Honestly the footage from the Lake scared me for weeks after - the idea of Alice seeing the ghost of herself before she was dead. The thought of her eternally trapped not able to speak to her loved ones.
Here's my interpretation after listening to a few different ideas about what is happening: Alice encounters a death omen at Lake Mungo; not her own ghost necessarily, but a visible manifestation that warns her of her death. She and her mother are both sensitive to the paranormal, that's how they both seem to tap into each other's experiences when dreaming or doing psychic projections with Ray. When talking to Ray, Alice is experiencing her family moving out and leaving her behind after she has passed. You can see her being left behind in the moving photo where she is in the window of the house. The final photos just indicate that she was there all along. They just didn't see her there, which seems to mirror the loneliness she felt in life.
It reminded me of Pulse/Kairo. The premise that there's no relief after death and the spirit just continues to suffer in loneliness for all eternity is what truly disturbed and frightened me more than any of the ghost apparitions.
After Alice's body was ID'd the family had to rewind time, reverse the car in order to figure out why this happened. They have visions and dreams of Alice's past. Alice after mungo sees her future. I don't think the mom is deliberately ignoring Alice at the end, she is just dead and Alice has to experience the loneliness of no longer being seen. She spends her time until her inevitable drowning as a ghost in her own home.
Just imagine being somewhere late at night, in the dark, walking along an empty path. You notice that a figure is approaching you in the distance. You hesitate, but as you do it quickly comes forward. Suddenly you realize that it's you, dead and misshapen. In that moment you realize that this is what you're going to look like soon, and nothing you do will be able to change it. That's horrifying.
Alice's video at the lake is like the opposite of a jump scare. You literally see it coming the entire way, and there's just nothing you can do to stop it. Which would be freaky enough on its own, but it ends up being what it is..with all of the nightmare inducing existential dread that comes with it..that makes it an all-timer for me.
Glad you enjoyed Lake Mungo. It's one of the few horror movies that really unsettle me. The reveal that Alice was having premonitions of not only her own death, but of her family leaving her, & not realising that she's still there, was truly terrifying to think about.
Lake Mungo is probably the most unsettling film I've ever watched. I'm a huge horror fan and this one got me. I just subbed bc nobody is watching this film
I love that this movie, rather than take the obvious turn of tricking the audience with a seemingly happy ending only to pull the rug out and scare them, decides to just give them existential dread instead. "No, we won't scare you, we'll just make you feel very upset" I think you're in the same ball park as I am with the ending. I interpret it as the family getting closure for Alice in exchange for losing awareness of her presence, leaving Alice more alone than ever. And meanwhile, she herself doesn't get that same closure herself. There's multiple theories as to what exactly happened to her. Did the creepy neighbor kill her, was it a guilt-ridden suicide? He'll, maybe the brother did it (would explain the bruises on his body). It's neat that there isn't a clear explanation, cuz that isn't the point
I thought initially they believe that she just accidentally drowned. Then when someone (the dad?) said maybe she wouldn’t have died if the thing with the neighbors hadn’t happened, I’m not sure whether it’s implied that they believed it was s**cide, or like some other kind of weird thing, where she was just so depressed that she wasn’t careful...? but with all the details including the bruises on Mathew, I always wondered if he did it. I don’t really understand what his motivation would be but it’s like, why did he get seemingly attacked by her when no one else did? I really don’t know if that aspect of the movie is like, fully deliberate or just a red herring but I hope it’s the former
One weirdest things about the movie is the mystery around the director, Joel Anderson. It was released in 2008 and it's still the only movie he's ever made even though it's one of the most critically acclaimed found footage horror movies ever. There are also seemingly no pictures or interviews with him online. And if you search for him all you'll find are articles and Reddit posts wondering who he even is and what he's done since.
The cast also refuses to do interviews about him. He even has a couple of other films from back then but they're not accessible. From a search, he seems to be involved in a thriller series on Netflix from 2023 but he didn't want credit. It's eerie how elusive he is and was at the premier for this movie.
There are actually a few interviews & images of Joel, unfortunately due to them being hosted on Australian cinema/review sites & articles from back in 2008-2010, they aren't hosted online anymore and you won't find them via a straight google search but are thankfully backed up via Internet Archive. Basic info though is this; he's a Melbourne based filmmaker & script editor. He made three short films prior to Mungo. The Rotting Woman (which won him a AWGIE award), Five Guys in a Car & Better Than Eden: Stories from The Soma Estates. Unfortunately none of them are hosted anywhere online, I do have a mate who has a copy of one of the short films hiding on a hard drive somewhere though so we'll see.
I honestly believe this movie has the saddest ending for a horror I've ever seen. Just the realization that she was always there,but her family will simply move on,leaving her in solitude for all eternity,never to be understood. Just like they ignored who she really was in life and what ailed her (with her hidden relationships and whatnot), they'll keep doing it in death too. It really does feel very Twin Peaks-like, seeing this girl slowly come to terms through dreams with the fact that her death is coming. I love that ghost scene on the beach so much. It's not just seeing your own doppelgengar that's scary,which is already said to be an omen of your demise in popular culture,but realizing that it's your own corpse staring back at you. And Alice isn't just "zooming in" as you might initially be inclined to believe:the corpse is literally walking towards her,and it's not until she gets a clear view of "who" it is,that she turns around to run. Chilling. It's also such a devilish move to have so many zoom shots in the movie,only for that last one to pause right before the big reaction happens,jumpscaring you. So good.
"The Night House" played with my expectations in a similar way. There's a jumpsacre I totally expected, and it didn't happen. Then there's a moment when I absolutely didn't expect a jumpscare and one came out of nowhere, blowing me out of my seat. It's another great hidden gem of horror. I also agree with what you said about Alice being alone and how devastating that is. To me that's not even the worst of it - the family doesn't move on still mourning her, they move on feeling that they've gotten closure. They can now live their lives again, even moving away from the house they all shared when Alice was alive. But Alice is still there, having to watch her family move on without her. Forever alone, and more or less forgotten. That's so, so sad.
Mike Flanagan explores grief so beautifully in his work. If you haven't seen any of his shows, I recommend the 4 I've seen, but particularly Hill House and Midnight Mass. (Bly Manor and Fall of the House of Usher are the other two and they're also very good.)
Lake Mungo is my benchmark for how to write a compelling horror story. It's so well-paced, not because it's trying to get to the scares but because it focuses on how each member of the family deals with grief. It understood what it wanted to do and was executed brilliantly. That being said, the scene at Lake Mungo is genuinely chilling and is one of the few times I've felt uncomfortable and unsafe while watching a film. This is one of the few horror films that really taps into how sad our own mortality is and how none of us will escape death; You can see the ending as both bittersweet and uplifting.
a lot of people see the ending as a “good ending” which makes 0 sense to me? like? how? Alice was overlooked so many times in her life and even in the very end of her life her family took her tragedy as a selfish act to move forward and even in the end STILL didn’t see that she was there. she was ignored even in the afterlife. Every single photo she was there, trying to have her presence known, but even then they didn’t care to actually look for her.
Lake Mungo is like you're having a dream about a huge heartbreak in your life and it's nostalgic but painful to be with them in the dream. Then, you wake up and realize that it was a dream, but the heartbreak is still very real, and you're left with an eerie feeling of melancholic loneliness and fear. It's a very dreamy movie.
