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Why Mockumentaries Aren’t Found Footage and Some of the Best of the Bunch

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I find that there is a common confusion between found footage movies and mockumentaries, which are movies set up to look like a documentary but aren’t real. Found footage to me is The Blair Witch Project, yes they were filming a documentary but the actual movie is their raw footage of them bullshitting in the woods.

A mockumentary is Curse of the Blair Witch. Based on the story of how the movie footage was found and the search for the missing students and the legend behind the witch. Think of the set-up of both films and notice the difference.  One is raw, barely edited footage, shaky movement and no narration. The other is sit down interviews, clips and voice-overs.

While I love found footage to no end, I love horror mockumentaries a little bit more. They are more put together for the most part and can come off as just a little bit more realistic.

Most of the time, lists of found footage movies include mockumentaries without separating the two genres, so today I’m bringing you a small list of the best and/or creepiest mockumentaries that I’ve seen without overlapping too much on our found footage lists.

Curse of the Blair Witch (1999)

Image result for Curse of the Blair Witch (1999)

Watching it now, it’s a cheesy fake documentary but at the time, it accompanied the movie wonderfully. I saw The Blair Witch Project in theaters and it instantly fell in love with the found footage genre. Then I saw Curse of the Blair Witch and while it seemed like it was trying a bit too hard, it was still creepy and filled in some blanks that the movie created. You can watch the whole thing on Youtube. There was another mockumentary called Shadow of the Blair Witch that worked to explain the murders of the second movies, but we just like to pretend that Book of Shadows never happened. If you love The Blair Witch Project, look at the theory by MatPat of who the real killer is here.

Lake Mungo (2008)

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via Where’s The Jump

I came across this Australian mockumentary when I was home sick from work one day and turned on FearNet (RIP FearNet, I miss you). It was part way through but I’m a sucker for documentaries so I continued to watch. When Alice Palmer dies while swimming, her family hires a psychic to find what happened. While the documentary films, something supernatural haunts the family leading them to Alice’s secret life. It was slow but interesting and very creepy.

Digging Up the Marrow (2014)

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via YouTube

I love Adam Green’s movies! Each and every one (except Frozen, that SOB scared me so badly I can never EVER watch it again) and his sitcom. So when I heard he was doing a documentary style movie, I was excited. If it was anything like the Holliston Hobgoblin, it was bound to be good (LOL). Not only does it deal with monsters living beneath the surface of the earth but it also stars Ray Wise and I love everything he’s in. This is a very highly recommended movie. I enjoyed the wry humor and the ending immensely and I hope Adam Green meanders into mockumentaries again someday.

The Buried Secret of M. Night Shyamalan (2004)

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via Vulture

I mentioned this is my Shyamalan list in the past. This movie was a promotional project made circa The Village. It was meant to paint the Signs director as a mysterious person with possible connections to the paranormal. Shyamalan even played along by being “angry” with the director for releasing the movie. Regardless of the purpose behind the project, I loved this mockumentary. The way they made it was truly creepy and almost believable. It was made intelligently without being over the top and was a nice throwback to mockumentaries accompanying movies.

The Fourth Kind (2009)

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via YouTube

This almost didn’t make the list for a couple reasons. For one, the style is much more theatrical and less gritty. In its barest bones, it’s a mockumentary, but its style is much more like a sci-fi movie. Secondly, I hated the acting. The “reenactments” were poor and completely overshadowed by the “actual footage.”

The “actual footage” is the reason this makes the list. I am a sucker for alien stuff and I always have been. To me, the real footage in his movie is extremely unsettling. Even though the real footage is bogus, it feels so real. I would have happily taken a 15-minute movie of pieced together “real footage” over the 90-minute mishmash of what we got any day, but to me it’s worth the time just for the “real” stuff.

What We Do in the Shadows (2014)

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via IGN

I almost forgot this one and was furious at myself for it. As a big Flight of the Conchords fan, this movie got me so excited. A film crew follows four vampires to show what daily life is like for them. The premise is so simple and the characters are so delightful. Shy and awkward, the one who thinks he’s cool but isn’t, the one who does erotic dancing and then there’s Petyr.

Even the werewolves are adorable. “We’re werewolves, not swearwolves!” This isn’t one you can put on repeat but definitely has some rewatch quality.

If you can’t get enough found footage or mockumentaries, check out some of our other lists. What your favorite mockumentary or found footage movie? Let us know in the comments.

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New Poster Reveal For Nicolas Cage’s Survival Creature Feature ‘Arcadian’ [Trailer]

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Nicolas Cage Arcadian

In the latest cinematic venture featuring Nicolas Cage, Arcadian emerges as a compelling creature feature, teeming with suspense, horror, and emotional depth. RLJE Films has recently released a series of new images and a captivating poster, offering audiences a glimpse into the eerie and thrilling world of “Arcadian”. Scheduled to hit theaters on April 12, 2024, the film will later be available on Shudder and AMC+, ensuring a wide audience can experience its gripping narrative.

