TikTok Has Discovered A Terrifying Found Footage Masterpiece [Video]

The Blair Witch Project may have put found footage on the proverbial map, but there’s one director who has truly taken the subgenre to another level: Kôji Shiraishi. Most known for the terrifying 2005 film Noroi: The Curse, Shiraishi has been making found footage films for decades. And one of his most bizarre and unsung works is Cult from 2013. But thanks to TikTok’s love of weird horror, it’s getting its time to shine.

The film stars three Japanese idols who appear on a TV show to investigate the possession and exorcism of the Kaneda family. However, when they arrive with the exorcist, the group quickly realizes they’re in over their heads with this demon.

Yu Abiru, Mayuko Iwasa, and Mari Iriki play themselves as the three idols, with all three actors already being well-known in Japanese pop culture.

Cult is chaos incarnate, which is exemplified in this clip that’s gone viral on TikTok. And how could it not turn heads? This 100-second clip goes to so many different places so fast, with images that only Shiraishi could conjure.

Watch the clip below:

@_bunshinsaba_ Movie : Karuto 2013 (Also called “CULT”) #horrormovie #movie #horror #karuto #cult son original – Bunshinsaba

As is often the case with found footage films, there are quite a few comments asking if this is real. No matter what, found footage movies will always trick a good majority of audiences, especially with a clip taken out of context like this.

But, if you aren’t quite sure about the tone of Cult, you aren’t alone. TikTok users commented on the video saying that they were laughing instead of being scared. And it makes sense! While certain stills make this film look terrifying, it’s actually more of a horror comedy. Shiraishi often plays with comedy and surrealist elements in his films. He isn’t always trying to make the most realistic found footage. Instead, he plays with form to create strange and bizarre tales full of offputting imagery that won’t leave your head. You can see this in other films of his such as Occult and A Record of Sweet Murder.

Cult, like many of Shiraishi’s films, is difficult to find online. It’s not readily available on any streaming sites or via a physical release. However, a quick YouTube search may yield positive results for those looking to experience this strange piece of found footage.

Have you seen Cult? What did you think of this hidden found footage gem? Let us know on Twitter @DreadCentral!

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