DEADSTREAM, a 2022 American supernatural horror-comedy film, marked the directorial debut of the husband-and-wife team Vanessa and Joseph Winter. They also took on multiple roles, including writing, producing, editing, and acting. Joseph directed and served as the lead actor and composer for the film’s soundtrack.
The storyline revolves around a disgraced content creator’s desperate attempt to revive his career. He embarks on a live-streaming adventure where he spends a night in a notorious haunted house, known as Death Manor. The film cleverly employs a found footage format, immersing viewers in the live stream itself. DEADSTREAM had its world premiere at South by Southwest on March 11, 2022. It was later released in the United States on October 6, 2022, through Shudder. The film received positive reviews.
The movie centers on Shawn. He is a YouTube-type personality. His fame had once thrived on daring stunts aimed at “conquering his fears.” Before the events in the film, Shawn’s career declined. A controversial video caused this decline. He lost sponsors and a significant portion of his fan base. In a last-ditch effort to regain his popularity, Shawn plans to live-stream his overnight stay in Death Manor. This house is steeped in legend and purported hauntings, where numerous individuals had met untimely deaths. He aims to retain his sole remaining sponsor with this plan.
Shawn must not leave the premises under the terms of his sponsorship deal. He must explore the entire house. Otherwise, he forfeits his sponsorship. Throughout the live stream, Shawn periodically engages with his viewers through a chat screen, reacting to their comments. As the live stream starts, Shawn throws his car’s spark plugs in the woods. He locks the door behind him. Then, he drops the key down a grate. While setting up his cameras, he narrates the eerie history of Death Manor. This place is haunted by the ghost of Mildred Pratt. She was a wealthy Mormon heiress and aspiring poet. She tragically ended her own life following her publisher and lover’s sudden demise. Subsequent occupants of the house met mysterious ends, leading to its abandonment. Shawn speculates that these deaths over the years were manifestations of Mildred’s desire to build a family she never had in life.
Shawn tours the house. He introduces each room. One room has no reported paranormal activity. He designates this as the “safe room” where he sets up his equipment. During his exploration, he finds a peculiar symbol hanging in a closet. He removes it. Later, he destroys it in a fit of panic.
Subsequently, Shawn attempts to provoke the spirits through a séance. This leads to strange noises. These noises send him retreating to his room in fear. To his surprise, he finds Chrissy, an enthusiastic fan who has traveled to Death Manor to meet him. Reluctantly, Shawn allows her to stay to please his viewers, although he’s not thrilled to share his spotlight. Together, they continue their investigation of the house. They stumble upon Mildred’s poetry book. Shawn dismisses it as mediocre since “it doesn’t even rhyme.” While they try to communicate with Mildred’s spirit using a spirit board, Chrissy persuades to recite a Latin phrase. This phrase is aimed at laying the ghosts to rest.
Chrissy repeatedly tries to frighten Shawn. He suddenly recalls locking the door to the Manor. This implies that Chrissy must have been waiting there for him. He accuses her of being a stalker and orders her to leave. In a shocking turn of events, she attacks him, biting his neck. In self-defense, Shawn stabs her in the neck, believing he has killed her. However, when he later searches for her body in the grate where he had discarded his key, he finds only a box. Inside the box is a severed finger. There is also a revealing photograph that identifies Chrissy as Mildred Pratt herself.
Astute viewers deduce that the symbol Shawn destroyed earlier was a Hamsa, meant for protection against evil. The Latin phrase he recited was an offering for souls. It was a binding ritual. Mildred had used it to connect herself to the souls of the previous inhabitants. Terrifying encounters with grotesque apparitions of these past occupants drive Shawn to make multiple escape attempts. He finally leaps daringly from a second-floor window.
During his escape, Shawn retrieves the discarded spark plugs but encounters more terrifying specters. After fending off one with a potato gun, his iPad is damaged, cutting him off from his viewers. Resigned to his fate, Shawn seeks refuge in his car, where he discovers a book of Mildred’s poetry. Within its pages, he uncovers the incantation that granted Mildred her satanic powers. He realizes that the repeated phrases by the ghostly voices are found in one of her poems. Putting together the pieces, Shawn realizes that Mildred never sought a family but an audience for her poetry. This newfound revelation inspires him to complete the ritual that will circumvent her power through his viewers, banishing her back to hell.
Arming himself, Shawn returns to the house to confront Mildred. After a fierce battle, he gains the upper hand and recites the incantation, but it doesn’t work. It’s only when he spots Mildred’s severed finger that he remembers the ritual requires a “sacrifice of flesh.” Shawn courageously cuts off one of his fingers, completing the ritual, which results in Mildred being 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 attempts to leave, he finds himself surrounded by Mildred’s remaining ghoul audience, and his live stream abruptly cuts out.
DEADSTREAM is one of those rare movies that is near perfect. It perfectly blends comedy and horror, starting out on the funny end and concluding with sheer terror. The acting is convincing and Joseph Winter, as Shawn, really gets to show his talent, both behind and in front of the camera. The shots are set-up perfectly and you become one of Shawn’s viewers and get sucked into the building tension. Melanie Stone, as Chrissy, is also perfect in her role doing double duty by also playing Mildred. You love her when she first arrives and then become genuinely scared of her. For a first-time film, this couple knows what they are doing.
The special effects are also really well done. The ghostly images are goose-bump inducing and the creature effects are top notch. The Stones really know how to capitalize on a small budget. I found myself laughing out loud often and Shawn’s man-screams are the best! The use of viewer comments is hilarious. It really reflects today’s society. Some viewers call the events fake. Others tell him to die. Some show actual concern. The editing is another highlight. The camera frequently switches between the two Shawn is wearing. You also see images from different rooms. It’s obvious that a lot of work and planning went into setting up these shots. I can not recommend DEADSTREAM enough!
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