‘The last thing his victims saw… was his camera.’
The Poughkeepsie Tapes is a 2007 American documentary-style horror film directed by John Erick Dowdle (Quarantine; Devil; As Above, So Below) from a screenplay co-written with his brother Drew, who produced. It stars Bobbi Sue Luther, Samantha Robson and Ivar Brogger.
Despite being widely advertised in 2007 by MGM, the film’s theatrical release was pulled, and it was subsequently never released on DVD or Blu-Ray. No official explanation was given for the shelving of the film. In July, 2014, the film was given its first official release as a “video on demand” title available through DirecTV. It has since been pulled from VOD.
Plot teaser:
When police raid a house in a city north of New York, they discover a profoundly disturbing record of one man’s ugly crimes. Investigators find over 800 videotapes shot by the killer which present a visual record of his murders in all their horrifying details. Both state and federal law enforcement teams sift through the gruesome images, looking for clues of his identity, the identity of his victims, and where he could have gone. Repeated viewings of the materials reveal little beyond the terrible facts of the crimes, and as the authorities comb through the madman’s images, they find the tapes have had a disquieting effect on them.
The killer does not only capture the murders themselves, but the abductions, tortures and postmortem mutilations of his victims (along with bizarre fetishes involving balloons) all the while never allowing himself to be shown on film unless entirely disguised. Because the killer numbered the video tapes in order, investigators are able to determine that he started with the most vulnerable of victims: an 8 year-old named Jennifer Gorman is abducted while playing in her front yard.
After the success of his first abduction and murder, the killer becomes less impulsive in his crimes. Carefully selecting the area in which he will strike next, he convinces a couple, the Andersons, that his car has broken down and they agree to give him a ride to a local gas station for aid. On the way, he clubs the male in the head and subdues the female using a cloth doused in a chemical solution while filming her face in close up. Investigators understand this would have taken considerable practice to achieve. The tape shows that the killer performed a C-section on the female, placing the severed head of her husband inside her womb before sewing her up again to later rouse her from unconsciousness and film her reaction…
Reviews:
‘When Poughkeepsie hits it’s mark, it’s dead on; the movie is scary, creepy, unnerving, bizarre and very uncomfortable to watch. Get ready for an experience like none other and make sure you give Dowdle’s experiment the chance it deserves, many of you will be pleasantly surprised.’ Bloody Disgusting
‘It’s an occasionally powerful, excessively sadistic little movie that pushes the boundary of misogyny into places films haven’t dared to tread in years. At times uncompromising and oppressively brutal, this is one tape collection that the moviegoing public deserves to be made aware of.’ Cool Ass Cinema
‘ …it’s a horror film unlike any other, with an original villain to boot. Master is patient, methodical, and all those nasty things in between. I can’t even conjure a basis of comparison – the best I can do is the sadism of Hannibal Lector meets Jigsaw’s planning and coordination. If you love a good horror film – one that makes double-check your doors and windows but still provides an intelligent story – The Poughkeepsie Tapes is an absolute must.’ Reel Girl Reviews
‘This movie isn’t for everyone, some may find it disconcerting to watch the torture and murder scenes, but for others, like me, it’s not over-the-top, but just the right blend of creepiness and the macabre to keep me watching. This film has cult classic all over it.’ Uncoolghoul
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Cast:
- Stacy Chbosky as Cheryl Dempsey
- Ben Messmer as Ed
- Bobbi Sue Luther as Josephine
- Samantha Robson as Samantha
- Ivar Brogger as Leonard Schway
- Ron Harper as Mike Moakes
- Iris Bahr as Psychiatrist
- Todd Cahoon as Ted Bundy
- Henry Dittman as Frank Anderson
- Sean Huze as Hector Gomez
