Found footage films

[RJ Bland]

There seems to be a lot of hatred for found footage movies recently.
What's your take on the sub-genre?

[hammerfan]

There seems to be a lot of hatred for found footage movies recently.
What's your take on the sub-genre?

No hatred, just sick of them. It's been done to death. Time to move on.

[MichaelMyers]

There seems to be a lot of hatred for found footage movies recently.
What's your take on the sub-genre?

One word: "Bland."

[JordyVerrill]

I thoroughly enjoy them, but I do agree that it's been done to death and it's time to move on, at least for awhile.

[Ferox13]

Of the newer ones I though V/H/S wasn't bad and The Troll Hunter was excellent.

And of course there have been some classics over the years such as Cannibal Holocaust + Man Bites Dog (and 2 a lesser degree AU). Home Movie was pretty decent too.

[RJ Bland]

On the plus side, it is a blessing to low budget and indie film makers ;)

[Straker]

On the plus side, it is a blessing to low budget and indie film makers ;)

That's pretty much where I have a problem with found footage films.... When it's done to facilitate the story or it's done well I still really enjoy found footage films. When it's a shitty production and it's just been thrown in their to save money its fuckin' annoying. I can live without bad actors running away from something while a camera bounces up and down.

[Bob Gray]

Yeah, we're getting overran with them, some I've enjoyed and some I haven't, but for now I could do without any more for awhile. If they are done well like BWP or V/H/S then fine but I didn't enjoy Trollhunter at all and I getting real sick of the Paranormal Activity films, they are becoming the new Saw, they've done two too many.

[Gh0st]

Should of left it with 'The Blair Witch Project'.

[MichaelMyers]

Should of left it with 'The Blair Witch Project'.

Welcome back to horror.com.

[braindamagefilms]

I think they are good when the are sparse. Like stated above several times, we have too many of them, which doesn't make any particular one any special at all.

When Cloverfield did it, it was a breath of fresh air since no one was really attempting to make a big monster movie from that angle. It made money, and now EVERYONE does it and NONE do anything special with it. Its just another movie with a budget cut. Some have done it well, but I think if you are going to use this sub-genre you should do something special with it and make the decision late, not right away "lets make a handheld movie."

I think Paranormal Activity is rather fun to watch, and its kinda pushed the handheld camera idea into a "lets use several found footage cameras" idea.

[ManicOne]

Personally don't mind, as long as the genre isn't dragging development away from other titles, which I don't think it is. Would also take a PA series over a degenerating Saw series any day.

Of the recent titles, V/H/S was more than good IMO. In fact there are quite a few that I must admit I like. It is a "genre" that almost always mates to horror, thus encouraging more people to get involved in something we all like. Can understand other people not feeling the same, I just don't agree.

[Bob Gray]

Personally don't mind, as long as the genre isn't dragging development away from other titles, which I don't think it is. Would also take a PA series over a degenerating Saw series any day.

Of the recent titles, V/H/S was more than good IMO. In fact there are quite a few that I must admit I like. It is a "genre" that almost always mates to horror, thus encouraging more people to get involved in something we all like. Can understand other people not feeling the same, I just don't agree.

I could do without either one of them, PA was too tedious and boring in too many places to make it enjoyable for me and then they made two more and I hear another is on the way. At least Saw was clever, once, they definitely didn't need to make five more or six, however many they're up to now.

[Fearonsarms]

Another nail in the coffin for the hellraiser franchise was in last year's Revelations which started out in the first 30minutes as a found footage film-I kid you not even this once blessed series is now cashing in on this fad so that it looks almost formulaic and desperate. The fact that the rest of the film was basically a remake of the first film in a different set of situations but without Doug Bradley as pinhead doesn't help. Although saying that I did love The Last Broadcast, Grave Encounters, Trollhunter and The Tunnel. Not seen VHS yet though will have to check it out as I hope it can take this fad somewhere decent which Hellraiser:Revelations didn't.

[fyfjoe]

I honestly don't mind found footage, in some cases.

The first and third Paranormal Activity films were pretty good. Trollhunter was awesome, as mentioned before. Grave Encounters was entertaining. I watched on recently called "Tunnel" and it was probably one of my favorite "found footage" films as of late.

There's a new one coming out called "The Bay" which looks, meh. Then of course a literal "found footage" film with Ethan Hawke, Sinister, which looks pretty good honestly. (Yet it's done by hollywood I'm sure they'll fuck it up somehow)

I don't understand when people say "it's being done to death" though. Seriously, EVERYTHING horror related is being done to death; zombies, vampires, found footage... Yet we get something good out of it every once in a while. The Walking Dead, Dead Snow, Juan of the Dead for zombies. Thirst, Stakeland for vampires. The films mentioned above for found footage, it all comes with the territory.

Agree with what someone said earlier though, when found footage is used simply as the crutch to support the film makers low budget...weak.

sorry so long winded.

[ChronoGrl]

^^Gotta agree with the new kid.

