Deathgasm

{{Infobox film

| name = Deathgasm

| image = Deathgasm-poster.jpg

| alt =

| caption =

| director = Jason Lei Howden

| producer = {{Plainlist|

Sarah Howden
Andrew Beattie
Morgan Leigh Stewart

}}

| writer = Jason Lei Howden

| starring = {{Plainlist|

Milo Cawthorne
James Blake
Kimberley Crossman
Sam Berkley
Daniel Cresswell

}}

| music = {{Plainlist|

Chris van de Geer
Joost Langeveld

}}

| cinematography = Simon Raby

| editing = Jeff Hurrell

| production_companies = {{Plainlist|

}}

| distributor = Dark Sky Films

| released = {{Film date|df=y|2015|03|15|SXSW|2015|10|02|United States}}{{cite web|url=http://loudwire.com/horror-metal-film-deathgasm-2015-south-by-southwest-film-festival/|title=Horror-Metal Film 'Deathgasm' Heading to 2015 South By Southwest Film Festival|last=Childers|first=Chad|work=Loudwire|date=2015-03-10|access-date=2015-03-29|archive-date=2 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402180629/http://loudwire.com/horror-metal-film-deathgasm-2015-south-by-southwest-film-festival/|url-status=live}}

| runtime = 86 minutes{{cite web | url=https://bbfc.co.uk/releases/deathgasm-film | title=DEATHGASM (15) | work=British Board of Film Classification | date=25 September 2015 | access-date=1 October 2015 | archive-date=3 October 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151003155557/http://www.bbfc.co.uk/releases/deathgasm-film | url-status=dead }}

| country = New Zealand

| language = English

| budget =

| gross =

}}

Deathgasm is a 2015 New Zealand comedy horror film written and directed by Jason Lei Howden in his feature directorial debut. The film follows the title teenage heavy metal band who acquire an ancient piece of sheet music and unwittingly summon an evil entity known as "The Blind One".

Deathgasm premiered at South by Southwest on 14 March 2015, and was theatrically released in the United States on 2 October 2015 to positive reviews from critics.

Plot

After experiencing the death of his father and the institutionalization of his mother, teenager Brodie is forced to live with his Uncle Albert in Greypoint. However, Brodie's love for metal music clashes with Uncle Albert's strict Christian beliefs. To make matters worse, he faces constant bullying at school, particularly from his cousin David. Brodie's only solace comes from his geeky friends Dion and Giles.

Everything changes when Brodie meets another metal enthusiast named Zakk, and the two form a band called Deathgasm. They are later joined by Dion and Giles, and together they embark on a musical journey. One day, Zakk convinces Brodie to explore an abandoned house in search of a legendary metal musician named Rikki Daggers. They stumble upon Daggers, who hands them a mysterious album before being killed by a man named Vadin.

It turns out that Vadin is a member of a cult seeking the Black Hymn, an ancient piece of sheet music capable of summoning demons. When Brodie discovers the Black Hymn hidden inside the album, Deathgasm decides to play it. The song causes strange occurrences, including Uncle Albert's terrifying reaction. Brodie realises something is amiss and stops playing.

Meanwhile, Brodie's romantic life takes an unexpected turn when the beautiful Medina shows interest in him. They go on a date, but Brodie's shyness prevents him from making a move. However, tensions arise when Zakk intercepts a note from Medina to Brodie and lies about his disinterest in her, culminating in a kiss between Zakk and Medina.

As Brodie delves deeper into the Black Hymn's meaning, he discovers its connection to dark forces and the possession of the town's residents by Aeloth, a powerful demon. Seeking answers, Brodie and Zakk consult a fortune teller named Abigail, who reveals the demonic presence and the impending merging of Aeloth with the most evil human in town by 3 AM.

With the help of Dion, Giles, and Medina, Brodie and Zakk attempt to undo the summoning by playing the Black Hymn in reverse. Their journey leads them to face the cult members and their leader, Aeon, who is eventually killed by his acolyte Shanna. Despite setbacks, the group manages to acquire the sheet music and heads to Daggers' house to perform the song with his amplifiers.

