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 common with Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez's 1999 horror masterpiece. But a recent re-release from The American Genre Film Archive (AGFA) and Bleeding Skull of an obscure 1989 independent film, The McPherson Tape, has brought forward the true bearer of the title "the first found footage film."And while The Blair Witch Project had a wide release and quickly entered the mainstream, The McPherson Tape has the unique distinction of actually having been lost, found, and then passed around the UFO community as an authentic recording of extraterrestrial abduction!

Shot on a shoestring budget of just $6,500, the idea to make a film emulating "real" home video footage was born out of necessity: 16MM film was expensive, and the prospect of using the cheaper, burgeoning alternative was enticing. Incredibly, it was shot in just two takes over the course of a single night, after two weeks of rehearsing a 20-page outline by the cast of unknown improvisational actors. 

First-time director Dean Alioto also portrays the 16-year-old protagonist Mike, who catches a UFO sighting and the subsequent alien abduction of his family on his newly-purchased home video camera. Alioto was able to operate the camera and direct the film using a rather ingenious combination of acting cues and quick whispers into an earpiece when an event or special effect had to be triggered. 

The result is a surprisingly spooky and relatively authentic reproduction of an alien abduction as recorded by a home video camera, laying the groundwork for some of the most influential and iconic horror films like the aforementioned The Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity (2009), two landmark films that brought found footage horror into the mainstream. Without The McPherson Tape, they would not exist. 

I was under the impression I had seen this film years ago. I was surprised to find out that what I had actually seen was the TV remake that aired in 1998. These films have gone by several similar titles; they're both listed as The McPherson Tape on IMDB, but the 1989 film was released as UFO Abduction and the 1998 film is also known as Alien Abduction: Incident in Lake County. Alioto explained the title confusion, stating that while he enjoyed the mystique surrounding the films' names, there was a relatively benign explanation: "The McPherson Tape" was actually the working title of Incident in Lake County, it was changed by the network before it aired. The subsequent confusion and conspiracy theories surrounding the films led to "The McPherson Tape" being attributed to both films, and UFO Abduction was eventually released under the title. 

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alien_Abduction:_Incident_in_Lake_County)

Speaking of, let's finally address this alleged confusion over the authenticity of the video and the events that led to it becoming a "true" found footage movie. Alioto struggled to find a distributor for the film, but a small independent company finally agreed to bring the film to home video. Preview screeners were apparently sent out, but tragedy struck when Alioto was informed that the distributor's warehouse had burned to the ground, destroying the only master copy of the film. While he still possessed the raw footage, Alioto decided the film was more trouble than it was worth and shelved it, moving onto other projects.

A number of years later, he received a call out of the blue from someone who had stumbled upon one of the rare advanced screeners, and had traced the film back to Alioto. The young director was stunned to hear that his film had been passed around the UFO community with the credits removed, and a number of prominent UFO researchers were convinced it was real.

One such researcher, former USAF Lieutenant Colonel Donald Ware, had presented the film at the 1993 International UFO Congress. Another, civilian Tom Dongo, made this absolutely hilarious proclamation on the Fox TV program Encounters, after the film had been outed as a fictional production:

“In one sequence, [Jason is] carrying the supposedly dead alien in. [...] in one frame the eye of the alien is sunken in. [...] at the International UFO Congress there was a man standing over my shoulder as I was going through these prints and he said, ‘I had seen dead aliens and that’s exactly what happens. When they are dead their eye gets concaved like that.'”

This ludicrous statement was apparently enough to convince Dongo the footage was authentic; so much so that he believed Alioto was a part of a disinformation campaign orchestrated by the government to cover up the reality of the footage. Lt. Col. Ware echoes this sentiment in Encounters:

“I am not convinced the [film] is a hoax because [...] our government policy is to insert disinformation into every major UFO case..."

 UFO enthusiasts should be more than familiar with this particular excuse, often used by "true believers" to justify their continued belief in the authenticity of particularly exciting footage that has been debunked. 

This embarrassing fiasco has since been overshadowed by the Alien Autopsy footage debate and quietly swept under the rug, seemingly forgotten until the film was recently unearthed and reconstructed from the raw footage. Alejandro Rojas invited Alioto to the International UFO Conference to screen the film for its 25th anniversary and finally set the record straight on its origin. Alioto claims the event went well, but a handful of attendees were still convinced of the film's authenticity. Such is the way of the UFO enthusiast, I suppose.

With interest in the original film renewed, Alioto was hired to produce a much higher-budget remake of his film for TV. Alien Abduction: Incident in Lake County premiered in 1998, amazingly, still one year out from the release of The Blair Witch Project. While it lacks the raw, low-budget feel of its predecessor, a number of found footage tropes seemed to have had their origins in this film: notably, the presence of audiovisual static to indicate the presence of the antagonist, and a "confession" scene where the cinematographer turns the camera on themselves and makes their final statements before succumbing to whatever horror pursues them.

Alright, finally: let's get to the films themselves. I know you're wondering: are they any good? The short answer is yes, but if you're not a fan of these types of films, you may find your patience wearing thin.

The McPherson Tape/UFO Abduction (1989) is far superior to its remake. The ultra-low quality of the video and darkened cabin set lit only with candles gives the film a cozy but unsettling and oppressive atmosphere. The acting and character interactions are a little rough but overall authentic, and the bursts of chaos that erupt as the tension increases are frantic enough to be thrilling. There are also a few genuinely funny moments, whether or not they were intentional is unknown, but it highlights the talent of the improvisational cast. 

While The Blair Witch Project is famous for never showing the visage of the titular villain, The McPherson Tape sets itself apart by having the aliens appear on screen numerous times. The video quality is low enough for the alien masks to be effective at a distance, but the illusion does fall apart the closer they get to the camera.

The McPherson Tape/Alien Abduction: Incident in Lake County (1998) is, unfortunately, far less effective of a film. While the higher budget allows for much more intricate scares and effects, the story, acting, and pacing have all taken a hit. Where the original's dialogue felt organic and natural, with characters frequently talking over each other; it is immediately clear that the actors in Incident in Lake County are working from a script. They are also not nearly as talented as the original cast. The mother's line deliveries become particularly grating after a while. At 1 and a half hours, the film really drags and the gimmicks wear thin. (There is, however, a shorter, 45 minute version of the film I have to assume is better in this regard.)

All that said, the special effects and scenes involving aliens are all a big improvement over the original. Particularly effective is a scene in which the aliens mutilate a cow, then proceed to fire a laser at one of the characters. It's cheesy, but good fun.

These films are worth a watch for their historical significance. Found footage films are one of my biggest guilty pleasures, and the original 1989 UFO Abduction is certainly one that transcends the genre and becomes a really unique work of art. Additionally, it's one of the few films that is "accurate" to alien abduction lore, and the only one that has ever truly been lost and found, living up to its namesake.

1998's Alien Abduction: Incident in Lake County will be of less interest to those who don't have the patience for the worst the found footage genre has to offer. Still, there are worse ways to spend an hour and a half. 

I believe that had it not been overshadowed by the Alien Autopsy footage (which, admittedly, is much more realistic) these films would have been more well-known. I'm glad the original film has finally been released and hopefully, in time, it will find the cult following it deserves.