So many powerful moments in this movie. The mother disintegrating and admitting to just housebreakiin. The dads anger at the neighbors. The brother just trying to get someone to help his mom and investigate more. When you go back and realize the mother was hearing weird noises at night was because it was the neighbor literally in their house searching it every night. This movie is incredible. 15 years after I first saw it I still get chills. Thanks for the reaction!
a lot of people seem to interpret the ending as the rest of the family having convinced themselves they knew Alice had moved on & that they knew enough about her to allow her to pass on, when the truth is to the very end, they didn't know her at all. i feel like that interpretation brings an interesting layer to Russell's reaction to learning about the tape -- the way he just blames everything on them. not to say what the Tueys did was anything short of disgusting & awful, but to blame Alice's entire death on this one particular event just feels a bit off to me. in a way, it feels like the dad's way of trying to absolve himself & the rest of their family of any blame. if none of them ever truly knew Alice at all, that'd be a sign of gross negligence at best. if the parents had created an environment where Alice felt she could trust them or her brother, perhaps things could have happened differently. but no, it's better to pin everything on the neighbors for this one singular event than to acknowledge that there might have been problems under his own roof that also contributed to the sequence of events that led to Alice's death.
Damn, that detail about the mom wanting to pretend she was in somebody else's life is so good. Yeah, the walking into other people's homes, at night no less, is creepy and wrong. But it's so real. This is exactly the kind of thing people in deep grief feel at times. Not the desire to go into people's homes. But that sense of disconnect, even alienation within one's own life. That sounds like a real detail somebody on the writing staff pulled from experience or background knowledge.
This is one of those films I’d call “true horror”. Most horror films try to startle you with loud noises, jumpscares and clever editing. Others try to gross you out with gore. This film…this film wants to give you true existential dread. In slashers, we linger on the brutality of the kills, making it cool. We get to do this because slashers don’t tend to deal with the grief that comes with losing loved ones. This film confronts you with the grief. It deals with topics that are actually terrifying on a primal, psychological level. When Caitlin here said “no, you’ve ruined everything interesting” when the paranormal “evidence” was revealed to be fake, I knew she was watching for the thrill of it, not realizing the deeper, sadder implication of why the footage was faked (she did get it later on). This is not a film you watch for the thrill of it. It’s a depressing, psychological ride and an absolute masterpiece. Oh, and to answer your question, Caitlin: No, June couldn’t sense Alice’s presence. She had finally found a way to move on and so she did. That’s why the brother faked the footage as well. Her family leaving in the end where we get the ending shot with a true authentic image of Alice in the house represents her being abandoned and misunderstood in death just as she was in life.
I think the explanation is that Alice was a psychic herself, being able to perceive premonitions of her own death. But seeing as she was unaware of her gift and inexperienced, she didn't know how to interpret the warnings. The story is trying to hint that it was the neighbours who killed Alice, but rather than following the clues which Alice tried to set up, the family ignored them in their grief. So in finding Alice's belongings the family resolved their own grief, not realising the true cause of Alice's death remained unsolved, causing Alice to be trapped as a ghost.
I've seen a lot of people saying it was the brother too, bc he had her jacket, and his videos of her are ones where he's just watching her, waiting for her to notice him-F'ckin creepy. Also, the mysterious bruises hint that Alice was inflicting them on him. The dad's dream as well of him being in place of the brother watching Alice, and Alice getting mad that he's in there. BUT one of the biggest clues is that he was the last one with her before she 'disappeared'.
More found footage for you: Grave Encounters and Hell House LLC. Lake Mungo is kinda confusing at points, but I think that Alice could see in the future where her mom is abandoning her ghost when they move out. She has to stay as a ghost in the house forever, her family gone.
I love how the actors aren’t over the top in this movie. It’s extremely realistic that they would try to fight back tears while on camera, makes the movie even more unsettling. I think lot of less talented directors would’ve made it like a soap opera
my understanding is the director would give them situations and information without giving them actual dialogue so when asked questions or to tell their part of the story it would come off more natural.
@@specificsoup The cast knew the story outline via a very detailed treatment which covered story beats and the intent of what each scene should be, it was up to them to come up with the answers, even mistakes were left in as Joel Anderson felt they added a layer of authenticity of a real-time documentary that he aimed for, you can hear Joel himself asking the characters questions in the film off camera.
As a huge horror fan, this is one of the few that REALLY unsettled me! The vibe is so... intense, like you knew something was coming (props to the sound design). And then they drop that twisted ending on you omg. Your excitement of getting some footage is hilarious hahaha! "OKAY GIVE ME MORE!!" 🤣
I have the same interpretation as you. What Alice saw was unexplainable, but as her brother said - she saw the future coming to get her. Something happened that caused time to cross its wires in that moment and she got caught in it. Her future ghost worked its way back to her present - and then she's trapped barreling forward into her death knowing it's coming. Alice having live knowing she was about to die, and then her ghost getting trapped in the tangled timelines of shared dreams, and then seeing the family move on thinking she's the one that has but she HASN'T they just can't SEE HER and she's left alone and helpless and it might never end is just....so upsetting, in the best way. For me this is basically Existential Dread: The Movie. "I think something bad has happened to me. I think something bad has happened, and it's just not here yet." And yes, all those images at the end are in the film from the beginning.
I watched Lake Mungo back in October one of many found footage horror movies that I saw that month and it was indeed scary qnd and that's due to the creepy atmosphere that the film has instead of loud jumpscares.
Ghosts exist outside of time and experience things non-linearly so in some stories a person can sometimes be haunted by someone that haven't even died yet, even themselves. I've seen a few movies and shows that use this idea in their narrative and I'm glad it's not used too often, because it's a great idea.
I am someone who could sit through the most terrifying and horrific movies. But for some reason, Lake Mungo BROKE me. This title says it the best. It’s not necessarily scary, but it holds so much dread and despair that it’s terrifying. Note: if you like this movie, watch Savageland. Also a fake documentary that includes still photographs and will leave you unsettled. Almost feels like it was made by the same guy.
I interpreted that part as June and Alice giving Ray their own personal experience from the same moment in time, based on what they were able to see/feel. It's definitely more disturbing/uncomfortable rather than scary but pretty good.
"Alice, do you have secrets?" "If I told you I had secrets it wouldn't be a secret that I had secrets anymore, would it?" "Well, only if you tell us your secrets" "Me telling you if I have secrets would mean telling you my secrets because you asked if I had secrets, but whether or not I have secrets is something I want to be kept secret therefore me having secrets is a secret" "Everyone has secrets, saying you have secrets isn't really a secret" "It is if I want it to be a secret"
Everyone talks about the interpretations of what was going on and if her dreams were real and what it means for her to be there. But everyone seems to ignore the fact that she was raped and it was filmed and instead. Everyone calls it a "secret relationship" when it was not a relationship she was a child. She had a death omen figuring out that she was going to die. She lived her life from then on as a ghost in her own home with every one ignoring her. The only love she gets is from her creepy neighbors who then groom her, rape her, and film it. And she can't tell anybody, instead people say "i cant believe she would do that" as if she were the adult. And then the day that she knows she's going to die. She purposefully does not tell her brother that she's leaving the lake when he does. So that no one has to see when she drowns. And has to watch her family move on and leave her behind. Leaving behind hints so that they can get closure. She made sure to be caught on camera and that she had things hidden and left behind so they would understand.
Oh, this will be fun. Lake Mungo is one of my favorite movies. I discovered it a few years ago and the core premise - what happened to Alice - got under my skin and I was upset for MONTHS after. I kept feeling like someone was at the foot of my bed when I was trying to sleep. :eek
It’s crazy to rewatch the movie, knowing that Ali’s presence as a ghost was what she was going through in life. It was like she was stepping in between dimensions. She would envision walking towards her mom and her mom ignoring her, all while she was alive. What was actually happening is that she was experiencing herself as the ghost she would become, and her mother didn’t see her. Such an original concept for ghosts.
I would really love it if you could do a reaction on 1. Creep 1 & 2 2. Noroi 3. Incantation 4. The Tunnel 5. Taking of Deborah Logan 6. The McPherson Tape 7. Hell House LLC 8. Grave Encounters 1 & 2 9. The Houses October Built 10. The Last Broadcast
Noroi is one of the best found-footage horror movies I've ever seen. It needs to be viewed with either some great headphones or a top-notch sound system, as the sound design is very important to the film. Not so much scary as it is unsettling.
