Deadwax (2018) User Reviews

It's got a good beat and you can die to it

[RudeArtAndDesign_Com · 7/10 · 13 January 2019]

Deadwax is not a masterpiece of the genre but, it sure was fun. I saw someone who didn't care much for it compare it to the old "masters of horror episode cigarette burns" (loved that one btw!) Not a bad way to look at the theme, it is in a nutshell just another story about someone paid to go find something that should not be found. However I (and my wife who also really enjoyed it) thought it was more like a twisted version of "High Fidelity" you got your whole obsessive nerd used record thing going on meets "The Ring" with its "you watch it you die" theme. Only here you listen... you die.

If youre maybe a bit older (40+ or a fan of music on vinyl) it's got the whole nostalgia for music that came on big vinyl discs going for it. And two if like me you're like me and more of a fan of the storytelling before the gore (don't worry there's more than a few splashes of blood and body parts across your tv screen) Add a bit if sci-fi with some far out, though based in real science theories, worked into the story, you might like this.

Better yet since the episodes are only like 18-20 mins long watch the first one. Due to its short time Deadwax pretty much hits the ground running, if you're not hooked in the first 10 minutes it's probably not your thing.

Intriguing Concept

[stephenherman · 8/10 · 18 November 2018]

Intriguing Concept. The episodes with short and sweet. Kept me interested to the final episode. Good acting. Good writing. I would totally watch another season of this. Well done to the cast and crew.

Wow. A true treat.

[WisdomsHammer · 8/10 · 17 November 2018]

I just finished this and was mostly blown away. I wanted to give it a 9 but there was one big thing that kept me from doing it, and it's really just a personal pet peeve. (I'll explain in a minute.)

I loved the story, which basically revolves around super rare records that hardly anyone has heard. It's claimed that those who have are either dead or insane. The main character is a woman who, for a fee, hunts down and acquires rare records and wants to find these partly just for the thrill of it, but also because she wants to hear something that rare and hard to obtain.

The story is in bite-sized, 17 minute or so segments, which for some odd reason suited me perfectly, allowing me to watch it in short intervals. I love this idea! It didn't feel like a "show" to me but more like short story segments that were serialized into a whole, and it just kept getting better and better with each episode. This might not be for everyone, and of course you can binge them all in one sitting and spend about the same time you would watching a movie, but I found the length perfect for watching in small breaks between other activities and work.

I LOVED the ending. It doesn't wrap everything all up neatly and yet stil felt fulfilling. Perfection.

The cinematography, score, performances, really just everything about this was stellar.

My biggest problem with this thing is a personal preference /pet peeve thing: The main character starts out as an aloof, disinterested hipster. It was a big turnoff for me. Despite it fitting with the story and being performed very well by the actress, it just made me question whether I wanted to keep watching. Thankfully, the character became much more emotive and relatable for me as the series went on. The first several episodes were my least favorite.

Highly recommended. If Shudder keeps producing things like this, they're going to win viewers, for sure.

You can go down a k hole of internet searches fact checking all the science mentioned in this film.

[kirbie2182 · 7/10 · 27 April 2020]

Much to my surprise & horror, a lot of what's mentioned in the series/film (science wise) Is astonishingly pretty accurate. It led me down a long road of Wiki searches, and I feel smarter for it. I gave it 7 - mainly because the main actress is believable in her role, and to my astonishment, the theories presented in this film/series turn out to be more rooted in reality than that of science fiction. That alone made me appreciate it more than I would had it been too far fetched. It's a pretty smart/well acted low-budget horror/ Syfi flick.

Good Series! Especially if you're an Audiophile!

[collectorofsorts · 7/10 · 8 July 2021]

I found this online recently and enjoyed it. It's cheaply made with gritty edges. Seems a little unfinished with only 8 episodes and unanswered questions. But, it's still highly entertaining. I like the vinyl hunter chick. But there's something a little off about how she plays the character. At times, she does really well. At other times, it's like watching your kid at their Jr High School play. Don't get me wrong. She does a good job and it's a good series. But I'll bet folks would have rated it a point or two higher if casting would have found a better match for the character. So, overall, it's a good series and I would recommend it! But, it could have been a little better.

Listen closely!

[nadiahardman-03552 · 9/10 · 8 April 2021]

I recommend this movie to all of my audiophile friends. The sound design is so good and as a collector myself, I love that someone made a move about a record that can kill you! When you only have a moment in the day for something creepy, these short episodes really hit the spot!

1990s Atmosphere with Lynchian Undertones

[thalassafischer · 6/10 · 16 July 2023]

What intrigued me about Deadwax is that there is something indisputably and accurately mid-to-late 1990s about it which is what they're going for; even though the story takes place in the present (2018) the backstory spans from 1987 to 1997. I also felt some David Lynch vibes with the way the dark characters are presented (particularly Lilly Child) and the audiovisual effects of the forbidden lacquer.

