Shudder Day: Bodycam (2025)

 After a busy weekend of work, I didn't watch a Shudder Film until the middle of the week.

As such, here's a Saturday Review before a proper one.

This one is from a Director whose last Film I really enjoyed.
Will this one be as good?

Two Cops are called in on a Domestic Disturbance.

The whole Film will be shot from the POV of their bodycams...and car cameras.

(There may be a few cheats).

The duo split up and their radios suddenly don't work.

That's odd.

The veteran Cop is confronted by a strange man in front of a hole dug into the floor (almost a well) and makes the split second decision to kill him.

He wants to get his partner on the same page.

They will cover this up.

The younger guy- Jackson- reluctantly agrees, but weird stuff starts to happen when they film a symbol found outside.

One of the drug addicts they ran across outside talks about The Under Man.

They ignore him.

As they try to leave the Scene, more of them form a barrier and threaten our duo.

They took something from 'him' and it must be repaid.

No, it's not Bill Oberst Jr.  I checked.

They try to deal with the footage, but that doesn't work out.

They try to get Jackson's Mom to help, but that's a no go.

They soon find out that the Under Man is more real than they could have imagined!

Is the truth to hard to handle?

What is the reality behind this strange force/being?

To find out, stream it.

A Film that has a tough gimmick to nail, but it kind of works.

Having a Film that is (almost entirely) Filmed by stationary, mounted cameras is sure hard to do.  You really need your Actors to almost act as Cinematographers.

The Film really forces you to live in the shared experience of these two men.  It is quite immersive.

That said, the Film's attempt at doing a slow burn effect doesn't quite work.  They give you a crazy setup and slowly explain it all.

It has a few good tricks- like the possessed people or the words on walls messing with the cameras- and really makes the most of them.  At a certain point, however, you've seen them all a few times.

I just wish that were more tricks on display here.  It gets a bit repetitive.

The end game here generally worked for me, even if it was a bit expected.

It's not the best Movie I've seen by this Director, but it is worth a look...

A Film that has a gimmick and fully commits to this.  My only gripe is that the Film only has a few tricks and repeats them many times over.

Shudder Day: The Taking of Debra Logan (2014)

 After watching that Documentary on Found Footage, I decided to give a few Films from that one a chance.

In this case, it is a much-lauded FF Film from 2014 that blends Story Genres...while still playing all of the hits.

A young woman decides to make her PhD Thesis on the Study of Alzheimer's Disease and how it affects people.

Sarah Logan- in need of money and help- gets her Mother Deborah to agree to the Documentary.

Notably, this one doesn't give us the 'Their Footage Was Found and they were Lost' kind of text.

As such, we can see stuff clearly added in post, like a B-Roll about how said Disease is so deadly.

For instance, it made this lady look like she just saw Samara crawl out of her TV.

This is either fake or someone consented to put this in a Film, so I'm good.

Due to how the Disease is affecting her, Deborah is alternately friendly and wary of the Crew (of 3 people).

Her behavior is unpredictable, but not dangerous...yet.

Since this is a 'Documentary,' we, of course, have to watch them set up Cameras.

That's a key part of every Documentary and not just an excuse for not at all subtle foreshadowing.

As the days go on, Deborah gets stranger and stranger.

Weird stuff happens to her and around her, but, you know, they don't call anyone but Doctors (when she hurts herself).

Windows that are nailed shut just fly open and the lady levitates on camera...but just keep shooting, gang!

Is Deborah going through the sad and often sudden slide from a brain disease/disorder OR is there more at play?

As they learn more about her past (and that of the area), questions are raised.

Is she...possessed?

Things get freakier and freakier.

Deborah seems to mutate and become quite violent.
Secrets about her family's past come to light.

Lots of running around and doing everything at night.

Can they figure out how to fix things or is it too late for everyone involved?

To find out, stream it now (also on Tubi, apparently).

A Film that is actually quite good, when it is not doing all of the usual cliches.

I'm not a fan of the 'Run Around in the Dark with just a Flashlight' bits in any of these Films.
It is a cheat.  A way to not show things.

I won't SPOIL the finale of the Film for you, but I will say that it would have been far less annoying to watch if it happened during the daytime.

So much happens in the dark when it doesn't need to (save for cutting the Budget down).

When you do get to see stuff, it is effective, creepy and usually quite good.

More of that please!

It is a tentative recommendation from me here.

The good stuff is really good.
The annoying stuff is...quite present throughout.

At this point, you're probably sick of me and my big mouth...

A Film that is genuinely upsetting and freaky throughout.  If they had just made this like a normal Film, I'm 100% on board.

Rare Flix: Special Bulletin (1983)

 Sometimes going down a rabbit hole leads to something really great!

Well, looking at the Wiki Page on Found Footage Films (after watching the Documentary on the Subgenre), I found this Film...that I'd never heard of.

This is Special Bulletin, a 1983 TV Movie.  Why would I want to cover this, you ask?