@@rlm6213 Thanks for the heads up, I was planning on watching it tomorrow and thanks to you I'll get a better experience out of it so thank you for your input
So many scary movies rely on CGI, jump scares, or other gimmicks to scare you but it's crazy how terrifying still images can be. This movie captures that sentiment so well it is super simple but effective.
The sense of loneliness in this movie is so oppressive. I tear up at the end when Alice says her mums come in the room but doesn’t see her, then her mum says “Alice isn’t here” and leaves the room This along with the reveal that her ghost was in the window in the moving photo as well as her being in most of the video/photo footage even the faked ones tells me that after Alice’s family learned about her past and found out about lake mungo THEY had closure, they were able to move on and leave it all behind. But Alice, she’s still there, a ghost in her own home, no closure, no peace, unseen. Alone.
i believe the final part during Ray’s sessions, Alice and June are foreseeing the same event from different perspectives, but June doesn’t see Alice because she is a ghost, which is shown when we her in the window in the final photo.
If you want another documentary-style horror, I recommend Noroi: The Curse. It’s a japanese horror about a man investigating supernatural activity for a documentary.
This film is the literal foundation of my existential dread. The truth of the matter, is that NO ONE actually wants to know when they're gonna die....let alone how.
I watched this a couple of years ago and it stayed me for days if not weeks. I actually cried a little from being so scared and tense during the movie. The slow pans and zoom-ins throughout had me on edge even though you know nothing will jump at you because it's supposed to be documentary b-roll but the tension is there regardless.
One of the best! Extremely realistic, it conveys terror through the way the theme of grief is discussed. It is an example of a 1.5-hour suspense film without appearances or jump scares. The plot is coherent and addresses the theme of grief, providing an immersive and chilling experience.
This is a Film that I had heard of but had not seen, watching your Reaction and Review of it left me with the impression of that this is a Film about Grief and how such a thing is dealt with differently by different people. Really liked how the Supernatural stuff was kept to a minimum and kept in the background, added to the Mystery. Loving the Channel by the way, looking forward to seeing what's next.
This is such a great underrated gem. Everything about it is well done from the constant twists which keep you gripped, the way scenes are super creepy and you don't know exactly why and the way the script keeps you guessing. More people need to react to this, its such a rollercoaster!
My interpretation of the ending: nobody knew Alice. She lived alone and died alone. I think it's ambiguous whether the 'ghost' appearances of her were of her in an incredibly lonely afterlife, or whether they were her 'astral projections' into a future in which she was already dead. Personally, I think it was both. I think she was projecting into her future ghost-self, seeing in the past what she would see in the future, while a ghost. I believe the Tooheys tape wasn't something that caused her death, I think when she learned she was going to die she engaged in that 'relationship' as a kind of desperate way to experience everything she could of life, even if it was toxic. So I think that 'relationship' happened after her trip to Lake Mungo, as an effect rather than a cause. The whole "unfinished business" was a rationalisation in order to allow her family to move on, but there's no evidence in the movie that Alice led them to the tape. Brett did. If anything, I suspect the discovery of the tape was a violation of Alice's privacy, and one of the tragedies of the movie is that her family thought it was the sum of the difference between their image of Alice and the reality. I also believe that Dead Alice didn't appear to Live Alice at Lake Mungo as an omen, or at least not for that purpose. I believe Alice was reaching out to the only person in all the world who knew her: herself. She wanted to be mourned by the only person who could really mourn her. She wanted a moment of true connection, just once. She wanted to be buried by the only person who wouldn't be burying a paper-thin projection, and she was. I believe a lot of things about Lake Mungo, but this is already too long to be read by more than maybe 4 people.
This movie is unique in that it doesn’t get to you until AFTER you’ve watched it. It’s this weird delayed creepiness that needs to sit with you and marinate for a while. Then you start to realize how many people in Alice’s life were complicit in her death, in causing her harm, and in covering it up. The mother did not want to see the horrible truth. I don’t think she could accept it. She was firmly in denial-looking everywhere except the obvious places-and that allowed the real truth to remain buried. It all feels unavoidable and so, so dark.
I agree but I also think it needs to cut some of the boring parts like the interviews or long conversations, or maybe adding some suspense or tension to it. But I also think the film should keep you on the edge of your seat as much as possible
So happy you loved this piece. I stumbled over the movie via a great movie reviewer on YT who called it "The saddest horror movie you've never seen" And that title got me hooked. Your reaction was awesome and I felt I've looked into a mirror when you were surprised about the ending. I must have had the same face back then when I first saw it. Much ❤ and happy new year from Belgium, Chris
That reveal at the end really just tied the entire movie all together in one chilling, and depressing package. Even in death she was never seen by anyone. Even you, the viewer.
I just caught Lake Mungo myself a few months ago. It's a beautiful movie. Not scary but unnerving. Not sappy but heartbreaking. It felt SO real, and so tragic. From Alice's future dead self to the shot of her looking longingly through the window at the end, the movie was loaded with images that stuck in my mind for a very long time.
Such an incredible movie! I think she was seeing her own closure at the end, i dont think june saw her at all. The time slipping was amazing and will forever be one of my favorite found footage movies
It's really just extremely sad. The horror is the reality of true tragedy, and feeling something horrible coming and being helpless in the face of your own death. We all die alone. Cold and dark. Even children. We were never not.
GIRLLLLLLL WATCH GRAVE ENCOUNTERS!!!!! It is a take on “paranormal tv shows” and how some can be over dramatized. But this is one of those shows gone wrong… it is “found footage” and the twist of the movie will blow you away!!! If you are looking for more found footage movies this is a great one!!!!!!! aside from the ones you have already reacted to obvi. 😂
I implore you to watch The Bay, The Tunnel (Australian), and Noroi: The Curse (Japanese) if you’re going down the found footage rabbit hole! Noroi beats The Tunnel and The Bay by a long shot, but all are very enjoyable ooky spooky watches! Keep up the great work, kween, and have a Happy New Year ❤
You're reaction to this film is my favorite. I have not been able to seen it yet and that pisses me off because its my kind of film. I'm glad you liked it, I love it when you are funny in these but I loved your reactions here. I makes me want to see it more. Its so creepy. Thank you for this. I like found footage and demons the most.
This was actually a very clever and unique movie that had those surprising twists at the end. There was an actual ghost staring us in the face the whole time. Oh, I don't think you do TV show reactions but since you enjoy having your mind blown... Dark on Netflix.... Imagine twists in this movie but ×10. Then multiple this by 3.
oh wow, this is unexpected. some found footage recommendations: noroi: the curse (2005) and feral (2018) not found footage, but inland empire would be a crazy movie to react lol
I watched this for the first time last October. Thought it was okay. Went to bed. Tossed and turned. Had a nightmare. Went to the couch at 3am to watch again in the dark. Much more appreciation the 2nd time and it became one of my favorite horror films
I have to agree with you, found footage, when done properly, makes you feel like you're there and you need to solve it. I really enjoyed this. I think we should all look for more found footage for you to do.
I watched this movie without knowing it was fictional. Yeah this movie genuinely frightened me and those beginning words "I feel like, something bad is going to happen to me. I feel like something bad happened." Those words are chilling to mr for some reason.
Hello Caitlin, you HAVE to watch these movies if you haven't , they're great 1.The Babadook 2.The Midnight Man 3.Grave encounters 4.Dark harvest 5.Thanksgiving
@@leonardomasiIf I may ask, why don't you like Grave Encounters? I hear many people speak highly of it, I just want to understand what you think it lacks in
Man, I remember this film _bummed_ me out. Especially by the fact that those sicko neighbors somehow got away -_- I'd like to recommend three more found footage films I've seen recently which I thought were quite decent: The Tunnel (2011), The Bay (2012) and The Borderlands (2013; its US title is Final Prayer).
If you wanna see another well-acted found footage footage movie without a paranormal twist, watch "Exhibit A". It's so good. I hoped the actors in that movie got their due recognition. It's horror, but far more realistic and unsettling horror.
