The Stuff

The Stuff is a 1985 American 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 becoming a popular dessert in the United States but soon begins attacking people and turning them into zombies. Cohen cited consumerism, unhealthy foods, and potentially hazardous products as his influences for writing this film's story. Because of disagreements with film distributor New World Pictures, the film was cut before it was released. An additional 30 minutes of previously unreleased footage was discovered by Denver Film in 2021.

The film was the subject of a legal dispute, Effects Associates v. Cohen. Effects Associates sued Cohen, but the trial court ruled in favor of Cohen. In 1990, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled that Effects Associates held the copyright of the footage for use outside of The Stuff.

When the film was released, it did not perform well. Later, critics praised its acting, story, and performances, and it has been compared to The Blob and The Substance and regarded by film scholars and critics as a cult classic satire on American consumerism, mass media, and health foods.