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‘Deadstream’ and the importance of simplicity in horror

To the point.

Welcome to another installment of 31 Days of Halloween! This is our chance to set the mood for the spookiest and scariest month of the year as we focus our attention on horror and Halloween fun. For the month of October we’ll be sharing various pieces of underappreciated scary books, comics, movies, and television to help keep you terrified and entertained all the way up to Halloween.


Deadstream is one of the most entertaining movies of the year. The practical effects and creature design are a throwback to the Golden Age of the 1980s (filmmakers Joseph and Vanessa Winter are huge fans of Sam Raimi and it shows) while the story is a streamlined affair. Shawn Ruddy (played by Joseph Winter) is an internet personality who has suffered the worst indignity a livestreamer can face: he has been demonetized. Once the demonetization period ends, he decides to win back the love of the internet by livestreaming one night alone in a haunted house.

The film made its World Premiere in March during South by Southwest and still stands out months later. This is notable as this as been a good year for genre cinema with The Menu, Dual, and What Josiah Saw just some of the outstanding movies that have been released. Deadsteam is different than many other horror movies that have come out in 2022. It is a straightforward scary story that keeps things simple.

This is an important part of horror that is often forgotten. People love to share scary stories with each other. Whether they are urban legends, short stories we have read, or creepy stuff that has happened in real life, scaring others is always fun. Whenever we tell these stories, they are straight and to the point. The atmosphere is built up, leading to a shocking ending. (Think Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark and similar books.)

Not only are there very few twists before the ending, they are not really welcome. The best scary stories take their audience from Point A to Point B with little deviation in between. Film is a different type of medium that made twists more accessible for those watching. Initially, this took the form of red herrings. This was nothing new as mystery novels have used them for decades. But, it was something new to horror movies and fun to see.

Still, it was the more grounded horror films that had the longer lasting appeal. A great example is Friday the 13th. The franchise has seen different iterations of Jason, but at its core, it is just a slasher. Obviously, some movies are better than others, but everyone knows Mrs. Voorhees little boy on sight. Contrast this with Hellraiser and its themes of pain, suffering, and pleasure. Sure, everyone knows who Pinhead is, but even though it has spawned numerous sequels, it is a tier below other horror franchises.

Deadstream adds some lore, but is an otherwise linear film. Shawn wants to win back his followers, so he stays in a haunted house. The film has great jump scares and amazing special effects. There are no shocking twists to unravel or puzzle boxes to solve. Like a roller coaster without any loops, the movie takes audiences on a fun and scary ride. Fear is a basic emotion that is exhilarating and even satisfying. While complex horror stories can be just as entertaining, sometimes we just need something to scare the shit out of us.

Deadstream is on Shudder 

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