However I may have enjoyed it, the story didn't make much sense unless it's supposed to be a cautionary tale about obsessing over collecting or art until you fall down a rabbit hole you can't ever emerge from.

Solid effort in terms of style but a little flawed in substance, at least from my perspective. I can see there's a definite appeal to a certain kind of person, I'm just not that person I guess. YMMV.

Why have more people not seen this?

[jon_anderson77 · 8/10 · 24 February 2021]

Simply put its a brilliant piece of bizarre horror that appealed to the both the collector in me as well as the horror fan. It has a great moody soundtrack too. Under rated gem IMO

There needs to be more of this Shudder but I have a feeling it sadly hasnt reached an audience

Worth a watch but leaves a lot to be desired

[gokhann · 6/10 · 16 January 2024]

Deadwax is pretty original and overall flows pretty well. The acting is good and the story is captivating. It's more mystery and thriller than horror.

In my opinion, where it falls short is that it leaves a lot to be desired. It feels rushed. Halfway through I already knew it was going to leave a lot of the stuff very open-ended. While I don't automatically hate the approach of leaving some elements vague and open-ended in a story, I felt Deadwax had too many of these elements.

The soundtracks of the series and the dark atmosphere sprinkled with psychedelic visual effects leave a good taste. I just wish they had extended the series at least by half to close some of the open-ended elements which would have more than likely provided a more fulfilling ending.

Overall though, I recommend it. I'm stuck between a 6 and a 7 so rounding up from 6.5.

Creative Swipe?

[timgrimm · 4/10 · 21 November 2018]

I was hesitant to watch Deadwax due to the plot similarities with John Carpenter's Cigarette Burns episode from Masters of Horror. Both are titled after obscure terms related to media (vinyl records and film, respectively), both feature a private investigator hunting down a little heard or viewed item for private collectors, and both objects of the search have... unhappy effects when "enjoyed." Ultimately, I felt these preconceptions justified and, whereas 2005's Cigarette Burns was Carpenter's best work in decades, Deadwax was a tad below just okay. Because the object of interest was a vinyl record, it would've been cool if they had at least asked Carpenter to create the eerie soundtrack, and credited him for the seeming inspiration.

A treat!

[ryanvanderveer-32092 · 8/10 · 18 April 2021]

I didn't expect much, but I love the short form delivery and audio centric storyline! When I need a quick horror fix I watch DeadWax.

Don't Believe The Shills. This Is Stupid!

[manolokonosko · 2/10 · 19 February 2022]

This is a miniseries over 8 episodes lasting about 11 minutes each. It starts off promising, but the plot has more holes than Swiss cheese. You'll get hooked on the mystery but soon you'll discover the storyline is really stupid despite the good acting. Frankly, not even a spoof film like the "Austin Powers" series is as silly as this one is. Do yourself a favor and after watching episode one, go to 7 and 8. Episodes 2-6 are filler. The ending is as hollow as the plot and the characters, none of whom you will care for.

So worth it.

[petera00 · 9/10 · 15 November 2018]

In a day where we are inundated with elevated (boring melodramas) and social horror... This is fresh. Every episode is different but the hunt for the perfect vinyl that kills - what a wicked concept! I only hope more people watch this and love it as much as I did!

GOOD STUFF!!

[wendywells62 · 10/10 · 14 July 2019]

Well I was totally entertained!!! Great stories and acting!

Falls short

[tanerb · 5/10 · 12 February 2022]

It started well but unfortunately fell short as probably writer did not have a good idea on how to finish it. Alot of unanswered questions buried under pseudo science and supposedly left to viewer's imagination

Main actress does a good job even though the supporting cast around her fails to deliver.

Unique, very interesting and just so GOOD.

[carolinax-12345 · 10/10 · 28 July 2022]

This show is very good, especially considering it's more or less low budget, it's just very interesting and i found myself wanting to see more and watched trough it in one sitting. That being said, each episode is very short and so it's also not a big commitment and won't take too much of your time. All actors did a great job, the sound design and music was fantastic, the cinematography was also good and effects were used well.

It was nice to see Ted Raimi here, he played his role perfectly. I give it a 10 from my honest opinion and fully considering the budget limitations and this being an unpopular show. It might not be for everyone but i loved it.

Excellent Horror/Thriller

[ladymidath · 10/10 · 26 December 2022]

Deadwax is absolutely brilliant. It's a horror and a mystery as well, two genres I love. Nothing here is wrapped up in a neat little bow and there are still some things are left unanswered, but it doesn't feel unfinished. This is very much along the lines of Cigarette Burns from Masters Of Horror. If you love offbeat horror with some great special effects, good acting and music and a great story, this one is definitely worth watching. The episodes are not that long either, about 17 minutes long I think. It's easy to binge if that is what you enjoy. This really is an excellent and entertaining series,

Nice surprise

[peter_jacoby · 9/10 · 17 April 2021]

An unexpected surprise. If you love horror and music... this is your thing! Low budget, but well crafted.