I am a fan of Found Footage movies but, I would be the first to admit that the majority are garbage.
When done well, these films feel like genuine artefacts from their own mythology. The rest of the time, they feel like unimaginative attempts to jump on a low-budget bandwagon.
The opening scenes of 1974: Le Posesion De Altair didn't fill me with confidence. The Super-8 film stock seemed a bit contrived and one particular early scene featured what seemed to me to be some very obvious and low-effort CGI.
But, I stuck with it, and I'm glad I did!
As the film progressed, the atmosphere and the intrigue only deepened, and the plot drew me in to the point of forgetting my earlier criticisms very quickly.
Now, for minor spoilers (but I won't give anything of weight away): I've always believed that FF movies should not have atmospheric music; sound should just be what the camera catches and any additional music just weakens the sense of realism. While I stand by that in general, this film actually made me rethink how solidly to stick to that. While it is subtle, there is plenty of ambient and atmospheric music present on this film, but it never weakens the scenes; rather, it adds to the feeling that we are watching some sort of documentary. I've rarely seen it work in FF movies before, but it works here.
Secondly - and the biggest POTENTIAL SPOILER I'm going to post: The film culminates with the revelation of a huge bait-and-switch. This could have totally killed the movie, but the way it is revealed, and the way it fits with all that the viewer has been shown so far makes it a moment of draw-dropping realisation.
I know I sound like I'm gushing, and I won't claim this film is without flaws (the black doorways and the delivery of their components are never really touched on. Nor is the "aging" if Carlo. Several threads are left dangling, in fact). Despite that, for me, this was one if the best examples of a Found Footage movie I've seen since Blair Witch Project, Lake Mungo or Savageland.
If you're a fan if the genre, I highly recommend it.
When done well, these films feel like genuine artefacts from their own mythology. The rest of the time, they feel like unimaginative attempts to jump on a low-budget bandwagon.
The opening scenes of 1974: Le Posesion De Altair didn't fill me with confidence. The Super-8 film stock seemed a bit contrived and one particular early scene featured what seemed to me to be some very obvious and low-effort CGI.
But, I stuck with it, and I'm glad I did!
As the film progressed, the atmosphere and the intrigue only deepened, and the plot drew me in to the point of forgetting my earlier criticisms very quickly.
Now, for minor spoilers (but I won't give anything of weight away): I've always believed that FF movies should not have atmospheric music; sound should just be what the camera catches and any additional music just weakens the sense of realism. While I stand by that in general, this film actually made me rethink how solidly to stick to that. While it is subtle, there is plenty of ambient and atmospheric music present on this film, but it never weakens the scenes; rather, it adds to the feeling that we are watching some sort of documentary. I've rarely seen it work in FF movies before, but it works here.
Secondly - and the biggest POTENTIAL SPOILER I'm going to post: The film culminates with the revelation of a huge bait-and-switch. This could have totally killed the movie, but the way it is revealed, and the way it fits with all that the viewer has been shown so far makes it a moment of draw-dropping realisation.
I know I sound like I'm gushing, and I won't claim this film is without flaws (the black doorways and the delivery of their components are never really touched on. Nor is the "aging" if Carlo. Several threads are left dangling, in fact). Despite that, for me, this was one if the best examples of a Found Footage movie I've seen since Blair Witch Project, Lake Mungo or Savageland.
If you're a fan if the genre, I highly recommend it.