Analog horror is experiencing a renaissance right now. YouTube is full of creators using the aesthetic of analog horror to create scary tales that pull in millions of viewers per week. But don’t think analog horror is restricted to the internet — many horror films use the same themes and capture the same vibe as many of these popular analog horror projects. In fact, many popular YouTube analog horror series were heavily influenced by these legendary horror films.
So, if you’re looking for some new films to scare yourself with, here are 14 movies that analog horror fans will love.
14. The V/H/S Franchise
An American horror anthology franchise, V/H/S focuses on a group of innocent people discovering disturbing VHS tapes and experiencing a possessive influence of the recordings upon these individuals. They are a collection of films made by various filmmakers and actors, but the recurring elements in all the videos indicate that the same fictional villain has filmed them all.
There are a number of memorable episodes in the series, including six found footage films, two spin-off films, and one miniseries, making the movie series perfect for a horror movie binge. From the original film, V/H/S, to the sixth film, V/H/S/85, the wide breadth of material means you will surely find something that caters to your spooky sensibilities.
13. Lake Mungo
When Alice Palmer drowns in the local dam at age sixteen, this thriller, mystery, and ghost story begins. After her body is recovered, her grieving family buries her. Afterward, the family encounters a series of strange and inexplicable events within and around their home.
This film has a captivating story, beautiful soundtrack, moody cinematography, fully fleshed-out characters, and compelling acting. You might just think you’re watching a genuine documentary if you let yourself go, and while the film isn’t going to make you jump out of your seat, its ultra-realism is what makes it as effective as most found-footage-style films.
Though Lake Mungo might not scare a true horror fan, it is an entertaining film that will stick with you for days after watching it. In contrast to a number of other films, this one makes you care about the story it’s telling.
12. The Outwaters
A found footage film following four travelers in the Mojave Desert shows them encountering menacing phenomena during their camping expedition.
The Outwaters is brilliant in creating a creepy, immersive experience that makes you feel like you are with the main characters as events spiral. Speaking of the characters, the movie also takes some time away from the scares to develop them and does a good job setting up for what is to come.
Do not expect CGI monsters or jump scares in the style of Blumhouse. It doesn’t pander to the audience and doesn’t hold back. The experience is quite unique if you keep an open mind, have patience, and are willing to use your imagination. This film is best enjoyed on a big screen or with a good sound system, as the sound design plays an important role. The true terror lies in what you cannot see, which is why it’s all about suggestion and barely seen horror.
It is a cosmic art/horror film that is Lovecraftian in many ways, and the movie is truly nightmarish in parts. The Outwaters is an amazing accomplishment for a budget of $15,000, proving that imagination can get you anywhere if you have skill and creativity.
11. Skinamarink
In Skinamarink, two children wake up to find that their father has gone missing and that all of their windows and doors have disappeared. They eventually realize that something is watching them.
Known for being a bit elusive in its storytelling, Skinamarink excels at posing many questions while offering few answers. While that might seem frustrating, the film knows how to set its tone and atmosphere to make the viewer sit up and notice.
Like The Blair Witch Project, it uses POV as the basis for the entire film. But this is where Skinamarink is so very different. It is from the perspective of a small child, so we only see ankles, ceilings, doors, and part of the television. The claustrophobic atmosphere creates a feeling of unease because you don’t know what’s happening, but you know something is very wrong. Although it can be a challenging movie to follow, if you decide to give it a chance, you will find a tense and moody horror film unlike any other.
10. The Blair Witch Project
While it may seem quaint today, The Blair Witch Project was a massive film when it came out, with people gathering around their office water coolers to debate if the picture was genuine or scripted. The film presents itself as found footage, following film students Heather, Mike, and Josh as they venture into the woods in Burkittsville, Maryland, to record a documentary about the legendary Blair Witch. But this is a horror film, so things don’t go as planned, and events quickly take a turn for the dark.
Among the most influential and iconic horror movies of all time, it’s a disturbing story without any violence or monsters. As a result of the film’s exceptional performances it perfectly captures the feeling of being lost in the forest — how we can easily get turned around because of panic and anxiety and how easily we can fall victim to it. As the sun sets on one of the final nights, one character’s voice becomes desperate as she knows what is coming but has no power to stop it.
There was perfect timing for the film and excellent marketing when it came out. Proving or disproving anything quickly was tough, and search engines were still quite simplistic. As a result, the movie had a lot of buildup, and it’s unlikely that anyone will ever be able to duplicate that type of marketing again. Trying that today would lead to blog posts, articles, videos, and tweets that ripped every aspect apart.
9. The Last Broadcast
Considered one of the first found footage movies and the first movie to be edited on consumer-level digital equipment, The Last Broadcast is often overshadowed by movies released after it.
