Horror movies, If you’re one of those who find these flicks hard to handle, but will push through watching maybe one a year (usual thanks to Halloween) because your other half insists you have to! Your criteria might sound a bit like this: No more than two jump scares, nothing too gory and nothing that’s going to keep you up all night thinking about it (ghosts). But what if we told you there was a whole other world of scary out there, one that would make your skin crawl and leave you too scared to sleep?
Well then welcome, dear reader, to the world of found footage movies.
Unlike traditional horror movies, found footage flicks are presented as though they are real life events that have been captured on camera. This can be done through security footage, amateur video or even phone cameras. And because they present themselves as reality, they can often be a lot more harrowing than your typical Hollywood offering.
5. Lake Mungo (2008)
This Australian found footage movie tells the story of Alice Palmer, a teenage girl who drowns in a lake. After her death, her family starts to experience strange occurrences in their home and soon realise that Alice is trying to communicate with them from the other side.
Lake Mungo is a slow-burner that relies more on atmosphere than jump scares, but it’s all the more effective for it. The film does an excellent job of building tension and creating an eerie sense of foreboding that will stay with you long after the credits have rolled.
4. The Blair Witch Project (1999)
The Blair Witch Project is one of the most iconic found footage films of all time and helped to popularise the genre in the late ’90s. The movie follows a group of student filmmakers who travel to the Black Hills in Maryland to make a documentary about the local legend of the Blair Witch. Soon after they arrive, however, they start to realise that they are not alone in the woods and that something is stalking them.
Despite its low budget, The Blair Witch Project is a masterfully crafted film that expertly builds tension and leaves you on the edge of your seat throughout. It’s also one of the most influential horror movies of all time, so if you haven’t seen it yet then you owe it to yourself to check it out.
3. Cloverfield (2008)
Cloverfield is a found footage monster movie with a difference. The film follows a group of New Yorkers who are trying to escape the city after a giant creature attacks and starts wreaking havoc.
What sets Cloverfield apart from other monster movies is its use of found footage. The entire film is presented as though it’s being filmed by one of the characters on their hand-held camera, which gives the proceedings an added sense of realism. It also means that you never get a good look at the monster, which only makes it all the more terrifying.
2. Paranormal Activity (2007)
Paranormal Activity is another found footage classic that helped to popularise the genre in the late ’00s. The movie follows a young couple who start to experience strange goings-on in their home and decide to set up a camera to document what’s happening.
What starts as a slow-burner quickly escalates into a full-blown nightmare, as the paranormal activity in the house becomes more and more violent. Paranormal Activity is an expertly crafted film that will have you sleeping with the lights on for weeks afterwards.
1. The Poughkeepsie Tapes (2007)
The Poughkeepsie Tapes is one of the most controversial found footage films of all time. The movie is presented as a collection of VHS tapes that were found by the police during an investigation into a serial killer who was active in the early ’00s.
The Poughkeepsie Tapes is a brutally effective film that’s not for the faint-hearted. It’s packed with graphic violence and sexual content, which makes it one of the most difficult found footage films to watch. However, if you can stomach it then you’ll be rewarded with one of the most harrowing cinematic experiences of your life.
So if you’re up for some Horror movies with a creepy unsettling af feel to them, give those a crack. I certainly won’t be!
