Step into the sub-genre of found footage horrors and mockumentaries with this carefully selected list.
Although one of the younger horror sub-genres, the Found Footage and Mockumentary genre is already more than 30 years old. It’s all about the style and the filming technique that is used.
This genre is especially interesting because it evolves as the technique evolves. While the subjects and horror genres mainly stay the same, the style changes as the technique does. It’s personally one of my favorite horror genres, because it gets the viewer involved.
The purpose of Found Footage is that we as an audience can follow along. It feels like you’re there with the main characters, experiencing all the frights first hand. It’s a rather in-your-face style that wants to look and to see, not to hide behind cinematography and tricks. It’s breaking the fourth wall sometimes even when they address their followers and viewers or the audience.
The horror genres that are most used in Found Footage is the Paranormal, exploring Haunted Houses, Urban Legend investigations like looking for a Witch in the woods or Bigfoot, Science Fiction, recording Aliens.
You can learn more about the Found Footage genre in my editorial.
I have put together a list of Found Footage Horror Films that I have watched and personally recommend. It’s not a list with all the Found Footage horror films out there or the best ones, but this is a selection of films that I enjoyed watching.
The list is set up by decade and by year. Starting with the most recent films. Each time I have found a new film within this genre that I highly recommend it will be added to the list.
So save this post for more recommendations.
The list consists of 40 films at the moment.
Bodycam (2025)
Stars Jaime M. Callica, Sean Rogerson, Catherine Lough Haggquist. Directed by Brandon Christensen. Written by Brandon Christensen & Ryan Christensen. (1h 15m)
Genres: found footage, supernatural, liminal horror
This whole film is shot with the body cams of the two police officers Jackson and Bryce who respond to a domestic disturbance, but find something much more sinister and strange. It is the beginning of a nightmarish night, where surreal events take over their lives.
It has a fun and original take on the found footage genre and it is shot in a way that it feels like real time. It also feels like you’re in a video game, due to where the body cams are located on their chest. While there is gore, the focus is on creating a dreadful and surreal atmosphere which ultimately leads to the monster behind it all, that feels rather disappointing. That’s a shame, without the monster and only with the creepy homeless people, and “tweakers” this would be much scarier. You can Read my Full Review.
Horror in the High Desert 3: Firewatch (2024)
Stars: Marco Parra. Directed & written by Dutch Marich. (1h 28m)
Genres: found footage/mockumentary, supernatural, monsters & creatures
The third installment of the Horror in the High Desert franchise where we find out more about the disappearance of wilderness survivalist Gary Hinge. This time Oscar Mendoza a fan of Gary’s YouTube channel travels to Nevada in search of Gary. And he finds something very interesting that brings him further than anyone has come, both figuratively and literally.
It expands the tale of something Gary saw and encountered and now we get a bit of a glimpse of what that was. The creatures never come fully on screen and we still don’t know what they are or even really look like and that adds to the mystery. The atmosphere is very ominous all the more because there really are abandoned towns, mining mills and cabins in the desert which naturally gives off a spooky vibe. You can Read my Full Review.
Frogman (2023)
Stars: Nathan Tymoshuk, Chelsey Grant, Benny Barrett. Directed by Anthony Cousins. Written by Anthony Cousins, John Karsko. (1h 21m)
Genres: monsters & creatures, folk horror, body horror, cults
As a young boy Dallas saw a strange creature, the Frogman. Now as an adult he is still obsessed with Frogman and wants to prove that he really exists. So he goes back to that little town called Loveland and brings along his best friends Amy and Scotty and picks up his old camera which gives off nostalgic vibes.
It’s a silly film, that doesn’t take itself too seriously, although Dallas sure does, which results in a fun film with an unusual found footage ending. The cryptid is original and has a nasty streak by kidnapping women for a nasty purpose and the way the whole town has invested in this phenomenon gives off a very big red flag, that turns the final scenes of their journey to find Frogman into a folk horror mixed with body horror. You can Read my Full Review. (coming soon)
Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor (2023)
Stars: Bridget Rose Perrotta, Destiny Leilani Brown, James Liddell. Directed & written by Stephen Cognetti. (1h 38m)
Genres: found footage, occult, eighties vibe, creepy dolls, creepy clowns, cults, haunted house
The fourth installment of the Hell House LLC franchise takes us back to October 1989, when at the Carmichael Manor a massacre took place. It is now rumored to be haunted and Margot a sleuth has gotten permission to investigate and film her experiences for a couple of days. She brings along her girlfriend Rebecca and her brother Chase. Once inside strange things start to occur.
Not only are we witness to these strange events through the lens of Margot, Rebecca and Chase, but they also find old footage shot by the murdered daughter Catherine. That footage adds to the eighties feel and takes us back to where some things began and somewhat explains what happened in the Abaddon Hotel years later. You can Read my Full Recap.