The film follows David Leigh, a documentary filmmaker investigating the mysterious deaths of two public-access television hosts. However, to work out what happened, Leigh will need to look through old footage to find out exactly what happened on the deadly trip. But this mystery is much more confusing than it seems on the surface.
Broadcast works well in suspending disbelief because it is shot on a budget and uses video instead of film. It seems more like a reality TV show than a movie, and that’s why it holds up so well. As you ignore the movie’s lack of budget, the true story creeps up on you.
This film is eerie and darkly entertaining. Even though the movie is clearly low-budget, it has an engaging story and believable and real characters, so it’s almost impossible to criticize it. Despite not being completely unexpected, the twist at the end is still shocking. What you see at the end is not always the truth. Some parts are edited for TV.
8. The Poughkeepsie Tapes
The Poughkeepsie Tapes is known for its scares and messy release history, as the film was meant to be released by MGM before they dropped the picture.
The Poughkeepsie Tapes is presented as a series of tapes found at the house of serial killer Edward Carver. These tapes show what he did to many of his victims, forcing the police to try and piece together the mystery and find him before he kills again. Taking the VHS aesthetic to its logical conclusion, The Poughkeepsie Tapes is very dark and brutal, and it presents a found footage film with a worryingly realistic atmosphere.
An absurdly unsettling documentary style and “hand cam” technique are used in the movie to examine the life of a depraved and successful serial killer. Every aspect of this film is chilling, from the presentation to the cinematography, the acting, the audio, the costumes, and the pacing.
The characters in the film are compelling, from the realtor at the beginning to the authority figures “interviewed” throughout. Even the most experienced horror movie enthusiasts will be left haunted by The Poughkeepsie Tapes, a terrifying film experience.
7. Broadcast Signal Intrusion
Broadcast intrusions are a staple of analog horror, and Broadcast Signal Intrusion captures the feeling of digging into something you shouldn’t. Released in 2021 but set in 1999, it follows James, a man who is archiving tapes for a Chicago television station. James finds a broadcast intrusion featuring some very suspicious activity on one of these tapes. James investigates this, only to be pulled into a conspiracy that might be connected to his wife’s disappearance.
The movie’s suspensefulness, mystery, and creepiness are largely due to its neo-noir editing and cinematography, as well as its pacing, plot, and acting. As well as being a character study, it is also a mystery thriller with an oblique tone, a little strange, and a sort of “otherworldly” feel. The X-Files aspect of the film is also a nice one, with a conspiracy-obsessed protagonist being the obvious counterpart for Mulder, especially a Mulder without Scully, to provide a rational perspective on the matter. There is even a figure that resembles a Deep Throat.
Packed full of tension and suspense, Broadcast Signal Intrusion delivers the uneasy feeling of analog horror while pulling it into a more traditional thriller format. It will leave you on edge for hours after watching it.
6. Be My Cat: A Film for Anne
One of the most disturbing found footage films in history, Be My Cat: A Film for Anne, captures the feeling of a regular production going wrong. It follows a Romanian filmmaker who is obsessed with the actress Anne Hathaway. The film is presented as a series of pitch tapes the creator has made for the actress, with the hope of getting her to appear in his upcoming movie. However, as things progress, the footage becomes increasingly unhinged, and the line between person and actor becomes more blurred, leading to a disturbing film that will leave you feeling very uncomfortable.
Overall, Be My Cat is a very brave, unique, well-executed film with memorable scenes and a great protagonist, but its greatest achievement is that it exists. With creativity and commitment to his work, director Adrian Tofei and his crew demonstrated you can make movies without millions of dollars, inspiring independent filmmakers everywhere.
In addition to its unique concept, the movie is a genius found footage movie with great method acting and improvisation, as well as poetic dialogue that almost feels like a tagline slogan in and of itself. It’s funny, dark, entertaining, and innovative all at the same time.
5. Cam
The internet or media going wrong or becoming corrupted is a common theme in analog horror, and Cam presents a unique and modern take on the idea. It follows Alice Ackerman, a woman who makes money by working as a cam girl. She dreams of becoming the best cam girl on her site. However, things become strange when an identical copy of her starts streaming on the same website, making Alice question her identity while also forcing her to get to the bottom of the mystery.
There’s a lot to love about Cam. It’s a film that appeals to a new generation, a film that uses psychological fear rather than cheap tricks to engage audiences. The audacious take on the dark side of the internet and its toll on its users sets Cam apart from typical thrillers. It’s a surreal and sometimes shocking journey that’s impossible to look away from. It gives you a glimpse into the world of camming, allowing you to see how the performers and the devoted fans live their lives.
