Wait. This came out 15 years prior, and we still got the second-rate "Paranormal Activity"?
This 1992 British Made-for-TV found-footage/mockumentary movie, predating both 1999's The Blair Witch Project & 2007's Paranormal Activity, was fairly effective and far before its time. Granted, Found Footage has been around even before this; ah-hem, the animal-hating Cannibal Holocaust was from 1980. And technically, this isn't 100% Found Footage. I'll explain.
This is more of a reality TV-show/broadcast (which probably also predates all the reality craze of the 2000s and beyond.) Once the hit and awesome 2024's Late Night with the Devil premiered, comparisons were in abundance to this little-known horror from the early 90s. I, myself, hadn't even seen this until now. And wow...as much as I loved Late Night with the Devil, that's almost a remake of this and, to be fair, Ghostwatch, did it much more realistically.
Two young girls and their single-mother experienced some paranormal activity in their English residence and a TV show is there to exploit them for ratings, regardless if the haunting is real. Well, as you probably suspect, things go bump in the night and we'll see if the world's ready to believe...
Full disclosure: I'm a true, 100%, nonbeliever in the supernatural. In fact, as much of a Horror Fan I am, the supernatural subgenre is my least favorite and the furthest from what I seek out. The more I believe something can happen in real life, the more frighten I become and since I don't believe in haunts, these movies don't scare me in the least. That said, I can appreciate a ton of great ghost/haunted house movies. 1980's The Shining is the best ever for the subgenre, in my opinion. Ghostwatch will definitely be added to the best list for this group.
It was a tough watch, at times, though. No spoilers, but one of the plot points involve one of the victims getting visible/instantaneous scratches on their face. Not sure what the rule of law was in 1992 United Kingdom, but I would think this girl needed to be taken to a hospital ASAP. YES, I know this was both a fictional movie of a broadcast to document a Halloween-Night Haunting. You still needed to get this child medical assistance, pronto.
Also, like most haunted house movies, and this is one of my biggest pet peeves, it takes an enormous amount of buildup/time to get to the goods. It's like every single one of these movies, some laughably "based on a true story," follow the same slow, bit-by-bit tension until the ghost/demon/possession finally reveals itself. 2013's The Conjuring followed these cliches to a tee. Mercifully, while 2016's The Conjuring 2 began that way, they shifted away to a more original story. (Which is why I prefer the first sequel WAY more.)
I digress, I did enjoy this mockumentary and curious to see how many fell for this War of the Worlds broadcast 32-years-ago. Must've been easier since it was pre-real-internet.
***
Final Thoughts: Here are my Favorite Mockumentaries:
1. Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006) 2. Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (2005) 3. What We Do in the Shadows (2014) 4. C. S. A.: The Confederate States of America (2004) 5. This is Spinal Tap (1984) 6. District 9 (2009) 7. Ghostwatch (1992) 8. Late Night with the Devil (2024) 9. Best in Show (2000) 10. Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2020) 11. The Boys & Girls Guide to Getting Down (2006) 12. The Gods Must be Crazy (1980) 13. Man Bites Dog (1992) 14. Brüno (2009)
This 1992 British Made-for-TV found-footage/mockumentary movie, predating both 1999's The Blair Witch Project & 2007's Paranormal Activity, was fairly effective and far before its time. Granted, Found Footage has been around even before this; ah-hem, the animal-hating Cannibal Holocaust was from 1980. And technically, this isn't 100% Found Footage. I'll explain.
This is more of a reality TV-show/broadcast (which probably also predates all the reality craze of the 2000s and beyond.) Once the hit and awesome 2024's Late Night with the Devil premiered, comparisons were in abundance to this little-known horror from the early 90s. I, myself, hadn't even seen this until now. And wow...as much as I loved Late Night with the Devil, that's almost a remake of this and, to be fair, Ghostwatch, did it much more realistically.
Two young girls and their single-mother experienced some paranormal activity in their English residence and a TV show is there to exploit them for ratings, regardless if the haunting is real. Well, as you probably suspect, things go bump in the night and we'll see if the world's ready to believe...
Full disclosure: I'm a true, 100%, nonbeliever in the supernatural. In fact, as much of a Horror Fan I am, the supernatural subgenre is my least favorite and the furthest from what I seek out. The more I believe something can happen in real life, the more frighten I become and since I don't believe in haunts, these movies don't scare me in the least. That said, I can appreciate a ton of great ghost/haunted house movies. 1980's The Shining is the best ever for the subgenre, in my opinion. Ghostwatch will definitely be added to the best list for this group.
It was a tough watch, at times, though. No spoilers, but one of the plot points involve one of the victims getting visible/instantaneous scratches on their face. Not sure what the rule of law was in 1992 United Kingdom, but I would think this girl needed to be taken to a hospital ASAP. YES, I know this was both a fictional movie of a broadcast to document a Halloween-Night Haunting. You still needed to get this child medical assistance, pronto.
Also, like most haunted house movies, and this is one of my biggest pet peeves, it takes an enormous amount of buildup/time to get to the goods. It's like every single one of these movies, some laughably "based on a true story," follow the same slow, bit-by-bit tension until the ghost/demon/possession finally reveals itself. 2013's The Conjuring followed these cliches to a tee. Mercifully, while 2016's The Conjuring 2 began that way, they shifted away to a more original story. (Which is why I prefer the first sequel WAY more.)
I digress, I did enjoy this mockumentary and curious to see how many fell for this War of the Worlds broadcast 32-years-ago. Must've been easier since it was pre-real-internet.
***
Final Thoughts: Here are my Favorite Mockumentaries:
1. Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006) 2. Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (2005) 3. What We Do in the Shadows (2014) 4. C. S. A.: The Confederate States of America (2004) 5. This is Spinal Tap (1984) 6. District 9 (2009) 7. Ghostwatch (1992) 8. Late Night with the Devil (2024) 9. Best in Show (2000) 10. Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2020) 11. The Boys & Girls Guide to Getting Down (2006) 12. The Gods Must be Crazy (1980) 13. Man Bites Dog (1992) 14. Brüno (2009)