Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls is a 2023 Horror Comedy film. The movie was written, directed, produced, and edited by Andrew Bowser, who took heavy inspiration from 80s horror comedies like Fright Night (1985) and Gremlins. It was funded partially through crowdfunding, which was spearheaded by Bowser himself on his YouTube channel. In addition to Bowser (who plays the titular character), the film stars Jeffrey Combs, Olivia Taylor Dudley (who also co-produced), Arden Myrin, Rivkah Reyes, Terrence Carson, and Melanie Chandra.
Amateur Satanist Marcus Trillbury (a.k.a. "Onyx the Fortuitous") is a loser. He lives with his mother (who, along with his stepdad, constantly belittles him), he can't get any respect at his crummy fast food job, and his love life is non-existent. Onyx's luck seemingly changes for the better, however, when he wins an internet contest to visit the home of his idol, famed occultist Bartok the Great (Combs). Once at Bartok's mansion, Marcus is joined by four other winners: Goth tattoo artist Jessminder (Chandra), cheerfully manic housewife Shelley (Myrin), linguist Mr. Duke (Carson), and kindly non-binary witch Mack (Reyes). As Bartok and his assistant, Farrah, lead the group in a series of rituals meant to "better them," it becomes clear that Bartok has more sinister plans in mind for his guests. Soon, people begin to disappear as demonic forces are unleashed upon the group. Can Onyx defeat Bartok and save his new friends from evil? Or is he doomed to always be a loser?
The film premiered January 23, 2023 at Sundance Film Festival, and saw theatrical release on October 19, 2023. It is currently streaming on Screambox (via Amazon Prime Video).
Tropes:
- Adapted Out: While a few of the supporting characters from Bowser's Onyx-related YouTube videos appear in the film, such as Onyx's mother Nancy, his stepfather Todd, and his boss Masha, most of the other supporting characters — including Onyx's best friend, Jessamyn (who appears in most episodes of Welcome To The Shadow Zone, as well as Bowser's mini-fig ads), Jonathan Widmeyer, Debbie Garrett, and Onyx's band, Demon Preacher, don't even receive a mention.
- Bland-Name Product: Onyx works at Marty's Meat Hut, a clear stand-in for Arby's.
- The Cameo: Barbara Crampton appears as Onyx's nagging mother, Nancy.
- Character Catchphrase: Onyx often follows up statements with a mumbled, "Idunno" — a character trait that originated in Bowser's YouTube shorts.
- Demonic Possession: Happens to nearly every main character at some point.
- Eyepatch of Power: Bartok wears an eye patch over his left eye.
- Hollywood Satanism: Played straight with Onyx, Jessminder, Bartok, and Farrah. Averted with Shelly, Mr. Duke, and Mac.
- Homage: In one scene, Onyx stars in a re-creation of Meat Loaf's "I Would Do Anything For Love".
- Hot Witch: Jessminder, who dresses in skimpy black BDSM-esque vinyl attire.
- Practical Effects: The vast majority of the film's special effects are practical, and were designed in-house by Kreature Kid Inc.
- Ragtag Band of Misfits: The contest winners at the center of the story:
- Marcus/Onyx, a Basement-Dweller who turned to the occult to help him become more confident and popular. He fills the role of The Virgin in the ritual.
- Jessminder, an intense tattoo artist who is obsessed with Bartok because she believes they were married in a past life. She fills the role of The Queen in the ritual.
- Shelly, a housewife who turned to Satanism after suffering a personal tragedy (and uses an overly cheerful demeanor to mask her pain). She represents The Viking in the ritual.
- Mr. Duke, a linguist and philosopher who is drawn to the occult by his interest in ancient texts. He represents The Werewolf in the ritual.
- Mac, a kind non-binary occultist. They fulfill the role of The Witch in the ritual.
- Summoning Ritual: The crux of Bartok inviting five followers to his mansion: he wants them to help carry out a ritual to summon the power of the demon Abaddon.
- Suspiciously Similar Substitute: Jessminder is similar in many ways to Jessemyn, Onyx's (only) friend from "Welcome To The Shadow Zone". Aside from the similarity in their names, Jessminder is, like Jessemyn, a Goth female friend of Onyx who dresses in black and is a practicing occultist.
