I’ll finally admit something that I’ve been keeping to myself for a while: I love found footage films. I wouldn’t even call them a guilty pleasure; they’re just a damn pleasure to me. Like many, my introduction to the genre was Paranormal Activity. While I was watching this incredibly shaky film in a dark room with a family who was entirely too antsy, I realized that this wasn’t that bad. My interest piqued, I looked up The Blair Witch Project, and from there my journey began. I know there has been a lot of hate for found footage films, and a lot of that hate is justified. The Gallows was a huge flop when it was released (and with good reason) and a lot of people are weary about M. Night Shyamalan’s The Visit—his first shot at the genre. However, despite popular opinion, there are actually decent found footage films out there.
It may seem strange to start off the list with a found footage film that’s not really a horror flick, but I couldn’t resist putting Chronicle on my list. When three friends develop super powers, they have the time of their lives with their telekinesis. What starts off as juvenile pranks and exhilarating flights begins to take a darker turn when one of them begins to use the destructive side of his powers to lash out against bullying and an abusive household. How do you deal with a mad superhuman, especially when you are his only friend? It may not have the traditional jump scares, but there’s enough suspense and “what the fuck” moments to make me cheer and also fear for them.
Horror films’ most common trait is the supernatural. Whenever there is a bad situation, the explanation is usually something demonic and ghoulish. Home Movie does just the opposite of that. Twins Emily and Jack Poe aren’t the most evil 10 year olds in existence because they’re possessed (though their pastor father thinks otherwise). They’re evil because they were born that way. That makes any chance of breeding very slim.
If you want ghoulish imagery that will visually scar you for a while, then I think Grave Encounters will be a perfect fit for you. Set in an abandoned psychiatric hospital, a reality film crew tries to seek out life after death. Their footage was found 7 years later, but they weren’t. It comes off as less “realistic” than other found footage movies involving groups of people being terrorized by supernatural forces, giving it a terrifying quality where all bets are off. The movie isn’t afraid to travel to strange and unreal places to deliver the spooks.
Advertisement
If you want a film that is creepy but also tears your heartstrings apart, then I heavily recommend Lake Mungo. Set in a mockumentary style, the film focuses on the family of Alice Palmer, a 16 year old who drowned at the titular Lake Mungo during their vacation. Even though it felt like one of those lame Discovery Channel specials, it still had me on edge and also oddly emotional at the same time. This is the only horror film that had me tearing up more than actually being scared. The overall theme is more family oriented, and while there are scary factors associated with it, you’ll want to hug your mom once the credits start rolling
Called Noroi in Japan, The Curse is also set in a mockumentary style. It’s presented as footage from Masafumi Kobayashi (Jin Muraki), a journalist and paranormal investigator, who went missing while trying to uncover the mysteries of the demon Kagutaba. What I loved about this film was the eerie atmosphere and mood. With its haunting images, I couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable while watching it. If you are looking for any jump scares, this film is not for you. The Curse focuses primarily on developing the story and characters, letting the subtle ambiance do its insidious work.
Advertisement
Everyone knows about this film, and if you say you don’t, I call bullshit. The Blair Witch Project brought the the found footage genre into the mainstream and was a surprising hit at the box office despite having a minuscule budget and a cast full of unknowns. When three students disappear after travelling into the woods to film a documentary about the Blair Witch legend, their footage is found and “released to the public.” The Blair Witch Project is a legend of its own. It demands an engaged audience, since viewers only know what the characters know. To some that may be frustrating, but to others, it’s terrifying. My favorite scene will be always be the last one for that reason—it ends with only the audience to figure out what the hell happened.
Advertisement
8. Afflicted (2013)
I’m sure we’re all way past the vampire phase by now. Kristen Stewart, Vampire Diaries, and Anna Paquin have made sure that the genre will never be taken seriously again. When someone recommended a found footage film about vampires to me, I couldn’t help but roll my eyes a bit. However, I assure you, that this film is actually both fresh and entertaining. A brand new take on the transformation genre, we witness the character transform as he does, with his terror and confusion mirroring ours. It’s fun, but I’m disappointed that the vampire sparkles are only a myth.
At first, I didn’t think I was going to like this movie. It’s so damn slow in the beginning that it took me a couple tries just to get through the first five minutes. However, once it actually gets to the action, it’s pretty awesome. The wraparound story is about a gang of crooks who are hired to steal a rare VHS tape from a house. However, much to their dismay, the house is full of tapes, and they have to go through them to see which is the one they need to take. The tapes they watch are full of horrific and just plain bizarre situations. The film consists of five different horror shorts by five different directors, each bringing a different kind of style and story to the table. If you don’t feel like sticking around for the whole film, just watch the first short. It’s considered the best one.
In 2008, I saw Quarantine, and found it to be a very bland zombie survival film. At the time, I didn’t know that it was actually based off of a Spanish film released the year before (though honestly, I’m not surprised). The plot is a retread, but some subtle differences make [REC] a far more terrifying experience. If Quarantine is basically a redo of [REC], why not go for the one that’s actually good and scary? [REC] tells the story of a young reporter and her crew covering the night shift at a local fire station. While accompanying the crew on a seemingly routine emergency call, they find something terrible lurking in the halls of the apartment complex. [REC] sparked the small trend of found footage zombie films, but honestly, this is one of the few that’s worth the time.
So many horror films spoon feed their audience every single piece of information and never leave anything up for interpretation. The Tunnel is a great example of doing the exact opposite. The film only provides tiny scraps for us to go on. Natasha (Bel Deliá) and her film crew delve into Australia’s underground tunnels to investigate the reason why the government shut down a seemingly crucial water project. When they are in the tunnels, it’s up to us to piece together what’s terrorizing them. It’s a fun ride all the way through.
Is it weird that I have a sequel higher than the original? Even though VHS was good, I fell in love with V/H/S 2’s stories. Styled almost exactly like the first, V/H/S 2 features five new horror shorts. It varies from having the POV of a zombie to getting an insider’s peek at a death cult. It was a lot faster in terms of pace and just a lot more creative in general. I wanted to say that the future looked bright for this fun franchise, but after seeing V/H/S: Viral, that notion has quickly gone out the window.
Even if you haven’t seen this movie, I know that you have at least heard about it. Mistaken for a snuff film, Director Ruggero Deodato was arrested for indecency and murder until the actors in the film swore that it was really just a movie. However, only the humans were spared—the animals were actually killed on screen. I believe that this film was only made for shock purposes, and not really to provide an engrossing story. However, if you’re looking for the perfect first date movie, look no further.
Using mainly found footage, this film tells the story of graduate students making a thesis project on Alzheimer’s Disease. Following the degenerating condition of Deborah Logan, a woman stricken with the illness, her extremely erratic behavior starts to point to something a lot more sinister. Even though it was a possession film, exorcism didn’t play a huge part in the plot. It was all about watching the disintegration of this poor woman.
This film was supposed to have a wide release (it had a poster and even a trailer out), but it got mysteriously pulled and didn’t even get a DVD release. Because of the difficulty in trying to find this film, it developed something of a cult following. Made as a mockumentary with “found footage”, The Poughkeepsie Tapes showcases the gruesome crimes of the Waterstreet Butcher—a serial killer infamous for the ways that he would torture his victims. Some of the footage shown and described is not for the weak of heart, and will stick with you long after this film is over. It’s been a couple of days since I last watched it, and I’m still getting chills up my spine thinking about it.
Advertisement