This movie was written and presented about how people, specifically a family, may experience and deal with grief. But all interpretations are fair as I think it's one of those movies where you can take it in many directions.
Lake Mungo is the type of flick who's chills and scares just get under your skin and stay with you for days after, even weeks after. brilliant!!! it's also incredibly sad an emotional... it's really an exceptional flick. easily one of my favorites.
Since you enjoyed this you gotta check out Hell House LLC and The Bay! Both are similar with the “mockumentary” style found footage. Hell House is the scarier of the two, but The Bay makes your skin crawl. Also both super underrated!
I am aussie so this movie hits more to me. Most horror movies i have seen arent aussie so there is more of a disconnect but this feels even more realistic (unsure how to word it sorry) to me
Another great reaction! LM is one of those hidden gems of a movie that makes you think, while also giving you the willies. It was great. A similar movie to Lake Mungo I'd recommend is The Devil's Pass aka The Dyatlov Pass Incident. It's "based on true events" and is another found footage movie.
TOTALLY AGREE..."emotionally disturbing" is the perfect way to describe it. The theory/interpretation that her brother Matthew was sexually abusing her makes it even worse. Her bruises, his bruises, and especially the father's encounter with Alice. In that scene Alice wasnt flipping out on her father, it was a replay of her flipping out on Matthew for being in her room and abusing her. This and other little things make me believe this theory and just makes my soul hurt. Rewatch it with this in mind and lemme know if it makes sense!!
IRL I am "sensitive to the afterlife" I get premonitions of loss and death. A few years ago I heard about a woman describe her sensing her own death in the exact way it usually happens to me, a strong feeling that something will happen, how it will happen and I experience the emotions I would have when it happens*. For people I don't care about they just feel "empty" like they are not actually there. I have felt this one a few times, still rarely happens I don't know what triggers it specifically. I would say more but it's late where I am, I am going to sleep and will edit this later. *when it isn't about me, then I just feel danger and anxiety... which doesn't say great things about the afterlife....
I find this movie to be the scariest I've ever seen despite it not being as well known as some other horror movies. It's incredibly intense, and feels so real due to the excellent performances and direction. Love this movie.
My favorite horror film. My sister brought it home after someone at the video rental she worked at (hello 2010!) said it was good and we saw it blind. The lake footage is burned in my memory and it's one of the scariest things I've ever seen. Very sad film
I live and breathe found footage horror so I'm extremely happy that you love it too! Here are some recommendations I hope you'll like :) Hell House LLC (honestly I love all 4 movies but the first one is my fav) The Taking of Deborah Logan Incantation
for those who love lake mungo, definitely check out twin peaks! this film has quite a few similarities to the show along with alice palmer and laura palmer obviously sharing the same last name. as much as i love lake mungo as a film, i can't help but wonder if the film took *too* much inspiration from david lynch's twin peaks.
It has the last name, dead teenage girl and her family’s reactions, general creepy vibes, s*xual violence, and the not so trustworthy psychic (was it a creepy psychiatrist in twin peaks? I forget) …. But the overall plot / structure is really different, I think it was meant to be an homage, not a rip off
@specificsoup it's a nice homage for sure, i hope it doesn't come off as i was hating on lake mungo! as for the creepy psychiatrist, in the twin peaks film, fire walk with me, there definitely is a predatory male psychiatrist (blanking on his name, it's been a while lol) who ties into laura palmer's story. this is touched on in the novel "the secret diary of laura palmer" which is written by david lynch's daughter as well. both fire walk with me and the novel of laura's diary are super insightful since it's all solely about laura as a character.
this is one of my favorite horror movie. I think what makes this movie is so terrifying because how realistic they made this into documentary. If you watch documentary films, you know what I mean here. Lake Mungo's pacing probably slow, but the mystery around it makes it worth to follow until the end. Heck, even when the credits rolled, I was still waiting probably there are still post credit scene. And Lake Mungo also have element that many mockumentary didn't have, which is good actors. All of these actors delivered good acting, like they are real person, not playing a character. This movie is so terrifying and haunting, yet I feel kinda sad after watching this. Kinda bittersweet ending when we finally know Alice watching her family finally moved on and years after years, their grief will heal and left Alice behind in their old house. What a movie.
the credits' scenes are from the people that moved in after alice's family moved out, meaning the house was actually haunted and that her family left without knowing that her ghost would stay trapped in the house alone forever
20:56 that screaming goat impression is killing me! 😂 I love this movie, but I know a few people that find it boring. It's one of the only movies that makes me feel sustained dread. Kairo (Pulse) would be another. Skinamarink alternately put me to sleep and gave me chills. I don't get "scared" by movies, so that type of atmosphere is what I need to feel something besides entertained.
I wonder if the detachment she felt literally manifested into her own ghost, and kind of wrote that storyline into her fate. She had these dreams/ visions (such as the overlapping one of her mom not seeing her) and she felt it so deeply and vividly that she felt it into a literal existence. Maybe once those thoughts and feelings grew stronger, then that was when her ghost (a personification of her feelings of loneliness and isolation from her family) slipped into the real world. Her ghost is always just there-not being violent, just there. Perhaps the ghost is just the corner of her mind that felt far away from everyone else, even when she was sitting right next to them. Maybe it wasn’t that she was seeing her own death/ corpse/ fate, but she was actively writing that ending into her timeline. And perhaps her ghost showing up after her death was less of a typical haunting, but a sort of slap on her parents’ wrist to say ‘do you see me now?’ kind of thing. I rlly love the ending. The way that, in her premonition, Alice seems to take her mother not seeing her & leaving the room as a kind of confirmation of her invisibility, where as the mother is reflecting and probably, for a change, really hoping that she would see her daughter. That could obviously be interpreted in different ways, but that’s how I see it. It’s so sad, really, how they could have been so close to preventing Alice’s death if each of them had understood what was happening in that moment.
The Exorcism of Emily Rose is also a great watch, Jennifer Carpenter does an incredible job in that movie, there's a scene in it that scared my 11 year old self SO BAD it stuck around in my brain for years hahah, also a found footage style movie that I love is The Taking of Deborah Logan from 2014.
Honestly the footage from the Lake scared me for weeks after - the idea of Alice seeing the ghost of herself before she was dead. The thought of her eternally trapped not able to speak to her loved ones.
Reminds me of Hill House.
the face HAUNTED me after watching it.
yesss @@looneyluna96 like (spoiler)
nell when she sees herself as a ghost when she's a child
The combination of the slow realization as the face comes into focus, then the jump scare fkin HITS
Worst movie ever!!! nothing scary in the movie, just hype
Here's my interpretation after listening to a few different ideas about what is happening:
Alice encounters a death omen at Lake Mungo; not her own ghost necessarily, but a visible manifestation that warns her of her death.
She and her mother are both sensitive to the paranormal, that's how they both seem to tap into each other's experiences when dreaming or doing psychic projections with Ray.
When talking to Ray, Alice is experiencing her family moving out and leaving her behind after she has passed. You can see her being left behind in the moving photo where she is in the window of the house.
The final photos just indicate that she was there all along. They just didn't see her there, which seems to mirror the loneliness she felt in life.
She was a ghost to her family long before she died.
This is terrifying
It reminded me of Pulse/Kairo. The premise that there's no relief after death and the spirit just continues to suffer in loneliness for all eternity is what truly disturbed and frightened me more than any of the ghost apparitions.
After Alice's body was ID'd the family had to rewind time, reverse the car in order to figure out why this happened. They have visions and dreams of Alice's past. Alice after mungo sees her future. I don't think the mom is deliberately ignoring Alice at the end, she is just dead and Alice has to experience the loneliness of no longer being seen. She spends her time until her inevitable drowning as a ghost in her own home.
That's very good. I knew that going backwards thing had to be significant but truthfully, until you brought it up, I had sort of forgotten it.
Having a vision of your own demise is really disturbing.
