The Poughkeepsie Tapes
dir. John Erick Dowdle · 2007
Feature
Psychological Horror
Mood
Dark / Tense
Look
gritty, raw, and documentary-like
Structure
fragmented and non-linear, pieced together from various tapes and interviews
Plot
When hundreds of videotapes showing torture, murder and dismemberment are found in an abandoned house, they reveal a serial killer's decade-long reign of terror and become the most disturbing collection of evidence homicide detectives have ever seen.
Why watch
"The Poughkeepsie Tapes" immerses viewers in a chilling exploration of evil through the lens of found footage, revealing the disturbing psyche of a serial killer. This film is a harrowing journey into the darkest corners of human nature, where the line between voyeurism and horror blurs.
Cultural context
rise of found footage genrefascination with true crimesocietal desensitization to violenceexploration of media ethics