The Stuff (1985)

Director:

Larry Cohen

Writer:

Larry Cohen (writer)

Release Date:

14 June 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Comedy | Sci-Fi | Mystery

Tagline:

Are you eating it ...or is it eating you?

Plot:

Weird yummy goo erupts from the earth and is discovered by a couple of miners. They taste it and decide to market it because it tastes so good...

Plot Keywords:

Stuff | Ice Cream | Advertising | Paramilitary | Spoof

Cast

Michael Moriarty	...	David 'Mo' Rutherford
Andrea Marcovicci	...	Nicole
Garrett Morris	...	'Chocolate Chip' Charlie W. Hobbs
Paul Sorvino	...	Colonel Malcolm Grommett Spears
Scott Bloom	...	Jason
Danny Aiello	...	Vickers
Patrick O'Neal	...	Fletcher
James Dixon	...	Postman
Alexander Scourby	...	Evans
Russell Nype	...	Richards
Gene O'Neill	...	Scientist
Catherine Schultz	...	Waitress
James Dukas	...	Gas Attendant
Peter Hock	...	Miner
Colette Blonigan	...	Jason's Mother
Robert Frank Telfer	...	Jason's Father
Brian Bloom	...	Jason's Brother
Harry Bellaver	...	Old Miner
Beth Tegarden	...	Girl in Lab
Ann Dane	...	Hostess
Rutanya Alda	...	Psychologist
David Snell	...	Doctor
Edward Power	...	Executive
Nick Taylor	...	Ex-FBI Man
Daniel Antonovich	...	Store Owner
Heidi Miller	...	Girl in Franchise
Marilyn Staley	...	Tour Guide
Adrianne Sachs	...	Studio Aide
John Newton	...	Howard
Harvey Waldman	...	Gate man
Nicolas De Toth	...	Griswald
Bobbi Burns	...	Secretary
Gretchen Ullman	...	Receptionist
Jery Hewitt	...	State Trooper
Lisa Crosby	...	Stuff woman
Christine Angelica	...	Stuff woman
Brooke Adams	...	Cameo appearance (in "Stuff" commercial)
Laurene Landon	...	Cameo appearance (in "Stuff" commercial)
Tammy Grimes	...	Cameo appearance (in "Stuff" commercial)
Abe Vigoda	...	Cameo appearance (in "Stuff" commercial)
Clara Peller	...	Cameo appearance (in "Stuff" commercial)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Eric Bogosian	...	Supermarket Clerk (uncredited)
Patrick Dempsey	...	Underground Stuff buyer #2 (uncredited)
Brad Rijn	...	Supermarket Clerk (uncredited)
Mira Sorvino	...	Factory Worker (uncredited) (unconfirmed)

Directed by
Larry Cohen

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Larry Cohen		writer

Produced by
Larry Cohen	....	executive producer
Paul Kurta	....	producer
Barry Shils	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Anthony Guefen

Cinematography by
Paul Glickman

Film Editing by
Armond Lebowitz

Art Direction by
Marleen Marta		(as Marlene Marta)
George Stoll

Costume Design by
Timothy D'Arcy		(as Tim D'Arcy)

Makeup Department
Ed French	....	mechanical makeup effects
Harvey Livingston Jr.	....	hair designer
Harvey Livingston Jr.	....	makeup artist
Michael Maddi	....	mechanical makeup effects (as Mike Maddi)
Steve Neill	....	mechanical makeup effects
Kim Robinson	....	assistant makeup artist
Rick Stratton	....	mechanical makeup effects
Craig Lyman	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Mark Croll	....	unit production manager
James Dixon	....	production supervisor: West Coast
Ira Halberstadt	....	production manager: New York

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mark Croll	....	first assistant director
Jim Danforth	....	second unit director
Jenny Fitzgibbons	....	second assistant director
Harvey Waldman	....	first assistant director: New York

Art Department
Larry Justice	....	swing man
Charles Weaver	....	props (as Charlie Weaver)