Just imagine being somewhere late at night, in the dark, walking along an empty path. You notice that a figure is approaching you in the distance. You hesitate, but as you do it quickly comes forward. Suddenly you realize that it's you, dead and misshapen. In that moment you realize that this is what you're going to look like soon, and nothing you do will be able to change it.
That's horrifying.
@@MiketheratguyMultimediayoure going to give elijah nightmares soon when you sent this reply 🤣
@@phoenixxam5812 Nah, I won't be able to top what the movie already did. :D
@@MiketheratguyMultimedia hehe
Alice's video at the lake is like the opposite of a jump scare. You literally see it coming the entire way, and there's just nothing you can do to stop it. Which would be freaky enough on its own, but it ends up being what it is..with all of the nightmare inducing existential dread that comes with it..that makes it an all-timer for me.
This might be the single best description of this film, I ever read. Thank you
Glad you enjoyed Lake Mungo. It's one of the few horror movies that really unsettle me. The reveal that Alice was having premonitions of not only her own death, but of her family leaving her, & not realising that she's still there, was truly terrifying to think about.
Lake Mungo is probably the most unsettling film I've ever watched. I'm a huge horror fan and this one got me. I just subbed bc nobody is watching this film
You’ve fallen into the rabbit hole of found footage horror. Now it’s time for VHS.
Oh my god YESSSS
The Tunnel*
I vote for “The Poughkeepsie Tapes”!
@@scythefanaticI agree, that film is terrifying
What is VHS about? Is it good? Nightmares?
I love that this movie, rather than take the obvious turn of tricking the audience with a seemingly happy ending only to pull the rug out and scare them, decides to just give them existential dread instead.
"No, we won't scare you, we'll just make you feel very upset"
I think you're in the same ball park as I am with the ending. I interpret it as the family getting closure for Alice in exchange for losing awareness of her presence, leaving Alice more alone than ever. And meanwhile, she herself doesn't get that same closure herself.
There's multiple theories as to what exactly happened to her. Did the creepy neighbor kill her, was it a guilt-ridden suicide? He'll, maybe the brother did it (would explain the bruises on his body). It's neat that there isn't a clear explanation, cuz that isn't the point
I thought initially they believe that she just accidentally drowned. Then when someone (the dad?) said maybe she wouldn’t have died if the thing with the neighbors hadn’t happened, I’m not sure whether it’s implied that they believed it was s**cide, or like some other kind of weird thing, where she was just so depressed that she wasn’t careful...? but with all the details including the bruises on Mathew, I always wondered if he did it. I don’t really understand what his motivation would be but it’s like, why did he get seemingly attacked by her when no one else did? I really don’t know if that aspect of the movie is like, fully deliberate or just a red herring but I hope it’s the former
One weirdest things about the movie is the mystery around the director, Joel Anderson. It was released in 2008 and it's still the only movie he's ever made even though it's one of the most critically acclaimed found footage horror movies ever. There are also seemingly no pictures or interviews with him online. And if you search for him all you'll find are articles and Reddit posts wondering who he even is and what he's done since.
that's pretty scary actually...
The cast also refuses to do interviews about him. He even has a couple of other films from back then but they're not accessible.
From a search, he seems to be involved in a thriller series on Netflix from 2023 but he didn't want credit. It's eerie how elusive he is and was at the premier for this movie.
@@EvolianTiger In this day and age, in all seriousness, sounds like a smart man. Hang back, make money in the background.
he executive produced LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL, an Australian horror movie starring David Dastmalchian last year.
There are actually a few interviews & images of Joel, unfortunately due to them being hosted on Australian cinema/review sites & articles from back in 2008-2010, they aren't hosted online anymore and you won't find them via a straight google search but are thankfully backed up via Internet Archive.
Basic info though is this; he's a Melbourne based filmmaker & script editor. He made three short films prior to Mungo. The Rotting Woman (which won him a AWGIE award), Five Guys in a Car & Better Than Eden: Stories from The Soma Estates. Unfortunately none of them are hosted anywhere online, I do have a mate who has a copy of one of the short films hiding on a hard drive somewhere though so we'll see.
I honestly believe this movie has the saddest ending for a horror I've ever seen. Just the realization that she was always there,but her family will simply move on,leaving her in solitude for all eternity,never to be understood. Just like they ignored who she really was in life and what ailed her (with her hidden relationships and whatnot), they'll keep doing it in death too. It really does feel very Twin Peaks-like, seeing this girl slowly come to terms through dreams with the fact that her death is coming.
I love that ghost scene on the beach so much. It's not just seeing your own doppelgengar that's scary,which is already said to be an omen of your demise in popular culture,but realizing that it's your own corpse staring back at you. And Alice isn't just "zooming in" as you might initially be inclined to believe:the corpse is literally walking towards her,and it's not until she gets a clear view of "who" it is,that she turns around to run. Chilling.
It's also such a devilish move to have so many zoom shots in the movie,only for that last one to pause right before the big reaction happens,jumpscaring you. So good.
"The Night House" played with my expectations in a similar way. There's a jumpsacre I totally expected, and it didn't happen. Then there's a moment when I absolutely didn't expect a jumpscare and one came out of nowhere, blowing me out of my seat. It's another great hidden gem of horror.
I also agree with what you said about Alice being alone and how devastating that is. To me that's not even the worst of it - the family doesn't move on still mourning her, they move on feeling that they've gotten closure. They can now live their lives again, even moving away from the house they all shared when Alice was alive. But Alice is still there, having to watch her family move on without her. Forever alone, and more or less forgotten. That's so, so sad.
Her last name is Palmer as well. The same as Laura Palmer
Mike Flanagan explores grief so beautifully in his work. If you haven't seen any of his shows, I recommend the 4 I've seen, but particularly Hill House and Midnight Mass. (Bly Manor and Fall of the House of Usher are the other two and they're also very good.)
Lake Mungo is my benchmark for how to write a compelling horror story. It's so well-paced, not because it's trying to get to the scares but because it focuses on how each member of the family deals with grief. It understood what it wanted to do and was executed brilliantly. That being said, the scene at Lake Mungo is genuinely chilling and is one of the few times I've felt uncomfortable and unsafe while watching a film. This is one of the few horror films that really taps into how sad our own mortality is and how none of us will escape death; You can see the ending as both bittersweet and uplifting.
I have a theory Matthew’s bruises are a manifestation of his future death, just like Alice’s dreams
a lot of people see the ending as a “good ending” which makes 0 sense to me? like? how?
Alice was overlooked so many times in her life and even in the very end of her life her family took her tragedy as a selfish act to move forward and even in the end STILL didn’t see that she was there. she was ignored even in the afterlife. Every single photo she was there, trying to have her presence known, but even then they didn’t care to actually look for her.
Lake Mungo is like you're having a dream about a huge heartbreak in your life and it's nostalgic but painful to be with them in the dream. Then, you wake up and realize that it was a dream, but the heartbreak is still very real, and you're left with an eerie feeling of melancholic loneliness and fear. It's a very dreamy movie.
So many powerful moments in this movie. The mother disintegrating and admitting to just housebreakiin. The dads anger at the neighbors. The brother just trying to get someone to help his mom and investigate more. When you go back and realize the mother was hearing weird noises at night was because it was the neighbor literally in their house searching it every night. This movie is incredible. 15 years after I first saw it I still get chills. Thanks for the reaction!
a lot of people seem to interpret the ending as the rest of the family having convinced themselves they knew Alice had moved on & that they knew enough about her to allow her to pass on, when the truth is to the very end, they didn't know her at all. i feel like that interpretation brings an interesting layer to Russell's reaction to learning about the tape -- the way he just blames everything on them.
not to say what the Tueys did was anything short of disgusting & awful, but to blame Alice's entire death on this one particular event just feels a bit off to me. in a way, it feels like the dad's way of trying to absolve himself & the rest of their family of any blame. if none of them ever truly knew Alice at all, that'd be a sign of gross negligence at best. if the parents had created an environment where Alice felt she could trust them or her brother, perhaps things could have happened differently. but no, it's better to pin everything on the neighbors for this one singular event than to acknowledge that there might have been problems under his own roof that also contributed to the sequence of events that led to Alice's death.
