Found Footage Film Mike Flanagan Loves Is Now Streaming for Free!
What’s interesting about the found footage technique is that almost anyone with a camera can make a movie. The found footage boom of the 2010s ushered in a glut of first-person horror pictures. Some aspiring creators demonstrated an effective use of the technique. Others didn’t quite manage to make their mark. Colin Minihan and Stuart Ortiz are among a handful of creators who used the technique to break into feature filmmaking. Credited as The Vicious Brothers, the pair delivered a tense and atmospheric chiller called Grave Encounters.
In the years since its release, Grave Encounters has developed a cult audience and even managed to win over a few high-profile fans. Among them is Oculus director Mike Flanagan. That’s right, Mike Flanagan added Grave Encounters to a Letterboxd list featuring his favorite horror movies.
The plot crunch for this Mike Flanagan-endorsed shocker goes like this:
The crew of a ghost-hunting TV show hole up in an abandoned psychiatric hospital hoping to catch some spooks on camera – a scenario that can only ever end badly, and it does.
Though the film doesn’t have the acclaim of contemporaries like The Blair Witch Project or Paranormal Activity, it’s well-made and brimming with atmosphere. The creative team made the most of their limited budget, saving on expenses by making use of an existing location perfect for the setup. The majority of the picture was filmed in Riverview Hospital in British Columbia.
Where is Grave Encounters available to stream?
Seeing as Mike Flanagan knows his way around a horror movie, you may be curious to check the flick out for yourself. If you are game to experience Grave Encounters, you can find the film streaming on Tubi as of the publication of this post.
If the first installment has you hungry for more, Minihan and Ortiz penned the script for a second installment in the series titled Grave Encounters 2. John Poliquin took over directorial duties on the follow-up. A third film was subsequently announced but never materialized.
If the name Colin Minihan sounds familiar, it may be because he has carved out a space for himself in the years since Grave Encounters. He was previously known for directing music videos. Following the success of Grave Encounters, he directed the indie survival horror What Keeps You Alive and penned the screenplay for Kurtis David Harder’s Spiral.
That’s all we have for you, for the time being. Stay tuned for more recommendations from your favorite creators in the genre space in the near future. If you’d like to chat more about under-seen indie gems, come find me on Threads.
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