Fantastic Fest: The Found Footage Phenomena (2021)
Directed By: Sarah Appleton, Phillip Escott
Starring: Alexandra Heller-Nicolas, Eduardo Sanchez, Ruggero Deodato, Michael Goi, Derek Lee, Stefan Avalos
Plot Summary: The Found Footage Phenomenon is an independent documentary charting the origins of the found footage sub-genre, tracking it through to the technique’s current form and asks what the future is.
It sounds weird, but looking back, it feels like the found footage film genre has had a big impact on my cinematic outlook. In the ‘90s when I was in my early teens, The Blair Witch Project (1999) totally changed how I felt about pushing the limits of indie cinema. Later on, in my late teens/early twenties, as I got deeper in my love of cinema, I found grimy gems like Man Bites Dog (1992) and of course, the infamous Cannibal Holocaust (1980). And, I rode the tidal wave of cultural touchstones like [REC] (2007), Cloverfield (2008) and Paranormal Activity (2009).
Good or bad, I am drawn to found footage (mostly horror), and I find them deeply fascinating as cultural artifacts and how they reflect the times we live in. So, when I heard they were doing a found footage documentary, I was skeptical on how it could take an entire genre and distill its essence down into one reasonably bite-sized doc. Well, I am happy to say that yeah, they pulled it off beautifully. Directors Sarah Appleton and Phillip Escott manage to deliver something truly special here. What impressed me right away was the fact that the filmmakers managed to get a wide range of key figures of the genre from all over the globe.
From the British creator of the legendary Ghost Watch (1992) Lesley Manning, Cannibal Holocaust’s Ruggero Deodato in Italy, Trollhunter (2010) Andre Øvredal in Norway etc. Of course, you also have scholars like the brilliant Alexandra Heller-Nicolas rounding things out. Each interview subject is lively, candid and most importantly engaging as hell. Hearing from both creators of The Last Broadcast (1998) and The Blair Witch Project (1999) together in one film is worth the price of admission alone. As for the nuts and bolts, the documentary flows quite well and takes you through the history in an orderly and thoughtful manner.
I think the thing I found most interesting was exploring the roots of the found footage genre and how each generation transforms it. This might sound like hyperbole but, I think this documentary is a historical artifact that perfectly captures this film movement with vital interviews that scholars should take note of.
The Found Footage Phenomena puts a fresh lens on its subject matter and is well worth checking out.
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Big film nerd and TCM Obsessed. Author of The Ultimate Guide to Strange Cinema from Schiffer Publishing. Resume includes: AMC’s The Bite, Scream Magazine etc. Love all kinds of movies and television and have interviewed a wide range of actors, writers, producers and directors. I currently am a regular co-host on the podcast The Humanoids from the Deep Dive and have a second book in the works from Bear Manor.
