The late great Stuart Gordon was the master of adapting the films of H.P. Lovecraft works for the screen, having made the notable Re-Animator and From Beyond. He knew how to balance terrifying ideas with dark humor and exquisite gore. Now, director Joe Lynch (Mayhem) pays tribute to Gordon with his own Lovecraft adaptation, Suitable Flesh, which had its world premiere at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival. It has a script by Dennis Paoli, the man who wrote the horror classics by Gordon, and actress Barbara Crampton, who starred in them. What could be more amazing?
Heather Graham plays psychiatrist Elizabeth Derby. She is in a mental institution for murdering a young patient named Asa Waite (Judah Lewis). Desperate to prove her innocence, Elizabeth pleads her case to her colleague and friend, Dr. Daniella Upton (Crampton). At this point, the story returns to reveal how she met the troubled Asa and was drawn into the seriously dysfunctional relationship he had with her father Ephraim (Bruce Davison).
Director: Joe Lynch
Writers: H.P. Lovecraft, Dennis Paoli
Stars: Heather Graham, Judah Lewis, Barbara Crampton
Elizabeth believes that Asa has a mental disorder that causes him to create multiple personalities. The truth, as she learns the hard way, is more complex. An invisible evil entity is transferring between her body and Ephraim's, and she is excessively interested in sex. That's a thumbnail description. To reveal anything too specific would take away from the excitement of discovering what happens when Elizabeth attracts that entity's attention and how it affects her relationship with her husband Edward (Johnathon Schaech). Suffice to say, Suitable Flesh has steamy sex, gruesome violence, and more twists and turns than a country road.
While obviously paying homage to Stuart Gordon, Lynch brings his own stylistic elements to the film. The way he films several crucial scenes using a rotating camera is very effective, as is the blurring technique used whenever the entity transfers between bodies. Beyond that, Lynch is able to strike a similar balance between eroticism and horror, with a streak of black comedy peeking through at times. These elements come together especially well during the final half hour, when the plot goes to wonderfully deliriously crazy places.
Heather Graham is excellent in the lead role. It's been a while since she's had such a complex role, and you can feel her relishing the chance to dive in. The actress perfectly captures Elizabeth's combination of terror and perverse fascination as she discovers what she is up against. Barbara Crampton is so good as Daniella. Her key scenes are in the third act, and she once again demonstrates mastery in finding the right tone for these Lovecraft adaptations. Judah Lewis makes Asa's transformations believable, and Bruce Davison deliciously chews the scenery as Ephraim. For his part, Johnathon Schaech is spot on as the husband who doesn't know what's going on, but ends up benefiting from it anyway.
Movies today are generally afraid of sex. It's there as an element in many stories, but it's rarely a central element. Lynch and company's willingness to have sex as a primary factor makes the film even more daring. Adequate Flesh is kinky, weird, and a lot of fun.
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