31 by 31 Challenge #14: THE HOUSES OCTOBER BUILT (2014)

Found footage has been a horror subgenre that seemed to burn bright and fade fast. Aside from a few milestones that utilized the format in creative and forward-thinking ways, found footage has mostly been repetitive, lazy, and uncreative. On the plus, it's a great genre to work in for low-budget and indie filmmakers, a group of artists whose creativity is often more unrestrained than mainstream and studio moviemakers. It's from these minds that we can still get creative found footage. Or, at the very least, a genuine effort to deliver something unpredictable.

The Houses October Built (2014)
Released: October 10, 2014
Director: Bobby Roe
Screenplay: Zack Andrews, Bobby Roe, & Jason Zada

Tagline: "In the search for the most extreme haunt, the haunt found them"

Cast:
Brandy Schaefer as Brandy
Zack Andrews as Zack
Bobby Roe as Bobby
Mikey Roe as Mikey
Jeff Larson as Jeff

Beneath the fake blood and cheap masks of countless haunted house attractions across the country, there are whispers of truly terrifying alternatives. Looking to find an authentic, blood-curdling good fright for Halloween, five friends set off on a road trip in an RV to track down these underground haunts. Just when their search seems to reach a dead end, strange and disturbing things start happening around them. Soon it becomes clear that the haunt has come to them.

First off, the fact that there is a found footage horror film about amusement park terrors, haunted house scares, and the haunt subculture of America is amazing. Halloween and horror go hand in hand and diehard fans love to see horror movies taking place in, around, or about All Hallows' Eve. It's just our jam, and it's why genre lovers have added The Houses October Built to their season lineup since its release. With the basest ingredients, this is a great Halloween movie. It captures the aura of autumn and the chill factor of this spookiest of holidays without being overly cloying about either. It feels and looks like real-world Halloween.

The reality factor, always a necessity for any convincing found footage film and rarely one that achieves its goal is heightened by convincing performances from the capable cast. Zack is the spirited ringleader always pushing the friend group into their crazy schemes and plots, Brandy is the logical mom-friend happy to have fun but also always on the lookout for when its time to call it quits, and Jeff is charismatic but underused. The life of the group and the movie is Mikey, an opinionated jokester who draws you into his onscreen presence. We all know guys like Mikey. They're great to have around in large groups because they always make sure the fun keeps flowing. This is a seasoned group, committed to behaving how people actually behave (as far as the script allows, of course), which is unusual in most found footage fodder. 

Found footage has become so soulless since it boomed into the horror mainstream with The Blair Witch Project and reached critical peak with Paranormal Activity, but with The Houses October Built you'll find a well-structured movie that doesn't rely on standard scares, is brave enough to provide you with intelligent, capable protagonists who feel like individuals and not just "characters," and an engaging story. Are there missteps? Of course. Some of the maneuvers feel flat or ill-thought out at times, but the movie is still a break from the pack. It's not quite B.W.P. greatness, but I'd comfortably rank it alongside other strong found footage gems like Trollhunter and [REC]. So even if you're sick to death of found footage, give this one a try. You'll be pleased with the Hallowed atmosphere, interesting, relatable characters, and terrifying sense of realism. 

Just, you know, maybe watch it *after* you've gone to your local haunted house. If you're still around, that is...


The Houses October Built
5-Totally Terrifying
4-Crazy Creepy
3-Fairly Frightening
2-Slightly Scary
1-Hardly Horror