Found footage horror films appear to be the new rage in the film industry. Popular films like “Cloverfield” and “Paranormal Activity” have used this method of film making, also known as shaky cam, made famous by the 1999 thriller, “The Blair Witch Project.”
I’m personally a huge fan of this style of film making. It adds a sense of realism to the film. Watching a movie like “The Ring,” which is blatantly fake and just doesn’t have the same effect as watching supposed footage.
Unfortunately, this style of film is doomed.
Hollywood is known for continuing to produce sequels, remakes, and reimaginings well after the franchise has died. Case in point, “Saw.”
The found footage genre is obviously no exception.
Almost immediately after its nation-wide release, “Paranormal Activity” was already being considered to receive the sequel treatment. The first was amazing, but it would be hard to create another situation similar to the first that would be worthy of carrying on the “Paranormal” name.
A “Cloverfield” sequel has been rumored for a few years now.
Producer J.J. Abrams has been back and forth on the potential sequel. During the 2009 WonderCon, Abrams said, “We have an idea for something that’s pretty cool that we’re playing with. It’s something that would be related to ‘Cloverfield’ and hopefully we’ll do something sooner than later, because the idea’s pretty sweet,” however he added “It doesn’t guarantee anything and it doesn’t mean that it’s gonna work.”
One of the first “found footage” films to find a following, was “The Blair Witch Project.” The extensive marketing of the film sucked audiences in to believing that what they were watching was legitimate footage.
It was recently announced that a third film would be made. “The Blair Witch Remake,” is believed to be a faux sequel, in the vein of the orginal, with three amateur film makers (and one of their girlfriends) venturing into the forests of Burkittsville, Maryland to uncover the myths of the Blair Witch.
I hate to admit, the concept of the sequel is good, and I’d probably go see it, but at the same time, how many times can we keep witnessing the same story through a different lense before we grow tired of it?
Over saturating the market with this style of film making is a huge mistake, and will turn the films into a mockery of themselves.