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hey kids,
I just rented CLOVERFIELD the other day and found it entertaining.
I bring it up because I gather we've all scene CLOVERFIELD, THE
BLAIR WITCH PROJECT and at least one of (or both of) the PARANORMAL
ACTIVITY films. these are part of a horror subgenre known as "found
footage". what is a "found footage" film you ask. to answer:
1. it is shot documentary-style.
2. it has a "less is more" concept of storytelling, making the audience
use their imagination to fill in the blanks.
3. it starts off as something innocent, like a wedding or someone
showing off their new home, before things take a turn for the
worse.
4. at the subject title implies, the film usually ends with the person
or persons shooting winding up either dead or missing.
in fact, if a film ends with something like "Katie disappeared the night
of October 8th, 2008. She hasn't been seen since", it's a good bet
that the studio is thinking sequel. whether the sequel is as good as
the original or whether the original even warrants a sequel is beside
the point. the studio might feel the audience would want to know
"Did Katie survive?" "Is she alive or dead?" "Did the pick-your-favorite-
evil-entity survive and is it still out there?" another interesting thing
is are there versions of such a film and how do the two compare? for
example, there is the movie QUARANTINE about a reporter and her
cameraman who investigate strange happenings in an apartment
complex only to discover a virus has broken out to turn the inhabitants
into zombies. it's a remake of a (some may say superior) 2007 Spanish
film REC. anyway, what is our favorite "found footage" film and why?
comments are welcome.:D
Underworld2008
12-02-11, 17:07
May I just say, Found Footage is one of my favourite sub-genres. As for films, obviously Paranormal activity springs to mind..but Cloverfield was great! Quarantine was bloody amazing as well :D
I'm planning a FF short film for youtube soon, to make with some friends :pi:
On the Halloween Resurrection DVD, there is a feature which allows you to watch the film by the webcam/headcam...its really clever and good, but obviously the film itself is awful lol But its scary when watched just by the head/web cams :)
Croftizzle
12-02-11, 23:34
You didn't have to fully explain found footage. I think everyone would be competent enough to understand "Found footage is like Paranormal Activity or Cloverfield." And your spacing is quite odd. Makes the page longer than needed. Just a heads-up.
My favorite is PA2.
^I didn't know what Found Footage was. For someone who is inside me, you don't know much about me.:confused:
May I just say, Found Footage is one of my favourite sub-genres. As for films, obviously Paranormal activity springs to mind..but Cloverfield was great! Quarantine was bloody amazing as well :D
I'm planning a FF short film for youtube soon, to make with some friends :pi:
On the Halloween Resurrection DVD, there is a feature which allows you to watch the film by the webcam/headcam...its really clever and good, but obviously the film itself is awful lol But its scary when watched just by the head/web cams :)
I'M GONNA BE SICK!
[REC] was amazing. The original Spanish horror.
Quarantine was an overrated pile of garbage IMO. [REC] is so terrifying and really hooked me with realism and depth. So I reccomend you watch [REC].
I'M GONNA BE SICK!
[REC] was amazing. The original Spanish horror.
Quarantine was an overrated pile of garbage IMO. [REC] is so terrifying and really hooked me with realism and depth. So I reccomend you watch [REC].
hey.
well, if I can find it, I'll give it a look. I guess they are going to have
2 more [REC] films in the next two years or so, including a prequel.
as for its American counterpart, the sequel (QUARANTINE 2:TERMINUS)
is being shot in an airport. something tells me that's going to bomb,
but we'll see. I'll see if I can scare the movie up at my local library.
hey.
well, if I can find it, I'll give it a look. I guess they are going to have
2 more [REC] films in the next two years or so, including a prequel.
as for its American counterpart, the sequel (QUARANTINE 2:TERMINUS)
is being shot in an airport. something tells me that's going to bomb,
but we'll see. I'll see if I can scare the movie up at my local library.
The idea of an airport sounds awesome but if it's just a wannabe film like the first then it will bomb.
[REC] really is terrifying and the acting is 100x more better than Quarantine IMO and it's in Spanish! Stupid hollywood. Just because people are too stupid to read subtitles doesn't mean you should remake original foreign films.
