The Stuff is a 1985 American satirical science fiction horror film written and directed by Larry Cohen and starring Michael Moriarty, Garrett Morris, Andrea Marcovicci, and Paul Sorvino.
The film follows the discovery of a mysterious, sweet and addictive substance that then becomes a popular dessert in the United States, but soon begins attacking people and turning them into zombies.
Said to be addictive and sweet, the substance, marketed as "The Stuff", is sold to the general public in containers much like ice cream or yogurt.
Rutherford bands together with junk food mogul Charles W. "Chocolate Chip Charlie" Hobbs, who has lost control of his company and is now living in poverty.
Both find out the item's secret: The Stuff is actually a living, parasitic, extraterrestrial organism that gradually takes over the brain and mutates those who eat it into zombie-like creatures, which it then uses to make more of itself before bursting out of their bodies and leaving empty husks behind.
Meanwhile, United States Army Col. Malcolm Grommett Spears, a retired soldier, teams up with the trio and leads a militia in battling the zombies and transmitting a civil defense message for Americans to break their addiction to The Stuff by destroying it with fire.
However, as they attempt to broadcast their warning, a mass of The Stuff bursts out of a zombified Charlie's throat, cornering Nicole and Jason in a recording booth.
Mr. Fletcher then introduces Mr. Evans, the ice cream mogul who had initially hired Mo, with whom he now works alongside.
They introduce a new product, "The Taste", a mixture of 88% ice cream and 12% The Stuff, supposedly enough to make people crave more without it taking over their minds.
The Mohonk Mountain House gatehouse was notably used as Colonel Malcolm Grommett Spears' headquarters in the film.
That's when I started thinking that The Stuff could be an imaginary product—in this case an ice cream dessert—that is being consumed by millions and is doing irreparable damage to humanity.
"[8] Cohen wanted to cast Arsenio Hall as "Chocolate Chip Charlie" W. Hobbs, since he thought he was not only a good actor but a rising star.
The story needed to drive forward at certain points and not be slowed down with extraneous material, although it can be painful cutting scenes out that you like.
Effects Associates brought an action against Cohen in court to claim full compensation, but also because the parties had no written copyright agreement regarding the use of the shots.
The trial court decided in favor of Cohen, ruling that there was an "implied agreement" for the non-exclusive use of the shots in the film.
[17][18] Colin Greenland reviewed The Stuff for White Dwarf #77, and stated that "A brilliant performance by Cohen stalwart Michael Moriarty as an industrial spy after the truth holds the straggling plot together.