One summer I decided to watch at least one single horror movie every night. One turned to two, two turned to three. And eventually I was watching up to fifteen movies a week for three months, somewhere along those lines I amassed watching more than 200 movies over the last few years.
I am a huge fanatic and critique of these films purely because they are not evaluated enough critically, if anything horror movies are amiss during awards season. Now when I get asked, “why don’t horror movies get critically evaluated or even considered for nominations during awards season?” it’s because the answer is a lot sadder than we assume. Critics who usually determine whether a film is worth an award or not, find that horror films are low brow, their justification: horror films are primarily focused entertainment and do not hold the artistic merit as other genres do.
Horror is art
Unlike the critics, I believe horror holds artistic merit. If anything, the most artistically inclined films I’ve watched have all been horror. Horror is a general genre that I imagine as an umbrella, under that umbrella are subcategories which got created as the genre evolved.
So when did the first horror movie hit the big screen? We can thank film pioneer, George Melleis, who created the supernatural thriller, and what most account as the first horror film “La Manoir Du Diable” roughly translating to; “The Haunted Castle” or “The House of the Devil” in 1896. According to the New York Film Academy it wasn’t originally meant to be translated to a horror film per se, but rather a mind-bending and wonderous film, only to be rediscovered in 1977 as the first film to have supernatural elements within the narrative. From then on films like “Nosferatu” in 1922, “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” and “The Werewolf.” From the 1920’s to now, films like these are making a thrilling come back.
As many genres as there are in horror, I want to primarily focus on one, that has not only recvolutionized the viewing experience, but takes horror to a different and more eery level.
Found footage
Found Footage is a cinematic technique and considered a horror film subgenre in which all or a substantial part of the work is presented as if it were film or video recodrings recorded by characters/people in the story, and later “found” and presented to an audience.
It immerses not only us the viewers, but it feels real and something that can occur to us, which is the eery reality of some of these films. The unique aspect of found footage films is that they can create a story and market it as “based on a true story,” which adds this element of fear that this also can happen to you. Though that may not be the case all the time, it is a despicable aspect to the film that creates this overarching layer of horror that gets the pulses racing.
The first found footage horror film was in the 1980’s “Cannibal Holocaust” directed by Ruggero Deodato, the film is an Italian horror movie about a film crew who disappear in the Amazon rainforest all in the pursuit to film the Indigenous cannibal tribes within the rainforest.
But what really put the category of found footage horror on the map was the astoundingly well-made, “The Blair Witch Project” which is number one on our list today.
Now I would like to preface with the fact that this is a list of 10, meaning that unfortunately all the films I have watched will not make it into this list. There are thousands of films that are just as impressive as this list.
The Blair Witch Project (1999)
“The Blair Witch Project” follows three film students that vanish after traveling into the depths of the Maryland forest to film a documentary on the local legend of Blair Witch, but now all that’s left of them is their footage and what occurs that leads to their demise.
During the time of it’s release there was nothing like it on the market (it was a stale 90’s when it came to horror films), so when it reached the box office it was a general hit. The budget of the film was fairly low, like most found-footage films, which is why it’s such an interesting and niche genre that has inspired filmmakers like me, but now we coat it under the term ARG and post it to TikTok. Though ironically a film like this, as minimum as the budget and acting is, is intricate and detailed, heavily depending on the story and the pacing of the narrative. These elements move the viewer to the edge of their seat only to be lunged back by the sheer terror that these students are experiencing.
IMDb Rating: 6.5/10
As Above, So Below (2014)
“As Above, So Below” follows a team of explorers who take the deep dive into the catacombs that lie below the streets of Paris, where they uncover dark secrets.
The intriguing aspect of this film is how it’s based on the actual Parisian catacombs which were built in the late eighteenth century due to the increasing problem of overcrowded and unsanitary cemeteries. This had become a public health crisis. Therefore, six million bodies have been buried underground and it is renowned for being extremely dangerous to traverse because of the internal collapsing of the tunnels.
IMDb Rating: 6.3/10
Where to Watch: Prime Video
Paranormal Activity (2007)
“Paranormal Activity” is one of those films you cannot avoid when it comes to a masterful display of found-footage. It follows a couple after moving into a suburban home. This couple becomes increasingly haunted by a violent demonic presence.
This series is truly like no other; it considers a very similar concept over and over again, but underlying the multiple families and their narrative is the story of Hunter. The lore itself is deeply intertwined across the films in the series, and I highly recommend fans to read up on this.
IMDb Rating: 6.3/10
Where to Watch: PlutoTV and Paramount+
Creep (2014)
“Creep” follows a young videographer who answers an online advertisement for a one-day job where he was to record a man in a remote town who is dying. Or so it may seem. That’s when the protagonist starts to notice the man’s odd behavior and begins to question his intentions.
“Creep” is one of those films that bring an unsettling feeling to your living room. It is an immensely intense found footage film and it made me personally break out into cold sweats. The two films side by side are haunting and eery.
IMDb Rating: 6.3/10
Where to Watch: Netflix
Hell House LLC (2015)
“Hell House LLC” is one of those unique films where it feels like a mystery that needs solving. It follows the story of an unexplained malfunction that happened five years ago on the opening night of a Halloween haunted house tour. As we delve deep into the occurrences that happened that night we develop a tale unlike no other, filled with cults.
IMDb Rating: 6.4/10
Where to Watch: Prime Video, Pluto TV, and Tubi
Grave Encounters (2011)
“Grave Encounters” follows a ghost hungting reality show where a production crew locks themselves in an abandomed hospital that is allegedley haunted. In the end it may ring true.
IMDb Rating: 6.1/10
Where to Watch: Tubi and Pluto TV
The Fourth Kind (2009)
“The Fourth Kind” follows the unsolved mystery of a town in Alaska with an odd number of disappearances in the past 40 years. Who’s to blame? In the film we learn about the overarching accusations of a federal cover up/involvement.
This is one of those films that does better over time. For example, when I watched it recently I thought it was astonishingly well made for the limited budget.
IMDb Rating: 5.9/10
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime
Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum (2018)
“Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum” follows the crew of a horror web series that travels to abandoned locations. This asylum makes them fight for their lives and friends as they traverse deeper and deeper through the building.
IMDb Rating: 6.5/10
Where to Watch: Prime Video and Tubi
The Taking of Deborah Logan (2014)
“The Taking of Deborah Logan” follows the story of an elderly woman battling Alzheimer’s disease, who agrees to let a filming crew document her detoriating condition. During recording, they discover something far more sinister is afoot.
IMDb Rating: 6.0/10
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime and Tubi
The Tunnel (2011)
“The Tunnel” follows an investigative team and their pursuit to uncover a government secret. A network of abandoned train tunnels deep beneath the heart of Sydney, Australia. As the crew traverses through the winding tunnels they become aware they’re not alone.
IMDb Rating: 5.8/10
Where to Watch: AMC+ through Prime Video
Final thoughts
Found footage horror films are a pillar in the horror community. With mystery and intrigue surrounding these films it’s always an enjoyment to watch. Hopefully the time for found footage horror films makes a comeback with the soon to be released found footage horror film, “Shelby Oaks” which I’m already sat to watch.
