For centuries, humans have been captivated by photographic evidence of the supernatural. From 19th century spirit photos to modern day TikToks of mimics, we just can’t get enough. Paul Gandersman and Peter Hall’s debut feature Man Finds Tape explores the idea of recording supernatural phenomena, as well as how other people react to it.
The Viral Mystery of Man Finds Tape
Lucas Page (played by William Magnuson) achieved internet notoriety after finding old, disturbing tapes in his childhood home, where he still lives. After the discovery of the first tape, which features him as a child and an unidentified person who puts something in his mouth while he was sleeping, Lucas began documenting his investigation into it, as well as the discovery of other tapes—featuring the other members of his family. As one does in our modern age of “share everything!”, Lucas posted videos of his investigation online, in a series he titled—you guessed it—“Man Finds Tape”. His series went viral, leading to thousands of people getting invested in the unfolding story, spectators egging him on, doubters accusing him of making everything up…and, of course, people tracking down his sister, Lynn (Kelsey Pribilski), and posting TikToks in which they invade her space and intrude upon her professional life.
Lynn is, understandably, not a fan of “Man Finds Tape”, so she’s less than thrilled when Lucas requests an urgent Zoom call to show her a video. This one isn’t from their childhood, though; it’s recent surveillance footage of a fatal hit-and-run on a main street in their hometown of Larkin, Texas. The homicide happened in broad daylight, and there were witnesses…sort of. In the video, everyone on the street stops moving simultaneously with their heads bowed down.
It’s enough to get Lynn to return to Larkin, albeit reluctantly and with a healthy amount of skepticism. When she reunites with her brother to help him investigate, things take a sharp twist and get even weirder. The siblings find themselves in the midst of a supernatural occurrence that’s been infecting the people in Larkin for years. At the heart of it all is Reverend Endicott Carr (John Gohlson)—a charismatic preacher and televangelist revered as a pillar of the community.
Style and Execution: A Fresh Take on Found Footage
Presented as a documentary, complete with 911 calls, interviews, recovered footage, and internet forums, Man Finds Tape is a bold and genuinely unsettling addition to the found footage horror genre. Pribilski and Magnuson star as Lynn and Lucas, respectively, both independently and as a team in their shared scenes. Their portrayal of familial conflict overcome by unwavering love and loyalty makes them believable as siblings. Nell Kessler also shines through in her performance as Wendy Parker, Lucas’s one-time girlfriend who is now a surrogate carrying Carr’s baby. Brian Villalobos is also featured as a mysterious stranger who is running his own investigation into Carr. Gohlson’s performance as Endicott Carr is fantastically sinister, but not overly so—he balances paranormal spookiness with the run-of-the-mill creep factor inherent in televangelists.
Along with a strong cast, Man Finds Tape has an interesting and compelling story that will hold viewers captive and at the edge of their seat. There’s something in this film for everyone: true found footage (as in, characters find disturbing recordings), a well-executed mockumentary style, cryptids, small town eeriness, body horror (major trypophobia warning!), and religious horror. The film gets a bit too expository towards the end, but the rest of the movie more than makes up for it.
Man Finds Tape had its premiere at Tribeca Film Festival