I can't be too hard on myself- the Film has only gotten a single VHS and (Warner Archive) DVD release in the last 42 years!  That is in spite of winning multiple Awards, including an Emmy!

This TV Movie is an early example of a Found Footage Film, representing the entire course of events as a live news broadcast that you are watching on your local TV affiliate.

The Film looks and feels so real that it was required to have a warning (see later down) at the beginning of every return from Commercial Break.

Oh yeah, it was also Directed by Edward Zwick, a man who did Legends of the Fall, Glory and The Last Samurai!

How did a TV Movie traumatize so many people?  Let's find out...

Get used to this Graphic.

You'll see it many times if you watch the proper version.
The VHS Version cut them out apparently!

A Reporter named Steve Levitt is out shooting his Intro for a piece on a Dock Worker's Strike.

While he's there, some people shoot at the Coast Guard and he's taken hostage by them.

The men demand a live feed and use Steve to get their message across.

They demand that the US Government disarm their nukes.

They say that they have a bomb on board.

Do people believe them?

Throughout this, we hear from the Newscasters and also cut to Reporters covering events and getting interviews.

Notably, we get Lane Smith, the future Perry White from Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.

He talks about how the Government is really wary of complying with their demands, especially with a 24-hour window to do it in!

Tensions rise as the time passes.

The 'bad guys' are a bit sad when they learn that one of the Coast Guard guys dies.

It comes to a head when one of the leaders- David Rasche (the future Sledge Hammer!)- tries to lecture our Anchor in real time.

It feels so real.

They also get really agitated as nobody seems to believe them.

Throughout this, we get Vignettes explaining their backstories, told in News Segments.

We see an earlier moment when the erratic member shoots at a News Copter.

All signs point to the Government not acquiescing to what the so-called Terrorists.

The time is starting to run out...

To find out what happens, stream this Film now.

A Film that still feels very real and visceral, even all of these Decades later.

Like Ghostwatch, it would be hard to properly match the feeling of turning on the TV and seeing this with no warning.

If you want the full experience, run YouTube on a CRT Monitor or an older TV.  It will be a seamless blend.

The actual Plot is really good too, as you learn more about the 'villains' and other people in an organic way.  News Segments explaining them really work to sell this.

Bulletin is full of lots of little touches, like people talking over each other when doing so over a live feed, people being interrupted as someone comes out to speak and more.

The only times it doesn't work is when they have to put someone in 'Washington D.C.,' so they use a blue/green screen.  There's a later effect- which I won't SPOIL the context of- that also doesn't look great.

It was Made for TV in 1983, so be fair to it.

Special Bulletin is a real hidden gem, not helped by the fact that the DVD rights apparently are muddy, so we don't get this in 4K (or 2.5K, maybe) or Streaming on a big platform.

It also features a Cameo that was going to be a lot more fun a couple of weeks ago...

Next up, let me switch up my old plans a bit to be more topical.  How does this James Gunn Film hold up on a second opinion years later?  Stay tuned...

Shudder Day: The Found Footage Phenomenon (2021)

 A Genre that I have a real love/hate relationship.

All bad Movies are bad (obviously), but the Found Footage ones always find more ways to be annoying.

Here are all of them I've covered so far (the List will, of course, include this one too).

The Documentary talks about the Origin of the Horror Subgenre, talking about early Films and how they were influenced.

They thankfully credit such Films as Peeping Tom (below) and others that I'd genuinely not heard of.

Throughout the Film, you hear from various Directors and a few people that study Films.

This means that you hear plenty from guys like this before you eventually learn what Film he made.

They obviously spend lots of time talking about The Blair Witch Project.

If you're not familiar with it, this is informative.

They eventually talk about later ones in the Genre- like REC- and how they were made.

If you like this kind of Behind the Scenes talk, it is nice.

If you don't need every Found Footage Film Director to tell you how clever they are, it is less nice.

No disrespect to Andre Ovredal, of course.

Trollhunter rules.

We hear many times from this lady, who is pretty informative.

She has a French Poster for The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh (and no, I didn't need to Google that), so I do like her.

In closing, if you don't know all of the minutia and history of these Films, this is a good watch.

The End.

A pretty enjoyable Documentary, even if it repeats itself a bit.

In fairness, the Film is made up of a couple dozen interviews taken at completely different times.  

I guess they couldn't be bothered to cut out the THIRD Director make the same point.

Joking aside, they got a great number of interesting people to talk about their Films, from Ovredal to Ruggero Deodato to Eduardo Sanchez.

More love for Ghostwatch- yes, please!

I love that they cover the History of the Genre (going back to the 1960s) and the realities of the World that inspired it.  Again- a very informative Film.

My final gripe- they gloss over all of the bad Found Footage Films, somehow not mentioning Area 407 (which this picture appears on if you Google it)...

A very enjoyable and fact-filled Documentary.  Just know that it makes the same points a few times too many throughout the runtime.

