Suitable Flesh

As far as Lovecraftian adaptations go...this one is pretty good (most are quite bad, mind you).

Honestly, what would a Lovecraft adaptation be without a little cheese?

Of course this is cheesy.

It's too weird a tale to take itself too seriously.

As it's about a bizarre, slightly incestual, love triangle.

Between a boy, his ailing father, and cougar psychiatrist.

Although, it quickly mutates into more of a love polyhedron, of sorts.

As characters keep switching from body to body...with most ending up banging each other.

In what is eventually revealed to be the works of an ancient curse.

All-in-all, it's cheesy, twisted, entertaining fun.

As all Lovecraft films should be.

6 out of 10.

SUITABLE FLESH is loosely based on "The Thing On The Doorstep", by H. P. Lovecraft.

Psychiatrist, Dr. Elizabeth Derby (Heather Graham) has a loving husband (Johnathan Schaech) and a thriving practice. One day, a young man (Judah Lewis) shows up at her office, unannounced. Once Elizabeth agrees to see him, her life begins to change in bizarre, uncontrollable ways. Soon, she is caught up in a whirlwind of sex, murder, and the supernatural.

This is an occult tale of demonic soul / spirit transference, where an ancient entity jumps from body to body, causing mayhem. Both Ms. Graham and Mr. Lewis do an admirable job during their personality shifts / exchanges. Barbara Crampton has a vital supporting role as Elizabeth's best friend, Dr. Daniella Upton. Don't miss her during the jaw-dropping, gore-drenched final act!

A well-realized horror film, it's the sort of movie the late Stuart Gordon might have made...

I was looking forward to watching Suitable Flesh, it seemed like something I would love, however, I was left rather disappointed. I couldn't get into it at all, it just seemed to aggravate me to the point that I was struggling not to turn it off.

I know it's meant to be campy 80s-like horror. I get it. I just couldn't get past the acting which is flat and robotic to me.

I think the best thing about this film is Barbara, My god she looks amazing. (big Reanimator fan here) So perhaps it was worth watching it for that reason alone. I may go back and give this film another go, as I really want to like it.

Elizabeth Derby (Heather Graham) has an happy marriage and a good career as a psychiatrist. All of this changes, when she comes across a patient named Asa Waite, seeking her assistance with a weird issue. Elizabeth who prefers to believe science gets late to understand what Asa got her into. His dying father has the ability to body swap via an incantation and so he does, switching into his son's body as well as Elizabeth's. With her life turned upside down and not getting the help she needs from her friend Danielle Upton, she is forced to take matters into her own hands. Will she able to stop this forms rest of the story.

Based on an H. P. Lovecraft's short story, this is as old school as it gets with the ever dependent Heather Graham and Barabara Crampton in the lead. It doesn't try to deliver anything extraordinary, instead it aims for a proper 90mins entertainer with a controlled budget and it almost succeeds. For a while, the entire body swapping is fun with a crazy baddie and desperate Elizabeth along with this being an erotic horror thriller. It does drag on in third act till that climax twist, predictable all along yet mostly serviceable. Overall, it makes up for a one time watch.

Didn't completely do it for me but on the bright side Judah Lewis reeeally did the most (perhaps served a little Chuck Bass?), and it had some lines that made me cackle: "Demon octopus.. awesome 😒" "Then I must've really wanted to F my old man" 🤣

Was definitely intentionally campy, 80's, soap opera-y, so don't go into it expecting a straight-forward or serious horror movie. I think it's important for critics to remember that horror is one of the only genres where people can get weird with it. It may not be your thing, and it may not be Oscar worthy, but just be glad the creativity is alive and happening.

For fans of Malignant, Tales from the Crypt.