Horror in the High Desert 2: Minerva (2023)
Directed & written by Dutch Marich. (1h 14m)
Genres: found footage/mockumentary, supernatural, monsters & creatures
The second installment of the Horror in the High Desert franchise tells two stories two other people who went missing in that area. It tells the story of a student Minerva who was housed in a little cabin off campus, where she hears strange things and suddenly disappeared. It also tells the story of a woman Ameliana who went missing while driving the road through the desert and the story of the first responder who went looking for her in an abandoned mill.
This sequel has some very scary and frightening scenes, that mostly rely on a suspenseful and ominous atmosphere full of dread. Like a bag that was found in Minerva’s cabin with some really unsettling footage. And the search by a firefighter with a body cam delivers some frightening scenes. You can Read my Full Review.
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Did you know I also make Art & Designs.
This design of a Pumpkin Skull Mask is made with pen and alcohol markers. You can buy this design on a Unisex Sweater and other apparel in my shop at Threadless.
Late Night with the Devil (2023)
Stars: David Dastmalchian, Lauara Gorodn, Ingrid Torelli, Rhys Auteri. Directed & written by Cameron Cairnes, Colin Cairnes. (1h 33m)
Genres: found footage, occult, Halloween
On Halloween Night in 1977 Jack Delroy, host of the late night show Night Owls has invited Dr. June Ross-Mitchell and her ward Lily who is possessed by a demon. When they summon the demon inside her, Mr. Wriggles, to prove to everyone that it’s all real, things get out of control.
The tapes of the show and never before behind the scenes footage are shown. The film has a great seventies vibe and is about perception. The way a camera sees things, how the audience can be deceived and that theme appears in coloring, glitches, and a grainy filter, that all deceive the audience. It has some great somewhat scary and disturbing but freaky scenes and the end is full of surrealism, which makes reality and fiction blend even more into a strange experience. You can Read my Full Review.
Deadstream (2022)
Stars: Joseph Winter, Melanie Stone. Directed & written by Jospeh Winter, Vanessa Winter. (1h 27m)
Genres: found footage, haunted house, ghosts, comedy
Shawn Ruddy wants to stay in a haunted house at Halloween and do a live stream when he explores. He hangs four cameras in four different rooms and he has a head cam and a normal camera, to film everything that happens that night. While he can watch everything on his iPad. Then a fan called Chris shows up totally unexpected. As the night progresses the hauntings begin and Shawn is attacked which starts a night full of terror, chaos, ghosts, creepy figures and gore and his screaming.
We also get to see the comments on the livestream that tell Shawn what to do or help him. It’s a chaotic positive mess that work really well, with a not too likable Shawn, scares and a lot of silly fun. You can Read my Full Review.(coming soon)
Incantation (2022)
Stars: Hsuan-yen Tsai, Sin-Ting Huang. Directed by Kevin Ko, Written by Che-Wei Chang, Kevin Ko. (1h 50m)
Genres: found footage, folk horror, Asian horror, cosmic horror
Something happened six years ago with Li Ruo-nan when she went to a remote village with her boyfriend and his cousin. They filmed inside a forbidden tunnel and that started a curse. Now she has a daughter Dodo and desperately wants to fight this curse, that affects her daughter.
The story of this Taiwanese film switches between the present and six years ago. They were filming everything then and now Ruo-nan is documenting everything to help Dodo. The story is about rituals, folk horror, ancient deities, symbols and of course an incantation. This incantation has to be spoken aloud and she addresses the viewers, breaking the fourth wall, to say it with her to help Dodo. That incantation has a little surprise up its sleeve. You can Read my Full Review.
Horror in the High Desert (2021)
Stars: Eric Mencis. Directed & written by Dutch Marich. (1h 22m)
Genres: found footage/mockumentary, supernatural, monsters & creatures
Gary Hinge is a wilderness survivalist who hikes through the Nevada desert for days to explore and films his experience for his YouTube channel. One day he comes across a strange little hut and experiences some weird things, like a fire and singing. When he goes back there he goes missing. His camera with his last footage was found in a bag near a couple who was camping.
It’s a slow film, with a set up that really feels like a documentary. Multiple people are interviewed about his disappearance and with his own footage it becomes clear that something very bad happened to him. The final 20 minutes are full of dread and suspense, but you have to be patient to get there. You can Read my Full Review.
Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin (2021)
Stars: Emily Bader, Roland Buck III, Dan Lippert. Directed by William Eubank. Written by Christopher Landon, Oren Peli. (1h 38m)
Genres: found footage, folk horror, occult, cults, demons, winter
In this reboot of the Paranormal Activity franchise, Margot travels to Buffalo with her friend and cameraman Chris to meet with Sam and his family who are Amish to find out more about her real family. She wants to find out what happened to her mother Sarah and why she left her at a hospital miles away from the farm. Strange things happen and they find out a horrible truth.
