Many movie genres have become famous due to the public’s affection for them and have evolved into subgenres, such as horror films. Slasher, Gore and Psychological Horror are just some of the categories, but Found Footage is probably one of the most iconic subgenres of the late 90s to the 2010s.
BUT WHAT IS A FOUND FOOTAGE MOVIE?
In the early history of cinema, the term Found Footage referred to films created from the union of short videos found separately, with no direct relation to each other, to form a story that made sense. A few years later, the technique would be used by several directors to enrich narratives, especially in scary motion pictures, to make cinematographic elements more real and shocking.
This method became popular due to the low budget required for its production, in addition to giving the viewer the idea that what is seen on the screen is, in fact, accidentally found material that belonged to missing people.
Here are five Found Footage movie recommendations for anyone who wants to explore this scary and fascinating universe:
1. The Blair Witch Project (1999)
It is impossible and unfair to talk about this subgenre without starting with its most famous example: The Blair Witch Project. Directed by Eduardo Sánchez and Daniel Myrick, the movie has been a phenomenon since its release and continues to be a reference in the horror business, mainly because it made the public believe for years that the story was real.
The plot follows a group of three filmmakers who mysteriously disappear after entering a forest to record a documentary about an eastern Maryland legend. Later, the camera used by them is found and raises several questions for the local community.
2. Creep (2014)
Not every horror movie needs to be a full-time jumpscare experience, which is why Patrick Brice‘s Creep mixes terrifying and funny scenes into just 82 minutes.
The viewers follow a filmmaker who accepts a job advertised on a website and travels to a small town. Once there, he soon discovers that his client Josef (Mark Duplass) has questionable goals for this project, which quickly starts to get weird.
3. Spree (2020)
Starring Joe Keery, known for his role in Stranger Things, Spree is another one that brings comedy, a little horror, and a lot of chaos to the story. Eugene Kotlyarenko signed as the director and rapper Drake as the executive producer.
In the film, an app driver, Kurt Kunkle, obsessed with the idea of going viral hatches a bloody and frantic plan to achieve his goals while publishing everything on the internet.
4. Rec (2007)
The Spanish film Rec is another Found Footage classic that carries mystery and apprehension every minute, making it one of the scariest on this list.
The star of the plot is Ángela Vidal (Manuela Velasco), a reporter who follows a day in the life of local firefighters, but suddenly things get out of control. When she least expects it, the journalist and her cameraman find themselves trapped inside a building full of desperate events.
5. Skinamarink (2022)
After going viral on TikTok, the most recent Found Footage on this list, Skinamarink, caught the public’s attention for its nightmarish atmosphere with bluish images and weird noises.
The movie presents two children who wake up and realize that something is different. Their father is not at home and all the doors and windows have disappeared. What could have happened while they slept?
After these recommendations, it is impossible not to want to take a peek at the haunting and surprising world of Found Footage, which doesn’t even seem to be coming to an end.
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The article above was edited by Ana Carolina Micheletti
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