Reviews: The Stuff (1985) Movie Review
Genres: Horror, Sci-Fi, Comedy, Monsters
Subgenres: Comedy, Campy, Mutants, Sci-Fi
Horror fans searching for a breakdown of The Stuff (1985) will find our review covers the plot, themes, and the shocking ending everyone talks about.
The Stuff (1985) is an American comedy science fiction horror movie named Larry Cohen’s The Stuff (1985). The Stuff was filmed in various parts of New York and New Jersey. Director and writer Larry Cohen (A Return to Salem’s Lot (1987), Captivity (2007), Phone Booth (2002)) did an okay job with this movie. The Stuff was original, and I think it should be remade with an ending that explains what the real intentions of the ooze were meant for.
The Stuff is about a man finding a white yogurt-like thing oozing out of the ground that looks edible. He tasted the yogurt thing and was amazed at how sweet and addictive it was. He then took matters into his hand and began to market/sell the yogurt in pint-size containers that ice cream comes in. He named his outstanding product Stuff because he has no clue what it is. The Stuff became widely popular throughout the nation. It made the sales of ice cream drop because it claims to be filling with no calories, and the sweetness of it is very addictive. The ice cream industry leader hires former FBI agent David ‘Mo’ Rutherford (Michael Moriarty - Courage Under Fire (1996), Pale Rider (1985), Along Came a Spider (2001)) to find out what the Stuff is made of and to make it vanish.
David discovers that the Stuff is a deadly parasite that is alive and takes over the brain in a matter of time. It eats away the inside of the host body and makes them into obedient zombies. A little boy named Jason (Scott Bloom - John Q (2002), Smokin’ Aces (2006), Don’s Plum (2001)) tries to destroy all the Stuff in a supermarket after he sees what is happening to his family. Jason soon receives the help of two older people, but will they be able to win the fight against all of the obedient zombies?
I found it hilarious that the little boy was tricking his parents into that he was eating the Stuff but instead eating shaving cream - who would rather eat shaving cream instead of some delicious ooze? I gave this movie a six because it was a great comedy horror movie without CGI. The film had suspense but also had plot holes. I was disappointed that the director did not show us why the zombies were made and what the Stuff’s intentions were. Overall it was a night movie to watch, and I recommend it to all horror fans.
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Sources Used to Shape This Review
Insights in this review are drawn from director interviews, fan commentary, production notes, and long-form breakdowns across genre-specific platforms. Content is written uniquely and reviewed for accuracy.
- The Stuff Rating Scores
- Our Score: 6/10
- Overall Score: 6.36/10
- IMDB: 5.9/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 7.2/10
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