This time the camera is handled by a professional and they even got a sound man. So no cameras set up through the house or laptops or other gimmicks. This is just a professional camera, a GoPro and as a gimmick they use night vision and slow motion footage. This film doesn’t have that creepy ominous foreboding feeling that most of the other films had, but it still has some scary shots. You can Read my Full Review. (coming soon)
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Did you know I also make Art & Designs.
This design of a Seanohorse is made with pen and alcohol markers. You can buy this design on a Unisex Mineral Wash T-Shirt and other apparel in my shop at Printify.
Host (2020)
Stars: Haley Bishop, Jemma Moore, Emma Louise Webb, Rodina Drandova, Caroline Ward, Alan Emrys. Directed by Rob Savage. Written by Gemma Hurley, Rob Savage, Jed Shepherd. (57m)
Genres: found footage, occult, demons, supernatural
During a lockdown during Covid, six friends hire a medium and hold a seance with a Zoom meeting, their laptops recording everything. When they actually summon a demon or entity it starts to haunt them and kill them.
The film is very original in scares and the scares are also really frightening and makes use of a suspenseful, ominous atmosphere where at any moment something terrifying can happen. But it’s also a very unique film. It is completely filmed the way we get to see it, but shot on iPhones taped to the laptops. They were all at home, used their real names and filmed the whole movie with Zoom, because it was really during a COVID-19. lockdown. It’s a very simple premise and a simple set up that works really well. You can Read my Full Review.
Hell House LLC III: Lake of Fire (2019)
Stars: Elizabeth Vermilyea, Gabrile Chytry. Directed & written by Stephen Cognetti. (1h 25m)
Genres: found footage, occult, cults, creepy clown
In the third installment of the franchise it’s been nine years since the incident of the Hell House attraction at Halloween. It has been ordered to be torn down but before that a rich entrepreneur Russell Wynn bought it to perform an interactive theatre performance called Insomnia. He has invited the new host of Morning Mysteries Vanessa Shepherd to document this event.
She hands out little cameras to the actors and crew to film everything in the hope they catch something strange and for a complete picture of the documentary. They do catch some creepy weird stuff that links this film to the past. Although this film doesn’t have as much suspense and creepy atmosphere it does have some scares especially towards the ending and focuses more on completing the story about the cult and the gate of hell. You can Read my Full Review. Or my Full Recap.
Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum (2018)
Stars: Oh Ah-yeon, Wi Ha-joon, Yoo Je-Yoon, Park Ji-ah, Park Ji-hyun, Lee Seung-wook, Mu Ye-won, Park Sung-hoon (1h 35m)
Genres: found footage, haunted house, ghosts, surrealism, supernatural, Asian horror
For their YouTube channel Horror Times, the crew goes to explore the since 1979 abandoned asylum Gonjiam. It opened in 1961 but closed in 1979 after a mass suicide of the patients and the disappearance of the Director. Now it’s haunted and multiple people went missing or badly hurt. They want to perform a ritual to provoke the spirits and to open the door of room 402, during a livestream.
One of them stays behind in a tent in the forest which is set up as the control room where he edits their footage. They use POV cameras attached to their body, handheld cameras and they have installed some CCTV cameras inside the asylum. This Korean film has a lot of frightening scenes, scary images, a big jump scare and even some surreal scenes, with a fun twist.
Hell House LLC II: The Abaddon Hotel (2018)
Stars: Jillian Geurts, Vas Eli, Kyle Ingleman. Directed & written by Stephen Cognetti. (1h 29m)
Genres: found footage, occult, cults, haunted house
In this second installment Mitchell Cavanaugh who was involved in making the documentary about the Abaddon Hotel incident at Halloween, is asked by Jessica Fox to join her and her team to go inside for answers.
The set up starts with the Morning Show where Mitchell is a guest, while several footage shot by people who went inside and disappeared is shown. When Jessica and Mitchell and her crew go inside, the hauntings start causing some great scares, and they discover some more information about the hotel. The end shows even more about the history of the hotel and the evil plans of the former owner. You can Read my Full Review. Or my Full Recap.
One Cut of the Dead (2017)
Stars: Takayuki Hamatsu, Yuzuki Akiyama, Harumi Shuhama, Kazuaki Nagaya, Hiroshi Ichihara, Mao. Directed & written by Shin’ichirô Ueda.
Genres: found footage/mockumentary, Asian horror, comedy, zombies
A hilarious smart Japanese zombie film that is an ode to horror with fun characters and over the top comedy but with a big heart. It’s a three-part film that follows a crew of a horror film. The first part is about a film crew that films a zombie film that turns into real horror. The second part is the introduction to the cast. And the third part is the behind-the-scenes of that zombie film.