I'm going to be honest - As most folks here know, I'm a fan of the found footage genre. HOWEVER, like any horror sub-genre, there are stronger movies and weaker movies. For example, I thought that Blair Witch is iconic... And I like the Paranormal Activity franchise... But there are weaker films like Atrocious.

I also think it's an acquired taste; I can totally understand why some people aren't a fan of the genre (at this point it's definitely filled with its own tropes and cliches that drive me crazy), but I like how it can be used to build up some very effectively creepy atmosphere... If done well.

[Bob Gray]

Best "found footage" I've seen is The Blair Witch Project, Cannibal Holocaust, The Last Broadcast, V/H/S, REC., and The Last Exorcism.

[fyfjoe]

Did I seriously forget REC? Guess I did, oops.

Did you prefer the first or second in the Rec series? I haven't seen the third yet, heard it takes a new direction. I did enjoy the spin the second film put on the story though.

[Bob Gray]

Did I seriously forget REC? Guess I did, oops.

Did you prefer the first or second in the Rec series? I haven't seen the third yet, heard it takes a new direction. I did enjoy the spin the second film put on the story though.

Haven't seen the second one yet.

[FreddyMyers]

3rd one is great. Less creepiness, more awesomeness.

[Bob Gray]

3rd one is great. Less creepiness, more awesomeness.

Awesome how? I like creepy.

[Anthropophagus]

Watched VHS last night and what a load of shit it was.I have heard many good things about this flic but after seeing it i honestly don`t know why.I know it was meant to feel like an old seventies tape recording but the whole movie just sucked.

As for the good found footage movies i like are Rec,probably the best of them all.Also like Cloverfield and Troll Hunter and Cannibal Holocaust of course.

[Ice Pik]

^ finally someone else who though V/H/S sucked. I am getting a little tired of them. Now when i turn on a found footage film I'm like really? Grave encounters was good and so was gacy house but the rest so far were pretty blah and boring.

[Fearonsarms]

I strongly recommend "Sinister" (2012) there's no shaky cam annoyance and the lead character actually finds footage rather than the movie being just the found footage.

[The Horror fan]

I strongly recommend "Sinister" (2012) there's no shaky cam annoyance and the lead character actually finds footage rather than the movie being just the found footage.

I did not like it at all, I nodded off in some parts of the movie, I did find anything scary or as creepy at all in this.

I loved the Trailer, as came the creeps

but somehow all those scenes in trailer didn't work well with rest of the movie made scares scenes in trailer look for forced

I don't maybe there was one time I jumped in that movie!

it's better PA 4!

[JasonLuck]

Blair Witch project was original and great (aside from the headache inducing camera work), but there are few others that can follow suit. I'm not a huge fan of found footage, if something new and fresh comes along, maybe I will have a change in taste :)

[ChronoGrl]

The Bay was really good and I thought genuinely effective.

The Devil Inside was surprisingly good... Too bad it ended too early.

[phantomstranger]

Like all genres, there are some that are good, some not so good, and that mostly depends on the person watching. But I think it's time to put these type of films away for awhile. Their time is past for now.

[Phrankenstein]

I actually like a lot of the found-footage films. There are still some that are taking the idea and making it their own--Lovely Molly, V/H/S, and The Last Exorcism come to mind.

[Phrankenstein]

^ finally someone else who though V/H/S sucked. I am getting a little tired of them. Now when i turn on a found footage film I'm like really? Grave encounters was good and so was gacy house but the rest so far were pretty blah and boring.

I actually think those 2 films were among the worst of the sub-genre. Gacy was just a bad movie all together, in my opinion, and Grave Encounters could have been way better. It has actually stopped me from watching Grave Encounters 2, still to this day.

[Giganticface]

I absolutely loved Lovely Molly. It's more of a hybrid -- maybe 20% found footage. A lot of people didn't like it though because the plot is pretty ambiguous and a little off the wall at times.

I actually really liked V/H/S. Some stories were better than others. The one that was all Skype footage was an interesting take on the genre, but actually didn't make sense in the larger story (how did it get on a VHS tape?). I don't worry about a detail like that in an anthology movie though.

I also thought REC was not bad. Maybe I'll watch REC2 tonight.

