Here Are 5 Great Found Footage Movies About Monsters
Marcos Codas
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Don’t know if you’ve heard, but March is Monster Month at Dread Central. We’re celebrating the arrival of Godzilla Vs. Kong in style, baby. In honor of the ocassion, I thought I’d share with you a meeting of two things I love: found footage flicks and monsters. There are a hell of a lot of good films which fit into this unholy marriage, believe it or not. Without further ado, then, here are 5 great found footage movies about monsters. PSA: This list does not include Cloverfield, mostly because everyone knows about it.
Incident at Loch Ness (2004)
Gotta love a found footage film that doesn’t take itself too seriously. I’m not too fond of horror comedies, but when you tell me Werner Herzog is in your movie, I’ll pay attention. Released in 2004 and directed by the writer of Avengers, Ready Player One and X-Men 2 (Zak Penn), this satire on both found footage and monster hunting deserves your time for sure.
Exists (2014)
When you’re talking about found footage, you’re talking about Eduardo Sánchez. Co-writer and co-director of The Blair Witch Project, Sánchez fell out of grace with a lot of Hollywood critics the moment his first film came out in 1999. But not me. I adore his work, and in particular, his collaborations with Jamie Nash. Jamie’s fast-paced rhythm and Hemingway-esque horror approachability pair perfectly for this film about friends being stalked by Bigfoot. Good stuff.
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Troll Hunter (2011)
Troll Hunter is pretty amazing. This norwegian film does an amazing job at presenting a local legend in a compelling way for international audiences. The visual effects are incredible for a production with this kind of budget. It’s a slow burn at first, but once it gets going, it’s relentless.
Bigfoot: The Lost Coast Tapes (2012)
Fauxcumentaries where it goes wrong for a careless film crew are some of my favorites. They have it coming, don’t they? This is one such film, but it does set itself apart from other found footage movies about monsters by not showing the monster much. It’s a pretty respectful telling of the Bigfoot way of life, too. Overall, a decent flick with good scares and tons of tension. As a bonus, if you’re a fan of Jesse Eisenberg, this film features a guy who looks a lot like Jesse Eisenberg.
The Legend of Six Fingers (2013)
Well, OK, this one is debatable. But I enjoyed it. The acting is pretty whack, but the effects are awesomely 70s. I mean, the whole thing is schlocky and reeks of the best B-movie aroma/stench you can ask for. Possibly the film with the least mainstream appeal on this list, but therefore, one you possibly haven’t heard about much.
Bonus: 2 Classic Found Footage Movies About Monsters
The Legend of Boggy Creek: one of the films that inspired The Blair Witch Project. A bit schlocky, but required reading/watching for genre history nerds. Recently remastered and restored to 4K by The George Eastman Museum.
The Legend of the Chupacabra: Fine, this one is only 20 years old. But I cannot believe the Chupacabra hasn’t been the protagonist of at least a few more found footage films. Alas, this is what we’ve got, so it’ll have to do for now.
