Faces of Death, on Shudder

It miight be the most censored film of all time. Yet, it might also be one of the “banned films” that has been least defended by ostensive civil libertarians. Arthur Spevak helps explain their reticence. The serial killer decides to remake scenes from the notorious fake mondo documentary horror movie in Daniel Goldhaber’s like-titled Faces of Death, which premieres this Friday on Shudder.

Margot Romero was once a reckless online influencer-provocateur until one of her online stunts ended in tragedy. In a soul-killing effort to atone for his sister’s death, Romero works as a content moderator for Kino, a tiktok clone that naturally discourages moderation. At first, she approves videos posted by a mysterious user, assuming they are fake. However, she grows alarmed as the gore appears increasingly realistic.

Of course, her boss dismisses her concern, because Kino and tiktok are evil. Even when she identifies missing persons in the video, the police dismiss her concerns. Noticing deliberate similarities to the original 1978 Faces of Death, Romero starts tracking the poster online. However, her digital sleuthing brings her to the attention of the killer, Spevak, who is indeed remaking Faces of Death.

Arguably, Goldhaber’s new riff-reboot is a lot like Censor and the thematically similar but vastly superior Berberian Sound Studio. It is a horror movie that hates horror movies (which is weird, considering Goldhaber’s Shining-inspired “Red Rum (Colorado)” is such a great “state” within the 50 States of Fright series). Nevertheless, Goldhaber and co-screenwriter Isa Mazzei clearly suggest horror films and rubbernecking online videos have a desensitizing effect, corroding viewers’ empathy and decency. They offer Spevak as a compelling exhibit A.

Whether you agree or not (and tiktok’s amplification of antisemitism is well documented), Goldhaber’s execution is tight and tense. True to horror movie traditions, the characters often display poor survival instincts. Yet, the malevolent vibe is always quite potent.

The fact that both the killer and the potential “final girl,” played by Barbie Ferreira and Dacre Montgomery (from Went Up the Hill) look like average, everyday people heighten the sense of realism. It is easy to understand why they went to extremes to stand out. Pop star Charli XCX has been prominently hyped as a co-star, but fans should be forewarned her character is inconsequential and unsympathetic.

If you know (and love or hate) the original Faces of Death, the recreations (especially the eerily similar narration) will surely resonate deeply. For those that don’t, the film still grabs viewers, pulling them into Goldhaber’s darkly sinister vision. Recommended for horror fans with a critical perspective on the various forms of unsavory media that made it possible, Goldhaber’s Faces of Death starts streaming Friday (6/10) on Shudder.