9 Classic Horror Films That Spawned Countless Imitators

If a found footage movie isn't trying to be the next Blair Witch, it's probably trying to be the next Paranormal Activity.

What's interesting is that in the immediate aftermath of Blair Witch, there weren't actually that many imitators. It was Paranormal Activity that reintroduced the idea, causing filmmakers to go back and copy Blair Witch. However, Paranormal did change up the found footage game a bit, and it introduced a few staples that are still being used today.

For one, while the camera is almost never not shaking in Blair Witch, Paranormal Activity thrives on keeping it still and having things become uncomfortably silent. Some of the most eerie shots are just extremely long takes where you look around the frame for what's going to scare you.

This concept is used all the time now, as in a moment during The Visit when the camera is pointed at an empty living room for several seconds before someone pops out.

While Blair Witch inspired movies where people film themselves going somewhere, Paranormal inspired movies where people film themselves as the horror comes to them. It also made everyone realize you can do a found footage movie that isn't super realistic and that involves supernatural events, and so it brought back the sub-genre, expanded its use, and introduced plenty of brand new tropes to copy.