Each part is funny in its own way. Where the first part feels like a b-movie, the second part shows how the actors really are and the third part is absolute chaos and hilarious. It’s a brilliant idea that is an ode to zombie horror and horror in general and what it takes to make a film. You can Read my Full Review.
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Did you know I also make Art & Designs.
This painting “Floating” is made with soft pastels. You can buy this fine art print on museum-quality paper in my shop at Printify. Take a look at my other art prints as well.
Hell House LLC (2015)
Stars: Gore Abrams, Alice Bahike, Danny Bellini, Jared Hacker, Ryan Jennifer-Jones, Adam Schneider. Directed & written by Stephen Cognetti. (1h 33m)
Genres: found footage & mockumentary, occult, haunted house, ghosts, cults, creepy doll, creepy clown, Halloween
On opening night at Halloween 2009 the haunted house attraction Hell House in the old Abaddon Hotel goes terribly wrong. All the crew members went missing and some people died. Through the footage shot by the crew we see the events leading up to that day. But we also get to see some footage made with phones by tour-goers and some people are being interviewed to tell more about the hotel or the crew and what happened, to create a full mockumentary combined with found footage. We also follow Diana who makes a documentary about the incident because surprisingly Sara reached out to tell her story and to bring her the tapes they shot.
The film relies mainly on an atmosphere of dread and an ominous feeling rather than jump scares, where a creepy clown mannequin plays a big part. You can Read my Full Review. Or my Full Recap.
Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension (2015)
Stars: Chris J. Murray, Brit Shaw, dan Gill, Olivia Taylor Dudley, Ivy George. Directed by Gregory Plotkin. Written by Jason Pagan, Andrew Deutschman, Adam Robitel. (1h 28m)
Genres: found footage, demons, occult, cults
In 2013 Ryan and Emily move to a new house in Santa Rosa with their 6-year-old daughter Leila. They find a box full of old VHS videotapes of Katie and Kristi from 1988 and 1992 and an old videocamera. That camera catches ghosts on film. Then Leila starts to act strange and they also find strange things on the tapes. With the old camera Ryan sees an entity in their house and decides to set up cameras to catch it.
In the sixth installment of the franchise we actually get to see Tobi in his demon form. His appearance and the ghost camera are the new gimmicks of the franchise. It focusses on the special effects and has the most visual effects of all the other films instead of relying on suspense. You can Read my Full Review.
The Visit (2015)
Stars: Olivia DeJonge, Ed Oxenbould, Deanna Dunagan, Peter McRobbie. Directed & written by M. Night Shyamalan. (1h 34m)
Genres: found footage/mockumentary, psychological horror, dysfunctional family, mystery
Fifteen-year-old Becky and her thirteen-year-old brother Tyler go visit their grandparents for the first time. Becky wants to make a documentary about her family. When they arrive everything seems great with Pop Pop and Nana, but soon Nana starts to act strange at night. They set up a hidden camera and Becky tries to interview them. Their visit turns out to be a bit disturbing.
Becky is the one filming everything and sets up the camera to do interviews with her grandparents, but Tyler also grabs the camera which results in some funny takes. It’s all very intimate, because it’s all very personal to Becky, which makes their situation even more dire and interesting. It offers a lot of entertainment, great characters, humor and some scary scenes, a fun mystery and a surprising ending. You can Read my Full Review.
As Above So Below (2014)
Stars: Peridta Weeks, ben Feldman, Edwin Hodge. Directed by John Erick Dowdle. Written by John Erick Dowdle, Drew Dowdle. (1h 33m)
Genres: found footage, occult
Scarlett is an archeology student and symbolist and in search for her late father’s quest, the philosophers stone. With the help of George and three experienced cavers they descent into the catacombs of Paris. Benji holds the camera, while some others have cameras on their heads. This way we get multiple perspectives, of what’s happening and what we and they are seeing. Smart placement of the big camera results in some great jumps scares, while the little head cameras add to the chaos and panic.
Soon things start to get weird. The route seems to be changed, they get disoriented and see strange things eventually leading them on a descent into hell. It’s a mystery horror with jump scares, a claustrophobic feel and surreal hellish imagery. You can Read my Full Review. (coming soon)
Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones (2014)
Stars: Andrew Jacobs, Jorge Diaz, Gabrielle Walsh. Directed by Christopher Landon. Written by Christopher Landon, Oren Peli. (1h 24m)
Genres: found footage, occult, time travel, other dimensions, cults, demons
In this fifth installment we follow Jesse Arista and his best friend Hector. When they find a book of witchcraft, Jesse is starting to act strange and seems to have supernatural powers. Hector films it all and the fun turns into something sinister soon. It all has something to do with a cult of women called the Midwives.
