7 Underrated Found-Footage Movies You’ve Probably Forgotten About

Let’s face it, the found-footage genre is one of the most polarizing subgenres out there. Audiences tend to either love the look and feel of the rawness of a found-footage flick or they can’t stand the shaky cam and even shakier logic of some of the dumbest characters in cinematic history. But for those of us that love the genre no matter what, there is nothing better than stumbling across an underrated found-footage film and wondering how we could have possibly gone so long without watching it. The only catch is that those movies can also be the first to be forgotten about.

When The Blair Witch Project came out in 1999, it legitimized the entire found-footage genre and became one of the most iconic movies of all-time, even though you never see the monster or horrifying witch. Since then, countless horror movies have been made with the hopes of becoming the next great viral sensation. But that is usually easier said than done. For every Rec, Hell House, or Paranormal Activity, it seems like there are a hundred bland and uninspired films attempting to take its place. While that ratio doesn’t exactly inspire confidence for found-footage fans, it is all part of the fun to try and find that great underrated gem. You just have to remember to not forget about it. Luckily for you, we’ve remembered some of the best found-footage films that might have wandered off your radar.

The Den

Before the age of widespread high-speed internet, video calling was seen as something of a luxury as opposed to a viable form of reliable communication. Even with increased internet speeds, the idea of being able to chat with strangers from anywhere in the world was still a little scary. That’s where The Den comes in. The 2013 film centers around Elizabeth Benton (Melanie Papalia), a grad student who aims to chat with as many strangers as possible with the hopes of finding as many meaningful connections as possible. But she quickly learns that people on the internet aren’t always as friendly as they seem and must fight for her life when she uncovers a twisted and deadly conspiracy.

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As a low budget film that primarily takes place in one small apartment, The Den won’t ever ‘wow’ audiences with its insane visuals, and that’s okay. Since we only see Elizabeth through a webcam, it can also be somewhat difficult to have a complete picture of who she is as a person. We have a pretty good idea, but that’s just from what we can see from the webcam, and that’s the brilliance of it all. Capitalizing on the fear of the still somewhat-new technology of video calling, filmmaker Zachary Donohue crafts a suspenseful albeit by-the-numbers found-footage horror that still remains relevant today. While it’s not one of the 10 best horror movies of the 2010s, it is worth a watch.

Butterfly Kisses

While this movie likely wins the award for the least fear-inducing horror movie title, it certainly packs enough of a dread-filled punch that you’ll forget all about what sounds like it should be a G-rated movie. Butterfly Kisses tells the story of Gavin York (Seth Adam Kallick), a filmmaker who discovers a box with the words “Don’t Watch” written on it. Like any good horror movie, Gavin ignores the obvious warning and finds out that the box is filled with videotapes that will slowly become his new obsession. The videotapes are a film project by students Sophia (Rachel Armiger) and Feldman (Reed DeLisle), detailing their quest to uncover the truth of an urban legend known as Peeping Tom.

The most fun aspect of Butterfly Kisses is the urban legend that is the cornerstone of the entire story. The legend explains that if a person is willing, they can summon Peeping Tom by staring down a tunnel at midnight, for exactly one hour straight, all while not blinking. If successful, the person will be rewarded with summoning Peeping Tom. Though it’s not exactly a worthwhile prize. Peeping Tom will get closer to the victim each time they blink until he eventually gets close enough to kill them. Butterfly Kisses is an engrossing film that plays with the idea of how urban legends form and how quickly they can consume your life if you’re not careful.

Butterfly Kisses can be streamed on Tubi.

The Taking of Deborah Logan

If you have ever known anyone who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease, then you’d know that it can be pretty scary to see someone you care about transform into a completely different person. The Taking of Deborah Logan explores the hardship of a family member dealing with losing a loved one to the horrible disease. But like any good horror movie, there is still more than meets the eye. The Taking of Deborah Logan follows a documentary crew who are making a film about Alzheimer’s patients when they come across Sarah Logan (Anne Ramsay) and her mother Deborah Logan (Jill Larson), who has been afflicted with the disease. But as the film crew follow Deborah around, they uncover something sinister in her house that threatens to not only take her life, but everyone around her as well.

The Taking of Deborah Logan is a harrowing film that offers up an captivating performance from Larson that will send a chill down your spine. She is mesmerizing as the feeble yet charismatic titular character… that is until her disease grabs a dark hold of her. Even as the movie plays out in what appears to be a predicable fashion, it takes a sharp left turn that’ll leave you speechless. As the directorial debut from filmmaker Adam Robitel, The Taking of Deborah Logan is one found-footage film that deserves to be remembered.