Wasn't "Blair Witch Project" Technically the first one of these?
Lizard of Oz
13-02-11, 05:14
You didn't have to fully explain found footage. I think everyone would be competent enough to understand "Found footage is like Paranormal Activity or Cloverfield." And your spacing is quite odd. Makes the page longer than needed. Just a heads-up.
Get out. :ohn:
:p
I haven't seen quarantine yet! I want to see it. I really enjoyed Cloverfield! I heard there is going to be a sequel/prequel? I hope so. The blair witch was all right, some really scary parts there! :D
Get out. :ohn:
:p
I haven't seen [REC] yet! I want to see it. I really enjoyed Cloverfield! I heard there is going to be a sequel/prequel? I hope so. The blair witch was all right, some really scary parts there! :D
See [REC] before you see Quarantine.
I was excited to see REC and then... disappointment. It wasn't as good as I thought it'd be, maybe I should avoid Quarantine if it's worse :p
hey,
perhaps the disappointment came because, for some odd reason,
QUARANTINE decided to put (I guess) the ending in as part of the
trailer so you know what happens to the reporter. I'm still curious
about [REC] though. another one I'm curious about is MAN BITES
DOG, which is about a killer who documents his day in a blackly
humorous manner.
I was excited to see REC and then... disappointment. It wasn't as good as I thought it'd be, maybe I should avoid Quarantine if it's worse :p
I saw Quarantine, it actually is pretty good. I love how it perfectly portrays an event like that realistically and in a way that actually seems really plausible.
Also, knowing how it ends actually made it pretty interesting, because you can start making the connections for what leads up to that event, making every little thing that happens has a much greater significance.
You can check out my youtube channel Found Footage Horror (http://www.youtube.com/user/FoundFootageHorror) for plenty of trailers and other stuff... if youīre fan of this specific horror subgenre. Itīs in no way complete because youtube blocks plenty of trailers and several movies in this genre are often made by aspiring filmmakers who may be embarassed and/or full of themselves so they ask to take the trailers down.
Wasn't "Blair Witch Project" Technically the first one of these?
Cannibal Holocaust was.
Lara's Nemesis
15-02-11, 02:49
hey,
perhaps the disappointment came because, for some odd reason,
QUARANTINE decided to put (I guess) the ending in as part of the
trailer so you know what happens to the reporter. I'm still curious
about [REC] though. another one I'm curious about is MAN BITES
DOG, which is about a killer who documents his day in a blackly
humorous manner.
Man Bites Dog is really sick and twisted, very dark homour. Well worth a watch. :p
There is a British film called "The Last Horror Movie" which is fairly similar but not quite as good, still not too bad tho.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0319728/
Man Bites Dog is really sick and twisted, very dark homour. Well worth a watch. :p
There is a British film called "The Last Horror Movie" which is fairly similar but not quite as good, still not too bad tho.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0319728/
hey,
good to know. I asked if my library could get MBD. there is an American
film with a similiar title LAST HORROR FILM about an obsessed fan who
wants a famous Scream Queen to appear in his film. it's a twisted cat
and mouse game which ends with the guy showing the film to his
mother who said "I'm proud of you." of course, I looked up Paranormal
2's alternate ending and Katie kills Hunter. I think I like the original ending
better and I'm curious about PA3 just to see if they keep this style or
if they decide to go to normal storytelling.
I didn't know what they were called that. Hawt. I love found footage movies. Paranormal Activity was sooo good. I really wanna see the second one.
I like this genre a lot, but sometimes it's a little abused.
Cloverfield was pretty unique though (IMO) because I never thought that turning a movie with such a huge scope and epic scenes into "found footage" style would work. I loved it.
jarekhanzelka
15-02-11, 13:52
The one big problem I usually have with these found footage movies is I always never can imagine the cameraman to NOT throw the damn camera away in 90% of the presented situations. Then again, weird ass decisions and behaviour are known for all genres. My favourite one would be The Poughkeepsie Tapes. Truly scary here and there, and fairly believable (probably because there's hardly ever such cameraman in first place).
