One of the joys of the horror genre is how it revels in its various subgenres. In other words, not all horror films aim to be pioneers, as most are content to be a good example of their chosen subgenre, whether it’s a haunted house film, a slasher, etc. Subgenres also tend to have their peak, a period when they are trendy and everyone is trying their hand at it. For this reason, it’s easy to declare a subgenre dead or failed prematurely, because while trends certainly die out, a decent subgenre – especially in horror – never really dies.
It’s no surprise that the found footage subgenre rose to prominence around the same time that smartphones began to transform the way people communicated. Once the idea of people constantly filming themselves and others stopped being a novelty and became commonplace, the subgenre began to decline in frequency, with fewer original and unique films being made while long-running franchises like “Paranormal Activity” and the “V/H/S” series continued. That’s why this month’s “Man Finds Tape” is so particularly exciting. The film, co-written and directed by Paul Gandersman and Peter S. Hall, is an original entry into the found footage subgenre. To say it like this seems too trite; the film is unlike anything you’ve seen before, as it ingeniously blends several forms of mixed media.
Everything from camcorder and security camera clips to YouTube videos, smartphone videos and professional documentary footage is used in “Man Finds Tape,” and rather than being a distracting gimmick, this new approach only makes the horror of the film even more effective.
“Man Finds Tape” Fuses Stephen King Commentary With Cosmic Horror
Although the structural elements of “Man Finds Tape” are its biggest appeal, that wouldn’t matter if the story wasn’t also up to snuff. Fortunately, Gandersman and Hall weave a fascinating and strange story throughout the film, as unpredictable as its mixed media trappings. The film is ostensibly a documentary directed by Lynn Page (Kelsey Pribilski) about her family and their rural hometown of Larkin, Texas. Lynn’s younger brother, Lucas (William Magnuson), is a troubled man who stumbled upon a mysterious video tape in his family home and found deeply disturbing footage of himself as a child. He decided to chronicle this discovery and his subsequent investigations in a YouTube series called “Man Finds Tape.” The series goes viral enough that even Lynn’s life is disrupted. Until Lucas makes accusations against the town’s local televangelist, Reverend Endicott Carr (John Gholson). Carr forces Lucas to redact his statements. “Man Finds Tape” is suspended and Lynn returns home to do some digging of her own.
This may sound like most of the film’s narrative, and it would in an average found footage film. After all, the subgenre includes many features that build slowly before being rewarded at the last minute (probably due to how well this structure worked in “The Blair Witch Project”). Yet “Man Finds Tape” has much more in store, especially when a character known only as The Stranger (Brian Viallalobos) appears and takes the entire film in a whole new direction. Ultimately, the film feels like a heady mix of creepy found footage, Stephen King-style social commentary (the entire town of Larkin is a major factor in the story), and vivid cosmic horror, which is a potent combination.
The biggest innovation in “Man Finds Tape” is subtle
The use of mixed media in “Man Indeed Finds Tape” is not in itself the film’s most major innovation. Instead, the film’s novelty comes from its structure, since the “main” footage we see is Lynn’s documentary of the scandalous events, footage that includes the main characters being interviewed about their experiences. This structure would seem like a stupid mistake on paper, because it essentially reveals to the audience who survives the story before it is told. Of course, unreliable narration has been used effectively in many films, often with some sort of twist, as in Billy Wilder’s “Sunset Boulevard.” Yet “Man Finds Tape” makes no bones about revealing that Lynn’s documentary is just a fantasy or another high-concept idea. It’s on the level, which makes this choice of Gandersman and Hall such a demanding act.
“Man Finds Tape” never loses an ounce of tension, intrigue or scares thanks to this framing device, which is a minor marvel in horror cinema. The story unfolds in a way that is (obviously) reminiscent of true crime documentaries and viral YouTube series, making the film one that so subtly blurs the line between fiction and nonfiction that even its cosmic horror seems more plausible. All of this makes “Man Finds Tape” one of the most pleasant surprises of 2025, because it’s great to see an independent film this ambitious and still doing so well. The fact that this film is coming out at the end of a year filled with great horror films just makes it feel like icing on the cake. Seek it – if you dare.
“Man Finds Tape” is now playing in select theaters and is available on VOD.
