Unearth the Ultimate Analog Horror Series That Will Haunt Your Nightmares

Highlights

Analog horror films and videos imitate the style of old VHS tapes, creating a creepy and nostalgic atmosphere.

These movies frequently use mysterious messages, distorted visuals, and strange imagery to unsettle viewers. Analog horror has become increasingly popular in the 2010s and continues to explore innovative and captivating methods to scare audiences.

Analog horror refers to horror films, shorts, or videos created in the style of vintage formats such as VHS, Beta, or other non-digital media. These productions often resemble footage captured on old camcorders, reminiscent of films like The Blair Witch Project. Frequently, they take the form of outdated news broadcasts, informational videos, or local area alerts.

These types of creations gained significant popularity during the 2010s, drawing inspiration from classic horror specials like Ghostwatch or real instances of TV signal hijackings, like the Max Headroom Incident. The unsettling combination of mysterious messages, visual distortions, and unsettling visuals can provoke an eerie sensation in viewers, especially when they encounter well-known examples of this genre.

Updated on September 27, 2023 by David Heath: The anticipation of Christmas seems to arrive earlier each year, as stores decorate with tinsel and the radio boldly plays that Mariah Carey song. Thankfully, Halloween still falls on October 31st, providing a spooky season to counterbalance the premature festive cheer for those who prefer the Addams Family over Santa and his elves.

Once October arrives, there will be an abundance of terrifying options to choose from. There are the timeless favorites like Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th, as well as the even older classics like Dracula and Frankenstein. Additionally, there is the realm of analog horror, which, despite its existence for some time now, continues to offer intriguing and experimental ways to unsettle people. Therefore, here are some more of the top analog horror series available.

20 No Through Road

Originally created by Steven Chamberlain, No Through Road started as a one-off short film in 2009. However, it gained enough popularity for Chamberlain to produce three additional episodes for YouTube between 2011 and 2012. These episodes revolved around the discovery of tapes featuring four 17-year-olds who were found deceased in their car outside their hometown. These tapes were later recovered by the MI6 and uploaded onto the internet.

The episodes depicted the boys taking a shortcut down an abandoned farm road with a sign that read "no through road." During a rest stop, they stumble upon a perfectly preserved deceased rabbit, which sets off a chain of increasingly eerie events. They soon realize that the events are repeating themselves, while a mysterious figure in a hat stalks them from the darkness. Although the series predates the term "analog horror," its VHS-style found footage and viral success paved the way for the emergence of creepypasta and the genre as a whole.

19 Archive 81

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Archive 81 stands out because it originated as a podcast. The series follows an archivist named Dan, played by creator Dan Powell, who is tasked with restoring old audio recordings conducted by a woman named Melody. These recordings involve interviews with the residents of a peculiar apartment complex known as the Visser Building. Dan, located in his secluded bunker, must also record himself for archival and legal purposes.

Initially, everything seems ordinary until Dan begins to repair more tapes and discovers unsettling information about Melody and the Visser Building. The residents exhibit peculiar behavior, referencing a mysterious song that has a hypnotic effect on them. As the plot unfolds, Dan becomes increasingly entangled in the case, ultimately disappearing like Melody. This captivating mystery underscores the profound impact of sound in evoking fear. While Archive 81 was adapted into a visually appealing Netflix series, it is still best enjoyed through audio for an optimal experience.

18 Petscop

The popularity of edited video game commentaries, also known as "Let's Plays," has declined since the 2010s due to a preference for long-form videos over short segments. However, they served as inspiration for a creepy tale revolving around a man who receives a mysterious PS1 game from a fictional company named Garalina.

Developed by Tony Domenico, Petscop features Paul playing the game for his YouTube channel. Initially, it appears to be a straightforward game where the "Guardian" solves puzzles to rescue pets. Yet, it takes a darker turn as the game introduces new levels, puzzles, and characters that allude to themes of attachment therapy, abuse, and mysterious disappearances. There is more to Petscop than meets the eye; it transcends the boundaries of a peculiar video game.

17 Super Mario 64: CLASSIFIED

Super Mario 64's eerie and dark undertones are not limited to The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask. In fact, the Nintendo 64 launch title has sparked its own collection of peculiar urban legends. One of these legends suggests that each copy of the game is uniquely tailored to its owner, resulting in a superior gaming experience. While largely considered a jest, Greenio's YouTube series, Super Mario 64: CLASSIFIED, explores the hypothetical scenario of this legend being true.

