The Conspiracy (2012)
Filmmakers Aaron (Aaron Poole) and Jim (James Gilbert) decide to make a documentary about online conspiracy theories Terrance G (Alan Peterson), mainly due to the amount of attention he attracts online. Terrance explains in detail how many global events all appear to be linked to an NGO called the Tarsus Club. Jim remains sceptical of such theories, but Aaron is more willing to accept them. During an interview, Terrance becomes agitated and points out a man whom he believes to be following him. A few days later Terrance vanishes. Aaron searches through various newspaper clippings left in Terrance’s apartment and finds a reference to a Time magazine article about the Tarsus Club written by Mark Tucker (Bruce Clayton). As the pair of journalists search for Tucker, they see the same man that was following Terrance. They are also menaced by a Black SUV that parks outside Jim’s house at night. Finally, Tucker contacts them online and it becomes clear that he has more to reveal about the Tarsus Club. Aaron suggests that they try to infiltrate the next meeting, but Jim is reluctant to do so, due to the possible danger.
As Above, So Below (2014)
The found footage genre is predicated on the concept that the material the audience watches is supposed to be filmed from real life. This therefore presents a challenge for actors as their performances have to appear like everyday social interactions. Most people are not great orators with extensive vocabularies, in real life. Watch any wedding video or vox pop on a news broadcast and you’ll quickly become aware of the gulf between how people express themselves in reality and the stylised, contrived manner in which actors deliver dialogue. Hence, during the first act of As Above, So Below I became aware that the cast were “acting”. They were using dramatic techniques commonly used in conventional film but which stands out far more in this genre. This changed as the film progressed and the story became more deliberately chaotic. But it was noticeable during the initial set up to the story. It’s not something I’ve noticed before with other found footage movies. But in many ways, As Above, So Below is quite different compared to other genre examples
The McPherson Tape (1989)
In many ways the story behind The McPherson Tape is a lot more interesting than the film itself. This early found footage movie from 1989, was shot on home video on a virtually non-existent budget. The director Dean Alioto eventually found a distributor but on the eve of the movie’s home video release, the warehouse burned down and allegedly destroyed the master tape and all the promotional artwork. Yet this was not the end of the story. It was common practice in the eighties for small distributors to send advance copies to local independent video stores. Hence The McPherson Tape found its way into the pirate video ecosystem. It then migrated to the UFO community where it was circulated as being a video of a legitimate alien abduction. Dean found himself in the unusual position of having to debunk his own work. Three decades later due to the intriguing tale associated with The McPherson Tape, it has been remastered from the newly rediscovered 3/4" tape and re-released.
Host (2020)
In his review in the New York Times Kyle Turner states that the new horror movie Host “seems to speak to a collective id” and serves as “an analogy for mourning the recent past”. I’ve read several other critiques of this nature that both praise the film and make similar philosophical musings upon its nature. As a long standing horror aficionado I am always a little sceptical when a new movie quickly gains a lot of traction and a critical consensus swiftly forms. Especially when a genre product suddenly gains the attention of the mainstream media who subsequently stray into hyperbole and hype. This happened last year with Midsommar which was hailed as a groundbreaking horror movie and indicative of a renaissance in the genre. Although an intelligent and disturbing film, Midsommar is not without flaws and is far from universally accessible. It is also frustrating the way the mainstream media is oblivious to the ongoing financial and critical success of the horror genre that has existed since the inception of cinema.
The Last Broadcast (1998)
The Last Broadcast is a curious beast that straddles both the “mockumentary” and “found footage” genres. Shot entirely on consumer level video equipment, it effectively captures the look and feel of public access cable TV from the times. Released before the massive commercial success of The Blair Witch Project, The Last Broadcast did not find a comparable mainstream audience at the time, although it remains a favourite with genre fans. However, the movie has been recently re-released on Amazon Prime and subsequently become a talking point once again. Elements of the plot have proven very prophetic, such as the popularity of “ghost hunting” reality shows and the integration of online interactivity into live television. But the one standout aspect of The Last Broadcast which polarises viewer opinion is its ending. This is often seen as either a clever “sting in the tail” or an ill considered “jumping the shark” cop out.
The Tunnel (2011)
The Tunnel was released direct to Region 3 DVD on 19th May 2011, much the same as any other low budget horror movie. What made the marketing of this minor Aussie "Mockumentary" horror different to other similar products, is that the distributors decided to make a barebones copy of the film available for download, free of charge. The accompanying viral marketing campaign gained quite a lot of traction resulting in The Tunnel being heavily seeded across Bit Torrent sites and exposing the film to an audience of millions globally. Subsequently, when the movie was then showcased in the US and Europe and commercially released in other regions, its profile had been considerably raised. As a result of this novel marketing campaign and the fact that the movie is a better than average example of the found footage genre, The Tunnel won several awards on the festival circuit.
