Deadstream is a 2022 American supernatural horrorcomedy film[1] directed, written, produced and edited by wife and husband Vanessa and Joseph Winter in their directorial debut, with Joseph also acting as lead actor and soundtrack composer.[2]
The plot follows a disgraced content creator attempting to resurrect his career by livestreaming himself spending the night in a notorious haunted house; the film uses a found footage format, displaying the livestream itself. Deadstream had its world premiere at South by Southwest on March 11, 2022, and was released in the United States on October 6, 2022, by Shudder to positive reviews.[3][4]
Plot
Disgraced internet personality Shawn plans to livestream himself spending the night in Death Manor, a purportedly haunted house where several people have died. After Shawn arrives at the house, he throws his car keys down a sewer grate and its spark plugs into the woods.
Shawn recounts Death Manor's reported haunting by the ghost of Mildred Pratt, a wealthy Mormon heiress and failed poet who died by suicide after her publisher and paramour's sudden death. Subsequent occupants of the house died mysteriously and the place was eventually abandoned. While exploring the house, Shawn discovers and destroys a symbol hanging in a closet.
While Shawn attempts to provoke the spirits via a séance, he fearfully shuts himself in his room after hearing strange noises. It is revealed to be Chrissy, a super fan who has traveled to Death Manor to meet him. The two find Mildred's poetry book and try to speak to her spirit through a spirit board. Chrissy convinces Shawn to recite a Latin phrase to put the ghosts to rest.
Disturbed by her behavior, Shawn demands that Chrissy leave. She suddenly bites his neck and Shawn stabs her in defense. Believing he's killed her, Shawn momentarily leaves but finds her body gone. Shawn searches the grate he had thrown his key down, but only finds the key to a box containing a severed finger and a picture revealing that Chrissy is Mildred Pratt. Viewers inform Shawn that the symbol he destroyed earlier was a hamsa meant to protect against evil and that the Latin phrase he recited was used by Mildred to bind souls to herself. An elderly viewer tells Shawn that the ritual requires a sacrifice of flesh. After being terrorized by ghosts, Shawn jumps out the second-floor window.
Shawn finds the spark plugs and damages his tablet fighting a ghoul off. Cut off from his viewers and resigned to his fate, Shawn takes shelter in his car and reads from Mildred's book of poetry. He discovers the incantation that Mildred used to gain her satanic powers is in one of her poems. Shawn realizes Mildred never wanted a family, but an audience for her poetry. Shawn's audience inspires him to complete the ritual and banish her spirit.
Shawn returns to the house to challenge Mildred. Shawn makes it back to his equipment to retrieve a spare tablet and reads the comments that translate the incantation. While setting up the ritual, Shawn apologizes for his insensitive stunts, racism, and poor apology, vowing to be better.
After a grueling fight with Mildred, Shawn reads the incantation, which fails. Spotting her severed finger, he remembers the ritual requires a sacrifice and cuts off one of his fingers to complete the ritual. The ritual causes Mildred to be dragged into a blood-filled basement by an unseen force. Shawn celebrates, thanking his now-massive viewer count for helping him survive the night. However, as he exits, he is surrounded by Mildred's audience and his livestream cuts out.
Cast
Joseph Winter as Shawn Ruddy
Melanie Stone as Chrissy / Mildred
Marty Collins as Max Loland
Production
According to filmmakers Joseph & Vanessa Winter, the abandoned house used for the production was haunted.[5] "The local lore is wild about that house," they shared in an interview with Nightmare on Film Street. "About half the crew was convinced that it was haunted," they elaborated, "and there were two rooms specifically that people didn't enjoy being in alone".[6]
Release
Deadstream premiered at the South by Southwest Film Festival on March 11, 2022, and was released on the streaming service Shudder as one of its original films on October 6, 2022.[7][8]
Reception
On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 91% based on 53 reviews, with an average rating of 7.4/10. The website's critics consensus reads: "Proof that there's still life in the found-footage gimmick, Deadstream is a scarily good bit of B-movie fun."[9] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 67 out of 100, based on 10 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[10]
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