The Poughkeepsie Tapes is an American mockumentary horror film directed by John Erick Dowdle, documenting the activities of a fictional serial killer in Poughkeepsie, NY, mainly told through interviews and snippets from the eponymous tapes, a massive collection of snuff films recorded by the killer himself. It stars Stacy Chbosky, Ben Messmer, and Samantha Robson.

When the police raid an abandoned house in Poughkeepsie, New York, they uncover a cache of over 800 videotapes, all recorded by a nameless serial killer (listed as Edward Carver in the closing credits but referred to as the Water Street Butcher throughout the movie) to document his decades-long career of kidnapping, rape, torture, murder, and mutilation. As the authorities sift through the gruesome tapes looking for clues to the killer’s identity, the identities of his numerous victims, and the locations of their remains, the viewer sees a portrait unfold of a truly depraved, sadistic individual whose twisted games leave his victims broken long before he kills them, and whose cunning has allowed him to evade capture for a dishearteningly long period of time.

While the basic conceit is that of a documentary meant for a more mature audience and the clips from the tape collection don’t show much in the way of torture or dismemberment, this movie is still brutal to watch because of what is implied. Between the interviews describing what the killer does with his victims and the little tastes from the tapes, this movie turns your imagination into your worst enemy. The heavily edited clips plant the seeds, and your mind does the rest. The understated horror of this story is perfectly in line with documentaries on real-life serial killers I’ve seen, and as such it is more disquieting than more graphic slasher movies I’ve seen. The ending in particular will leave you glancing over your shoulder and in your closet for a psychopath in a Venetian bird mask.

Rating: 8/10