Presented as VHS recordings of a defective demo version of Super Mario 64, each video gradually reveals a disturbing secret about the game's creation, potentially posing a global threat. Despite the series' tongue-in-cheek nature, it manages to create an unsettling and haunting atmosphere. Having concluded in January 2023, viewers now have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the full experience on YouTube.

16 Surreal Broadcast

Inspired by classic analog horror such as Local 58, Surreal Broadcast by Red Diamond is a captivating video series that takes place in the fictional county of Berksaut, Maine. The video titled "Araneae" starts as a typical exploration of spiders but transforms into a foreboding warning about a hidden danger lurking in the Berksaut Forest. In "Radio," viewers are educated about radio waves while also being introduced to a mysterious broadcast that triggers hallucinations in its listeners.

The unsettling narrative intensifies with the "1989 Incident," where a local TV broadcast alerts viewers to a bizarre affliction caused by an animal bite, accompanied by the haunting description: "their eyes are indescribable." As the seasons progress, the situation only deteriorates further, with more broadcasts being hijacked, strange occurrences in the woods, and an increasing number of people succumbing to the unexplainable phenomenon. While it may not possess the same level of inexplicability as Local 58, Surreal Broadcast is equally eerie and captivating as viewers delve deeper into the enigmatic world of Berksaut and its ominous woods.

15 Hi I'm Mary Mary

Written by an enigmatic woman known as 'K,' Hi I'm Mary Mary stands as one of the closest analog horrors to Skinamarink. This captivating series revolves around the plight of Mary, a woman trapped within the confines of her parents' home, isolated and helpless. With no means of escape or communication, she remains in the dark about the world beyond her walls. Armed with only a camera, an inexplicably replenishing supply of food, and limited online access for tweeting and video uploads, Mary strives to document her harrowing experiences, desperately hoping that someone will witness her distress and come to her aid. But as night falls, she becomes the target of menacing shadowy figures, a peculiar masked woman, and various eerie phenomena. What fate awaits Mary, and what is the underlying cause of these eerie occurrences? Brace yourself for the unsettling revelations, as the 2016 series finally drew to a close in 2020, comprising 19 gripping videos accompanied by a companion Twitter account and Blogspot.

14 Gemini Home Entertainment

Remy Abode's Gemini Home Entertainment, established in 2019, is a prime example of the analog horror genre. With its retro presentation reminiscent of Local 58 and chilling, enigmatic messages centered around possession, monsters, and the impending apocalypse, it captures the essence of this genre. The clips used in the videos are sourced from VHS releases of the 1980s-1990s by Gemini Home Entertainment.

At first glance, these clips appear to be simple wildlife videos, storm safety tutorials, or documentaries about the Solar System. However, when viewed in sequence, they unveil a series of bizarre threats such as shapeshifting Skinwalkers and the lethal Deep Root Disease. These videos are intricately connected by a mysterious storyline involving Regnad Computing, a campsite, and a cosmic entity referred to as 'The Iris.' Given that the series is still ongoing, only dedicated viewers can speculate on how all these elements will ultimately converge.

13 The Walten Files

Martin Walls was undoubtedly captivated by the enchanting world of Five Nights At Freddy's, as evidenced by his horror series The Walten Files. Mirroring the concept of a Chuck E. Cheese-like animatronic restaurant, Walls introduces the character of Anthony, who uncovers a collection of forgotten videotapes from the abandoned Bunny Smiles Company responsible for the vanished Bon's Burgers establishment in the 1980s.

What sets this series apart is its animated format, offering a unique storytelling experience. Each successive video gradually unravels the enigma surrounding Bon's Burgers, its animatronics, and its enigmatic founders, Jack Walten and Felix Kranken. The intentionally rough visuals contribute to a chilling atmosphere, intricately weaving together a sinister and blood-soaked lore reminiscent of its video game inspiration.

12 Ben Drowned

For many years, horror stories revolving around cursed objects have captivated audiences. Some of these stories have gained widespread recognition, such as Koji Suzuki's Ring, which was not only adapted into a novel but also into various forms of media like films, comics, manga, and video games. These tales have served as inspiration for a collection of horror microfiction stories known as creepypastas, which delve into concepts like cursed Spongebob episodes ('Squidward's Suicide'), menacing online memes ('Smiledog'), and eerie video games.

Among these chilling tales is the haunting narrative of Ben Drowned, centered around a possessed copy of The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask. This early example of the genre successfully instills unease through its distorted music, glitchy movements, and the already dark and eerie atmosphere of the game. Created by Alex 'Jadusable' Hall, this story surprisingly held significant influence, serving as the inspiration for the character GIFfany in Gravity Falls, which subsequently became the basis for Monika in Doki Doki Literature Club.

11 Local 58

Speaking of creepypasta, Kris Straub first gained recognition online with his story Candle Cove, which revolved around forum users reminiscing about a strange children's show from their past. In 2015, Straub decided to take this story a step further, opting for a different medium. Through a combination of animation, video, and subtle distortion, Straub created a series of videos under the name Local 58, presenting them as broadcasts from a public access channel in West Virginia.

These videos contained mysterious and cryptic messages, such as cautioning viewers against gazing at the moon, showing dashcam footage of a car being pursued by a unidentified creature, or broadcasting an emergency alert instructing citizens to commit suicide as a means of preserving the honor of the United States after an invasion. These videos were peculiar, unsettling, and remarkably effective. Interestingly, the fifth episode titled 'Station ID' would go on to define the genre itself, as it introduced the phrase 'ANALOG HORROR at 476MHZ.'

10 The Mandela Catalogue

The Mandela Catalogue, created by Alex Kister in 2021, is a collection of 6 videos distributed on VHS tapes. Within these videos, some serve as instructional content, while others resemble surveillance footage. However, all of them showcase individuals in Mandela County, Wisconsin, falling victim to enigmatic beings known as 'Alternates.'

These shape-shifting creatures assume the appearance of various living beings, silently hunting their targets before eliminating them and assuming their identity. They possess the ability to seamlessly blend in with a person's loved ones, whether they be human, animal, or otherwise, until they strike. Additionally, the Alternates possess the power to manipulate television and radio broadcasts, distorting the videos and altering their intended messages. Captivating audiences with their eerie appearances, these videos quickly generated widespread unease throughout the online community.

9 Marble Hornets

The Slenderman, along with Jeff the Killer and Laughing Jack, now feels overexposed and outdated. However, during its heyday, it was extremely popular, particularly in the well-executed series Marble Hornets. Spanning three seasons and consisting of 133 episodes, Marble Hornets followed Jay Merrick (co-creator Troy Wagner) as he sought to uncover the mystery surrounding his friend Alex (co-creator Joseph DeLage) and the events that occurred while filming their student project "Marble Hornets."

Jay delves into the remaining video tapes and realizes that Alex was being relentlessly pursued by a mysterious entity named "The Operator." Consumed by his desire to capture evidence of the figure, Jay becomes increasingly obsessed, only to eventually become a target himself. Marble Hornets was originally conceived as an augmented reality game (ARG) and cleverly incorporated YouTube as a vital component of its storyline and uploads. The series undeniably left a lasting impact on subsequent analog horror series, particularly evident in Troy Wagner's later works following the conclusion of Marble Hornets.

8 ECKVA

In 2014, the web series Marble Hornets, known for its adaptation of the notorious Slenderman creepypasta character, came to an end. Unfortunately, its follow-up ARG Clear Lakes 44 faced obstacles and was unable to progress. Consequently, creator Troy Wagner sought a new project which led to the debut of ECKVA in September 2016.

ECKVA revolves around an online investigator named S. Hawkins who begins receiving peculiar broadcasts from a defunct channel titled 'ECKVA.' These broadcasts feature strange visuals, distorted cartoons such as 'Alis Pastry,' and messages that appear to be directed specifically at Hawkins. Additionally, they make references to a drug Hawkins used to consume called Preaxin. While the videos are available online, ECKVA also offers a tie-in website and e-books for its dedicated fans to explore.

7 The Backrooms

The Backrooms originated as a brief post on 4chan, requesting unsettling images. Included was a photo featuring dimly lit, beige, and vacant backrooms. An anonymous user described these backrooms as a realm existing between realities, accessible by chance. Once trapped inside, individuals would navigate an endless and ominous maze of liminal spaces. This concept sparked the creation of video games, a Wiki, and even a short film.

In January 2022, Kane Parsons brought this story to life through The Backrooms: Found Footage. The film follows a cameraman from 1996 who inadvertently stumbles into the backrooms and embarks on a desperate quest to find a route back to the real world. However, one must avoid falling prey to the lurking dangers concealed within the darkness. Parsons has subsequently produced an additional 12 follow-up videos on his YouTube channel, Kane Pixels.

6 CH/SS

CH/SS is not as well-documented as other entries on this list, but it has had a significant impact. It emerged shortly after Local 58, and its creator goes by the alias 'Turkey Lenin III'. Alex Kister has mentioned it as a source of inspiration for The Mandela Catalogue, and some consider it to be the first example of analog horror. These videos and advertisements take the form of instructional content for a government-run mental health organization in the 1980s or thereabouts.