In this film, you’ll be tempted to question the boundaries of reality and fiction in the same way that Alice does. You’ll be on the edge of your seat as you unravel the mystery behind this sinister intrusion. A deliciously surreal take on the horror format, Cam uses its premise to its full effect and delivers a movie that will keep you guessing until the end credits.
4. Noroi: The Curse
Directed by legendary director Kōji Shiraishi, Noroi: The Curse is presented as the final unfinished documentary of paranormal researcher Masafumi Kobayashi. What starts as a regular investigation of some strange noises in the woods quickly pulls Kobayashi into a mystery that involves a town’s very dark past. However, as he studies, he soon becomes the target of this mystery and must try to find a solution before it’s too late.
Despite being a small-budget movie, Noroi is very creepy. It is an excellent example of a horror found-footage film and how an overarching plot should be handled. It starts out vaguely, as the movie shows clips of various characters as it progresses. As disturbing events begin to occur around these characters, they become more acquainted. A nerve-wracking ending leaves viewers wondering, “What happens next?” when everything comes together in the end.
It is not the scares that make Noroi such a great horror movie, but rather the atmosphere. It will stay in your mind for a long time to come. Some viewers might find it boring and slow-paced, but this movie is not made for those who expect jump-out-of-your-seat scares. The film is perfect for patient horror fans who enjoy a good story.
Full of tension and clever scares, Noroi: The Curse is one of Japan’s best-found footage films, and with good reason. Several of the more intense sequences will leave you shaken for weeks.
3. Ring
Corrupted and possessed media is a common thread in analog horror series, and no film does that better than Ring. While many are familiar with the American remake from 2002, the original Japanese version handles the concept better, leading to a much more terrifying film.
The movie follows Reiko Asakawa, a journalist investigating an urban legend about a cursed videotape that kills anyone who dares watch it. However, when Reiko accidentally watches the tape, she must quickly find a way to break the curse before she is killed by the vengeful ghost while also learning the true origin of this terrible curse.
A fascinating, involving plot, The Ring is one of the most effective modern ghost stories out there. It sometimes plays out like a police procedural but with a strong sense of dread and danger. Instead of bombarding your eyes with jump scenes, the film lets you make assumptions on your own. Despite the absence of blood or violence, the audience always feels dread and menace. Eerie sound effects and music keep the viewer on edge.
2. Ghostwatch
A stone-cold cult classic, Ghostwatch stands out from the crowd by emulating the look and feel of an early 90s British BBC show. It even features British television legends Michael Parkinson and Craig Charles playing themselves, further adding to the immersion.
The film sees a group of presenters host a show about a house in Northolt, Greater London. This house is rumored to be full of ghostly activity because of horrific events that happened in the past. While this goes on, an outside broadcast crew explores the house and talks to its occupants. However, the ghost, nicknamed Pipes, soon makes himself known.
In Ghostwatch, the real-life settings and personalities really do give you the feeling that the events are happening – even though it’s just a drama. For about an hour, the film builds tension before unleashing all hell. It uses all kinds of subtle yet deeply unnerving effects, including possessions, noises coming from the walls, strange marks appearing on carpets, ghostly images appearing in mirrors and among the crew, etc.
This program was noteworthy for its time, and even if it were released now, it would be remarkable in light of the overwhelming amount of horror and found footage films released in this period. The movie’s premise and story were terrific, the actors were perfect for the roles they played, and the performances were excellent. A masterclass in creating tension and suspense, Ghostwatch is a fantastic piece of cinema that every horror fan should watch.
1. WNUF Halloween Special
WNUF Halloween Special is a very unique comedy horror film. Presented as a home off-air recording of local TV channel WNUF’s Halloween show from 1987, the film works hard to create a sense of time and place. It even includes several fake commercials for local businesses in the area!
The core part of the film focuses on reporter Frank Stewart as he investigates the Webber House, a place where a violent murder occurred many years prior and is now believed to be haunted. Of course, Frank thinks this is nonsense, but he and his guests are soon proven wrong.
It’s a movie for anyone who enjoys found footage but also enjoys the nostalgia of old VHS tapes with commercials. The film was endearing, creepy, and oddly nostalgic at the same time, and you can tell the creators put a lot of care into it.
There are several reasons to like the film, including the unique presentation. It mimics a local news station from the 1980s in a very good way. Besides the typical tape damage and decay, there are also a lot of funny (and incredibly stupid) ads for the aforementioned fictional local businesses in the film. The style is surprisingly restrained and realistic compared to the period pieces that overdo the clothes and pop culture references.
A fun mix of horror and comedy, WNUF Halloween Special perfectly captures the analog horror vibe while presenting a unique take on the horror and found footage genres.