While not adding new technical gimmicks to the franchise, this film is more a regular movie of edited scenes of what happened to Jesse and Hector, instead of the feeling of actual found footage catching something on camera. But there’s the new gimmick of portals and time travel. It offers some jump scares and more about the lore of Tobi, and has a strong connection to the first film. You can Read my Full Review.
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Did you know I also make Art & Designs.
This design of a Green and Pink Skull is made with pen and alcohol markers. You can buy this design on a Unisex Baseball Cap and other apparel and on other various products in my shop at Redbubble.
The Taking of Deborah Logan (2014)
Stars: Jill Larson, Anne Ramsay, Michelle Ang. Directed by Adam Robitel. Written by Adam Robitel, Gavin Heffernan. (1h 30m)
Genres: found footage/mockumentary, possession, body horror, queer
Deborah Logan suffers from Alzheimer’s disease. Her daughter Sarah lets a film crew film her for their student project for money to pay the bills. What they document goes beyond her mental illness and Sarah suspects there’s something more sinister at play, when Deborah starts acting stranger and creepier, while it also takes over her body.
It’s both a very scary supernatural horror and a display of how tormenting this disease is for both Deborah and Sarah. Their relationship is strained and Deborah hides a terrible secret that eventually leads to demonic possession and very scary final scenes. With a cameraman who films during the day and with fixed cameras placed throughout the house we follow the events that get scarier and more tragic by day. You can Read my Full Review.
Banshee Chapter (2013)
Stars: Katia Winter, Ted Levine. Directed by Blair Erickson, Written by Blair Erickson, Daniel J. Healy, H.P. Lovecraft. (1h 27m)
Genres: found footage, science fiction, aliens
Journalist Anne Roland investigates the disappearance of her friend. This leads her to the questionable figure and writer Thomas Blackburn and a conspiracy theory concerning the experiments with MK-Ultra in the fifties and sixties. Strange things are about to happen the more she discovers.
The film has some great jump scares but also uses a creepy atmosphere, a feeling of unease of being watched and terrifying entities that come after her and Thomas. While the film is mostly shot in a conventional way, it does have some found footage by her missing friend and of the experiments in the fifties and sixties. Add to that strange and creepy broadcasts and this mix of filming, audio and creepy entities results in a scary original film based on true events and Lovecraftian horrors. You can Read my Full Review.
The Dyatlov Incident/ Devil’s Pass (2013)
Stars: Holly Goss, Matt Stokoe, Luke Albright, Ryan Hawley, Gemma Atkinson. Directed by Renny Harlin. Written by Vikram Weet. (1h 40m)
Genres: found footage, science fiction, monsters & creatures, winter
Holly king wants to make a documentary about a lost expedition in 1959. With a crew she heads to Russia to climb the mountain. They make the gruesome discovery of a tongue and they are being followed and watched by something. When an avalanche gets them into trouble and Russian men start to shoot at them, they take refuge in a bunker. That sets some mind-bending events in motion.
It’s based on a true story, that expedition really took place and it remains unclear what happened. This film puts a very surprising twist on the events. It has a bit of a slow start, but you have to pay attention to the background. The last part is a science fiction twist that is mixed with creature horror that is creative and fun. You can Read my Full Review.
The Bay (2012)
Stars: Kether Donohue, Will Rigers, Kristen Connoly, Stephen Kunke. Directed by Barry Levinson. Written by Michael Wallach, Barry Levinson. (1h 21m)
Genres: found footage/mockumentary, eco horror, body horror, summer
Newbie journalist Donna Thompson was covering the celebration of the Fourth of July in the little town of Clarigde, Maryland when all hell broke loose. People started to have symptoms like blisters, a rash and much more awful bodily horrors and soon people succumbed to something that ate them away from the inside. Three years later she has gathered all kinds of footage to tell what really happened after the government covered it up.
The story of that day, drenched in gore, body horror, chaos and panic is told through her own footage, but also a lot of other footage shot by the townspeople and laptop cameras and audio. This results in a mix of different kinds of little devastating stories. It all feels very realistic and the topic is very real and terrifying as well. You can Read my Full Review. (coming soon)
Paranormal Activity 4 (2012)
Stars: Katrhyn Newton, Matt Shively. Directed by Henry Joost, Ariel Schulman. Written by Christopher Landon, Chad Feehan, Oren Peli. (1h 28m)
Genres: found footage, occult, demons
It’s five years after Katie killed her family, took Hunter and disappeared. Now she turns up living across the street of the Nelson family, with her son Robbie. When she has to go to the hospital, she asks the Nelsons if Robbie can stay with them. When strange things start to happen daughter Alex and her boyfriend Ben set up cameras to prove there is something wrong with Robbie who has a bad influence on Wyatt.
In this fourth installment a new gimmick is added in the form of an Xbox Kinect with tracking dots that glow green with night vision. This way an invisible entity is shown when it moves in a very creepy but original way. You can Read my Full Review.
