The Poughkeepsie Tapes

Alright, here we go, my first review! I chose The Poughkeepsie Tapes because a good friend of mine was curious as to my thoughts on it. Here we go:



The Poughkeepsie Tapes


Until my boyfriend asked me to watch this film with him, I had never even heard of it. He said it was sort of like The Blair Witch Project in that it was a fake documentary, or most of District 9. Due to my flagrant love of both serial killer cinema and movies that try to transcend the fact that they are in fact just films, I agreed to watch.

There isn't much in the way of plot that can be explained without giving away spoilers. Basically, a serial killer has kept tapes of his crimes (240 hours worth!) and federal employees discover these tapes and try to figure out the causes and reasons behind his murderous work. The entire film watches like a documentary, with "interviews" of family members of victims, FBI agents, and the like.

The film is gritty and extremely unsettling, and for the average viewer, rather frightening. There are a number of jump scenes. (One scene in particular, with a Venetian plague doctor's mask, even got me.) The best bits are clips from the actual "tapes" themselves, footage of the serial killer at his worst, usually shot from a tripod or in the hands of the killer himself.

Due to it's disturbing content, this is not a movie for everyone. For the psychological thriller or horror fan, however, I feel it is a definite must-watch. It takes the pseudo-documentary genre to new heights, delivering genuine scares and an overall feeling of unease that most films can't quite deliver. Unlike most other films that present themselves as "real", there isn't much in the way of shaky camera movement, so motion-sickness isn't a problem like it is in films like Blair Witch.

Personally, I loved this movie. I felt that it was shocking without beating you over the head. The camera work was eerie, the special effects were spot-on, and the acting was very believable. As stated earlier, the scene with the Venetian mask made me nearly need new pants, and several of the murder/torture sequences made me feel squeamish. (I am not a squeamish individual. I watch real emergency room shows while eating lunch. This movie is one of the few that have made me ever feel quite so uneasy.)

Entertainment value: Low-medium. This is not your typical popcorn flick. Also NOT a date movie, unless your date is Ted Bundy.
Scare value: Medium. Definitely creepy, but not scare-your-pants-off horror. Will definitely make you think about keeping a baseball bat under your bed.
Realistic?: Medium-high. The killer in the movie is based off of a number of real killers, and none of the kills are particularly over-the-top.
Violence/Gore: Very high. The special effects are amazing, the entire movie looks as real as it claims to be. Not for the faint of heart.
Sex: Low. There might be a spot of nudity, but I genuinely don't remember.
This movie is for: Psych majors, horror buffs, and sickos. It's funny how often I've seen these three coincide...
Films like it: Nothing is EXACTLY like this film, but the closest entry would have to be the 1970's Italian flick Cannibal Holocaust. Also similar are Ghostwatch, Quarantine, and The Blair Witch Project, if only in style.

IMDB Entry on The Poughkeepsie Tapes
Trailer