366 Days at the Drive-In: Day 295

The Date: July 21

The Movie: The Stuff (1985)

What Is It?: Tasty white gunk called The Stuff is the latest culinary craze. Corporations dispatch spies to learn the recipe. Families stockpile containers of it. Swimsuit models hawk it in neon-lit T.V. commercials. The only problem is The Stuff is a sentient monster: part Blob, part body snatcher. Writer/director/genius Larry Cohen takes on corporate immorality, our junk food-addicted culture, advertising, and the military. His satirical script is funny and clever and gives Michael Moriarty lots of great things to say (“No one is as dumb as I appear to be”).

Why Today?: Today is Junk Food Day.

Review: 'The Stuff' Blu-ray

Tasty white gunk called the Stuff is the latest culinary craze. Corporations dispatch spies to learn the recipe. Families stockpile containers of it. Swimsuit models hawk it in neon-lit T.V. commercials. The only problem is the Stuff is a sentient monster: part Blob, part body snatcher. 

As pointed as writer/director Larry Cohen’s satire of corporate immorality, our junk food-addicted culture, advertising, and the military is, and as sadistic and cynical as its unexpected finale is, The Stuff mostly plays as good natured schlock with its sloppy and choppy editing, delightfully cheesy special effects, and Cool Whip villain.