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Did you know I also make Art & Designs.
This design of a Crawling Spider Eye is made with pen and alcohol markers. You can buy this design on a Rib Racer Tank Top and other apparel in my shop at Printify.
Grave Encounters (2011)
Sean Rogerson, Ashleigh Gryzko, Merwin Mondesir, Juan Riedinger, Mackenzie Gray. Directed & written by Colin Minihan, Stuart Ortiz. (1h 32m)
Genres: found footage. supernatural, haunted house, ghosts, other dimension
The crew of five of the paranormal reality show Grave Encounters spend the night at the Collingwood Psychiatrical Hospital to pick up paranormal activity. They interview some people, explore the building and hotspots and set up 10 cameras. When they are locked inside strange things start to happen and it gets worse until ghosty demonic appearances show themselves and drive them insane. These tapes show the raw footage of that night, only edited for time.
It starts with small hauntings, the usual, but rather than relying on atmosphere only, the appearances get real quick and in your face, attacking them. With night vision, gritty grainy footage, distortions and interference the film uses a lot of gimmicks to create scares. It’s a classic set up and a classic story, with some classic gimmicks but still entertaining. You can Read my Full Review. (coming soon)
Paranormal Activity 3 (2011)
Stars: Chloe Csengery, Jessica Tyler Brown, Lauren Bittner, Christopher Nicholas Smith, Hallie Foote. Directed by Henry Joost, Ariel Schulman. Written by Christoper Landon, Oren Pei. (1h 23m)
Genres: found footage, possession, demons, cults, occult
The third installment takes us back to 1988 when Katie turns eight. She lives with her sister Kristi, her mother Julie and Dennis, Julie’s boyfriend when an earthquake hits. Dennis discovers something strange. When dust falls from the ceiling it falls upon something invisible, in the form of a person. That triggers him to set up cameras to catch the entity on film.
While set in the past, this time no new technological tricks are being used, but instead some smart creative tricks, like a camera attached to the moving part of a small ventilator, which creates a fun effect that also builds tension and suspense. With great scares, suspense and anticipation, the story works toward an end that will explain the events in the first two films. You can Read my Full Review.
The Tunnel (2011)
Stars: Bel Deliá, Andy Rodoreda, Steve Davis, Luke Arnold. Directed by Carlo Ledesma. Written by Enzo Tedeschi, Julian Harvey. (1h 34m)
Genres: found footage/mockumentary, monsters & creatures
Natasha is a journalist who is trying to uncover the story of the tunnels underneath Sydney, where homeless people went missing. Together with cameraman Steve, sound operator Tangles and producer Peter she goes into the tunnels to find out what is happening there. Once inside they get more than they singed up for.
It all looks very realistic with believable actions and likable characters. The film has a claustrophobic atmosphere with creepy narrow tunnels, eerie sound effects, a strange bell and scary creatures that prey in the tunnels. Their panic and their isolation adds to the dreadful atmosphere and the further they go the more creepy it gets. With use of their camera, CCTV footage, night vision, this film feels like a real mockumentary and found footage that is entertaining and scary. You can Read my Full Review.
Paranormal Activity 2 (2010)
Stars: Molly Ephraim, Sprague Grayden, Brain Boland, Seth Ginsberg. Directed by Tod Williams. Written by Michael R. Perry, Christopher Landon, Tom Pabst. (1h 31m)
Genres: found footage, haunted house, demon, occult
The second installment of this franchise is actually a prequel. The film is about Kristi, Katie’s sister who just had a baby Hunter with her husband and takes place months before the events at Katie’s house. After a break-in Daniel decides to hang up several surveillance cameras around the house. And his teenaged daughter Ali films everything with a handy cam. The cameras show that strange things are happening, just like at Katie’s.
The new gimmick in this film is the night vision of Ali’s camera. This film is tightly connected to the first one. Not only do Katie and Micah show up at Kristi’s but what’s going on in their house months later is deeply connected to what is happening in this film. You can Read my Full Review.
Trollhunter (2010)
Stars: Otto Jespersen, Johanna Mørck, Glenn Erland Tosterud, Tomas Alf Larsen. Directed & written by André Øvredal. (1h 43m)
Genres: found footage/mockumentary, folk horror, folklore & fairytales, eco horror, fantasy, monsters & creatures, trolls
In this Norwegian film three students are making a documentary about a man who unauthorized shoots bears. But he doesn’t want to speak with them, so they hunt him down and find out he doesn’t hunt bears at all, but trolls, working for the government to keep the population under control. Something is wrong with the trolls and they are soon to find out up close.
It’s a very original story that has some humor and beautifully made trolls that look like the paintings of Theodor Kitteslsen and John Bauer. The trolls serve as a metaphor for the Norwegian nature and environment that is threatened by human actions. But there’s also a lot of room for the old tales and legends and folklore. The shots of nature are beautiful and the trolls are more awesome than scary, resulting in a fantasy horror.
