Society

Society (1989). Dir. Brian Yuzna.

This film is vastly underrated and should be placed on the ‘to watch’ list of anyone who loves the over the top effects and general atmosphere of Re-Animator (Produced by Yuzna). Society is Yuzna’s directorial debut and apart from some pacing issues and an at times incomprehensible plot, this film is by far the best lesser known splattery ’80s horror goodie that you’ve never seen. I would put it above the recently re-released Street Trash as far as watchability goes.

The climax of the film is one of the best body-horror moments since Cronenberg’s Videodrome, and well worth at least a rental. That is if you can find it at your local video store at all.

Yuzna’s predeliction for bodily fluidity is again foregrounded, just check out his earlier work with Stuart Gordon like From Beyond, and in fact delivers more on-screen goo and weirdness than Re-Animator and From Beyond combined! And don’t forget the fracturing of sexuality that must accompany all of this dismemberment/dislocation of body boundaries, this film just leaves no staple of ’80s weird horror on the cutting room floor.

So, if you’ve ever thought that the rich were radically different than us poor media-sotted peons just wait until you see just how different they really are.