Damn, that detail about the mom wanting to pretend she was in somebody else's life is so good. Yeah, the walking into other people's homes, at night no less, is creepy and wrong. But it's so real. This is exactly the kind of thing people in deep grief feel at times. Not the desire to go into people's homes. But that sense of disconnect, even alienation within one's own life. That sounds like a real detail somebody on the writing staff pulled from experience or background knowledge.
This is one of those films I’d call “true horror”. Most horror films try to startle you with loud noises, jumpscares and clever editing. Others try to gross you out with gore. This film…this film wants to give you true existential dread. In slashers, we linger on the brutality of the kills, making it cool. We get to do this because slashers don’t tend to deal with the grief that comes with losing loved ones. This film confronts you with the grief. It deals with topics that are actually terrifying on a primal, psychological level. When Caitlin here said “no, you’ve ruined everything interesting” when the paranormal “evidence” was revealed to be fake, I knew she was watching for the thrill of it, not realizing the deeper, sadder implication of why the footage was faked (she did get it later on). This is not a film you watch for the thrill of it. It’s a depressing, psychological ride and an absolute masterpiece.
Oh, and to answer your question, Caitlin: No, June couldn’t sense Alice’s presence. She had finally found a way to move on and so she did. That’s why the brother faked the footage as well. Her family leaving in the end where we get the ending shot with a true authentic image of Alice in the house represents her being abandoned and misunderstood in death just as she was in life.
I think the explanation is that Alice was a psychic herself, being able to perceive premonitions of her own death. But seeing as she was unaware of her gift and inexperienced, she didn't know how to interpret the warnings. The story is trying to hint that it was the neighbours who killed Alice, but rather than following the clues which Alice tried to set up, the family ignored them in their grief. So in finding Alice's belongings the family resolved their own grief, not realising the true cause of Alice's death remained unsolved, causing Alice to be trapped as a ghost.
I think it was the brother
@@misantrope6267why?
Interesting take
@@misantrope6267 the brother has faked the footage, then we saw supernatural stuff after those fake footages so it cant be him right?
I've seen a lot of people saying it was the brother too, bc he had her jacket, and his videos of her are ones where he's just watching her, waiting for her to notice him-F'ckin creepy. Also, the mysterious bruises hint that Alice was inflicting them on him. The dad's dream as well of him being in place of the brother watching Alice, and Alice getting mad that he's in there. BUT one of the biggest clues is that he was the last one with her before she 'disappeared'.
More found footage for you: Grave Encounters and Hell House LLC.
Lake Mungo is kinda confusing at points, but I think that Alice could see in the future where her mom is abandoning her ghost when they move out. She has to stay as a ghost in the house forever, her family gone.
I love how the actors aren’t over the top in this movie. It’s extremely realistic that they would try to fight back tears while on camera, makes the movie even more unsettling. I think lot of less talented directors would’ve made it like a soap opera
my understanding is the director would give them situations and information without giving them actual dialogue so when asked questions or to tell their part of the story it would come off more natural.
@@Lazrael32wait so interviews in this movie were improv? 😮
@@specificsoup The cast knew the story outline via a very detailed treatment which covered story beats and the intent of what each scene should be, it was up to them to come up with the answers, even mistakes were left in as Joel Anderson felt they added a layer of authenticity of a real-time documentary that he aimed for, you can hear Joel himself asking the characters questions in the film off camera.
As a huge horror fan, this is one of the few that REALLY unsettled me! The vibe is so... intense, like you knew something was coming (props to the sound design). And then they drop that twisted ending on you omg. Your excitement of getting some footage is hilarious hahaha! "OKAY GIVE ME MORE!!" 🤣
I have the same interpretation as you. What Alice saw was unexplainable, but as her brother said - she saw the future coming to get her. Something happened that caused time to cross its wires in that moment and she got caught in it. Her future ghost worked its way back to her present - and then she's trapped barreling forward into her death knowing it's coming. Alice having live knowing she was about to die, and then her ghost getting trapped in the tangled timelines of shared dreams, and then seeing the family move on thinking she's the one that has but she HASN'T they just can't SEE HER and she's left alone and helpless and it might never end is just....so upsetting, in the best way.
For me this is basically Existential Dread: The Movie. "I think something bad has happened to me. I think something bad has happened, and it's just not here yet." And yes, all those images at the end are in the film from the beginning.
I watched Lake Mungo back in October one of many found footage horror movies that I saw that month and it was indeed scary qnd and that's due to the creepy atmosphere that the film has instead of loud jumpscares.
This is honestly one of the BEST found footage movies ever, and it's a great hidden gem. So glad more people are finding this fantastic film.
Ghosts exist outside of time and experience things non-linearly so in some stories a person can sometimes be haunted by someone that haven't even died yet, even themselves. I've seen a few movies and shows that use this idea in their narrative and I'm glad it's not used too often, because it's a great idea.
i think they used this trope in the haunting of hill house
Oh 😮
I am someone who could sit through the most terrifying and horrific movies. But for some reason, Lake Mungo BROKE me. This title says it the best. It’s not necessarily scary, but it holds so much dread and despair that it’s terrifying.
Note: if you like this movie, watch Savageland. Also a fake documentary that includes still photographs and will leave you unsettled. Almost feels like it was made by the same guy.
I interpreted that part as June and Alice giving Ray their own personal experience from the same moment in time, based on what they were able to see/feel. It's definitely more disturbing/uncomfortable rather than scary but pretty good.
"Alice kept secrets. She...kept the fact she kept secrets a secret."
Caitlin: That's usually how that works.😂😂😂😂😂
"Alice, do you have secrets?"
"If I told you I had secrets it wouldn't be a secret that I had secrets anymore, would it?"
"Well, only if you tell us your secrets"
"Me telling you if I have secrets would mean telling you my secrets because you asked if I had secrets, but whether or not I have secrets is something I want to be kept secret therefore me having secrets is a secret"
"Everyone has secrets, saying you have secrets isn't really a secret"
"It is if I want it to be a secret"
She probably meant Alice managed not to give out the vibes of an utterly secretive girl
This movie is like a bug bite, you don't feel the full effects until later, and they stay w/you for a very long time.
the reveal of the real alice being in the backgrounds of the fake images was kinda crazy
Everyone talks about the interpretations of what was going on and if her dreams were real and what it means for her to be there. But everyone seems to ignore the fact that she was raped and it was filmed and instead. Everyone calls it a "secret relationship" when it was not a relationship she was a child.
She had a death omen figuring out that she was going to die. She lived her life from then on as a ghost in her own home with every one ignoring her. The only love she gets is from her creepy neighbors who then groom her, rape her, and film it. And she can't tell anybody, instead people say "i cant believe she would do that" as if she were the adult. And then the day that she knows she's going to die. She purposefully does not tell her brother that she's leaving the lake when he does. So that no one has to see when she drowns.
And has to watch her family move on and leave her behind. Leaving behind hints so that they can get closure. She made sure to be caught on camera and that she had things hidden and left behind so they would understand.
This became one of my new favorite found footage movies when I watched it earlier this year, the acting is so freaking good
Oh, this will be fun. Lake Mungo is one of my favorite movies. I discovered it a few years ago and the core premise - what happened to Alice - got under my skin and I was upset for MONTHS after. I kept feeling like someone was at the foot of my bed when I was trying to sleep. :eek
It’s crazy to rewatch the movie, knowing that Ali’s presence as a ghost was what she was going through in life. It was like she was stepping in between dimensions. She would envision walking towards her mom and her mom ignoring her, all while she was alive. What was actually happening is that she was experiencing herself as the ghost she would become, and her mother didn’t see her. Such an original concept for ghosts.
I would really love it if you could do a reaction on
1. Creep 1 & 2
2. Noroi
3. Incantation
4. The Tunnel
5. Taking of Deborah Logan
6. The McPherson Tape
7. Hell House LLC
8. Grave Encounters 1 & 2
9. The Houses October Built
10. The Last Broadcast
Noroi is one of the best found-footage horror movies I've ever seen. It needs to be viewed with either some great headphones or a top-notch sound system, as the sound design is very important to the film. Not so much scary as it is unsettling.
@@rlm6213 Thanks for the heads up, I was planning on watching it tomorrow and thanks to you I'll get a better experience out of it so thank you for your input
I second the Creep movies! I honestly enjoy them a lot!
@@mommymeow32 Thanks, if you haven't seen the other films on my list, feel free to check them out and see if you like them, I hope you do
So many scary movies rely on CGI, jump scares, or other gimmicks to scare you but it's crazy how terrifying still images can be. This movie captures that sentiment so well it is super simple but effective.
The sense of loneliness in this movie is so oppressive. I tear up at the end when Alice says her mums come in the room but doesn’t see her, then her mum says “Alice isn’t here” and leaves the room
This along with the reveal that her ghost was in the window in the moving photo as well as her being in most of the video/photo footage even the faked ones tells me that after Alice’s family learned about her past and found out about lake mungo THEY had closure, they were able to move on and leave it all behind.
But Alice, she’s still there, a ghost in her own home, no closure, no peace, unseen.
Alone.
i believe the final part during Ray’s sessions, Alice and June are foreseeing the same event from different perspectives, but June doesn’t see Alice because she is a ghost, which is shown when we her in the window in the final photo.
If you want another documentary-style horror, I recommend Noroi: The Curse. It’s a japanese horror about a man investigating supernatural activity for a documentary.
This film is the literal foundation of my existential dread. The truth of the matter, is that NO ONE actually wants to know when they're gonna die....let alone how.
Not much really gets to me but this….This movie scared the living shit outa me….especially that phone footage of her future self at the lake
I watched this a couple of years ago and it stayed me for days if not weeks. I actually cried a little from being so scared and tense during the movie. The slow pans and zoom-ins throughout had me on edge even though you know nothing will jump at you because it's supposed to be documentary b-roll but the tension is there regardless.
One of the best! Extremely realistic, it conveys terror through the way the theme of grief is discussed. It is an example of a 1.5-hour suspense film without appearances or jump scares. The plot is coherent and addresses the theme of grief, providing an immersive and chilling experience.
This is a Film that I had heard of but had not seen, watching your Reaction and Review of it left me with the impression of that this is a Film about Grief and how such a thing is dealt with differently by different people. Really liked how the Supernatural stuff was kept to a minimum and kept in the background, added to the Mystery. Loving the Channel by the way, looking forward to seeing what's next.
This is such a great underrated gem. Everything about it is well done from the constant twists which keep you gripped, the way scenes are super creepy and you don't know exactly why and the way the script keeps you guessing. More people need to react to this, its such a rollercoaster!
this is SUCH and under rated movie
My interpretation of the ending: nobody knew Alice. She lived alone and died alone. I think it's ambiguous whether the 'ghost' appearances of her were of her in an incredibly lonely afterlife, or whether they were her 'astral projections' into a future in which she was already dead. Personally, I think it was both. I think she was projecting into her future ghost-self, seeing in the past what she would see in the future, while a ghost. I believe the Tooheys tape wasn't something that caused her death, I think when she learned she was going to die she engaged in that 'relationship' as a kind of desperate way to experience everything she could of life, even if it was toxic. So I think that 'relationship' happened after her trip to Lake Mungo, as an effect rather than a cause. The whole "unfinished business" was a rationalisation in order to allow her family to move on, but there's no evidence in the movie that Alice led them to the tape. Brett did. If anything, I suspect the discovery of the tape was a violation of Alice's privacy, and one of the tragedies of the movie is that her family thought it was the sum of the difference between their image of Alice and the reality.
I also believe that Dead Alice didn't appear to Live Alice at Lake Mungo as an omen, or at least not for that purpose. I believe Alice was reaching out to the only person in all the world who knew her: herself. She wanted to be mourned by the only person who could really mourn her. She wanted a moment of true connection, just once. She wanted to be buried by the only person who wouldn't be burying a paper-thin projection, and she was.
I believe a lot of things about Lake Mungo, but this is already too long to be read by more than maybe 4 people.
yes alice is in all those previous shots, the movie just forced us to focus on what it wanted us to focus on.
This movie is unique in that it doesn’t get to you until AFTER you’ve watched it. It’s this weird delayed creepiness that needs to sit with you and marinate for a while. Then you start to realize how many people in Alice’s life were complicit in her death, in causing her harm, and in covering it up. The mother did not want to see the horrible truth. I don’t think she could accept it. She was firmly in denial-looking everywhere except the obvious places-and that allowed the real truth to remain buried. It all feels unavoidable and so, so dark.
Found footage, if done correctly, can add a level of intimacy to the story telling. Very raw and relatable
I agree but I also think it needs to cut some of the boring parts like the interviews or long conversations, or maybe adding some suspense or tension to it. But I also think the film should keep you on the edge of your seat as much as possible
Oh absolutely. The boring fluff isn't doing it correctly haha
@@taylorkingston1557 Agreed haha
The Dyatlov Pass Incident is another found footage horror movie, i found it really disturbing.
You are 100% correct. The movie isn't scary, but it is terrifying.
So happy you loved this piece.
I stumbled over the movie via a great movie reviewer on YT who called it "The saddest horror movie you've never seen"
And that title got me hooked.
Your reaction was awesome and I felt I've looked into a mirror when you were surprised about the ending. I must have had the same face back then when I first saw it.
Much ❤ and happy new year from Belgium,
Chris
That reveal at the end really just tied the entire movie all together in one chilling, and depressing package.
Even in death she was never seen by anyone. Even you, the viewer.
Another good Aussie found footage horror that has a very true crime doc feel is The Tunnel (2011). One of my favs.
Thanks for putting the year with the movie, super helpful!!
Watched that movie on my grandparents' property in Darwin, didn't sleep for a week after 😅
I just caught Lake Mungo myself a few months ago. It's a beautiful movie. Not scary but unnerving. Not sappy but heartbreaking. It felt SO real, and so tragic. From Alice's future dead self to the shot of her looking longingly through the window at the end, the movie was loaded with images that stuck in my mind for a very long time.
This movie proves that you don't need a big budget or expensive triple A actors to make a really great horror movie.
Such an incredible movie! I think she was seeing her own closure at the end, i dont think june saw her at all. The time slipping was amazing and will forever be one of my favorite found footage movies
It's really just extremely sad. The horror is the reality of true tragedy, and feeling something horrible coming and being helpless in the face of your own death. We all die alone. Cold and dark. Even children. We were never not.
GIRLLLLLLL WATCH GRAVE ENCOUNTERS!!!!! It is a take on “paranormal tv shows” and how some can be over dramatized. But this is one of those shows gone wrong… it is “found footage” and the twist of the movie will blow you away!!! If you are looking for more found footage movies this is a great one!!!!!!! aside from the ones you have already reacted to obvi. 😂
As an Australian I’m glad you like this. It’s one of our best horror movies out there and one of my favourites
I implore you to watch The Bay, The Tunnel (Australian), and Noroi: The Curse (Japanese) if you’re going down the found footage rabbit hole! Noroi beats The Tunnel and The Bay by a long shot, but all are very enjoyable ooky spooky watches! Keep up the great work, kween, and have a Happy New Year ❤
The Bay might be the best found footage ever
From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU FOR WATCHING LAKE MUNGO!!!! It deserves the recognition!!!!!
