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.