The one big problem I usually have with these found footage movies is I always never can imagine the cameraman to NOT throw the damn camera away in 90% of the presented situations. Then again, weird ass decisions and behaviour are known for all genres. My favourite one would be The Poughkeepsie Tapes. Truly scary here and there, and fairly believable (probably because there's hardly ever such cameraman in first place).
hey,
I totally agree with you. a couple of scenes in CLOVERFIELD, for example,
I'd have said "F--k it! It's only a few hundred bucks. My damn life is more
important!" I'd haul ass out of there and get the camera back later, if it's
still in one piece. but, like you said, some really interesting behavior in
these films.:D
The film REC is probably the only one who actually makes a point with that (the constant filming). Hence the title. They're reporters, so they're obsessed about filming all the gore, with ironic consequences.
I liked Cloverfield and Paranormal Activity, but not so much the other ones
TRhalloween
15-02-11, 22:25
I love The Blair Witch Project.
hey,
well, I rented QUARANTINE and it was entertaining, though I was
not really scared in anyway. however, I am curious about REC and
what the differnce might be. like I said, the studio decided to put
the ending where Angela is dragged into the darkness while the
camera is rolling into the trailer, in essence spoiling the film. I am
curious as to how the original REC cast thinks of it. I can imagine
the premiere in Spain where Manuela and crew see it and either
say "It's a pretty good remake" or "These stupid gringos totally
f--ked up the movie." well, I'll rent REC (and maybe REC2) and
see how they are.:D
The full threatrical trailer for REC featured the same shot of Angela being dragged away. Also Quarantine went into production before REC hit the theatres so they worked oof the screenplay not the movie.
interstellardave
16-02-11, 19:46
Cloverfield is the best movie I've seen in this particular genre.
hey kids,
well, I rented MAN BITES DOG and it is interesting, to say the
least. Benoit is a witty, likable killer who knows about music,
art, architecture, etc. he takes a camera crew to document
his routine, lecturing about how to despose of the body, to
kill in different ways to save a bullet (e.g. he forces one old
woman to have a heart attack) and to go after "small fry"
because there is no fuss (presumably nobody would give them
a second thought). of course, while he is likeable and charming,
he is a killer, so there is little surprise (and likely) little way
of sympathy when he meets his demise at the end. of course,
the camera crew are involved as well (helping him dump the
bodies and even raping a woman) so their demise probably
elicits little tears as well. in all, a very interesting and twisted
tale that satirizes how the media makes serial killer almost
cultural icons. just curious as to who else saw it and what
did they think?:D
miss.haggard
20-02-11, 03:08
Most FF movies include "shakey cam." I despise shakey cam with such an immense passion, that I cannot describe it in words. Though Paranormal Activity scared the crap out of me (I hate hearing noises at night, must investigate!) after time I like coming away from movies with a story and answers, not just being scared.
Most FF movies include "shakey cam." I despise shakey cam with such an immense passion, that I cannot describe it in words. Though Paranormal Activity scared the crap out of me (I hate hearing noises at night, must investigate!) after time I like coming away from movies with a story and answers, not just being scared.
That's the only downside to found footage films, [REC] was done more professionally due to the storyline including a cameraman so there was much, much less shakeyness for a lack of a better word.
It's honestly the reason why Cloverfield was ruined a little, because the camera was so shakey I couldn't concentrate.
miss.haggard
20-02-11, 03:21
That's the only downside to found footage films, [REC] was done more professionally due to the storyline including a cameraman so there was much, much less shakeyness for a lack of a better word.
It's honestly the reason why Cloverfield was ruined a little, because the camera was so shakey I couldn't concentrate.
I was extremely disappointed with Cloverfield. Possibly my biggest theater disappointment until District 9. I go to a movie to watch it, not to try to make out whatever I can from a shakey picture. If I wanted to waste my time like that, I would go out and get rabbit ears for my TV. :ton:
Found Footage horror finds itīs way to space in upcoming horror movie Apollo 18 :)
3LuvPwIV2BE
hey,
"There is a reason we never went back." looks interesting. I
may take a look when it comes out.;)
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