Society (1989) - Movies Like Eyes Wide Shut | Filmiway

Society banner
Trailer in 4s
Society poster

Why This Hits Deep

A satirical but grotesque body-horror that takes the metaphor "the rich feed on the poor" literally. A cult movie in every sense.

Society

1989•Brian Yuzna•120 min•R

The Experience

A Beverly Hills teenager discovers his wealthy family and friends are part of a grotesque, body-melding cult preying on the lower class. Yuzna's satirical body horror climax remains one of the most shocking practical effects sequences ever filmed.

Cast & Crew

Director: Brian Yuzna

Starring: Billy Warlock, Devin DeVasquez, Evan Richards

Production Details

Budget: $1 million

Box Office: $0.4 million

Age Rating:R
Loading streaming options...

Clean Content Record

Society: No sexual content or graphic scenes present in this film.

📊
INTENSITY GRAPH

Narrative Analysis
High School(30%)
The Tape(55%)
The Party(70%)
THE SHUNTING(94%)
The Escape(78%)
Horror: 50%Horror: 50%Horror: 50%Horror: 50%Horror: 50%Horror: 50%Horror: 50%Horror: 50%Horror: 50%Horror: 50%Horror: 50%Horror: 50%Horror: 50%Horror: 50%Horror: 50%Horror: 50%Psychological: 40%Psychological: 40%Psychological: 40%Psychological: 40%Psychological: 40%Psychological: 40%Psychological: 40%Psychological: 40%Psychological: 40%Psychological: 40%Psychological: 40%Psychological: 40%Thriller: 10%Thriller: 10%Thriller: 10%Thriller: 10%

🧬
CINEMATIC DNA

Genre Analysis
Horror
50%
Psychological
40%
Thriller
10%

Genre DNA Distribution

  • Horror: 50%
  • Psychological: 40%
  • Thriller: 10%

Movie Intensity Arc

  • Minute 20: High School (30/100 Intensity)
  • Minute 40: The Tape (55/100 Intensity)
  • Minute 65: The Party (70/100 Intensity)
  • Minute 88: THE SHUNTING (94/100 Intensity)
  • Minute 98: The Escape (78/100 Intensity)

Community Reviews

Initializing reviews...

FAQ About Society

Common questions about Society and its exploration of secret societies, paranoia, and the occult elite.

What is 'The Shunting' ritual?

The Shunting is a grotesque, body-horror ritual where the wealthy elite literally merge their bodies together into a singular, pulsing mass. It is a viscous, literal metaphor for the 'class' feeding on the poor. It represents the physical reality of elite societies: they are a closed loop of incestuous power that survives by consuming outsiders.

Why is the protagonist's family part of the cult?

In Society, being 'elite' is a biological fact. They are a different species entirely. This takes the Eyes Wide Shut theme of 'the elite are different from us' to its most extreme conclusion. You cannot join this society; you are either born into the pulsing mass of power or you are food for it.

Is Society a political satire?

Yes, it is a biting satire of the Reagan-era 'trickle-down' economics and the Beverly Hills lifestyle. It argues that the upper class doesn't just want your money; they want your literal life force. The film uses gross-out imagery to make the viewer feel the same disgust Bill Harford felt at the mansion.

What does the ending suggest about the world?

The ending suggests that the 'Shunting' happens everywhere in elite circles and will continue forever. While the protagonist escapes, the power structure remains untouched. It echoes the cynical ending of Eyes Wide Shut: the masked elite are too powerful to be defeated by a single individual, and their secrets are protected by their biology.

Movie data and posters powered by

The Movie DatabaseThe Movie Database (TMDB)

This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.

Curated by Filmiway Editorial Team

Expert analysis of secret societies in cinema

Share: