Some movies scare you while you're watching them. Others hang around after, popping up in your thoughts when you least expect it. "The Poughkeepsie Tapes" is the second kind.
I watched it years ago, and parts of it still creep into my head when the room is too quiet. It's also the first movie I recommend when I hear anyone is into found footage horror.
"The Poughkeepsie Tapes" is presented like a documentary, with investigators, psychologists, and grainy VHS footage all stitched together to tell the story of a serial killer who filmed all of their devious deeds. At first, it feels like a standard found footage setup, but the more it unfolds, the more it starts to feel wrong in a way that’s hard to explain.
What makes it effective isn’t what you see, but how much it lets you imagine. There are long stretches where nothing graphic happens, but the dread just keeps building. The tone never flinches. It all pays off with a slow, quiet spiral that makes you feel like you're watching something you're not supposed to.
If you’re into horror that’s more about tone and psychology than spectacle, this is one of the more disturbing watches you can stream for free on The Roku Channel right now. And you're definitely going to want to do so before it's gone.
What's 'The Poughkeepsie Tapes' about?
"The Poughkeepsie Tapes" is framed as a documentary about a serial killer who terrorized a small New York town and vanished without a trace. The twist is that after he disappeared, police discovered a house filled with hundreds of videotapes. Each one documents a different crime, like stalking, abduction, and torture, all recorded by the killer himself.
This faux documentary mixes interviews, news footage and clips from the tapes to create a fake true crime story that feels almost too real. You hear from detectives, psychologists, and supposed survivors. None of it is graphic in the traditional sense, but the emotional weight is heavy enough as it is.
There’s no clear narrative or central protagonist. Instead, the story jumps between different victims and investigators as they try to piece together a timeline. As you watch, it becomes clear this isn’t about solving a mystery or catching a killer. It’s about how someone can operate in plain sight and leave behind so much destruction without ever being found.
But through it all, it never feels like a movie that's trying to scare you. It presents everything in such a straightforward, matter-of-fact way that it starts to feel real. That's the kind of horror that emanates from the movie from start to finish.
Why you should stream 'The Poughkeepsie Tapes'
The found footage horror style has been done to death, but this one takes a much different approach. "The Poughkeepsie Tapes" blends fake documentary interviews with crime scene photos and unsettling home videos to build a story that feels more like true crime than fiction.
These things could have happened. Did they? Who knows? This is a truly immersive project where you really can't be sure, beyond the credits and the facts.
It’s not flashy, and there’s very little gore. The fear comes from how quiet and controlled it all is. And the fact, of course, that it feels like you've just stumbled onto something eerie and private. And terrifying.
There’s no release valve here. No final act where someone fights back or justice is served. The movie holds its tension from start to finish and never lets you feel safe. That’s what makes it so effective, and so hard to shake.
"The Poughkeepsie Tapes" is not for everyone, but if it’s for you, you’ll know pretty quickly. Just don’t plan on sleeping right after. And if you do, well, maybe you should keep a night light handy.
Stream "The Poughkeepsie Tapes" free on the Roku Channel.
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