One of the best aspects of the found footage genre is how it pushes the limits of reality through the lens of horror. While not all found footage experiences get the formula just right, some stand out above the rest. One of those gems is Shudder’s found footage exclusive,Deadstream,co-written, directed, produced, and edited by Joseph Winter and Vanessa Winter. A horror comedy that carries the resonance of theEvil Deadfranchise with its DIY stylized effects and campy humor,Deadsteamalso brilliantly interfolds the themes of internetfame and how far one is willing to go to achieve it.
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Shawn’s live stream, on the other hand, becomes a deadly nightmare as he awakens a vengeful spirit, Mildred Pratt, seeking to claim his popularity and his soul. Mildred was a wealthy heiress whose father built the house in 1880. Mildred dreamed of becoming a well-known poet, but her aspirations would never come true. This story beat will help comprehend the movie more deeply and understand how Shawn has provoked her to appear and torment Shawn throughout the film.
Found footage has a long and rich history that spans since the 1980s. Since then, the genre has had a constant battle over the years with trying to find the “right” ways to innovate and terrify an audience. While there is a great deal of found footage films that have indeed advanced the narrative and set the tone for the genre, it does not mean it does not come without their own set of challenges along the way to keep redefining those limits.Deadstreamsets out to redefine those limitsfunnily and creatively, taking found footage to terrifying new heights.
Deadstreamfurther advances that tension and comedic flair by the nature of the comments in the live stream. Directors Joseph and Vanessa Winters make good use of the digital format throughout the film, ranging from the downright hilarious comments to the ones that leave you with nail-biting anxiety,the consistent duality in which they use their charactersboth on and off-screen is impressive. Even the camera labels are an extension of Shawn’s character, showing the level of thought that went into fully embracing this style of technology for a found footage experience.
Even though the chat conversations are amusing, it is clear that such interactions have a dark side. Shawn’s life is not truly his own because he is completely reliant on the attention and positive reinforcement he receives from these people over his self-worth. This constant craving for approval runs throughoutDeadstream, even when super fan Chrissy (Melanie Stone) arrives unannounced, he lets them bully him into the decision of having her stay, a decision that has deadly repercussions later on.
Deadstreamgoes beyond the strengths of its cinematography and intelligently builds its creative wit and stamina into the narrative bones of the film experience.Deadstreammakes the consequences disturbingly clear throughout the film. While this is a live stream,there is more to lose than to gainfrom such an ordeal. Should he fail in his live stream attempt to complete this 24-hour challenge, his livelihood and everything else diminish along with it.
The Winters make good use of the thematic pacing inDeadstream, with suspense that festers and boils to the surface. While jump scares are not usually used well in these experiences,Deadstreamis one of the few experiences that seem to have mastered the art of such moments. Each jump scare is paced well and genuinely leaves one on edge throughout the film. When it finally reaches the point where it finally unveils the entities that are terrorizing the house, The Winters are in a class all of their own. Paying homage to the campy artistic flavors that madeEvil Deadso successful in its own right while adding a sense of originality peppered it,Deadstreamcreates an experience that is beautifully contemporarywith hints of nostalgic, gloppy, and gory bliss that keep its classic horror elements gorgeously balanced.
The most impressive aspect ofDeadstreamis that for a contained space, its environments are brimming with tension and excitement. With its authentic abandoned house settings,The Winters makes the effort to create an atmospherethat meshes with the film’s bold photography and camerawork. While the film’s patterns are somewhat predictable throughout, this does not detract from the experience or ethereal sense of realism.
While using found footage has always been a fun and bold way to explore other aspects of horror, depending on how one handles it, the subgenre can sometimes feel like it is holding a film down creatively.Deadstreamnavigates around those problems with its artistic use of monsters and old-school horror, with its use of technology astutely used till the very end. Like other original tech-themed horror films that have come before it such asParanormal ActivitytoHost,Deadstreamtakes its place among suchgreat films for inventive use of horrorwithin a YouTube and Twitch social context.
While Shawn defeats Mildred with her spell, in the process, the souls Mildred took along the way for her audience become his new followers. While it’s unclear if he makes it out of the house alive or is consumed by the house, the ending is the same. Shawn will always be at the behest of public opinion and the people tied to them, a life he chose through the consequences of his actions long before he entered that house that night. Sometimes horror oftenlies in the darkness of one’s mindand the extremes of what one is willing to sacrifice for fame and fortune.