Operation Avalanche (2016)
Conspiracy theories and found footage movies. Two genres with infinite scope to be tedious and uninspired on a low budget. Yet writer and director Matt Johnson manages to do something quite clever with both cinematic styles in his recent movie Operation Avalanche. He takes the basic conceit of the two formats and uses them to tell a tale based upon one of the most iconic moments of twentieth century history. Namely the moon landing of 1969. The results are surprising, intelligent and thought provoking, although a little uneven. Furthermore, I discovered this enjoyable curiosity via the GoodBadFlicks on You Tube. If you are interested in obscure and niche market genre creations then do check out this channel. It is informative, well presented and entertaining.
Cloverfield (2008)
I did my best to avoid the hype surrounding the initial release of Cloverfield. Such media saturation and public interest can often cloud the issue of whether the actual film is any good. Five years later and having watched the movie twice, once in the theatre and once at home, I am still somewhat conflicted about this movie. The use of hand held video cameras is both a boon and a bane. The constant movement of the image has proven to cause motion sickness for some viewers, although this is not so overwhelming when viewed on a smaller screen at home. Yet the medium of news footage mixed with handheld cameras does create a palpable sense of immediacy. This helps immensely when trying to sell a fantastic concept, such as the one that Cloverfield features.
Sinister (2012)
Scott Derrickson’s Sinister is a curious blending of genres and classic plot devices. It certainly has some interesting ideas at the centre of its plot. Ethan Hawke plays a true-crime writer Ellison Oswalt, looking for his next big story and desperate to find fame again. After discovering a box full of Super 8 home movies in the attic of his new house, matters start to take a turn for the worst. The films appear to depict the real murders of several families and investigations lead to a series of strange unsolved crime and the possible involvement of supernatural forces. Could a pagan deity known as Bughuul, who allegedly preys upon the souls of children, be responsible? Is Oswalt’s own family in danger? Do bears conduct their personal business in deciduous forests?
Apollo 18 (2011)
A fundamental requirement of cinema is that the audience suspends their sense of disbelief. Anything that breaks this will immediately has a negative impact upon the viewing experience. There are many things can severe this connection but the two most common seem to be obvious plot holes and Scooby Doo behaviour IE “Let’s split up…”. If these are the result of simply poor film making, then they can perhaps be forgiven. Every director has to learn their craft. However, if these two factors are present by design, then that is an unpardonable sin. Assuming that your audience is stupid, is insulting and the worse sort of hypocrisy.
Tape 407 (2012)
I really won't be sad to see the back of the found footage sub-genre because it really is becoming an over saturated market at present. For example, at the last count there were six Paranormal Activity movies, with their respective quality inversely proportional to their number in the franchise. Yes, there are the occasional good ones, such as the recent Operation Avalanche, which tackled conspiracy theories and the Moon Landing. But broadly speaking, this genre has become a dumping ground for cheap and uninspired movies, by mediocre film makers, out to make a fast buck. Take for example Tape 407 (AKA Area 407). It’s chosen twist on the genre is the inclusion of included dinosaurs. I was hoping that this would make the film sufficiently different to others and offers something new. Predictably it did not.
Grave Encounters 2 (2012)
Sometimes you have to admire persistence. I really didn't think that Grave Encounters merited a sequel but apparently, it's financial returns indicated otherwise. So today I found myself watching Grave Encounters 2 with a certain sense of déjà vu because like the first movie, it tries to do something different and only partially succeeds. Once again, the writers (The Vicious Brothers) manage to jump the shark at the midway point and the movie ceases to innovate and just ticks boxes. The only major difference this time round is we get a little more of everything, because it is a sequel. So, there's more jumps, more ghosts and more violence. Is there more entertainment? May be.
Grave Encounters (2011)
I had high hopes for Grave Encounters after I saw the Trailer on You Tube six years ago. It got quite a lot of attention online, due to it jumping on the found footage bandwagon and by cashing in on the popularity of supernatural reality TV. The movie poster takes great pains to reference that fact. Shows such as Ghost Hunters and Most Haunted still pull in big TV ratings. Even I've been guilty of watching them in the past. So the idea of a TV crew investigating the paranormal and genuinely encountering it sounded very promising. Alas, Grave Encounters fails to reach it's potential in my opinion, although my primary objection hinges on a very subjective preconception. One that other viewers may not share.
Lake Mungo (2008)
Do not be fooled by the marketing and artwork for Lake Mungo. It is not a found footage movie but in fact a faux documentary. If you are looking for cheap scares, loud noises and unpleasant imagery, then you will be disappointed. Lake Mungo is not your standard exploitation fodder. If however you like well constructed movies that create a genuine sense of disquiet, then Lake Mungo is a must see. Once again Australian cinema has managed to produce an innovative and thoughtful entry to a popular sub-genre. The film demonstrates a great understanding of the mechanics of a ghost story and how they should be handled.