Society (1989) All is not well in Billy's world.
Yes, yes, I know what you're thinking...not another angst ridden pre-Dawson's Creek valium popping tosspot on our screens, we've seen this all before! Mind you if I had to go to a poxy American high school for rich jock twats I'd be a bit miffed too, so let's be patient ok?
In actual fact Billy's problems run a bit deeper it seems and are far more interesting than the garden variety boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy faces paternity suit scenario...
So poor old Bill, between worm-infested and unorthodox anatomical hallucinations coupled with a sneaking suspicion his family members are experiencing a mutual appreciation which falls outside social norms, he's left feeling somewhat unsatisfied with his lot. Not to mention having to prepare for his class president campaign, I mean how much can a young man take.
At least like all good yanky school kids he has the compulsory shrink to confide in and Billy does this with absolute finesse delivering such gems as 'We're just one big happy family, except for a little incest and psychosis.' Freud wishes he was alive today I tell ya.
Before we continue, I do have a confession to make. I did once upon a time quite fancy Billy Warlock, who incidentally plays the lead character Billy Whitney (obviously it was best to not change his first name for the role, don't want to confuse the poor bastard). However can I just say how in hells name did I not notice the mullet he was sporting! Should have gone to bloody Specsavers, I am thoroughly ashamed of myself. Anyway, enough self-flagellation for one day, back to the movie...
To be fair to Billy (hair crimes aside) he may be onto something, as once you enter 'Society', you won't come back out the same again...stay glued till the end and all will be revealed. As the tagline states, it is not what you think it is. Plus I do love the fact that many a teenage valley girl may have flocked to see their Baywatch heartthrob in all his hairy glory, only to discover this film made them vomit into their chihuahua carrying designer handbags. It's just like, like so totally gross I puked over Muffy, like totally. That's one way of keeping the bulimia habit going.
Brian Yunza's (producer of Re-Animator fame) directorial debut gives a big ole' fisting to the upper echelons of our class system. He slithers from odd-ball teenage melodrama to themes of gluttony, greed and perversion with satirical glee while Screaming Mad George's special effects are far more fun to watch than any CGI. This is body morphing at its most bonkers. Contortionists will be dislocating themselves with excitement and I give it a double jointed thumbs up.
Being born into privilege ain't all it's cracked up to be.
