REVIEW: Society: Party Animal

I literally jumped with delight when being handed parts 1 & 2 of Rough Cut Comic’s sequel to Brian Yuzna’s 1989 cult sleeper ‘Society’.

Talk about nostalgia. This takes me back to my youth when my days were filled watching films such as ‘House’, ‘Re-Animator’ and one of my favourites ‘Return Of The Living Dead 3’ mainly due to having a crush on Melinda Clarke at the time.
Director Brian Yuzna was killing it big time as the guy who brought a surreal tone to his Lovecraftian styled stories and hammered his visuals with enough gore to sink a small ship. Yep his movies were bizarre, but be honest so was the 80’s. There aren’t many films that hold up today, the era was more camp with a neon-gloss and I’m not sure what was worse, the acting or the mullets?

Anyways I still love the era for birthing this sort of trash-filled, atrocious, horror gems. ‘Society’ was Yuzna extending his middle finger to the rich and glamorous and playing this off as a sort of seedy inbred version of Beverley Hills 90210. The story followed Billy (Baywatch’s Billy Warlock) as he begins to suspect all isn’t right within his family. They live a lavish lifestyle and he can have anything he wishes, but when he starts to notice his parents affections, especially towards his sister is a little too full on, he realises the upper class are maybe a little too touchy-feely. On the other hand they do throw a hell of a party!

‘Society’ worked on many levels as it took a stab at the class system but morphed it into a horror story and presented imagery that’s so gross its laugh out loud funny. There are many parts of ‘Society’ I can’t remember now, but you’ll never forget Arse-Face! The climax scene (pardon the pun), it was disgusting, but it must have been a blast to shoot.

It was a real surprise to hear a sequel had been made in comic form and jumped at the chance to read and review. I’ve read a few titles now by ‘Rough Cut Comics’ and they never disappoint; I can safely say they continue this trend. ‘Society: Party Animal’ is set 10 years after the events of the film and Billy is laying low, wandering the streets at night, stalking the rich and powerful with the hope of exposing them to the world. He seeks out his good friend Milo who’s similarly living rough and traumatised by the events a decade earlier. Soon enough they are thrust back into the world of ‘Society’ whereas Billy finds out more about his past and realises he’s more important to them alive.

The comic does a neat trick of building the mythos of ‘Society’ but keeping it very tongue and cheek. It never takes itself too serious and feels very nostalgic in style. Edward Murphy’s story captivates the real ethos of the film and era and the book feels like it was made in the 80’s which is extremely clever indeed.

I really enjoyed Billy’s dialogue with the late night disc jockey in an almost conspiracy theory story meets The Night Stalker. Billy comes across all cocky and sarcastic at times which made me think Ashe from The Evil Dead on more than one occasion. There is an amazing scene were Billy abseils down a staircase on a member of Society’s face. If that’s not 80’s schlock I don’t know what is?!

To say I enjoyed ‘Society: Party Animal’ is an understatement. For every horror fan on 80’s trash, this is a must. I would love to see more titles of cult hits in comic form as there are no boundaries to what or where you can go.

‘Rough Cut Comics’ have absolutely nailed it, you sick muthas!

Review by – FOLKLORE
Twitter: @folkloreart
@SlaughteredBird