Halloween Hype 2009, Pt. VII
The Poughkeepsie Tapes [2008 / John Erick Dowdle / **] [trailer]
An interesting-in-concept entry in the “found footage” horror sub-genre, but not very successful. Unlike the paranormal focus of other similar films, The Poughkeepsie Tapes spotlights the tapes left behind by a serial killer. Perhaps I’ve been spoiled by the likes of The Blair Witch Project, Cannibal Holocaust, The Last Broadcast, [Rec] and now Paranormal Activty, but this one doesn’t cut it. There’s a few eerie moments, but overall the cons (wooden actors, poor use of interviews to summarize what we are already about to watch, unecessarily “stressed”/grainy video footage) outweigh the pros (a few eerie scenes and some creepy sadism).
I suppose there’s a reason the film has never been released after some initial festival buzz died off a couple years ago. Distributors must have also realized that it didn’t reach it’s potential. In my mind it would have worked best as an extended version of that terrifying scene in Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer wherein Henry and Otis’ filmed one of their murders. But it really doesn’t hit that potential mark. I’m glad I watched it, as it is an interesting failure, but a shame that it didn’t come close to succeeding.
Like “All the Boys Love Mandy Lane” last year, hopefully this is the lone disappointment of my October horror viewings.