Disaster Flix: Into the Storm (2014)

After Twister.
Before Twisters.

This is Into the Storm, a 2014 Film about, well, a storm.
This one doesn't seem to be that well remembered and that's a shame.  I remember renting this- probably around 2015- and enjoying it.

Smash cut to me spotting it this Year and realizing that I somehow didn't review it.

The Plot involves a small Town, a Cast of Characters living in or entering said Town and a massive Storm.
What it does well is make a small Cast matter with backstories, motivations and all that stuff.

When the disaster happens, you root for them and hope for the best.

Can a future Dwarf from The Hobbit and a member of the Upright Citizens Brigade survive?
To find out, read on...

In the Cold Open, a group of teens driving down a road at night run across a tornado.

It doesn't end well for them.

A group of Storm Chasers and a Docunentary Crew are trying to catch some action on Film, but it's been a dry 3 months.

With funding drying up, will a nearby Town (from said accident) bear fruit?

The key Story here is a widowed Father (Richard Armitage) and his two teenage Sons.

He has them shooting a Time Capsule video for the Town and there's tension, ever since the Mother's death.

There's also a pair of wannabe Jackass Cast Members.

They seem willing to do anything dangerous for YouTube views.

Insert Mr. Beast Joke Here.

The older Brother has a thing for this girl in School and takes his chance to get close to her.

He helps her document a factory that polluted the Town, which means missing the filming of the Graduation Ceremony.

Dad isn't happy.

The Crew is getting ready to leave Town when it starts to suddenly hail.

Now a real Storm is breaking out and they are ready to cover it.

The Brother is at the Factory when it hits the nearby area, trapping them.

Meanwhile, the Storm gets worse and worse for those outside.

Can our Heroes get the shots they need?

Can our Family survive?

Will these two guys somehow not win The Darwin Award?

To find out, watch it now.

A Film that, for as loud as it can be, came and went pretty quietly.
Its Director- Steven Quale- has only made one other Film since this, in 2017.

I remember seeing this about 10 years ago and being really impressed.  Thankfully, I feel the same way in 2024.

I should also mention that this is *mostly* a Found Footage Film.  I still like it allot!

The Film works so well because you get just enough Character Work to make you really care about the random Characters.  They are fleshed out enough without the Film being bogged down with personal drama.

The Special Effects here are great.  Even with a scrutinizing eye and 10 years later, they look amazing.  Really good work here.

If you loved Twisters, you really need to see (or revisit) this forgotten 'missing link' between Twister (which I will revisit on Blu-Ray soon) and it.

It literally has Twisters in it!

Next up, let me look one half a very specific trend from 2007.  Chomp chomp, folks!

Shudder-day: V/H/S 85 (2023)

 As a man who doesn't like Found Footage Films (or, to be more accurate, they don't like me), I sure do keep watching this Series.

Shudder keeps making these, so let's pop in...

In the Framing Device, a strange creature is found and put in a lab for observation.

That said, we hear about this 'on a tape' documenting how things went wrong, so...

In 'No Wake,' a group of people go to a blocked-off Lake to have some fun.

This is a Horror Film, so you know that this won't go well.

I won't SPOIL more here though, because it is a doozy.

In 'God of Death,' a massive Earthquake hits Mexico City.

This leads a group of people being rescued down the wrong path.

I can't SPOIL this more than the Title does, right?

As we cut back to Not Hard Copy, we learn that the creature in the lab was learning more and more.

He started to transform into people (kind of)!

In TKNOGD, a woman does a performance art piece where she complains about eye phones (aka early VR Headsets) and then uses them.

She finds that 'surfing the Internet' sometimes leads to 'sharks.'

In Ambrosia, we get the other side of 'No Wake' (which is a neat idea, honestly) and its events.

What happens when someone is given the gift that everybody wants...only know it is a curse.

In the final internal segment, we get 'Dream Killer.'

The Police are investigating a murder during a home invasion that we see (partially) on tape.
The issue- said Tape was delivered to the Police THREE DAYS BEFORE this murder happened.

Pro-Tip- don't watch this Intro in the dark at night.  Kind of unsettling.

Finally, no SPOILERS, we are told that things went really badly in the Lab, but they won't show it on the (fake) TV Show.

We the viewer of this Movie, of course, see it all play out.

----------

A weird collection of Horror Stories.  Is there a Theme though?

Should a Horror Anthology be more?

This one features a tale of death, a facsimile of life, an embodiment of death, the sanctity of life and whether violent death is a certainty.

For me, this nailed the look of an old Found Footage Film- well, mostly.  Dream Killer looked- and this will sound weird- too good.

There are also moments of excessive gore just to have it in this Segment too.

Quick Rank- God, Framing, Ambrosia, No Wake, TKNOGD and Dream.

That said, I really enjoyed this Film.

Is it great or am I getting soft?

Regardless there’s a lesson- watch where you turn.

Do I need to see more of these?  Let me know…