Best Found Footage Movies of the 90s, Ranked

During this time of year, movie-lovers are on the prowl for some of the best films to really pump up their Halloween spirit. Horror as a genre has historically been some of the most entertaining. The feeling of dread and fear produce instantaneous, and oftentimes hilarious, reactions that make the movie-watching experience all the more fun. Now, like most movie genres, there are a lot of subgenres underneath that umbrella. For horror, the subgenre of found footage is a fan favorite.

There is something about found footage films that really grab an audience by the throat. It makes it all seem so real. Normally, found footage movies try to make the entire film seem real, and that aspect alone makes it all the more terrifying. It relies heavily on storytelling, structure, and great acting to pull it off. From The Blair Witch Project to more modern takes like the Paranormal Activity movies, you can never really go wrong with a found footage movie. To narrow things down a little, we have curated a list of the best found footage movies from the 90s that you should check out this Halloween season.

5 The Last Broadcast (1998)

Mythological creatures are nightmare fuel in just the ideas themselves. They also happen to be the perfect subjects to kickstart a terrifying found footage film. The Last Broadcast came out in 1998 and is centered around the Jersey Devil, a creature birthed from folklore that resides in the Pine Barren Forrest in South Jersey. This film is creepy, ominous, and utilizes the bets parts of a creature flick to really give you a fright in the found footage film format.

4 Alien Abduction: Incident in Lake County (1998)

Extraterrestrial based horror like the Alien trilogy and, more recently, Jordan Peele's Nope, reaches audiences with its play on what we consider to be beyond our realm of knowledge. However, when placed under the format of a found footage film, what lies in the vast universe our tiny planet is floating in can set a deep fear into all of our minds. In 1998, Alien Abduction: Incident in Lake County was a found footage television horror movie that documented footage of actual aliens. This unique genre of horror really changes things up and will have you looking up and wondering what could be out there.

3 Man Bites Dog (1993)

This entire list is full of incredibly unique and disturbing titles that are some of the best representations for the found footage genre. Well, Man Bites Dog is a standout. This extremely brutal film came out in 1993 and shows the everyday doings of a serial killer named Ben. However, one of the most disturbing parts about it is that the crew documenting what he's doing are completely complicit in his horrific actions. This movie is violent and includes shocking imagery that is sure to make audiences squirm.

2 The Blair Witch Project (1999)

The Blair Witch Project is probably the most recognizable title on this list, and for good reason. Many seem to credit The Blair Witch Project with being one of the first to execute horror and the found footage genre in a way that penetrated mainstream media like no other. The movie came out in 1999 and follows a group of film students who are investigating and looking to capture footage of a local and infamous killer known as the Blair Witch. In the midst of filming, the group finds themselves getting lost in the woods where things begin to go terribly wrong. Part of the charm of a found footage film is being able to market it as a true story to really get audiences shaking in their boots. The Blair Witch Project has had two sequels, inspired countless other found footage films, and has also inspired the 2015 horror film called The Witch. If you are a fan of horror, you cannot skip out on the found footage film that seemed to kick the genre into orbit.

1 Forgotten Silver (1995)

Forgotten Silver is a 1995 mockumentary film from New Zealand. Mockumentary films also set out to have a similar effect on an audience as found footage. In this sense, Forgotten Silver is creating an entirely fictional world and story that is being presented as reality. This found footage comedy dives deep into the mind of fictional filmmaker Colin McKenzie. With the inclusion of some of his lost works in addition to the claims of his genius in the film industry, this found footage film is the perfect change of pace in the genre.