However, the cult captures Deathgasm, and Shanna tears apart the sheets. Zakk, remorseful for his betrayal, saves his bandmates, and together they disrupt the cult's ritual. Brodie attempts to play the reversed Black Hymn, but the demons kill Dion and Giles, leaving him unable to finish in time. Aeloth possesses Shanna's body but is quickly dispatched by Zakk.

Realizing that completing the hymn is impossible, Brodie resorts to playing intense heavy metal music instead. This causes Aeloth to temporarily retreat from Zakk's body. Zakk urges Brodie to kill him to prevent Aeloth's resurrection, sacrificing himself to save his friends and the town.

Months later, Brodie and Medina are happily together, bonded by their love for death metal. Zakk's spirit returns through one of Brodie's records, and they engage in a conversation about the afterlife.

Cast

{{castlist|

Milo Cawthorne as Brodie
James Blake as Zakk
Kimberley Crossman as Medina
Sam Berkley as Dion
Daniel Cresswell as Giles
Delaney Tabron as Shanna
Stephen Ure as Rikki Daggers
Tim Foley as Vadin
Kate Elliott as Abigail
Nick Hoskins-Smith as David
Colin Moy as Uncle Albert
Jodie Rimmer as Aunt Mary
Erroll Shand as Byron
Andrew Laing as Aeon
Aaron McGregor as Terry
Cameron Rhodes as Mr. Cappenhurst
Campbell Rousselle as Ron
Paula Hallagher as Brodie's Mum

}}

Production

Howden took inspiration from his teenage years, in which he was a social outcast and fan of heavy metal music.{{cite news|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=11205655|title=Horror movie winner promises 'demons and chainsaws'|author=|work=New Zealand Herald|date=2014-02-20|access-date=2015-03-29}} The film won the 2013 Make My Horror Movie contest and received a NZ$200,000 prize to go toward production, which took place in mid-2014. Executive producer Ant Timpson cited Howden's "sheer enthusiasm and utter commitment" as to why it won.{{cite news|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=11201570|title='Deathgasm' wins Make My Horror Movie|author=|work=New Zealand Herald|date=2014-02-14|access-date=2015-03-29|archive-date=2 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402185453/http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=11201570|url-status=live}}

Reception

Rotten Tomatoes reports that 88% of 33 critics gave the film a positive notice; the average rating is 7.00/10. The site's consensus states: "Deathgasm plumbs the blood-spattered depths of grindhouse gore with enough giddy glee to satisfy genre enthusiasts looking for a thrill."{{cite web | url=https://rottentomatoes.com/m/deathgasm/ | title=Deathgasm (2015) | work=Rotten Tomatoes | publisher=Flixster | access-date=24 April 2023}} On Metacritic, the film has a 65 out of 100 rating, based on 10 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".{{cite web | url=https://metacritic.com/movie/deathgasm | title=Deathgasm reviews | work=Metacritic | publisher=CBS Interactive | access-date=29 December 2015 | archive-date=28 November 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151128003157/http://www.metacritic.com/movie/deathgasm | url-status=live }}

Dennis Harvey of Variety wrote that the script does not live up the vivid splatter effects, but the film's "consistent if undiscriminating high energy engenders a certain persuasive goodwill".{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2015/film/reviews/sxsw-film-review-deathgasm-1201457729/|title=SXSW Film Review: 'Deathgasm'|last=Harvey|first=Dennis|work=Variety|date=2015-03-23|access-date=2015-03-29|archive-date=12 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171212111201/http://variety.com/2015/film/reviews/sxsw-film-review-deathgasm-1201457729/|url-status=live}} Richard Whittaker of The Austin Chronicle wrote, "Shamelessly low-brow, reaching a beer-fueled gleeful high with a zombie-vs.-sex toys battle, it's a very metal tribute to the grand tradition of Kiwi splatter comedies."{{cite web|url=http://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/sxsw/2015-03-15/sxsw-film-review-deathgasm/|title=SXSW Film Review: Deathgasm|last=Whittaker|first=Richard|work=The Austin Chronicle|date=2015-03-15|access-date=2015-03-29|archive-date=30 March 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150330161759/http://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/sxsw/2015-03-15/sxsw-film-review-deathgasm/|url-status=live}}