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Did you know I also make Art & Designs.
This painting “Spring” is made with soft pastels. You can buy this fine art print on museum-quality paper in my shop at Printify. Take a look at my other art prints as well.
Occult (2009)
Stars: Shôhei Uno, Kôji Shiraishi, Akira Takatsuki, Shinobu Kuribayashi. Directed & written by Kôji Shiraishi. (1h 50m)
Genres: found footage, cosmic horror, Asian horror
It starts with found footage of some girls visiting Myogasaki. The attacker, Ken Mitsuki kills some people and attacks Shohei Eno carving symbols on his back saying: it’s your turn now. Then he jumps off a cliff his body never found.
Three years later director Koji Shiraishi and his crew make a documentary about this incident and speak with Eno. He tells them that he has seen UFO’s and that miracles happen to him after the attack. They offer him a job to film his days and promise him money when he catches some miracles on camera. But Eno has something else on his mind dragging the crew with him.
This Japanese found footage offers cosmic horrors and a strange mystery. It focuses on the strangeness and mystery of it all without any big scares, but with a gruesome ending.
Cloverfield (2008)
Stars: Lizzy Caplan, Jessica Lucas, T.J. Miller, Michael Stahl-David, Mike Vogel, Odette Yustman. Directed by: Matt Reeves. Written by: Drew Goddard. (1h 25m)
Genres: found footage, monsters & creatures, science fiction, survival
Rob is moving to Japan and his friends throw him a farewell party when all hell breaks loose. A giant monster is destroying Manhattan and together with his brother and three other friends they try to escape the destruction, while Rob wants to get to the other side of Manhattan to save his ex-girlfriend Beth. A journey through the streets, the subway station and other locations puts them face to face with other deadly creatures.
The film is a rollercoaster of action, but it’s smartly alternated with other footage that is now being taped over. That old footage shows Rob and Beth when they were still in love at Coney Island. It’s a fast-paced survival with new dangers around every corner. Not everybody makes it and the ending is a very tragic one.
Diary of the Dead (2007)
Stars: Michelle Morgan, Joshua Close, Todd William Schroeder. Directed & written by George A. Romero. (1h 35m)
Genres: found footage, zombies
A student film crew is out in the woods with their teacher to film a horror movie as an assignment, when a zombie outbreak hits America. When they try to get home, Jason keeps filming. The others get annoyed by him, but he wants to film everything as proof that it all really happened. Afterwards, the film is put together by his girlfriend Debra and she has added music for dramatic effect so it would scare you even more.
This choice however takes away the whole found footage effect. It’s distracting and disruptive and overbearing. It feels acted and produced and it feels more like a traditional movie than a found footage movie. Although it’s the fifth installment of the Living Dead franchise of George A. Romero this one feels like the odd one out.
Paranormal Activity (2007)
Stars: Katie Featherston and Micah Sloat. Directed & written by Oren Peli. (86 m)
Genres: found footage, demon, haunted house, possession, occult
Katie and Micah have recently been experiencing strange sounds and noises and flickering lights and Katie feels a presence in the house. So Micah has brought a camera to film the phenomena. At night he puts the camera directed at their bed and the hallway and during the day he is walking around with it. As the days and nights go by, the phenomena start to worsen and get scarier each night.
From slamming doors, flickering lights, a growl, footprints right up to their bedroom, to Katie’s behavior that gets weirder. The whole film is based on suspense and anticipation. The hauntings are small and subtle but nevertheless very scary, mainly because they occur in a place that is supposed to be a save space. The end however leaves you shocked. This was one of the first films that set off the genre. You can Read my Full Review.
Rec (2007)
Stars: Manuela Velasco, Ferran Terrazza, Jorge-Yamam Serrano. Directed by Pablo Plaza, Jaume Belagueró. Written by Paco Plaza, Jaume Belagueró, Luiso Berdejo. (1h 18m)
Genres: found footage, zombies, occult
This Spanish found footage was one of the first found footage films that set the whole genre in motion. We follow reporter Angela Vidal into an apartment building while filming the firemen. Soon panic and chaos are about to unleash when an elderly infected woman attacks and bites the police officer. They get sealed in, while the infection spreads.
Resulting in a horrifying experience full of action, gore, blood, graphic violence, loud sound effects, great jump scares (literally), claustrophobia, infected people and an occult demonic twist. It really feels like you are right there in the middle of all the chaos and horror. This is an original story that was released at the same time as Paranormal Activity but with the opposite vibe. It set the action packed tone for more found footage horrors to come. You can Read my Full Review. (coming soon)
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Noroi (2005)
Stars: Jin Muraki, Marika Matsumoto, Rio Kanno, Satoru Jitsunashi. Directed by Kôji Shiraishi and written by Kôji Shiraishi and Naoyuki Yokota. (1h 55m)
Genres: found footage/mockumentary, folk horror, occult, demon
Masafumi Kobayashi is a paranormal journalist investigating paranormal cases on request or on his own with his cameraman Miyajima. Together with two psychics he investigates the case of a missing girl related to old rituals that leads him to an old village where a demon was worshipped.
