10 Great Found Footage Horror Films You May Not Have Heard Of

There’s absolutely nothing more terrifying than watching a found footage horror film and not knowing where the camera will go next. The way the camera is perceived from the audience’s viewpoint creates a sense of fear that is uniquely characteristic of this sub-genre. To create a truly terrifying found footage film, filmmakers can explore a range of fascinating approaches, from quick pans that lead to sudden jump scares, to the suspense of turning a corner into the unknown, or even the thrill of recording the inexplicable. Everyone knows some of the classics like Blair Witch Project or REC. But there are so many great found footage films out there. It can be tough to find a movie that truly delivers a genuine scare but fear not! I’ve compiled a list of ten found footage films that are sure to send shivers down your spine, along with where you can stream them:

10. M.O.M. Mother of Monsters

A terrifying portrayal of a parent not knowing whether their child is deranged and capable of doing bad things. M.O.M. forces the audience to enable its protagonist justifications in setting up cameras and constantly recording her sons every move. An act of insurance just in case he decides to try something at any given moment. The movie delves into the mother’s behavior paralleling her son’s, blurring the line of who is perceived as unstable. It offers a unique perspective on school violence by exploring the parents’ observations.

9. Livescream

This low budget screen life cyber slasher impressed the hell out of me. A popular video game streamer receives a suggestion to play a new horror game and realizes the game has some real-life deadly consequences. Writer/Director Michelle Iannantuono pulled inspiration from her own life of once being a streamer and applies it to the chances of “What if a video game acted as a slasher villain?”. Not to mention she used the Unreal Engine to create the games that the movie showcases. Livescream is an example of why the found footage sub-genre will always be on top of the horror game, always being able to adapt to current technologies and apply them.

8. Frogman

There’s a characteristic of Found Footage films that dozens of movies suffer from, and I call it “First Half Syndrome”, where the first half of the movie takes forever to get going and saves all of the good scares for the second half. Frogman suffers from “FHS” but makes up for it in the second half with a V/H/S influenced shift in direction. If you’re a fan of local legends such as The Jersey Devil and El Chupacabra, then you’ll enjoy this group of friends searching for the Loveland Frogman.

7. Horror in the High Desert 1&2

I combined both of these movies because I solely wanted to recommend the second film, “Minerva”. Admittedly, I’m not the biggest fan of the first film. The first Horror in the High Desert suffers from “FHS” complimented with a strong ending heavily inspired by the superior Rec. Horror in the High Desert 2: Minerva ramps up the intensity the first film lacked and provides some genuine scares adding to the lore of an area in Northern Nevada where people seem to go missing.

6. The Blackwell Ghost

Turner Clay is set out to prove that ghosts exist. By doing so he takes out a page of the Paranormal Activity book of scaring the living soul out of the audience. This film relies more on sound, but the repetitive nature of the sound leaves more room for curiosity. The intensity increases every time Turner Clay gets closer to the mysterious sound. The realistic approach makes for a heart pounding experience.

5. The Taking of Deborah Logan

This psychological found footage horror film delves into Alzheimer’s disease and explores memory’s fragility. Director Adam Robitel builds tension, blurring reality with Deborah’s deteriorating mind. Jill Larson delivers a standout performance as Deborah in this found footage gem.

4. Be My Cat

Romania’s first found footage horror film features a filmmaker resorting to extreme methods to cast Anne Hathaway. Sounds pretty fake and random right? Well, it’s not because that’s exactly what writer/director Adrian Țofei created. A psychological exploration of a deranged fanatic’s mind. Țofei’s method performance makes for a realistic and uncomfortable watch.

3. Gonjiam Haunted Asylum

There’s a reason why this Korean Grave Encounters is the second largest grossing Korean horror film, behind 2003’s A Tale of Two Sisters. Gonjiam Haunted Asylum is about an online horror series that decides to travel to an abandoned asylum to host a live broadcast. The film’s journey to the asylum may feel like typical filler at first, but once the crew arrives, it transforms into one of the most terrifying found footage movies ever.

2. Savageland

One of the most underrated faux documentaries found footage films of all time. Savageland displays a social commentary of immigration through the lens of a Mexican man that solely witnesses the massacre of a US-Mexico border town. What makes this movie, so chilling are the haunting photographs that captured the events of the slaughter. Those images will forever be ingrained in my mind.

1. Hell House LLC

Stephen Cognetti created the first installment in his frightening franchise, making it one of the scariest found footage films of all time. A group of haunted house creators rent an abandoned hotel for their latest attraction, uncovering more than old furniture and cobwebs. Creepy occurrences like a moving clown mannequin, mysterious shadows, and odd behavior from the crew make this film truly terrifying.

You can find these movies streaming on FoundTV.

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Marcel Urena
Marcel Urenahttps://letterboxd.com/marcelsmovies/
Ever since my mom took me to go see The Blair Witch Project in theaters when I was 7 years old I’ve been obsessed with not just movies but the horror genre. When I’m not watching movies you can find me thrifting, attending a local horror convention, or collecting physical media. I attended the University of Central Florida with a degree in Cinema Studies and use my degree to rant about movies online. MY FAVORITE MOVIES: The Cabin in the Woods, Cabaret, Seven Samurai, The Blair Witch Project, Inglourious Basterds
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