factory Amazon Channel, Howdy Amazon Channel.
