Movies Like The St. Francisville Experiment for Paranormal Thrills

Description: A pioneering found-footage horror film that follows a group of filmmakers documenting their investigation into a local legend, creating an atmosphere of dread through minimalistic visuals and psychological tension.

Fact: The film's marketing campaign famously blurred the line between fiction and reality, leading many to believe the events depicted were real. It was made on a shoestring budget of around $60,000 but grossed over $248 million worldwide.

Description: Uses the found-footage format to document supernatural occurrences in a suburban home, building suspense through slow-burn tension and subtle, eerie phenomena captured on camera.

Fact: The original version was shot in just seven days for $15,

Description: Follows a disillusioned minister who allows a documentary crew to film his final exorcism, only to encounter something genuinely terrifying in a rural farmhouse.

Fact: The film uses a unique blend of found footage and traditional cinematography. Its ambiguous ending sparked much debate among horror fans.

Description: A mockumentary-style horror film about a paranormal investigation team filming inside an abandoned mental hospital, where they encounter genuinely terrifying supernatural events.

Fact: The film cleverly plays with the tropes of paranormal reality TV shows. Its success led to a sequel that further expanded the creepy mythology.

Description: Uses a multi-format found footage approach to tell the story of a small town's ecological disaster, creating horror through realistic, pieced-together documentation of the events.

Fact: The film was originally conceived as a traditional narrative but was reworked into found footage to increase its visceral impact. It blends environmental horror with body horror elements.

Description: Documents a group's road trip to visit extreme haunted house attractions, blurring the line between staged scares and genuine terror as their journey takes a dark turn.

Fact: The film was inspired by real extreme haunted attractions and urban legends about them. Its sequel expanded the mythology with even more disturbing implications.

Description: Combines found footage with psychological horror as a team explores the catacombs beneath Paris, encountering increasingly disturbing phenomena that blur reality and nightmare.

Fact: Much of the film was shot in the actual Paris catacombs, adding to its claustrophobic authenticity. It cleverly weaves historical and occult elements into its narrative.

Description: A documentary crew filming a woman with Alzheimer's disease captures increasingly disturbing behavior that suggests something more sinister than just dementia.

Fact: The film's lead actress gave a remarkable performance that convincingly portrayed both dementia and possession. It stands out for its emotional depth alongside its horror elements.

Description: Presents itself as a documentary about a tragic haunted house attraction, using found footage to reveal the terrifying events leading up to the incident.

Fact: The film was shot in a real abandoned hotel in New York, adding to its authentic, unsettling atmosphere. It gained a cult following for its effective scares and creative use of practical effects.

Description: Presents itself as a documentary investigation into a haunted house, using subtle scares and a slow-building sense of dread that makes the supernatural elements feel disturbingly real.

Fact: The film was made by a single filmmaker who also stars in it. Its success led to multiple sequels expanding the ghostly mythology.