The spirit of Stuart Gordon is alive and well in Joe Lynch’s Suitable Flesh. The adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft’s “The Thing on the Doorstep,” written by Dennis Paoli (Re-Animator, From Beyond, Dagon), and produced by Brian Yuzna and Barbara Crampton, seamlessly inserts itself into Gordon’s Lovecraftian cinematic world from its opening scene set in a hospital that’s instantly evocative of Re-Animator. Lynch captures the humorous, oft-sexy tone of Gordon’s ‘80s/’90s Lovecraftian horror output while putting his own stamp on it through keen instincts and modern storytelling.
Psychiatrist Dr. Elizabeth Derby (Heather Graham) had it all; a doting husband in Edward (Johnathon Schaech), an enduring friendship with colleague Daniella Upton (Crampton), and a successful career. That changed the moment young Asa Waite (Judah Lewis) crashed into her life as a troubled patient suffering from an extreme personality disorder. Or does he? Asa claims that something’s possessed his father, Ephraim (Bruce Davison), and now it’s on the hunt for suitable flesh. The more Dr. Derby finds herself drawn to Asa’s plight, the more insane her story becomes in this obsessive tale of desire, lust, and body-hopping madness.
Fans of Lovecraft will find a treasure trove of Easter eggs to mine here. Still, it’s the way that Lynch seamlessly inserts Suitable Flesh into the same conversation as Stuart Gordon’s Lovecraft adaptations that most impresses. There’s painstaking attention to detail from the opening frame. It’s not just settings or characters that call back to the late Gordon’s memorable horror films, but aesthetics, tropes, and everything in between. Lynch brings the ‘90s penchant for soft lighting and saxophone music into the present for his erotic horror thriller and pays tribute to stalwart horror tropes like the sandwich-eating hospital morgue attendant (played by Graham Skipper, who played Herbert West in Re-Animator: The Musical).
While Suitable Flesh frequently looks and feels like a Stuart Gordon movie, Joe Lynch distinctly makes it his own by injecting a very different flavor of horror along with the innovative instinct to gender-flip the original Lovecraft story. Whereas Re-Animator and From Beyond embraced slime, goop, and gore, Suitable Flesh fixates on obsession and a psychological unraveling that gives the cast much to sink their teeth into. Heather Graham shines as the unwitting psychiatrist thrust into a dizzying quest to clear her name, channeling every personality in the process as Elizabeth Derby becomes untethered to her own skin. Graham and Judah Lewis aren’t just pulling double duty here; they’re tasked with taking on multiple roles in quick succession.
Jonathon Schaech brings levity as the gender-flipped doting housewife, and Barbara Crampton brings the emotional center through Daniella’s affecting friendship with Elizabeth. It’s an actor’s showcase as much as a nostalgic return to Gordon’s horror, and their chemistry ensures rooting interest.
Suitable Flesh makes for a more self-contained story, more interested in its characters and the consequences of body-hopping mayhem over visceral cosmic terrors. That’s not to say that Lynch doesn’t dole out grotesque violence, however. But Lynch pays tribute to a horror master through meticulous detail while avoiding a complete retread, ensuring Suitable Flesh may feel familiar, but it’s also unafraid to take unexpected detours or eschew outdated tropes. Lynch’s reverence for Gordon never exceeds his voice, blazing a thrilling path forward for a newer generation carrying the torch of horror masters. It results in a strange, beguiling horror effort that feels retro and new, capturing the essence of both Gordon and Lynch all at once.
Suitable Flesh made its World Premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival and will release later this year.
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