Editorials
Screaming Live on Snapchat: 6 of the Most Unique Found Footage Movies!
I’ve always admired how Found Footage gives indie filmmakers the opportunity to craft legitimately scary movies without breaking the bank. Not only does this underappreciated sub-genre allow for experimentation and intimate thrills, but it also stands out by constantly reinventing itself as modern media continues to evolve.
Mockumentaries and simulated home movies can still be an effective way of framing horror stories, but we’ve seen quite a few Found Footage oddities since The Blair Witch Project first came on the scene. From faux livestreams to fake Reality TV shows and social media recordings, the sky is the limit when it comes to these movies, and that’s why we’ve come up with this list of Six of the Most Unique Found Footage Films.
The movies on this list aren’t all masterpieces, but they all engage with Found Footage in an innovative way, either through a unique approach to storytelling or with how they justify why these events are being recorded in the first place. As usual, this isn’t a comprehensive list of all the strangest Found Footage flicks out there, so don’t forget to share your own favorites with us in the comments below.
Now, onto the list…
6. My Little Eye (2002)
Featuring an online game show that challenges contestants to isolate themselves for six months in order to win a million dollars, My Little Eye‘s premise admittedly feels a little quaint in a Covid world. However, the movie stands out by telling an alarmingly prescient story about the moral implications of Reality entertainment and how far people would go for a prize.
With Big-Brother-inspired camera placement and an eerie, voyeuristic narrative, My Little Eye is an underseen early 2000s gem that only works so well because of its commitment to the Reality format. The home video release even includes interactive cameras, making you feel like you’re actually spying on these ill-fated contestants.
On a side note, the film also features one of Bradley Cooper’s first movie roles. His appearance is a little immersion-breaking, but you can’t fault the filmmakers for failing to predict the actor’s eventual rise to stardom. If you feel like tackling more Reality TV horrors, I’d also recommend Daniel Minahan’s underrated Series 7: The Contenders!
5. Livescream (2018)
With the insane amount of internet urban legends describing cursed videogames, I find it surprising that they don’t show up very often in horror movies. Michelle Iannantuono’s Livescream is one of the few exceptions, taking a dive into the world of livestreaming as one unlucky player is forced to complete a supposedly haunted game.
Brilliantly taking advantage of modern gaming conventions and internet urban legends, the movie also boasts some brisk pacing and a short but sweet runtime. This guarantees that you won’t get tired of watching what amounts to an extended let’s play, though the low budget keeps the film from reaching the heights of other famous desktop thrillers.
Even so, Livescream earns its place on this list by proving that Found Footage can work even in cyberspace, though I’d still love to see a sequel expand on its spooky ideas.
4. Sickhouse (2016)
George Romero once compared Found Footage to live theater when discussing Diary of the Dead‘s long, uninterrupted takes. While there’s a lot of truth in that comparison, Hannah Macpherson’s Sickhouse takes this concept to the next level by being the first horror film shot live on Snapchat, with the actors improvising most of their lines in an unusual haunted-house flick.
The story itself may be a little bare-bones, following a group of teenagers as they document their spooky exploration of the titular haunted cabin, but it’s the film’s innovative production that really sets it apart from other Found Footage movies.
Shot in the vertical aspect ratio inherent to most mobile devices, this is one scary movie that would probably be best enjoyed on a smartphone while hiding under the bedcovers. Just don’t let David Lynch catch you watching it like that.
3. August Underground (2001)
Horror media has always been fascinated with Snuff films, with some creators even attempting to simulate these supposedly real depictions of graphic violence. While this extreme kind of horror isn’t for everyone, there’s no denying the visceral scares of films like Fred Vogel’s controversial August Underground.
Shot on VHS for added grittiness, this neo-exploitation flick chronicles the depraved exploits of a serial killer and his anonymous accomplice. The film may be light on story, but its realistic tone and nonchalant depictions of horrific imagery make it one of the most disturbing movies of all-time. The director was even arrested when bringing copies of the film to a Canadian horror convention, with authorities suspecting that the tapes contained “real” obscene material.
If lo-fi simulated murder sounds like your thing, Vogel also produced two sequels, though I wouldn’t be surprised if viewers are put on some kind of government watchlist after purchasing them.
2. The Dirties (2013)
From the cartoony antics of Nirvanna the Band the Show to the conspiratorial rabbit hole of Operation Avalanche, Matt Johnson is one of the most versatile filmmakers of the Great White North. In 2013, he directed and starred in The Dirties, a controversial high-school flick about a couple of film-obsessed friends who want to strike back at the students who bullied them.
