Retrospective: The McPherson Tape(s): UFO Abduction in Lake County - The First Found Footage Horror Film(s)
In 1999, a little horror film with a minuscule budget took the world by storm. The Blair Witch Project ignited audiences' imaginations and kickstarted a genre with its shaky-cam, "found footage" format, less-is-more approach, and incredible improvised performances. I wouldn't fault anyone for thinking The Blair Witch Project was the first of its kind; its reputation is certainly deserved as it distilled and perfected the found footage horror genre we know today. However, there are a couple of films that predate The Blair Witch Project , including the ultraviolent Italian cannibal film Cannibal Holocaust (1980) and the low-budget crime thriller The Last Broadcast (1998), which both include "found footage" elements. However, the former also incorporates a traditionally-filmed narrative angle and the latter is closer to a faux-documentary. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UFO_Abduction_(film)) Watching these films, one wouldn't be able to see much in comm...