The Stuff (1985)

Director:

Larry Cohen

Writer:

Larry Cohen (written by)

Release Date:

14 June 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Comedy | Sci-Fi | Mystery

Tagline:

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

Plot:

A delicious mysterious goo that oozes from the Earth is marketed as the newest dessert sensation. But the sugary treat rots more than teeth when zombie-like snackers begin infesting the world.

Plot Keywords:

Stuff | Dessert | Advertising | Ice Cream | Ex FBI Agent

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 (as Frank Telfer)
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	...	Gateman
Nicolas De Toth	...	Griswald (as Nicholas DeToth)
Bobbi Burns	...	Secretary
Gretchen Ullman	...	Receptionist
Jery Hewitt	...	State Trooper
Lisa Crosby	...	Stuff Girl
Christine Angelica	...	Stuff Girl
Brooke Adams	...	Special Guest Star in Stuff Commercial
Laurene Landon	...	Special Guest Star in Stuff Commercial
Tammy Grimes	...	Special Guest Star in Stuff Commercial
Abe Vigoda	...	Special Guest Star in Stuff Commercial
Clara Peller	...	Special Guest Star 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)
Drew Stanley	...	Second Miner (uncredited)

Directed by
Larry Cohen

Writing credits
Larry Cohen		(written by)

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

Original Music by
Anthony Guefen

Cinematography by
Paul Glickman		(photographed by)

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
Eugene Gearty	....	sound effects editor
Athan Gigakos	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Athan Gigiakos)
Joanna Jimenez	....	assistant sound editor
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)
David Lebowitz	....	apprentice editor (uncredited)

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
Elana Golden	....	script supervisor
Jane Goldenberg	....	intern
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)
• Boulevard Entertainment (2010) (UK) (DVD)
• Poletel (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Dream Quest Images
• Effects Associates
• Theatrical Engines

Other Companies

• Access Sound Shop  sound effects (New York)
• Antonovich Furs  special thanks
• D.R. Reiff & Associates  insurance
• Fifi Oscard Associates  casting consultants
• Ford Motor Company  special thanks
• Key Grip Associates  special rigs
• Pan American Airlines  special thanks
• The Sherry Netherland Hotel  special thanks (as Sherry-Netherlands Hotel)

Also Known As:

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 (certificate #27631)

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 made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): In the scene at the Stuff factory, they stumble across a room full of Stuffies dressed in yellow, lying on the floor. In the shot directly after Jason says "Whatever was inside of them must have just taken off," the camera pans around all of the Stuffies, who all have their mouths open and tongues sticking out. The actor at the top of the screen (the farthest from camera) is wiggling his mouth and tongue rapidly, indicating that not only he is very much alive, but quite likely didn't even hear the director's call of action.

Quotes:

[First lines]
Old Miner:[finds the Stuff bubbling out of the ground] What the hell is this? Sure smooth.
[he tastes some]
Old Miner:That tastes real good! Tasty! Sweet!
Second Miner:Harry, what're you doin' down there, takin' a leak?
Old Miner:No.
Second Miner:Want us to wait for ya?
Old Miner:No, you guys go on ahead. I'll catch up to ya later.
[continues eating the Stuff]
Old Miner:I'll be damned. Whatever that could be, it's mighty good.

Movie Connections:

Features Zaxxon (1982) (VG)

Great, entertaining movie

In contrary to the previous comment, I have to say this was a great movie. Who would ever come up with an idea that ice cream would be the instrument for our doom? What person would ever come up with tricking his parents that he was eating it, but he was actually eating shaving cream? When I was a child, after watching this movie, I had the mad rush of curiosity and tried it myself..Yuck!

Anyway finally, where else can we find great horror, suspense with humor without the hell of CGI?;) This is why I love 80's movies so much and I highly recommend it for a Friday night with pizza.