School shootings may be a sensitive subject when it comes to North-American media, but The Dirties somehow manages to be both a sincere coming-of-age story as well as a horrific look at how societal neglect can create monsters where we least expect them. The film is also notable for its unorthodox production, forgoing a traditional script and using real documentary techniques to create a realistic High-School environment.
It may be tough to watch at times, but I think The Dirties is a rare example of a Found Footage movie that balances both its dramatic and horrific elements perfectly.
1. WNUF Halloween Special (2013)
Found Footage films usually attempt to simulate reality in order to make their scares hit closer to home. Presenting itself as a bootleg recording of a “real” 1987 TV broadcast, the infamous WNUF Halloween Special is an incredibly entertaining exception to this rule. While it’s still fairly creepy, this odd little production focuses more on recreating a nostalgic collage of 80s television than being a proper scary movie.
Mostly directed by Chris LaMartina (there are actually six more directing credits, plus 11 writing ones), the Special is exceptionally convincing in its simulation of retro programming. From the Satanic Panic to sensationalist journalism and silly commercials, the film doesn’t just feel authentic, it also feels strangely comforting.
With the Halloween season finally upon us, I think it’s time for more horror fans to dig up this highly unorthodox take on Found Footage storytelling. Even if you’ve already seen it, the WNUF Halloween Special also makes for great background programming during seasonal celebrations.
Editorials
‘Immaculate’ – A Companion Watch Guide to the Religious Horror Movie and Its Cinematic Influences
The religious horror movie Immaculate, starring Sydney Sweeney and directed by Michael Mohan, wears its horror influences on its sleeves. NEON’s new horror movie is now available on Digital and PVOD, making it easier to catch up with the buzzy title. If you’ve already seen Immaculate, this companion watch guide highlights horror movies to pair with it.
Sweeney stars in Immaculate as Cecilia, a woman of devout faith who is offered a fulfilling new role at an illustrious Italian convent. Cecilia’s warm welcome to the picture-perfect Italian countryside gets derailed soon enough when she discovers she’s become pregnant and realizes the convent harbors disturbing secrets.
From Will Bates’ gothic score to the filming locations and even shot compositions, Immaculate owes a lot to its cinematic influences. Mohan pulls from more than just religious horror, though. While Immaculate pays tribute to the classics, the horror movie surprises for the way it leans so heavily into Italian horror and New French Extremity. Let’s dig into many of the film’s most prominent horror influences with a companion watch guide.
Warning: Immaculate spoilers ahead.
Rosemary’s Baby
!['Rosemary's Baby' - Is Paramount's 'Apartment 7A' a Secret Remake?! [Exclusive]](https://i0.wp.com/bloody-disgusting.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Rosemarys-Baby.jpeg?resize=740%2C416&ssl=1)
The mother of all pregnancy horror movies introduces Rosemary Woodhouse (Mia Farrow), an eager-to-please housewife who’s supportive of her husband, Guy, and thrilled he landed them a spot in the coveted Bramford apartment building. Guy proposes a romantic evening, which gives way to a hallucinogenic nightmare scenario that leaves Rosemary confused and pregnant. Rosemary’s suspicions and paranoia mount as she’s gaslit by everyone around her, all attempting to distract her from her deeply abnormal pregnancy. While Cecilia follows a similar emotional journey to Rosemary, from the confusion over her baby’s conception to being gaslit by those who claim to have her best interests in mind, Immaculate inverts the iconic final frame of Rosemary’s Baby to great effect.
The Exorcist
William Friedkin’s horror classic shook audiences to their core upon release in the ’70s, largely for its shocking imagery. A grim battle over faith is waged between demon Pazuzu and priests Damien Karras (Jason Miller) and Lankester Merrin (Max von Sydow). The battleground happens to be a 12-year-old, Regan MacNeil (Linda Blair), whose possessed form commits blasphemy often, including violently masturbating with a crucifix. Yet Friedkin captures the horrifying events with stunning cinematography; the emotional complexity and shot composition lend elegance to a film that counterbalances the horror. That balance between transgressive imagery and artful form permeates Immaculate as well.
