storyteller
Veteran
More Found Footage quick thoughts from my marathon, the second is one of my top-two that I watched this week:
- The Black Water Vampire has some Blair Witch to it, but with a lot more happening on camera.
It starts by laying out past crimes and the urban legend, but more in-depth than Blair Witch did. Then they go into the woods, and weirdness ensues that takes obvious inspiration from Blair Witch. They even fight about the map. But this movie gives a lot more visual action, and while I didn't like the initial "designs," they grew on me as I saw what the team pulled off with their visual effects.
Feels like a clear homage, but with enough changes to the formula to feel fresh. Not bad!
- The Lost Footage of Leah Sullivan also starts by using the Blair Witch formula, but shifts things a lot. I really liked this one.
It starts a little corny, but that gives it the "this was an amateur reporter" vibe. Leah interviews people about an urban legend/famous crime that took place, and as she hears more, she gets increasingly reckless about finding the truth. What made me appreciate this was that there are multiple "blink and you'll miss it" moments where something in the background hints that things are gonna go bad.
If Blackwoods Vampire gave us a more exciting version of the Blair Witch when they're in the woods. This found footage skips the woods and gives you a more active version of the famous ending in the cabin.
- The last joint I watched is Strange Harvest, which just came out on VOD and was directed by the same guy who wrote and directed Grave Encounters. The word of mouth was so strong for this that I copped it blind on Amazon Prime to support. I wasn't disappointed, but I want to dedicate a full post to it when I can sit down and really punch in thoughts. Suffice to say, if you can get your hands on it...give it a shot. It's a full mockumentary, and I'd liken it to The Poughkeepsie Tapes if that movie was less campy, had a more fully realized killer, and threw in hints of a more supernatural explanation without ruining immersion.
- The Black Water Vampire has some Blair Witch to it, but with a lot more happening on camera.
A documentary film crew investigates a series of brutal killings known as the Black Water murders. As they delve deeper into the story they stumble upon a horrifying secret, one that they may not survive.
It starts by laying out past crimes and the urban legend, but more in-depth than Blair Witch did. Then they go into the woods, and weirdness ensues that takes obvious inspiration from Blair Witch. They even fight about the map. But this movie gives a lot more visual action, and while I didn't like the initial "designs," they grew on me as I saw what the team pulled off with their visual effects.
Feels like a clear homage, but with enough changes to the formula to feel fresh. Not bad!

- The Lost Footage of Leah Sullivan also starts by using the Blair Witch formula, but shifts things a lot. I really liked this one.
An unedited memory card from a camera shows Leah Sullivan's school project about a cold case murder that doesn't seem to be so cold after all.
It starts a little corny, but that gives it the "this was an amateur reporter" vibe. Leah interviews people about an urban legend/famous crime that took place, and as she hears more, she gets increasingly reckless about finding the truth. What made me appreciate this was that there are multiple "blink and you'll miss it" moments where something in the background hints that things are gonna go bad.
If Blackwoods Vampire gave us a more exciting version of the Blair Witch when they're in the woods. This found footage skips the woods and gives you a more active version of the famous ending in the cabin.

- The last joint I watched is Strange Harvest, which just came out on VOD and was directed by the same guy who wrote and directed Grave Encounters. The word of mouth was so strong for this that I copped it blind on Amazon Prime to support. I wasn't disappointed, but I want to dedicate a full post to it when I can sit down and really punch in thoughts. Suffice to say, if you can get your hands on it...give it a shot. It's a full mockumentary, and I'd liken it to The Poughkeepsie Tapes if that movie was less campy, had a more fully realized killer, and threw in hints of a more supernatural explanation without ruining immersion.
Detectives are thrust into a chilling hunt for "Mr. Shiny"-a sadistic serial killer from the past whose return marks the beginning of a new wave of grotesque, otherworldly crimes tied to a dark cosmic force.