Reviews
DEFINITELY GETTING DEMON-ETIZED: ‘Deadstream’ Review
Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve got another first for Horror Press after recently posting our 200th article. This time, we’ve got a full-on comedy on our hands.
Of course, we’re Horror Press, so the film has got to be a horror-comedy, it’s what I’d consider more of a comedy-horror. And Deadstream is a great one. After being suspended from Youtube and Twitch—I mean, LivVid, hacky haunt vlogger Shawn Ruddy’s “triumphant” return to the internet involves an IRL livestream exploring Death Manor, a decrepit haunted house in the woods that has seen a dozen deaths since its creation. And of course, this stream is going to have some unconventional guests from beyond the material plane.
Perfect Opening for a High-Concept Horror-Comedy
Deadstream just might have the perfect opening for the movies high concept. If they ever do a Deadstream 2 (which they should since I think they could push harder on the horror angle and have just as much fun with it), I would be very hard-pressed to think of one that works better than this. From the very opening shot of the movie, it perfectly satirizes the inane zeitgeist of scumbag 2010s YouTube personalities that dominated the screens of so many an impressionable child. A large part of that is due to Joseph Winters, whom I must give serious props to for pulling triple duty as a co-writer, co-director, and star of the film.
Winters’ performance and Shawn as a character tie into how the movie also avoids one of the great pitfalls of found footage horror. 1. It’s pretty clearly not meant to be taken 100% seriously, and 2. We have a reason our character keeps filming and actively goes deeper into the dark depths of a haunted house; not a dedication to the truth, or a missing family member, Shawn is just a completely believable money-hungry, narcissistic idiot who can’t turn off the act, and by extension, can’t turn off the cameras. He is a perfect idiot who traps himself and gets in his own way. Winters accurately depicts that especially slimy breed of Internet click-farmer, who always hints at a darker and scummier side than their loud, colorful persona would allow.
Technical Brilliance in Found Footage Horror
It also avoids the big technical flaws of many found footage horror movies in that the cameras and the mechanisms for editing all feel believable, especially with how good commercial cameras and stream deck programs have gotten. Even the diegetic music in the film is explained with a series of clever visual gags, and its little details like that which I appreciate The chat graphics, the lighting being well balanced, the movement of the cameras and integration of motion-sensors, they don’t ever take you out of the film.
A measure of thought and care was put into this movie that never really leaves, and it helps me overlook some of the movie’s issues. The soundtrack isn’t very inspired but is still catchy. The makeup is a bit wonky at times, with one very Party City looking mask on one of the ghost-demon-ghoul creatures, but it’s serviceable for the film’s purposes; the movie is here to amuse, not terrify. There are moments where the makeup looks good in some scenes, but the film’s practical effects only really stand out in its very splattery and grimy moments designed to gross you out to the max. That, in conjunction with some pretty good location scouting and set design, makes its mise-en-scene just work.
Is Deadstream Funny? A Comedy for a Specific Audience
So here comes the cold-water splash of every comedy movie review. Is Deadstream funny? Well, I think it’s hilarious, and Winter’s comedic timing is never off-tempo or off-tone enough to change my mind on that. But I must warn you that most, if not all, of the humor in this film will probably not land if you’re not amused by how Winters can replicate those radioactively dangerous levels of content creator cringe. Shawn as a character is despicable and over-the-top, but if you can’t find humor in that within the first 5 minutes, you’re probably not going to enjoy this one. This is not a film that will have everyone in stitches, but I think the audience who does understand what this movie is making fun of will find it hilariously realistic.
If you don’t have Shudder already, this film is a strong case for the kind of very innovative originals the platform is producing and distributing that you should be subscribed for. I’ve watched my fair share of horror movies this month on Shudder, and even Deadstream, the one that was just barely horror, was still pretty darn good.
Final Verdict: A Fun Horror-Comedy for October Viewing
Don’t go into Deadstream expecting to be terrified. It’s a fun little watch, first and foremost, with a specific audience in mind. This can also serve as a palate cleanser for the more numbing or terrifying horror movies you might watch this October, so stick this into the rotation after your Martyrs’ or Wolf Creek’s if you need to get the ick off.
Deadstream comes to Shudder this Thursday, October 6th.
Most people find that stretching their dollar still barely gets them by in today’s economy. I am very particular about what I spend my spare money on regarding extracurriculars. And no one likes to feel like their money is wasted. Madame Morbid Trolley Tours wasn’t an experience I had been familiar with. Maybe that’s because I’m chronically offline for most of my life. So this leads to the perfect question: in today’s turbulent economy, is Madame Morbid Trolley Tours worth the price? The short answer is unquestionably, yes. But it’s more than just a simple yes.
My wife and I arrived at the designated meeting point 15 minutes before the scheduled departure time. A handful of minutes later, a gorgeous, e-candle-lit trolley pulled up to the side of the road. We were greeted by impeccably on-brand Allison Chase, our tour guide, and trolley driver ‘Mad’ Matt Zaller. The wonderfully cheery duo invited us on the trolley, and the tour was set to begin.
400 Years of Death, Destruction, and Infrastructure
After a welcoming video intro from someone who knows a thing or two about busting ghosts, we set off on the inaugural Madame Morbid Trolley Tour in its ninth year of operation. From the Brooklyn Naval Yard all the way to Dumbo, and more, this tour magnificently chronicles 400 years of history, the good and the bad, expertly. No matter how much you think you may know about Brooklyn history, I can bet there will be something new learned within the first 15 minutes of the tour. From the first-ever plane crash to one of the worst theater fires in history, this tour covers tragedies that the greatest horror writers couldn’t conceive.
