One of the earlier found footage films, The McPherson Tape caused quite the debate back in the day.
Synopsis
On a typical fall evening in 1983, a young man was videotaping his niece’s 5th birthday party. As the night’s strange occurrences took place, he kept his video camera running, recording the entire event.
My Thoughts
The McPherson Tape is one of the earlier found footage movies that I often mention alongside films such as The Legend of Boggy Creek and Cannibal Holocaust, and is a film that was debated among UFO enthusiasts at the time as many believed it was real.
The plot starts simply enough, where a family gathers at a remote cabin to celebrate the birthday of their 5-year-old daughter, and at first, everything seems normal and peaceful.
But soon, strange things begin happening, and the family starts noticing lights in the sky, where they end up discovering an alien craft in the woods, and from there, everything spirals out of control.
The film tries to build the tension gradually while showcasing panic and fear as you feel the family’s isolation, stuck in the middle of nowhere trying to understand what the hell has happened.
Its a bit messy and silly at times, and while it’s only 60 minutes or so long, the sense of urgency isn’t really there, but it does capture that family gathering feeling.
But we do need to remember the budget was around $6500, so not a lot, and the acting isn’t actually that bad considering and the film has a lowfi quality running through it as well, and I’d say its definitely watchable.
The backstory is quite interesting surrounding the film too, and its legacy and cult following is more for this then the film itself being really good.
After the original film was destroyed in a fire, only some incomplete copies remained, and they started circulating without any any context and many viewers thought that they were watching actual found footage, and it has been discussed on many UFO related programs.
If you’re a fan of found footage films or just enjoy movies that make you question what’s real, The McPherson Tape is an interesting one to check out, and especially if you want to check out a found footage film that was released before The Blair Witch Project made the genre mainstream.
Good Points
Believable Experience: With a budget of around $6,500, the film relies on its simplicity and limited resources to create a believable experience, especially for the time.
Innovative for Its Time: For 1989, the idea of presenting a UFO encounter through the found footage lens was quite unique and ahead of its time.
Home Video Style: The film’s home video style is pretty authentic, capturing the feeling of an actual family gathering, and the shaky camera and unpolished footage make it feel like you’re watching real events unfold.
Bad Points
No Character Development: The characters are thinly written and don’t have much depth.
It’s a Bit Silly and Disjointed: At the time of release it probably would have been OK, but if you watch it now, it does all come across as a bit silly and very disjointed.
Camera: While the shaky cam does work at times fine, it also often becomes frustrating, with the camera lingering on nothing for too long.
Is It Worth Watching?
If you’re interested in some of the earlier found footage films I recommend watching The McPherson Tape, but remember the budget involved and don’t expect too much, but I think it’s an interesting film.
The McPherson Tape On IMDB
The McPherson Tape Trailer
Where To Watch
Director and Cast
Director – Dean Alioto
Main Cast – Tommy Giavocchini, Patrick Kelley, Shirly McCalla, Stacey Shulman, Christine Staples
Found Footage Horror Movies 
Let Me Know Your Thoughts!