Society

SOCIETY (MOVIE)
Wild Street Pictures

Original release: June 11th, 1992
Running time: 99 minutes

Director: Brian Yuzna
Writers: Woody Keith, Rick Fry

Cast: Billy Warlock, Devin DeVasquez, Evan Richards, Ben Meyerson

Is it such a stretch of the imagination to think that the rich and powerful are an entirely different breed of people and unlike the rest of us ordinary folks? We struggle with the daily grind of our jobs, the pressure of making enough money each month just to pay our bills that affords us the luxury of being able to continue our lives of anonymity and desperation. This is all while they attend countless charity functions that never really seem to change the world for the better, endorse products we either can’t afford or have no use for, and have everything handed to them without ever having to work as hard as we do to get even a small percentage of anything like that.

No, it’s no stretch of the imagination at all to think they’re an entirely different breed of people, but what kind of breed might that be? Well, if we listen to David Icke, some members of the elite are actually from a race of reptilians, here on Earth to enslave us all. Others believe they might be a race of grey aliens masquerading as humans while they push forward with their secret agenda to colonise this planet. Another idea is one we find in this grotesque little film directed by Brian Yuzna.

It sees former Baywatch actor Billy Warlock playing Bill Whitney, a high school student who seems to have it all. He comes from a wealthy family, he lives in a huge mansion in Beverly Hills, he’s dating a cheerleader and he’s a popular kid with a good chance of becoming class president if he plays his cards right. Yet there’s something bothering him. He doesn’t really fit in with his family or his friends and he keeps having weird dreams which he talks to his therapist, Dr. Cleveland (Ben Slack), about. His therapist assures him it’s nothing to worry about, but that doesn’t convince him. He feels it in his gut

When his sister’s ex-boyfriend Blanchard (Tim Bartell) gives him a secretly recorded tape of what sounds like his family engaged in a bizarre orgy, at first he thinks the recording’s been doctored, that it’s a joke in bad taste, but gradually he begins to suspect his dreams and his feelings about his family and friends might have some basis. However, when he gives the tape to Dr. Cleveland, the recording is completely different, everything seems normal, it’s his sister Jenny (Patrice Jennings) enjoying her coming out party. Is the boy losing his mind over nothing?

Other events would answer that questioning with a resounding “No”. Blanchard has a copy of the original tape, but when Bill arrives to meet him, he’s met by an ambulance and police officers. It seems his friend has met with a nasty end. Shortly afterwards, Bill encounters classmate Ferguson (Ben Meyerson) who confirms that Blanchard’s tape was real and later on he gets together with promiscuous Clarissa (Devin DeVasquez) and has another odd experience, not to mention meeting her awkward hair-loving mother (Pamela Matheson).

None of this prepares him for what’s to come later on, and neither us for that matter. Arriving at a formal party, the truth about what’s been going is finally revealed. The rich really are feeding off the poor! What’s even more horrifying is what we see happening to Blanchard, who’s still very much alive, but not for much longer. The party guests begin deforming and melding with each other as they suck the nutrients out of Blanchard’s body and Bill’s father, Jim (Charles Lucia), pulls back the veneer to reveal what an ass he really is.

It’s when Bill faces up to elitist Ferguson (Ben Meyerson) that Society really makes its mark though. With its imaginative and somewhat distasteful make-up effects the film remains one of the highlights of 80s body horror while at the same time it goes on to make its own comment on the soullessness of the upper classes, all while never taking itself too seriously. With its cheesy soap opera feel and insanely bad acting, how could it?

It’s still no competition for other body horror gems like The Fly, Hellraiser or Re-Animator. It’s safe to say though Society is in a breed of its own and hopefully it won’t stretch more than your imagination.

Patrick Samuel

The founder of Static Mass Emporium and one of its Editors in Chief is an emerging artist with a philosophy degree, working primarily with pastels and graphite pencils, but he also enjoys experimenting with water colours, acrylics, glass and oil paints.

Being on the autistic spectrum with Asperger’s Syndrome, he is stimulated by bold, contrasting colours, intricate details, multiple textures, and varying shades of light and dark. Patrick's work extends to sound and video, and when not drawing or painting, he can be found working on projects he shares online with his followers.

Patrick returned to drawing and painting after a prolonged break in December 2016 as part of his daily art therapy, and is now making the transition to being a full-time artist. As a spokesperson for autism awareness, he also gives talks and presentations on the benefits of creative therapy.

Static Mass is where he lives his passion for film and writing about it. A fan of film classics, documentaries and science fiction, Patrick prefers films with an impeccable way of storytelling that reflect on the human condition.

Patrick Samuel ¦ Asperger Artist

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