At Bloody Disgusting, Brad Miska and Patrick Cooper reviewed the film, and both rated it four out of five stars. Miska called it "the most metal horror film ever",{{cite web|url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/indie/3335488/sxsw-15-review-deathgasm-delivers-gory-promise/|title=[SXSW '15 Review] 'Deathgasm' Delivers On Its Gory Promise!|last=Miska|first=Brad|work=Bloody Disgusting|date=2015-03-17|access-date=2015-03-29|archive-date=17 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191117235618/https://bloody-disgusting.com/indie/3335488/sxsw-15-review-deathgasm-delivers-gory-promise/|url-status=live}} and Cooper said that it was "the movie the SXSW Midnighters category was created for".{{cite web|url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/reviews/3336010/sxsw-15-review-deathgasm/|title=[SXSW '15 Review] 'Deathgasm' Is the Party Movie of 2015|last=Cooper|first=Patrick|work=Bloody Disgusting|date=2015-03-15|access-date=2015-03-29|archive-date=13 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191113060919/https://bloody-disgusting.com/reviews/3336010/sxsw-15-review-deathgasm/|url-status=live}} Drew Tinnin of Dread Central rated it 4/5 stars and wrote, "Deathgasm knows exactly what it is and where its heart is, giving genre fans a welcome return to heavy metal in horror without cutting back on any of the splatstick that New Zealand has become known for, for better or worse."{{cite web|url=https://dreadcentral.com/reviews/93377/deathgasm-2015/|title=Deathgasm (2015)|last=Tinnin|first=Drew|work=Dread Central|date=2015-03-15|access-date=2015-03-29|archive-date=13 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191113004524/https://www.dreadcentral.com/reviews/93377/deathgasm-2015/|url-status=live}} Zach Gayne of Twitch Film wrote, "[T]he voice that shines through the hysterical dialogue and playfully comic editing, is so teenage, so punk, it makes a beat-to-death genre feel refreshing."{{cite web|url=http://twitchfilm.com/2015/03/sxsw-2015-review-deathgasm-rocks.html|title=SXSW 2015 Review: DEATHGASM Rocks!|last=Gayne|first=Zach|work=Twitch Film|date=2015-03-24|access-date=2015-03-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150328002904/http://twitchfilm.com/2015/03/sxsw-2015-review-deathgasm-rocks.html|archive-date=28 March 2015|url-status=dead}} Heather Wixson of Daily Dead rated it 5/5 stars and called it a "ridiculously fun and bombastic celebration of horror and heavy metal".{{cite web|url=https://dailydead.com/sxsw-2015-review-deathgasm/|title=SXSW 2015 Review: Deathgasm|last=Wixson|first=Heather|work=Daily Dead|date=2015-03-15|access-date=2015-03-29}}
In early 2016,

Walmart refused to sell Deathgasm in its current form. Walmart renamed the film to a more 'acceptable' title, Heavy Metal Apocalypse.{{Cite web|url=https://dreadcentral.com/news/145197/war-on-deathgasm-walmart-launches-a-heavy-metal-apocalypse/|title=War on Deathgasm! Walmart Launches a Heavy Metal Apocalypse!|date=4 January 2016}}

Accolades

Nominated for a Fangoria Chainsaw Award, Best Makeup FX/Creature Design

; Toronto After Dark Film Festival{{cite web|url=http://torontoafterdark.com/2015/awards/|title=AWARD WINNERS Announced for Toronto After Dark 2015! DEATHGASM, LOVE & PEACE, XMAS HORROR Win Big!|work=Toronto After Dark Film Festival|access-date=2015-11-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151124161300/http://torontoafterdark.com/2015/awards/|archive-date=24 November 2015|url-status=dead}}

Best Feature Film – Anchor Bay Entertainment Audience Choice Award Winner: Gold
Best Special Effects
Best Music
Best Title Sequence
Best Trailer
Best Film To Watch With A Crowd
Best Kill (Death by Sex Toy)
Best Gore
Best Screening Q&A

