The Stuff (VHS, 1996)

The stuff is an alien substance of sorts, found bubbling out of the ground in small towns across the United States. It looks like ice-cream, tastes great, but ... once it takes hold of you, it becomes addictive and deadly. But what is its secret ingredient?

Enter Michael Moriarty ('Troll', 'Courage Under Fire'), who is hired as an industrial saboteur by representatives of a food company to discover just what makes the stuff so addictive. As the stuff becomes more readily available, the people selling it are no longer content to merchandise through the smaller outlets. They begin to advertise it nationwide.

David 'Mo' Rutherford (Moriarty) tracks the stuff across the country with the help of Nicole (Andrea Marcovicci) and a young boy, Jason (Scott Bloom), witnessing its effects on the population. During their efforts, they are assisted by Col. Malcolm Grommett Spears (Paul Sorvino) and the wacky cookie entrepreneur, Chocolate Chip Charlie (Garrett Morris, 'Saturday Night Live'). As the film progresses, it becomes impossible to know just who to trust, and resisting the stuff becomes increasingly difficult.

Larry Cohen has become a hero to those whose interests are in cult horror/sci-fi films, having turned out classics like 'A Return to Salem's Lot', 'The Ambulance', and 'Q: The Winged Serpent'. This is his fourth collaboration with Moriarty and it is well worth the money. 'The Stuff' contains comedy, action, science fiction, and horror - a combination of 'The Blob' and 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers', with Cohen's crazy sense of humor thrown in for good measure.

Also stars Brian Bloom, Danny Aiello, and Patrick O'Neal.

Buy it! You'll be addicted.

Matthew J Lee-Williams, Salisbury, United Kingdom, Review.