Society

Wow! My first reaction to Society is W–T–F did I just watch? And what is shunting? Do I even want to know what shunting is? Although it was released in 1992 in the US (1989 in the UK), this movie has a very 80’s feel to it. And then I have to ask myself, why has it taken me so long to watch it? Society mixes humor, 80’s horror, and a weird Lovecraftian orgy scene. 

<img src="society.jpg" alt="Society.">

Photo Credit: Wild Street Pictures

Released: Jun 11, 1992

Runtime: 99 mins

Director: Brian Yuzna

Writer: Zeph E. Daniel, Rick Fry

Actors: Billy Warlock, Concetta D'Agnese, Ben Slack

PLOT

A teen boy starts suspecting his rich family are not what they appear to be and that he doesn’t belong in the family.


MY THOUGHTS

You were right Billy, I am a butthead!--Jim Whitney

There are only two kills in Society. But, wow! I will say the kills are inventive. One guy dies by being shunted or while a shunting is going on. Yes, I admit I have to look up what shunting means in regards to this movie. From what I was able to figure out is shunting in the movie is the guests physically deform and meld together while sucking all of the nutrients out of poor Blanchard.  

As far as acting, it’s an 80’s movie and it was just alright. Stand outs are Billy Warlock (known for Baywatch and several soap operas) who plays Bill, the son who feels that he doesn’t belong in his family. 

Ben Slack (who was in Silent Night, Deadly Night 4 and several non horror movies and tv shows) plays Dr. Cleveland, the psychiatrist who doesn’t believe Bill when he tells him something is wrong with his family. (Of course we know why he says he doesn’t believe him).

Even though David Wiley, who plays Judge Carter, doesn’t have a huge role in this movie, he has one of the grossest scenes. The whole shunting scene with all the oil and goo. I’m surprised that an actor like him did this movie. 

I don’t want to give too much away (though, I did give away shunting and orgies), but Bill is a teen from a rich family who starts suspecting something isn’t quite right about his parents and sister. He starts seeing things that can’t be possible. And then when his sister's ex-boyfriends show him a tape of something bad happening, Bill goes into a hyper paranoid zone. All culminates into a long orgy scene where secrets are revealed. 

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Overall an interesting movie. It’s Brian Yuzna’s directorial debut. Not as good as Re-Animator (in my opinion), but an interesting movie that unfortunately bombed in the US. Society deserves more respect, if for nothing else than the effects by Screaming Mad George. If you don’t mind orgies or massive amounts of goo, then watch this movie. 

And now for your Forever Final Girl Exclusive…Did you know?:

  • While shooting the infamous "shunting" scenes, Brian Yuzna would put a sign on the sound stage door that read "Abandon all hope ye who enter here".

  • The scene where Billy sees Jenny's body distort in the shower was added during the production because director Brian Yuzna felt another shocking scene was needed earlier in the film.

  • Brian Yuzna claims he back-engineered the film's plot points based on special effects ideas or gimmicks, stating he was more interested in the surrealism of the story than the logic.

  • The hospital used for the exterior shots is the same hospital used in Halloween II (1981). Billy Warlock's father, actor/stuntman Dick Warlock, played The Shape (Michael Myers) in Halloween II.

  • While filming the "shunting", scenes Brian Yuzna purposely avoided using any blood, fearing backlash from the MPAA.

  • Director Brian Yuzna got to direct this film by agreeing to direct Bride of Re-Animator (1990). Yuzna's only stipulation was that "Society" be filmed first.

  • Brian Yuzna's son Conan Yuzna plays one of the little boys who prank Shauna and Billy at the beach.

  • The cast features two alumni of the Friday The 13th franchise. Heidi Kozak was in Part 7: The New Blood and David Wiley appeared in Part 3 in 3-D.

  • The original script had a different finale where the secret society was revealed as a cult that was out to sacrifice Billy for its own crazy reasons. Brian Yuzna, however, wanted a much more fantastic revelation, so he and makeup artist Screaming Mad George came up with the idea of the society being monstrous creatures that ate the lower class.

  • Tim Bartell's acting during his "shunting" death scene was so disturbing that director Brian Yuzna had to scale it back in editing to make it less intense.

Check out my other reviews here: Forever Final Girl

Let’s get into the rankings:

Kills/Blood/Gore: 3.5/5

Sex/Nudity: 3.5/5 A kind of Orgy at the end. It’s, ummmm…., different.

Scare factor: 1/5

Enjoyment factor: 5/5

My Rank: 3.25/5

IMDB: 6.5/10

Rotten Tomatoes: critics:  6.2/10  audience:  5.2/10

Letterboxd: 3.5/5