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Body Melt
Body Melt
	DVD cover
Directed by	Philip Brophy
Written by	Rod Bishop; Philip Brophy
Produced by	Rod Bishop; Daniel Scharf
Starring	Gerard Kennedy; Andrew Daddo; Vincent Gil;
Cinematography	Ray Argall
Edited by	Bill Murphy
Music by	Philip Brophy
Distributed by	Beyond Distribution; ViewCave; 21st Century Film Corporation; Umbrella Entertainment;
Release date	15 December 1993;
Running time	81 minutes
Country	Australia
Language	English

Body Melt is a 1993 Australian independent science fiction black comedy body horror film directed by Philip Brophy and written by Brophy and Rod Bishop. Brophy and Bishop are ex-members of the art punk group → ↑ →. The pair also composed the film's soundtrack. The movie satirizes suburban lifestyles and fitness fads.^[1]

Plot

The residents of Pebbles Court in the suburb of Homesville in Melbourne are the unknowing test subjects for a new variety of dietary supplement pills that arrive for free in their mailboxes. The pills are designed to produce the ultimate healthy human, but have unexpected side effects, including hallucinations and mutations.^[2]

Despite the attempts made to warn the townsfolk from a previous test subject, who is now undergoing rapid cellular decay, he arrives too late, and crashes his car and is killed by tentacles growing out of his throat. The pills are consumed by the residents, and produce liquefying flesh, elongated tongues, exploding stomachs, exploding penises, imploding heads, monstrous births, tentacles growing out of the face, living mucus, sentient placentas, and other gruesome transmutations. Ultimately more and more of the residents of Pebbles Court mutate or die horrific deaths, until almost every character has been dispatched.

Cast

Gerard Kennedy as Det. Samuel Phillips
Andrew Daddo as Johnno
Ian Smith as Dr. Carrera
Regina Gaigalas as Shaan
Vincent Gil as Pud
Neil Foley as Bab
Anthea Davis as Slab
Matthew Newton as Bronto
Lesley Baker as Mack
Amy Grove-Rogers as Old Woman
Adrian Wright as Thompson Noble
Jillian Murray as Angelica Noble
Ben Geurens as Brandon Noble
Amanda Douge as Elloise Noble
Brett Climo as Brian Rand
Lisa McCune as Cheryl Rand
Nick Polites as Sal Ciccone
Maurie Annese as Gino Argento
William McInnes as Paul Matthews
Suzi Dougherty as Kate
Bill Young as Willie
Tommy Dysart as Sergeant
Tiffany Lamb as Secretary

Production

The film was shot in October and November 1992.^[3]

Critical reception

Video review wrote "With over 150 ways to melt your body, it's one of the most innovative and versatile horror films ever. Guaranteed to make you squirm."^{[citation needed]}
Samhain wrote "Unique and individual. A wicked and gruesome satire on the clean-living lifestyle of modern Australia as seen across the globe in various TV soaps."^{[citation needed]}
Screen International described the film "As satirical as it is sick-making. A cult hit."^{[citation needed]}
Star Burst wrote "Packs more mucous, phlegm, puke, snot, slime & spit than you'd ever think possible."^{[citation needed]}
Time Out wrote "Despite its emetic preoccupation with exploding stomachs & bodily fluids there is also a liberal injection of black humour."^[4]
Fangoria wrote "A slime-soaked all-out shocker!"^{[citation needed]}
Face described the film as "A dumb/smart satire on health fascism. The kind of movie they just don't make anymore."^[5]
According to Bloody Disgusting Magazine: «The film is a satire of extremely healthy living»^[6]
PopHorror: "Residents of peaceful Pebbles Court, Homesville, are being used unknowingly as test experiments for a new Body Drug that causes rapid body decomposition (melting skin etc.) and painful death."^[7]
SBS Movies: "A yucky, shlocky, gory, tongue-in-cheek horror film".^[8]

Accolades

Award	Category	Subject	Result
AACTA Award (1993 AFI Awards)	Best Editing	Bill Murphy	Nominated
	Best Sound	Philip Brophy	Nominated
	Best Sound	Craig Carter	Nominated
	Best Costume Design	Anna Borghesi	Nominated
Saturn Award	Best Genre Video Release		Nominated
Sitges Film Festival	Best Film	Philip Brophy	Nominated

Home media

Body Melt was released on DVD with a new print by Umbrella Entertainment in August 2006. The DVD is compatible with all region codes and includes special features such as the original theatrical trailer, Umbrella Entertainment trailers, a behind the scenes featurette with cast and crew and a storyboard gallery.^[9]

On 25 September 2018, the film was released on DVD and Blu-ray by Vinegar Syndrome.^[10]