Fantasia ’15 Review: DEATHGASM

Canadian Premiere

New Zealand

Directed by Jason Lei Howden

Huge film that exploded onto the faces of an expecting and wanting Fantasia Fest audience, Deathgasm, is an obvious labor of love and an homage to an era where dice had twenty faces, records were played backwards, Lemmy wore short-shorts and Ouija was not a cute name for vagina. Loud and proud, Deathgasm is the last supper for all you metal movie maniacs out there. Come hither and rejoice: the prophecy came true and he has returned.

I miss films like this. Loud, proudly visual films about the occult, and the danger/fun of playing with forces one simply cannot understand. Some backstory: written, directed, etc. by Jason Lei Howden, Howden is a VFX professional whose screenplay was selected as part of New Zealand’s MAKE MY MOVIE competition. To everyone’s surprise, his proposal won and got funding to make an effects heavy splatter film about metal heads and devil worship. Go figure! Looks like someone’s prayers to the Dark Son were answered. Of course, parallels can be made to Peter Jackson and his fx heavy debuts, but this is less a tribute than it is a perfection of technique.  It’s as if everyone involved in the film knew they may not get another kick at the can, and said “fuck it, we’re going to load this fucker up with everything we got”.

Deathgasm actually really feels like a release of tension. No time is wasted getting right to it and there’s barely any exposition: lonely metal head is forced to live with his puritanical aunt and uncle. An outcast, he finds solace in an alternative record shop where he meets his partner in crime and form a metal band together. Now, no metal band is complete without a story of how they came across some “dark and mysterious sheet music “that they decide to play on a whim. Big mistake. Once played, the doomy chords opened the doors to a demonic force, Evil Dead style, and it’s up to this band of leather clad misfits (and a misfette) to put a stop to the chaos before their little town is ripped to shreds. And does it ever shred! All of this goes down under the backdrop of a glorious metal soundtrack that will have you head banging the whole way through. A catalyst to going back and listening to your metal albums of past. I have recently written off the METAL genre as old and bloated (horror as well actually) and found myself digging through crates of old metal records out of pure adrenaline fueled inspiration from the contagious enthusiasm of this film. It just squirts with passion. Yes, there are issues with the dialogue and the story could have used some polish. So what? You ever listen to a black metal record? You understand a single thing that is being said? That’s sort of the point. It isn’t about the words man so let it go. Really doesn’t need to be analyzed any further. Like a good fuck, maybe you should just simply enjoy it for what it is, and take your time with that cigarette.

In short, be sure to keep your head up people. Let that Deathgasm dribble down your chin. Energetic, rejuvenating, alive. Everything the metal and horror genres should be, but aren’t at the moment. Kudos guys, for making things a fun spectacle again. Put those horns up and hail Satan!

So long sunshine, I’m out!

-Jo Satana