The Deadly [Charming] Docent
Allison Chase led the fascinating tour in character from the moment we stepped on the trolley until our departure. But Allison’s character was not forced or fake; you could feel Allison’s passion for not just morbid history, but the accuracy of it. Some of the stories we heard were steeped in historical context, and it was not boring for a single second. The Madame Morbid Trolley Tour is not your standard full-talking tour. It’s a mixed-media adventure of some of Brooklyn’s darkest moments.
During “downtime” (the times between locations), we were edutained by mini documentaries (that were quite funny). Some of the “downtime” was filled with traffic trivia (I won a needle pen!). And other times were show-and-tell-like, with objects passed around for us to examine. But there was never a moment of silence that wasn’t purposeful. All in all, Allison’s knowledge and passion shone like the luminosity of a full moon.
Is Madame Morbid Trolley Tours Worth It?
The Madame Morbid Trolley Tour was not just a fun night out for my wife and me, but it was a delightfully dark night of edutainment. It should also be noted that ‘Mad’ Matt’s driving skills were fantastic. There was a time when I had become enamored with how Matt handled the narrow streets of Brooklyn before realizing that I needed to refocus my attention on Allison. The Madame Morbid Trolley Tour is an exceptionally fun evening of horror and history that will make you think twice next time you walk down the streets of Brooklyn. It is worth the money, and then some. There’s no better activity for a cold, dark October night than the Madame Morbid Trolley Tour.
For more information on Madame Morbid Trolley Tours, and to get your tickets, click here!
I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I should have watched the Stephen King adaptation Cujo a million years ago. First of all, I was a voracious King reader in middle school. The other thing I was obsessed with during those years was Friends. You know, the show that hinges a major episode’s subplot on Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) watching Cujo for the first time. Whatever the reason was, I never got around to it, but I’m rectifying that oversight now.
What is Cujo About?
Cujo tells a relatively simple story. Donna Trenton’s (Dee Wallace) a housewife who’s cheating on her husband Vic (Daniel Hugh-Kelly) with local handyman Steve (Christopher Stone). There’s no accounting for taste, because Vic is 10 times hotter and Steve doesn’t own a bed frame. Look, Donna. I know Vic has that awful David Hasselhoff hair, but I promise the 1980s will end sooner or later. It’ll be OK.
Donna’s attempted termination of this affair ultimately leads to its discovery. Amid this drama, her car breaks down at a mechanic’s isolated farmhouse, trapping her and her son, Tad (Danny Pintauro). You see, the mechanic’s dog, Cujo, freshly christened with rabies, is patrolling the area and attacking everything in sight.
Dee Wallace Is Cujo’s Not-So-Secret Weapon
It would be impossible to start a worthwhile review of Cujo without praising Dee Wallace. The woman is a genre icon, naturally. Think about this: She had only appeared in seven theatrical movies before starring in Cujo. Four of those movies are The Stepford Wives, The Hills Have Eyes, E.T., and The Howling. But this woman didn’t become an icon simply by accidentally stumbling into some iconic titles. She is simply terrific as Donna, using her darting eyes and taut expression to deliver oodles of subtext. You instantly get the sense of how trapped she feels by marriage and motherhood without her uttering a single word.
A good performance is vital, here. Because there’s a hell of a lot of drama to get through before she’s trapped in that damn car. But Wallace instantly shoves you into Donna’s perspective, whether you like it or not. This makes it all the more potent when she is menaced by Cujo. Her desperate attempts for survival, also impeccably performed, have true weight because she seems like a real person. She is also given an incredible scene partner in Danny Pintauro. The future Who’s the Boss? star, who was only six when shooting Cujo, has a perfect everychild quality. His innocence heightens the peril. But so does that fact that he is just as irritating as every six-year-old you’ve ever met.
This movie truly captures how annoying it must be to be stuck in a life-and-death situation with a child. This is a compliment, I swear! Donna is worn down by every aspect of the situation, including her own son’s inability to cope with it. And this ratchets up the tension even further, to an almost unbearable degree.
Cujo Is a Mixed Bag, But Worthwhile Overall
The movie doesn’t work if Cujo himself doesn’t work, and at first I was real worried that he wouldn’t. In the first half, the St. Bernards that play Cujo onscreen are often shown to be wagging their tails in delight. Which kind of undercuts the reality of the situation, I’d say. But the editing and the special effects step in to fix what animal training couldn’t. The attack scenes in the second half are constructed with quick cuts that never let you get too much purchase. It’s a good approach for keeping viewers off-kilter.
Also, Cujo becomes less and less recognizable as a cuddly canine the further the movie gets. It’s a simple trick, really. He ends up getting coated with more and more slime. Saliva, pus, blood, and what have you. This is good for making him feel like a true movie monster. Plus, it’s a good mirror for the sliminess inside the car as it gets covered in sweat, blood, and grime.
The second half of the movie ultimately works like gangbusters. It’s a shame that Cujo is too cowardly to get Donna and Tad in the car before the halfway point. This decision is somewhat faithful to the book’s structure as I remember it. However, it diminishes the weight of the long days that they spend in the car. We really need to feel that crushing stretch of time, and we don’t. When Tad is suffering from dehydration, it’s not a gut punch. Honestly, I just found myself asking, “Already?” It’s good that they gave the movie a happier ending, because the classic grimdark Stephen King finale wouldn’t have landed.
Is Cujo Worth Watching in 2026?
At the end of the day, Cujo is a solid movie and I’m glad I finally watched it. However, it’s not such a stone-cold classic that I’m not at least a little intrigued by that upcoming Netflix remake…