[The Horror fan]

I do tend like some and hate the others

The one I have already seen

Apollo 18 (2011) - Much better the thought it going to be, 5/10

Atrocious (2010) -Did not like at all, I didn't really care that twist at the end 2/10

Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (2006) - I found this little to odd and I felt puzzled most of the times of the movie 4/10

Bigfoot County (2012)- Too bad for words 1 out of 10

Bigfoot: The Lost Coast Tapes (2012) This was not great but more then watch-able 5/10

Cloverfield (2008) - Loved this movie, i thought it a right blast 8/10

Diary of the Dead (2007) I did not this movie, I thought it was really dull and very boring not at all scary (I Did see REC few days before this movie 3/10

Emergo (2011)- I wasn't too sober at the time I saw this, I did enjoy watching the movie, I found some parts really Jumpy. 6/10

Evidence (2011/I) -I was not looking forward to this at all due to the crap trailer but ended loving this movie, seen it number of times, I thought this one of the better ones. 8 / 10

Evil Things (2009) The Trailer was really, I liked some scenes in this movie but the screaming can get really annoying the acting was a lot better then I thought it be! 5/10

Grave Encounters (2011) I did not like this movie at all, i know a lot friends loved it, so can another watch and still felt the same after my second watch,
5 out of 10


Grave Encounters 2 (2012)- This was even worse then First movie, I didn't not like this movie at all, I didn't think first was that good to start with,

Home Movie (2008/II) Sound really good but felt it never really went anywere at all 3/10

Lake Mungo (2008) it's one of the best mockumentary movie, 9/10

Paranormal Activity (2007) - First one great I loved, there was really tense moment in this movie 10/10


Paranormal Activity 2: Tokyo Night (2010) - This just re-harsh of first movie, there some liked what they diffrent in the movie, which thought was really good and also the ending to this movie really good 7/10


Paranormal Activity 2 (2010) I didn't not like this movie at all, I found this one very boring 2/10

Paranormal Activity 3 (2011) This was one a lot of Fun, there some good Jumpy moment in this movie but they did use the creepy factor in this one
8 out of 10

Paranormal Activity 4 (2012) I think I fell a sleep a few times, yet I still Don't I missed anything at all, The worst of the lot, I won't be paying to see 5th one, even they make those fake trailers! 2/10

Paranormal Entity (2009)- It's not bad at all, I thought it was really decent, It;s dose take to long to get going at all. 5/10

Paranormal Entity 2 AKA Gacy House (2010)
(In UK it's know PE 2) - The Only think I liked about this movie was very Funny ending had laughing my head off, 4/10


The Haunted House Project (2010) i can't remember much of this movie at all 1/10

[Rec] (2007) The best of the best 10/10

[Rec] ² (2009) I thought it was great sequel and I Didn't mind the twist in the story. 8/10


REC]³ Génesis (2012) The Biggest let down of 2012, I thought this okay and gory but didn't have factor as first 2 movies


Tape 407 (2012) I found this to be A mix bad 4/10

The Amityville Haunting (2011) Maybe the worst of the worst


The Blair Witch Project (1999) I found this tame and very boring, 4/10

The Devil Inside (2012) This got to be one the worst Exorcism and Found footage movie out their 2/10

The Last Broadcast (1998)- This didn't even feel like found footage movie at all, I found most of this movie very boring and tame at welll 4/10


The Last Exorcism - I didn't like this at all, but looking forward to sequel 3/10

The St. Francisville Experiment (2000) I liked the history part of story and found that interesting and the acting was decent for a found footage movie, one of the early ones. 4/10

Troll Hunter (2010) Really good movie but Felt something else was missing this movie 7/10


The Collingswood Story (2002)- This was very boring 3/10

In Memorium (2005) -^^^^

V/H/S (2012) - Thought this was another decent movie 5/10

Alone with Her (2006) Started of a little creepy but soon got a bit boring

Ragini MMS (2011) This the Bollywood verison of Paranormal Activity one time wacth 4/10 (I heard sequel coming out for this lol )

Others I Need see or Re-watch
Alien Abduction: Incident in Lake County (I seen bits and bobs of it)
Cannibal Holocaust not seen in years
The Curse (Another re-watch)
The Death of Ghost Hunters (Seen Half)
The Poughkeepsie Tapes (Seen half )
The Tunnel (Re-watch)

[Ice Pik]

With Grave encounter I think they should of cut out a lot of the unneeded scenes and it would of been better.

The devil Inside I thought just had so much more to offer. The beginning was drawn out and boring then as soon as you were like finally some action and suspense it ends leaving you just pissed off

I think I just like gacy house because they didn't really hold back and if they were in his house really with his ghost he'd probably really say shit like and act angry like that.

[KrimsonKing]

I recently watched The Poughkeepsie Tapes and thought it excellent.

For those who haven't seen it, police investigating a string of murders find a house in which they believe the killer is living. When they enter they find the place deserted and free of finger-prints. The only evidence is over a hundred video tapes that the killer has made of his nefarious activities. Gripping stuff and well put together.

Oddly, it's never had a release on DVD or Blu-ray. The only way you can see it is through torrent share groups or on YouTube.

[GeoBrich]

There hasn't been a "clever" one in a while; think of Blair Witch, so pioneering at the time.

Nowadays it's the same stuff repeated over and over.

"Same old shit; different day" - Morgan Freeman

[DeadbeatAtDawn]

I really don't like 'found footage'' ''shakey cam'' films but on saying that..I did enjoy, The Lost Coast Tapes and Willow Creek, both have the Big Foot legend attached.

Also The Sacrament wasn't too bad.