10 Greatest Horror Films That Don't Rely On Jump Scares
2. Lake Mungo (2008)
A hidden horror gem that’s been lost to obscurity, Lake Mungo – the only feature film from writer-director Joel Anderson – blends the found footage and mockumentary genres to terrifying effect.
After the sudden death of sixteen-year-old Alice Palmer (Talia Zucker), her brother (Martin Sharpe) positions cameras around their family home to capture footage of his sister’s ghost who he believes to have seen.
But this is only the tip of the iceberg. As the Palmer family continue their investigation into their daughter’s death, more revelations are discovered in the footage, each leading to a discovery more twisted than the last.
As with most found footage flicks, the low-budget, unpolished appearance of Anderson’s film grounds it in a familiar reality that lends the tragic story (and its myriad of devious twists) an air of realism and believability. But what really makes this entry stand out is how its answers are hidden right in front of us the entire time – and when they’re revealed they’ll linger with you for a long after the credits roll.
Moreover, there's a real sadness at the core of Lake Mungo's tragedy that make the consequent revelations resound louder.