; Knoxville Horror Film Festival{{cite web|url=http://knoxvillehorrorfest.com/index.html |title=KHFF News |work=Knoxville Horror Filmfest |access-date=2015-11-23 |url-status=usurped |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151124111543/http://knoxvillehorrorfest.com/index.html |archivedate=24 November 2015 |df=dmy }}

Palm D'Gore
Best Director: Jason Lei Howden

; Total Film Frightfest{{cite web|url=https://gamesradar.com/total-film-frightfest-2015-awards/|title=The Total Film FrightFest 2015 Awards|last=Graham|first=Jamie|work=Total Film|date=2015-09-01|access-date=2015-11-23|archive-date=13 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191113003025/https://www.gamesradar.com/total-film-frightfest-2015-awards/|url-status=live}}

Best Gore for Dildos & chainsaws

; Festival de cine de Terror de Molins de Rei{{cite web|url=http://www.molinsfilmfestival.com/en/2015/11/15/ganadores-seccion-oficial-largometrajes-2015/|title=Winners Official Selection Films 2015|work=Molins Film Festival|access-date=2015-11-23|archive-date=24 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151124163241/http://www.molinsfilmfestival.com/en/2015/11/15/ganadores-seccion-oficial-largometrajes-2015/|url-status=dead}}

Best Feature Film
Best Actor: Milo Cawthorne

; Razor Reel Flanders Film Festival{{cite web|url=http://rrfff.be/2015/11/11/and-the-winners-are/|title=And the winners are…|work=Razor Reel Flanders Film Festival|date=11 November 2015|access-date=2015-11-23|language=Dutch|archive-date=25 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151125024845/http://rrfff.be/2015/11/11/and-the-winners-are/|url-status=live}}

Audience Award

; HARD LINE Film Festival, Germany{{cite web|url=http://www.hardline-festival.de/publikumsliebling/|title=Publikumsliebling|work=HARD:LINE International Film Festival|access-date=2016-02-19|language=German|archive-date=19 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160219130146/http://www.hardline-festival.de/publikumsliebling/|url-status=dead}}

Audience Award

; L'Absurde Séance Film Festival

Audience Award

; Arizona Underground Film Festival{{cite web|url=http://azuff.org/archives/6121|title=2015 Award Winners|work=Arizona Underground Film Festival|access-date=2015-11-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151124123109/http://azuff.org/archives/6121|archive-date=24 November 2015|url-status=dead}}

Audience Award

Sequel

A sequel, titled Deathgasm Part 2: Goremageddon, was revealed on 16 December 2015 to be in production.{{cite web | url=http://movieweb.com/deathgasm-2-goremageddon-script/ | title='Deathgasm 2' Will Unleash 'Goremageddon' | work=MovieWeb | date=16 December 2015 | access-date=29 December 2015}} On the topic of Goremaggedon, Jason Lei Howden said that "There is literally more gore in the first 10 minutes than the entire first Deathgasm. If you kinda liked the first, this will make your head implode. If you thought the first Deathgasm was puerile, juvenile and dumb, then Goremageddon will melt your face off and force you to barricade yourself inside, safe with some Terrence Malick and Coldplay." On January 31, 2021, Howden tweeted that the film was rejected by the New Zealand Film Commission board so the production would not go ahead.{{cite web |title=Writer/Director Says DEATHGASM Sequel Canceled for Being "Too Comercial" (sic)| url=https://www.dreadcentral.com/news/371570/writer-director-says-deathgasm-sequel-canceled-for-being-too-comercial/|work=Dread Central|date=1 February 2021|access-date=25 July 2021}}

In September 2023, a Kickstarter campaign to create Deathgasm 2 - Goremageddon was launched.{{cite web|last=Dick|first=Jeremy|url=https://www.cbr.com/deathgasm-2-kickstarter-announcement/|title=Deathgasm II: Goremageddon in the Works With Crowdfunding Campaign|publisher=Comic Book Resources|date=September 10, 2023|access-date=September 26, 2023|archive-date=26 September 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230926180419/https://www.cbr.com/deathgasm-2-kickstarter-announcement/|url-status=live}} The campaign ended in October 2023 and surpassed its $300,000 goal and earned $325,554.