Sound Department
Billy Byrne	....	apprentice sound editor
Stuart Deutsch	....	boom operator
Joanna Garland	....	assistant sound editor (as Joann Jimenez)
Eugene Gearty	....	sound effects editor
Athan Gigakos	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Athan Gigiakos)
Val Kuklowsky	....	supervising sound editor
Rolf Pardula	....	sound mixer
Lisa Wytrval	....	apprentice sound editor
Arnold Finkelstein	....	assistant sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Bret Culpepper	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Dave Allen	....	special visual effects (as David Allen)
Jim Danforth	....	matte artist
Jim Danforth	....	miniature photography
Jim Danforth	....	optical effects
Jim Doyle	....	special visual effects
Paul Gentry	....	visual effects
John Lambert	....	visual effects
David Stipes	....	visual effects
Ted Rae	....	modelmaker: Effects Associates (uncredited)

Stunts
Jery Hewitt	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Scott Buckler	....	electrician
Val DeSalvo	....	electrician (as Valerie DeSalvo)
Mike Dooley	....	grip
Nelson Elwell	....	special grip
Philip Foster	....	first assistant camera (as Phil Foster)
Darryl Green	....	gaffer
Tom Paul Hoppe	....	camera operator: second unit (as Tom Hoppe)
Ken Howard	....	still photographer
J. Christian Ingvordsen	....	key grip (as Chris Ingvordsen)
Steven Kaman	....	electrician (as Steve Kaman)
Cindy Lagerstrom	....	special grip
Robert A. Preston	....	special grip (as Bob Preston)
Gail Warren	....	second assistant camera
Frederick Iannone	....	first assistant camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Kathryn Conners	....	extras casting (as Kathy Conners)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Timothy John	....	costume designer: Ms. Marcovicci
Heidi Shulman	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Rosanne Lebowitz	....	assistant editor (as Rozanna Lebowitz)

Music Department
Armond Lebowitz	....	music editor
Richard Seaman	....	music producer: jingles
Dwight Dixon	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)

Other crew
Cathy Anderson	....	location scout
Richard Benenson	....	intern
Eamonn Bowles	....	production assistant
Ian Clark	....	titles
Jill S. Cohen	....	production assistant (as Jill Cohen)
Melissa Cohen	....	production assistant
Matthew Corey	....	production assistant (as Matt Corey)
Drew Dillard	....	production assistant
Steven Felder	....	production consultant
Debra Fernandez	....	choreographer
Peter Friedman	....	production assistant
Jane Goldenberg	....	intern
Elana Golden	....	script supervisor
Sam Kitt	....	production associate
Daniel Lupi	....	production assistant
Larry Lurin	....	product designer: "The Stuff"
Cecilia Kate Roque	....	production coordinator (as Cecilia Roque)
Peter Sabiston	....	executive: Larco Productions
Bob Schnur	....	location scout
Joe Violante	....	technical advisor
Pamela Wagener	....	production assistant
Meredith Zamsky	....	production assistant
Barbara Zitwer	....	location scout
Craig Caton	....	creature crew (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Larco Productions
• New World Pictures

Distributors

• New World Pictures (1985) (USA) (theatrical)
• New World Home Video (1985) (USA) (VHS)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Dream Quest Images
• Effects Associates
• Theatrical Engines

Other Companies

• D.R. Reiff & Associates  insurance
• Fifi Oscard Associates  casting consultants

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

France:-12 | Australia:M | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Accord, New York, USA

Company:

Larco Productions

Trivia:

According to the audio commentary on the 2000 Anchor Bay DVD, some of the substance props or stand-ins for the real Stuff used in the movie included lots of Häagen Däzs ice-cream, yogurt, and, for one scene involving an enormous avalanche-like effect of Stuff crashing though a wall, fire-extinguishing foam. Other shots, such as the ones of the giant lake of Stuff required superimposed images and animation.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: Colonel Spears says his radio station is based in Atlanta (where they eventually broadcast the final warning). However, the signage on the wall of the station says WGHQ 92, a New York based radio station.

Quotes:

David 'Mo' Rutherford: You're Chocolate Chip Charlie!
'Chocolate Chip' Charlie W. Hobbs: Well, I sure as hell ain't the Kentucky Colonel!

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Svengoolie: The Stuff (#1.3)" (1995)

* * * out of 4.

Bounty hunter and TV advertiser team up together to discover what the ingredients are in a popular junk food that is sweeping the country, called The Stuff. However, they uncover a conspiracy in which the makers of The Stuff know that their product is causing people to become mindless zombies. Exciting and funny little Cohen film is a throwback to the horror films of yesteryear, yet with all your usual Cohen trimmings, but much more solid then usual with good special effects and an original premise. The cast is excellent and the film has various cameo's planted throughout the film.

Rated R; Violence & Profanity.