A slow burn film that slowly discovers the horrifying truth, by means of different kinds of footage from tv shows and his own. The two psychics are opposites and a real addition. While Marika is introverted, Hiro is a chaotic mess. Sometimes the story feels all over the place, sometimes very slow, sometimes chaotic, but that’s the charm and only adds to the creepy climax. It’s a puzzle that slowly pieces itself together. It’s intriguing, entertaining with a great creepy lore and it can be really scary. You can Read my Full Review.
The Blair Witch Project (1999)
Stars: Heather Donahue, Michael C. Williams, Joshua Leonard. Directed and written by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez. (1h 21m)
Genres: found footage, folk horror
Three students, are making a documentary about the local legend of Burkittsville, the Blair Witch. After interviewing people, they go into the woods in search of the witch, never to come back.
It’s a very simple premise. But the marketing was anything but simple. Mind that this was one of the first actual found footage films released in the theaters. However they didn’t announce it as a horror film, but as a real documentary about three students who went missing whose footage was found. While nothing actually happens it has an ominous eerie atmosphere of anticipation. And on top of that the actors didn’t have a full script but found notes in the morning of what was expected of them that day. All these ingredients result in a smart and scary film that really shocked the audience. It was the beginning of a whole new sub-genre that thrives until this day. You can Read my Full Review.
Alien Abduction: Incident in Lake County (1998)
Stars: Benz Antione, Kristian Ayre, Gillian Berber, Michael Bule, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Marya Delver, Ingrid Kavelaar, Aaron Pearl, Katlyn Ducharme. Directed by Dean Alioto, Written by Dean Alioto, Paul Chitlik. (1h 33m)
Genres: found footage, aliens, science fiction
This is a remake of the 1989 U.F.O. Abduction film by the same director. Now it’s Thanksgiving and the whole family comes together at Ma McPherson’s house. When the power goes out the three brothers go outside to fix the fuse box. They hear a gunshot and see some aliens. When they are spotted the aliens shoot at them and the brothers run home. What follows is a harrowing night as the family is under attack by aliens, and they are being affected both mentally and physically.
This remake is far more elaborate than the first movie. There are more characters and more happens to them, while the tensions rise. There are also other people like scientists and the sheriff being interviewed shown as intermitting scenes in-between the footage to make it a genuine documentary, creating a different vibe than the original. You can Read my Full Review. (coming soon)
Ghostwatch (1992)
Stars: Michael Parkinson, Sarah Greene, Gillian Bevan. Directed by Lesley Manning. Written by Stephen Volk. (1h 31m)
Genres: found footage/ mockumentary, supernatural, ghosts, Halloween
The special part about this film is, that is was announced as a real live broadcast tv show with host Michael Parkinson at Halloween. While he watched in the studio, a crew on location went inside the house of the Early family who was haunted by a Poltergeist.
It’s a great original set-up that has many people fooled. While indeed fake strange things were happening, it also was’t live, but already recorded as a tv-movie, but still people tried to call the studio and thought it was really real and happening.
But it’s not only the gimmick that is great fun, the film itself has some very scary images and you see the ghostlike shape of the poltergeist. The scary, anxious atmosphere of the film is the best part. You can Read my Full Review.
U.F.O. Abduction (1989)
Stars: Tommy Giavocchini, Patrick Kelly, Shirley McCalla, Stacey Shulman, Christine Staples, Laura Tomas. Directed & written by Dean Alioto. (1h 6m)
Genres: found footage, aliens
The Van Heese family celebrates the fifth birthday of Michelle at Ma’s house. Present are son Eric with his wife Jamie and daughter Michelle, son Jason with his girlfriend Renee and Michael the youngest son who is filming everything. When the power goes out the three men go outside to fix the fuse box but see a red light. They take a look and find a UFO with three aliens. After they are spotted by them they run home in a panic which is the start of a chaotic, panicky evening full of fear and aliens.
It has a simple set up and smart camera work. It feels like it is shot in one single take, and amateurish on purpose which all adds to a realistic film. It is considered the first found footage way before it became a popular genre. You can Read my Full Review.
Explore more Lists of Horror Films:
- The List of Christmas Horror Films
- The List of Creepy Dolls in Horror Films
- The List of Halloween Horror films
- The List of Summer Horror Films
- The List of Winter Horror Films
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you can buy my designs on apparel or stationary, mugs and more. You can learn more about it on my art & design shop page or go directly to one of my shops.