15 Most Shocking Moments In Found Footage Movies
There's a reason MGM didn't want you to see The Poughkeepsie Tapes.
Although they've taken a lot of criticism over the years, found-footage horror movies have delivered some of the best (and scariest) cinema-going experiences in the entire horror genre.
There have been a lot of admittedly dire flicks from studios adopting the cheap-and-easy filmmaking style to churn out some absolute clunkers - especially after the sub-genre peaked in popularity in the dark years following the rise of the Paranormal Activity series - but when it's done right, the point-of-view perspective of these movies can result in truly shocking horror moments that feel far too real and intimate to sit comfortably. Even when they're about ghosts or the literal Devil himself terrorising people.
Though the framework might seem a little limiting - and it does take a bit of mental gymnastics to buy that these supposed personal videos have been nicely framed, edited and sometimes even scored - the up-close-and-personal style has allowed filmmakers to create some of the nastiest, grittiest and most imaginative scares that take days to properly shake off.