Ivan Kander

For your Halloween enjoyment, we present the newest film from S/W favorite Chris McInroy, Death Metal. As the title’s double entendre suggests, it’s a film that’s literally about hardcore rock, and also, hardcore gore. We won’t make excuses: this isn’t a deep film…it’s essentially just a sketch. But, f-ck it! Crank your amp up to 11 and rock out to this bloody comedy that is as demented as it is hilarious. As one of our screeners (who will remain anonymous) said upon watching it: “This was super dumb, and I loved every second of it.”

Like he showcased with his previous Short of the Week selection, Bad Guy #2, McInroy’s forte is combining practical gore effects with dark comedy. And, while Bad Guy #2 felt like a more developed high concept premise, Death Metal is equally fun. McInroy has a precise understanding of how editing can make or break a comedy short. Not only does the film move (the pace is breakneck), the timing of the edits themselves become key components to the success of the various punchlines. The result is a perfectly executed power ballad of blood, guts, and gore.

“Practical effects are f-cking fun to shoot!”

Achieving this balance was no easy task. Although the film was shot in December 2015, the movie wasn’t finished until 2016. McInroy and his team took their time editing because they tried (and scrapped) numerous things in the edit. The result is something that’s simple, shareable, and easy programmable by festivals (Death Metal screened at a whopping 110). There’s a lesson for any indie filmmakers reading this: keep it short and simple. Festivals (and online viewers) like that.

Not one to rest on his success, McInroy already has a new short, We Summoned A Demon, that’s starting to play festivals. You can keep up with that film’s progress via its Facebook page. He’s also working on another horror comedy short that will be a part of an anthology called Scare Package (horror is one of the few genres that still consistently appears in anthology form). Beyond that, he’s taking what he’s learned from all his short success and is pushing towards his first feature film: a horror comedy with werewolves. Rock on! Bring on the gore, Chris!