Stream The Taking of Deborah Logan on Tubi.

The McPherson Tape

Originally titled UFO Abduction, The McPherson Tape is one of those films that almost benefits from becoming forgotten about. Released in 1989, it is painfully obvious that the film was made a shoestring budget; a $6,500 budget to be exact. Such is the case of most great found-footage films, the low budget only enhances the authenticity of the story. If you didn’t know any better, you might actually buy that The McPherson Tape was a tape that was actually discovered. The 66-minute film follows the story of a small family who are celebrating a birthday, and as they record their party, they are horrified when the night is interrupted by a bizarre UFO event that brings the festivities to a halt and puts their lives in jeopardy.

The McPherson Tape is the classic case of less is more. There aren’t any actors you’d recognize or performances that will leave you impressed. But the raw emotion of the movie and the events that appear to be happening in real-time might just leave you a little shaken. This underrated and forgotten found-footage gem might not be a looker, but it has such a believable premise that a larger budget and fancier cameras would have worked against it. Just about all of us have been to a birthday party where something unexpected happens and the mood suddenly shifts. The McPherson Tape is exactly like that… just with aliens.

Stream The McPherson Tape on Tubi.

Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum

Some found-footage films can become a bit of a chore to sit through for a number of reasons, such as poor characters, lack of logic, and dull scares. Fortunately for horror fans, Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum avoids all three of those mistakes, which makes it the perfect found-footage movie. This 2018 South Korean gem follows a crew of horror-based YouTubers who explore the world’s scariest locations during live broadcasts. Joined by a small group of newcomers, the crew explore a supposed haunted mental asylum that is alleged to have a secret room that once you enter, you’ll never leave.

As one of the most fun movies on this list, Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum is a blast to watch. There are a perfect amount of likable characters mixed in with the occasional sleezeball who will likely give you someone to root against. The entire cast all play their respective roles really well, especially when confronted with the ghostly apparitions that stalk them throughout the walls of the asylum. Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum is a movie that has some of the most well-made scares of any found-footage film in the last 30 years. Since Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum is framed as a YouTube video gone awry, it can be fairly easy to forget that it’s all a movie.

Stream Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum on Tubi.

Final Prayer (The Borderlands)

This 2013 found-footage horror film is something of a slow-build, but once the whole story has been fully developed, it’ll leave quite the impression. Written and directed by Elliot Goldner, Final Prayer follows a small team of Vatican investigators who have been tasked with investigating an old church in the English countryside, which is rumored to be the site of a miracle. While the church appears to be nothing newsworthy, the investigators slowly begin to realize that something is terribly wrong about the whole situation. But as they look more closely, they reach a point of no return that forces them to finish the job, one way or the other.

At the center of Final Prayer, a blossoming friendship between the two investigators only enhances the horror that engulfs the film. Gordon Kennedy as Brother Deacon and Robin Hill as Gray Parker play their parts perfectly and help pull you in a viewer. It’s easy to forget that both men are in the middle of something insidious because they really are endearing characters. Final Prayer is another found-footage film that is well worth the patience as you wait for the events to unfold. Once the ending hits, you won’t believe it’s the same movie you’ve been watching for the past 80 minutes.

Stream Final Prayer (aka The Border Lands) on Tubi.

The Devil’s Doorway

Similar to Final Prayer, The Devil’s Doorway is another found-footage movie draped in enough religious lore that it’ll have you looking for a Bible. Okay, maybe not that dramatic, but The Devil’s Doorway is a hell of a movie that is often criminally overlooked, and without any big named actors, it is somewhat easy to lose track of the movie. Directed by Aislinn Clarke, the movie follows Father Thomas Riley (Lalor Roddy) and Father John Thornton (Ciaran Flynn), two priests who are sent by the Vatican to look into reports of a miracle. According to witnesses, a statue of the Virgin Mary weeps human blood inside a remote Catholic asylum for immoral women. But as the two priests investigate, they discover widespread terror that includes everything from sadistic nuns to even demonic possession.

At a brisk 76 minutes, The Devil’s Doorway may not have a long runtime, but the underrated found-footage film has enough packed into it that you certainly get your money’s worth. What starts out as a religious mystery quickly turns into a depraved horror film that is dripping with dread. With a title like The Devil’s Doorway you can probably guess where the movie is heading, but it does such a masterful job of crafting a compelling story. Like The First Omen and Immaculate, the movie will make sure that you never look at a nun the same way again.

Stream The Devil’s Doorway on Shudder.

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