Suspiria
Jessica Harper stars as Suzy Bannion, an American newcomer at a prestigious dance academy in Germany who uncovers a supernatural conspiracy amid a series of grisly murders. It’s a dance academy so disciplined in its art form that its students and faculty live their full time, spending nearly every waking hour there, including built-in meals and scheduled bedtimes. Like Suzy Bannion, Cecilia is a novitiate committed to learning her chosen trade, so much so that she travels to a foreign country to continue her training. Also, like Suzy, Cecilia quickly realizes the pristine façade of her new setting belies sinister secrets that mean her harm.
What Have You Done to Solange?
This 1972 Italian horror film follows a college professor who gets embroiled in a bizarre series of murders when his mistress, a student, witnesses one taking place. The professor starts his own investigation to discover what happened to the young woman, Solange. Sex, murder, and religion course through this Giallo’s veins, which features I Spit on Your Grave’s Camille Keaton as Solange. Immaculate director Michael Mohan revealed to The Wrap that he emulated director Massimo Dallamano’s techniques, particularly in a key scene that sees Cecilia alone in a crowded room of male superiors, all interrogating her on her immaculate status.
The Red Queen Kills Seven Times
In this Giallo, two sisters inherit their family’s castle that’s also cursed. When a dark-haired, red-robed woman begins killing people around them, the sisters begin to wonder if the castle’s mysterious curse has resurfaced. Director Emilio Miraglia infuses his Giallo with vibrant style, with the titular Red Queen instantly eye-catching in design. While the killer’s design and use of red no doubt played an influential role in some of Immaculate’s nightmare imagery, its biggest inspiration in Mohan’s film is its score. Immaculate pays tribute to The Red Queen Kills Seven Times through specific music cues.
The Vanishing
Rex’s life is irrevocably changed when the love of his life is abducted from a rest stop. Three years later, he begins receiving letters from his girlfriend’s abductor. Director George Sluizer infuses his simple premise with bone-chilling dread and psychological terror as the kidnapper toys with Red. It builds to a harrowing finale you won’t forget; and neither did Mohan, who cited The Vanishing as an influence on Immaculate. Likely for its surprise closing moments, but mostly for the way Sluizer filmed from inside a coffin.
The Other Hell
This nunsploitation film begins where Immaculate ends: in the catacombs of a convent that leads to an underground laboratory. The Other Hell sees a priest investigating the seemingly paranormal activity surrounding the convent as possessed nuns get violent toward others. But is this a case of the Devil or simply nuns run amok? Immaculate opts to ground its horrors in reality, where The Other Hell leans into the supernatural, but the surprise lab setting beneath the holy grounds evokes the same sense of blasphemous shock.
Inside
During Immaculate‘s freakout climax, Cecilia sets the underground lab on fire with Father Sal Tedeschi (Álvaro Morte) locked inside. He manages to escape, though badly burned, and chases Cecilia through the catacombs. When Father Tedeschi catches Cecilia, he attempts to cut her baby out of her womb, and the stark imagery instantly calls Alexandre Bustillo and Julien Maury’s seminal French horror movie to mind. Like Tedeschi, Inside’s La Femme (Béatrice Dalle) will stop at nothing to get the baby, badly burned and all.
Burial Ground
At first glance, this Italian zombie movie bears little resemblance to Immaculate. The plot sees an eclectic group forced to band together against a wave of undead, offering no shortage of zombie gore and wild character quirks. What connects them is the setting; both employed the Villa Parisi as a filming location. The Villa Parisi happens to be a prominent filming spot for Italian horror; also pair the new horror movie with Mario Bava’s A Bay of Blood or Blood for Dracula for additional boundary-pushing horror titles shot at the Villa Parisi.
The Devils
The Devils was always intended to be incendiary. Horror, at its most depraved and sadistic, tends to make casual viewers uncomfortable. Ken Russell’s 1971 epic takes it to a whole new squeamish level with its nightmarish visuals steeped in some historical accuracy. There are the horror classics, like The Exorcist, and there are definitive transgressive horror cult classics. The Devils falls squarely in the latter, and Russell’s fearlessness in exploring taboos and wielding unholy imagery inspired Mohan’s approach to the escalating horror in Immaculate.
Looking for New Episodes of “Chucky” on Peacock? Here’s What Changed
Dev Patel’s ‘Monkey Man’ Is Now Available to Watch at Home!
Five Underseen Vampire Horror Movies to Stream This Week
‘The Blair Witch Project’ – Original Stars Release a Statement Asking Lionsgate for Residuals & Recognition
‘Mountain Man’ – Joe Manganiello Will Battle Zombies in Upcoming Horror Movie
You must be logged in to post a comment.