Arcadian Movie Trailer

The Motion Picture Association (MPA) has given this film an “R” rating for its “bloody images,” hinting at the visceral and intense experience awaiting viewers. The film draws inspiration from acclaimed horror benchmarks like “A Quiet Place,” weaving a post-apocalyptic tale of a father and his two sons navigating a desolate world. Following a catastrophic event that depopulates the planet, the family faces the dual challenge of surviving their dystopian environment and eluding mysterious nocturnal creatures.

Joining Nicolas Cage in this harrowing journey are Jaeden Martell, known for his role in “IT” (2017), Maxwell Jenkins from “Lost in Space,” and Sadie Soverall, featured in “Fate: The Winx Saga.” Directed by Ben Brewer (“The Trust”) and penned by Mike Nilon (“Braven”), “Arcadian” promises a unique blend of poignant storytelling and electrifying survival horror.

Maxwell Jenkins, Nicolas Cage, and Jaeden Martell 

Critics have already begun to praise “Arcadian” for its imaginative monster designs and exhilarating action sequences, with one review from Bloody Disgusting highlighting the film’s balance between emotional coming-of-age elements and heart-pounding horror. Despite sharing thematic elements with similar genre films, “Arcadian” sets itself apart through its creative approach and action-driven plot, promising a cinematic experience filled with mystery, suspense, and relentless thrills.

Arcadian Official Movie Poster

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‘Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3’ Is a Go with Enhanced Budget and New Characters

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Wow, they’re churning things out fast! The upcoming sequel “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3” is officially moving forward, promising an expanded narrative with a larger budget and the introduction of beloved characters from A.A. Milne’s original tales. As confirmed by Variety, the third installment in the horror franchise will welcome Rabbit, the heffalumps, and the woozles into its dark and twisted narrative.

This sequel is a part of an ambitious cinematic universe that reimagines children’s stories as horror tales. Alongside “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey” and its first sequel, the universe includes films such as “Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare”, “Bambi: The Reckoning,” and “Pinocchio Unstrung”. These movies are set to converge in the crossover event “Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble,” slated for a 2025 release.

Winnie the Pooh Poohniverse

The creation of these films was made possible when A.A. Milne’s 1926 children’s book “Winnie-the-Pooh” entered the public domain last year, allowing filmmakers to explore these cherished characters in unprecedented ways. Director Rhys Frake-Waterfield and producer Scott Jeffrey Chambers, of Jagged Edge Productions, have led the charge in this innovative endeavor.

The inclusion of Rabbit, heffalumps, and woozles in the upcoming sequel introduces a new layer to the franchise. In Milne’s original stories, heffalumps are imagined creatures resembling elephants, while woozles are known for their weasel-like characteristics and a penchant for stealing honey. Their roles in the narrative remain to be seen, but their addition promises to enrich the horror universe with deeper connections to the source material.

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How to Watch ‘Late Night with the Devil’ from Home: Dates and Platforms

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Late Night With The Devil

For fans eager to dive into one of this year’s most talked-about horror films from the comfort of their own home, “Late Night with the Devil” will be available for streaming exclusively on Shudder starting April 19, 2024. This announcement has been highly anticipated following the film’s successful theatrical release by IFC Films, which saw it earning rave reviews and a record-breaking opening weekend for the distributor.

“Late Night with the Devil” emerges as a standout horror film, captivating audiences and critics alike, with Stephen King himself offering high praise for the 1977-set film. Starring David Dastmalchian, the movie unfolds on Halloween night during a live late-night talk show broadcast that disastrously unleashes evil across the nation. This found footage-style film not only delivers scares but also authentically captures the aesthetic of the 1970s, drawing viewers into its nightmarish scenario.

David Dastmalchian in Late Night with the Devil

The film’s initial box office success, opening to $2.8 million in 1,034 theaters, underscores its wide appeal and marks the highest opening weekend for an IFC Films release. Critically acclaimed, “Late Night with the Devil” boasts a 96% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 135 reviews, with the consensus praising it for rejuvenating the possession horror genre and showcasing David Dastmalchian’s exceptional performance.

Rotten Tomatoes score as of 3/28/2024

Simon Rother of iHorror.com encapsulates the film’s allure, emphasizing its immersive quality that transports viewers back to the 1970s, making them feel as if they are part of the eerie “Night Owls” Halloween broadcast. Rother lauds the film for its meticulously crafted script and the emotional and shocking journey it takes viewers on, stating, “This whole experience will have viewers of the Cairnes brothers’ film glued to their screen… The script, from beginning to end, is neatly sewn together with an ending that’ll have jaws on the floor.” You can read the full review here.

Rother further encourages audiences to watch the film, highlighting its multifaceted appeal: “Whenever it is made available to you, you must attempt to view the Cairnes Brothers’ latest project as it will make you laugh, it will creep you out, it will amaze you, and it might even strike an emotional cord.”

Set to stream on Shudder on April 19, 2024, “Late Night with the Devil” offers a compelling blend of horror, history, and heart. This film is not just a must-watch for horror aficionados but for anyone looking to be thoroughly entertained and moved by a cinematic experience that redefines the boundaries of its genre.

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