Faces of Death Review: Daniel Goldhaber Reworks Notorious Video Nasty Into Digital-Age Horror
Quick Brief
Daniel Goldhaber has directed a postmodern rethink of John Alan Schwartz’s 1978 notorious video nasty, Faces of Death. The reimagined film follows an online content moderator named Margot, played by Barbie Ferreira, who encounters pristine HD clips of the original movie while vetting disturbing user-generated footage at a tech firm.
What Happened?
Director Daniel Goldhaber, known for 2022's How to Blow Up a Pipeline, has returned with a modern reimagining of John Alan Schwartz's 1978 cult film Faces of Death. The updated narrative centers on Margot, a pill-popping content moderator portrayed by Barbie Ferreira, who works in a faceless tech company headquarters labeling user-generated videos with appropriate warnings. Off-duty, Margot deals with personal trauma and viral footage related to a train-track incident. Her job grows increasingly disturbing when remastered HD clips of the original Faces of Death begin appearing on her queue, which her supervisor, played by Jermaine Fowler, urges her to approve.
Why It Matters
The release reexamines a legendary piece of exploitation cinema for the digital age, shifting the lens toward modern internet culture, the psychological toll of content moderation, and society's ongoing appetite for graphic online imagery.
Key Facts
- John Alan Schwartz directed the original 1978 'video nasty' Faces of Death, which gained notoriety during the home-rental boom.
- Daniel Goldhaber directs the new reimagining, having previously directed 2022's How to Blow Up a Pipeline.
- Barbie Ferreira stars as Margot, an online content moderator dealing with personal trauma.
- Jermaine Fowler plays Margot's supervisor at the tech firm.
- The plot involves Margot encountering pristine HD versions of repurposed Faces of Death clips on her work watchlist.
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