Dead Media: A Blast from the Late 1990s

Usually, horror movies appeal to fans’ nostalgia for the good old days of VHS video stores. This one appeals to our fond memories of the archaic format once known as a DVD. Seriously. VHS still has more personality as an object, but at least a DVD is something evil entities can work with, unlike an impersonal and intangible streaming file. In this case, all kinds of horrors were hardcoded onto a notoriously scarce DVD in director-screenwriter Joseph Scrimshaw’s Dead Media, which opens tomorrow in select theaters.

Maggie Sloke and her housemates can’t decide what movie to stream, until she scrolls over to Rita Nast’s notorious film-within-the-film, Night of the Lurchers. It was always her 90’s-loving Uncle Hep’s favorite. Hep is kind of like her Uncle Buck. Even though he is annoying (especially to her housemate and possible romantic interest, Brenda), Hep was there for her when she needed him, so she remains loyal. Naturally, she texts him and just as predictably, he rushes over with the DVD, so they can enjoy the bonus content as well.

In this case, the extras really are something, especially the easter egg Maggie finds. Suddenly, it pulls Sloke, her uncle, and her housemates into the DVD. Each door in the house now leads to either a chapter of the movie or the bonus content. Ominously, they never know what scene they will enter, because the disk is randomizing.

Fortunately, Nast, the director, can sort of explain the “rules” of the situation. She too was swept up into the DVD during the mastering process. Arguably, it was sort of her fault. During the filming, she accidentally summoned the Lurchers, a strange Scandinavian supernatural variation on the Living Dead. She managed to bind them into the DVD, but now they are all stuck inside with them, along with the actors and the characters they play.

With all the door slamming that ensues, Dead Media takes on a screwball farcical tone, which is really quite amusing. This is definitely the best horror homage to physical media since Beyond the Gates. There is gore, but it is relatively light by genre standards. Nevertheless, Scrimshaw always keeps things sufficiently creepy and unpredictable.

Yet, Hep’s relationship with Maggie really elevates and distinguishes the film. Clearly, being an uncle means something to him—it might be the only thing he has left after his late 1990s glory days. Sam Landman is terrific as Uncle Hep, earning a lot of laughs, but in a sad clown kind of way. James Urbaniak is delightfully weird and funny as Dr. Sven Rendall, the film’s Helsing character, and guy Leopold, the actor who plays him.

Likewise, Anna Sundberg is aptly edgy as Nast, who rather witheringly passes judgement on the disappointing 2020s. Plus, Mystery Science Theater 3000 fans will also enjoy seeing Bil Corbett (the second voice of Crow T. Robot) as an extra desperately trying to break out into a featured role. Of course, the weakest links are the Gen Z’ers, who are earnest, but boring and frankly all too bland.

Nevertheless, Scrimshaw maintains high levels of energy and genre awareness. It is rollicking good fun and a sentimental nostalgia trip. Very highly recommended for DVD-collecting horror fans, Dead Media starts screening tomorrow (7/16).