A Glean movie guide
Found Footage Essentials
Don't look away.
The most immersive and terrifying mockumentaries and 'lost' recordings ever filmed.
Handpicked for this guide
The movie list
- 01
[REC]
A relentless, claustrophobic nightmare that uses its single-camera perspective to deliver pure, unyielding terror.
A television reporter and cameraman follow emergency workers into a dark apartment building and are quickly locked inside with something terrifying.
- 02
The Blair Witch Project
The film that defined the genre, using minimalist suggestion and psychological tension to build unbearable dread.
In October of 1994 three student filmmakers disappeared in the woods near Burkittsville, Maryland, while shooting a documentary. A year later their footage was found.
- 03
Noroi: The Curse
A complex and deeply unsettling J-horror mockumentary that weaves a sprawling web of supernatural mystery.
A documentary filmmaker explores seemingly unrelated paranormal incidents connected by the legend of an ancient demon.
- 04
Paranormal Activity
A masterclass in suspense that turns a quiet suburban home into a site of escalating supernatural hostility.
After a young, middle-class couple moves into what seems like a typical suburban house, they become increasingly disturbed by a presence that may or may not be demonic but is certainly the most active in the middle of the night.
- 05
Lake Mungo
A haunting mockumentary that trades jump scares for a lingering, soul-crushing sense of grief and unease.
After 16-year-old Alice Palmer drowns at a local dam, her family experiences a series of strange, inexplicable events centered in and around their home. Unsettled, the Palmers seek the help of a psychic and parapsychologist, who discovers that Alice led a secret, double life. At Lake Mungo, Alice's secret past emerges.
- 06
Host
A lean, inventive thriller that perfectly utilizes the Zoom interface to create relatable, modern-day scares.
Six friends hire a medium to hold a séance via Zoom during lockdown — but they get far more than they bargained for as things quickly go wrong. When an evil spirit starts invading their homes, they begin to realise they might not survive the night.
- 07
Creep
A deeply uncomfortable character study that thrives on social awkwardness and unpredictable psychological tension.
Looking for work, Aaron comes across a cryptic online ad: “$1,000 for the day. Filming service. Discretion is appreciated.” Low on cash and full of naiveté, he decides to go for it. He drives to a cabin in a remote mountain town where he meets Josef, his cinematic subject for the day. Josef is sincere and the project seems heartfelt, so Aaron begins to film. But as the day goes on, it becomes clear that Josef is not who he says, and his intentions are not at all pure.
- 08
Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum
A terrifying South Korean investigation that uses live-stream aesthetics to deliver some of the decade's best scares.
The crew of a horror web series travels to an abandoned asylum for a live broadcast, but they encounter much more than expected as they move deeper inside the nightmarish old building.
- 09
Cloverfield
A rare high-budget spectacle that uses handheld chaos to provide a visceral, ground-level view of a monster attack.
Five young New Yorkers throw their friend a going-away party the night that a monster the size of a skyscraper descends upon the city. Told from the point of view of their video camera, the film is a document of their attempt to survive the most surreal, horrifying event of their lives.
- 10
The Taking of Deborah Logan
Features a powerhouse central performance that grounds its transition from medical drama to supernatural horror.
What starts as a poignant medical documentary about Deborah Logan's descent into Alzheimer's disease and her daughter's struggles as caregiver degenerates into a maddening portrayal of dementia at its most frightening, as hair-raising events begin to plague the family and crew and an unspeakable malevolence threatens to tear the very fabric of sanity from them all.
- 11
Hell House LLC
A cult favorite that masterfully uses its haunted house setting to hide terrifying details in the background.
Five years after an unexplained malfunction causes the death of 15 tour-goers and staff on the opening night of a Halloween haunted house tour, a documentary crew travels back to the scene of the tragedy to find out what really happened.
- 12
As Above, So Below
An ambitious blend of historical mystery and claustrophobic terror set deep within the Paris Catacombs.
When a team of explorers venture into the catacombs that lie beneath the streets of Paris, they uncover the dark secret that lies within this city of the dead.