However, they become increasingly strange, hinting at themes of espionage, deceit, and supernatural forces, complete with obscure Russian dialogue and peculiar creatures. The addition of alternate reality game (ARG) elements such as download links and in-character Twitter accounts further immerse fans into the eerie abyss. Even without these elements, the videos provide an unsettling experience.

5 Somnium DreamViewer

Introduced in January 2022, Somnium DreamViewer by Holly Fernwright is a revolutionary product developed by Somnium Technologies. This innovative device empowers users to capture and print imagery from their dreams. By simply connecting the DreamViewer to their head before sleep, individuals can later awaken to tangible prints of their dream experiences. While this technology showcases impressive advancements for its time, it is not without its limitations.

Subsequent videos provide an inside look into the operations of Somnium Technologies, including their employee induction process and the legal challenges they face due to the device's association with violent nightmares. Adding to the questionable nature of their practices, the company attracts the attention of the Federal Bureau of Metaphysical Intelligence (FBMI). As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that Somnium Technologies, its DreamViewer machine, and the associated side effects hold a wealth of secrets previously unknown to the public.

4 The Monument Mythos

Written by Alex Casanas, also known as Mister Manticore, The Monument Mythos merges analog horror with an alternative history. Within this narrative, James Dean survives to become the 37th President of the United States, Martin Luther King Jr. evades his assassination, and peculiar occurrences unfold in the vicinity of American landmarks. The disappearance of immigrants in proximity to the Statue of Liberty, a mysterious "infection" that affects individuals near Mount Rushmore, and a disastrous family excursion to the Grand Canyon are just a few examples.

This intriguing and unconventional timeline is recounted over three seasons, each consisting of 11 episodes filled with unsettling audio and visual recordings. Through these recordings, the unraveling of the "United Zones of America," the enigmatic nature of its monuments, and their ties to ancient structures such as the Sphinx and Great Pyramids of Egypt are explored. Whatever lies at the core of these connections is certainly far from attractive.

3 Cornerfolk

Created by Mister Manticore, Cornerfolk preceded The Monument Mythos by a month but was eventually incorporated into it as a sequel. Similar to The Backrooms which warned of areas where individuals could penetrate reality and enter a space between spaces, the Cornerfolk were entities that resided in the "corners" where dimensions intersected and converged.

Over the course of two episodes, titled CORNERFOLK and CORNERGIRL, the series follows cameraman Riley Tillon as he captures a Cornerfolk on film. He meticulously documents his research on these beings, gradually becoming more and more obsessed with them, until he discovers how to locate their "Cornerworld" and access their realm. What mysteries await in the Cornerworld? To uncover the answers, watch the videos and delve into The Monument Mythos.

2 The Smile Tapes

Who would have imagined that ophiocordyceps unilateralis would gain such prominence in the media? This eerie fungus, known for transforming ants into zombies, has served as inspiration for the mutations depicted in The Last of Us and its sequel, as well as The Smile Tapes, a 2021 analog horror series created by Patorikku. Set in the 1990s, the series follows the story of a new drug called SMILE, which is derived from a similar but unidentified fungus.

SMILE quickly finds its way into the black market, where its users gradually succumb to manic episodes, violence, uncontrollable laughter, and increasingly wider smiles. The series is divided into volumes, each delving into the drug's origins, its victims, and the lethal incidents caused by its users. The narrative intensifies with the emergence of the more potent 'Variant C,' triggering a wave of stronger and more dangerous 'Smilers.'

1 Winter of ‘83

Instead of his usual April Fools' Day prank, Lewis 'Linkara' Lovhaug took a different approach in April 2022. Instead of a gag video for his series Atop the Fourth Wall, he released a series of mysterious videos. Taking inspiration from Local 58 and other analog horror series, Lovhaug ventured into the genre himself with Winter of '83. The series revolves around the unsettling disappearance of an entire town's population during the winter of 1983.

By the following spring, only remnants of the town remained – human remains, dilapidated buildings, and a collection of video and audio tapes. The series features various elements such as advertisements, council meetings, TV signal hijackings, and amateur footage capturing the locals falling prey to something lurking in the snowy town. Unlike other similar series, Winter of '83 offers a more comprehensible storyline with well-developed characters and an overarching plot. However, it still captivates viewers with its eerie video distortions, hidden messages, and behind-the-scenes conspiracies, keeping them engaged until the very end.