The only movie to make me think twice before turning off the lights
You're reaction to this film is my favorite. I have not been able to seen it yet and that pisses me off because its my kind of film. I'm glad you liked it, I love it when you are funny in these but I loved your reactions here. I makes me want to see it more. Its so creepy. Thank you for this. I like found footage and demons the most.
This was actually a very clever and unique movie that had those surprising twists at the end. There was an actual ghost staring us in the face the whole time.
Oh, I don't think you do TV show reactions but since you enjoy having your mind blown... Dark on Netflix.... Imagine twists in this movie but ×10. Then multiple this by 3.
Lake Mungo is a hugely underrated masterpiece.
I used to live an hour away from Ararat! I didn’t even know it was based there going into the film, such a random place!
oh wow, this is unexpected. some found footage recommendations: noroi: the curse (2005) and feral (2018)
not found footage, but inland empire would be a crazy movie to react lol
i watched in bed in the dark. it felt like a dream with how slow paced it was that it hypnotized me. and the ending got me really emotional.
I watched this for the first time last October. Thought it was okay. Went to bed. Tossed and turned. Had a nightmare. Went to the couch at 3am to watch again in the dark. Much more appreciation the 2nd time and it became one of my favorite horror films
I have to agree with you, found footage, when done properly, makes you feel like you're there and you need to solve it. I really enjoyed this. I think we should all look for more found footage for you to do.
i love the how shes come from being so terrified at the start of every video to how ready and giddy she is for this to kick off
I watched this movie without knowing it was fictional. Yeah this movie genuinely frightened me and those beginning words "I feel like, something bad is going to happen to me. I feel like something bad happened." Those words are chilling to mr for some reason.
Hello Caitlin, you HAVE to watch these movies if you haven't , they're great
1.The Babadook
2.The Midnight Man
3.Grave encounters
4.Dark harvest
5.Thanksgiving
@@storyacc7173 not only does it sound cool but the movie is also cool.....give it a watch if you haven't
2 and 3 are awful
Thanksgiving will be a great watch for her!
@@leonardomasiIf I may ask, why don't you like Grave Encounters? I hear many people speak highly of it, I just want to understand what you think it lacks in
#1 and #5 definitely!
Man, I remember this film _bummed_ me out. Especially by the fact that those sicko neighbors somehow got away -_-
I'd like to recommend three more found footage films I've seen recently which I thought were quite decent: The Tunnel (2011), The Bay (2012) and The Borderlands (2013; its US title is Final Prayer).
Alright. Big mistake on my part for watching this at 12 in the morning. The lake scene really creeped me out.
If you wanna see another well-acted found footage footage movie without a paranormal twist, watch "Exhibit A". It's so good. I hoped the actors in that movie got their due recognition. It's horror, but far more realistic and unsettling horror.
This movie was written and presented about how people, specifically a family, may experience and deal with grief. But all interpretations are fair as I think it's one of those movies where you can take it in many directions.
Lake Mungo is the type of flick who's chills and scares just get under your skin and stay with you for days after, even weeks after. brilliant!!! it's also incredibly sad an emotional... it's really an exceptional flick. easily one of my favorites.
okay i have to say that your hair looks so pretty ❤
Underrated movie...really good take on found footage.
In terms of found footage horror, I would recommend the Rec series ( the first two, anyways), the V/H/S series, and The Taking of Deborah Logan.
Since you enjoyed this you gotta check out Hell House LLC and The Bay! Both are similar with the “mockumentary” style found footage. Hell House is the scarier of the two, but The Bay makes your skin crawl. Also both super underrated!
I am aussie so this movie hits more to me. Most horror movies i have seen arent aussie so there is more of a disconnect but this feels even more realistic (unsure how to word it sorry) to me
Another great reaction! LM is one of those hidden gems of a movie that makes you think, while also giving you the willies. It was great. A similar movie to Lake Mungo I'd recommend is The Devil's Pass aka The Dyatlov Pass Incident. It's "based on true events" and is another found footage movie.
One of my favorites! It's just so unsettling.
One of the most emotionally disturbing movies I've ever seen. Great atmosphere, it's a classic in my opinion. Great reaction btw 🤟
TOTALLY AGREE..."emotionally disturbing" is the perfect way to describe it. The theory/interpretation that her brother Matthew was sexually abusing her makes it even worse. Her bruises, his bruises, and especially the father's encounter with Alice. In that scene Alice wasnt flipping out on her father, it was a replay of her flipping out on Matthew for being in her room and abusing her. This and other little things make me believe this theory and just makes my soul hurt. Rewatch it with this in mind and lemme know if it makes sense!!
IRL I am "sensitive to the afterlife"
I get premonitions of loss and death.
A few years ago I heard about a woman describe her sensing her own death in the exact way it usually happens to me, a strong feeling that something will happen, how it will happen and I experience the emotions I would have when it happens*. For people I don't care about they just feel "empty" like they are not actually there. I have felt this one a few times, still rarely happens I don't know what triggers it specifically.
I would say more but it's late where I am, I am going to sleep and will edit this later.
*when it isn't about me, then I just feel danger and anxiety... which doesn't say great things about the afterlife....
I find this movie to be the scariest I've ever seen despite it not being as well known as some other horror movies. It's incredibly intense, and feels so real due to the excellent performances and direction. Love this movie.
This movie is sooo creepy, that certain sequence 😮
The phone footage?
@@Shagyamum yes 😳😱
My favorite horror film. My sister brought it home after someone at the video rental she worked at (hello 2010!) said it was good and we saw it blind. The lake footage is burned in my memory and it's one of the scariest things I've ever seen. Very sad film
I live and breathe found footage horror so I'm extremely happy that you love it too! Here are some recommendations I hope you'll like :)
Hell House LLC (honestly I love all 4 movies but the first one is my fav)
The Taking of Deborah Logan
Incantation
Yes I agree 100%
for those who love lake mungo, definitely check out twin peaks! this film has quite a few similarities to the show along with alice palmer and laura palmer obviously sharing the same last name. as much as i love lake mungo as a film, i can't help but wonder if the film took *too* much inspiration from david lynch's twin peaks.
It has the last name, dead teenage girl and her family’s reactions, general creepy vibes, s*xual violence, and the not so trustworthy psychic (was it a creepy psychiatrist in twin peaks? I forget) …. But the overall plot / structure is really different, I think it was meant to be an homage, not a rip off
@specificsoup it's a nice homage for sure, i hope it doesn't come off as i was hating on lake mungo! as for the creepy psychiatrist, in the twin peaks film, fire walk with me, there definitely is a predatory male psychiatrist (blanking on his name, it's been a while lol) who ties into laura palmer's story. this is touched on in the novel "the secret diary of laura palmer" which is written by david lynch's daughter as well. both fire walk with me and the novel of laura's diary are super insightful since it's all solely about laura as a character.
this is one of my favorite horror movie. I think what makes this movie is so terrifying because how realistic they made this into documentary. If you watch documentary films, you know what I mean here. Lake Mungo's pacing probably slow, but the mystery around it makes it worth to follow until the end. Heck, even when the credits rolled, I was still waiting probably there are still post credit scene. And Lake Mungo also have element that many mockumentary didn't have, which is good actors. All of these actors delivered good acting, like they are real person, not playing a character. This movie is so terrifying and haunting, yet I feel kinda sad after watching this. Kinda bittersweet ending when we finally know Alice watching her family finally moved on and years after years, their grief will heal and left Alice behind in their old house. What a movie.
the credits' scenes are from the people that moved in after alice's family moved out, meaning the house was actually haunted and that her family left without knowing that her ghost would stay trapped in the house alone forever
20:56 that screaming goat impression is killing me! 😂 I love this movie, but I know a few people that find it boring. It's one of the only movies that makes me feel sustained dread. Kairo (Pulse) would be another. Skinamarink alternately put me to sleep and gave me chills. I don't get "scared" by movies, so that type of atmosphere is what I need to feel something besides entertained.
I wonder if the detachment she felt literally manifested into her own ghost, and kind of wrote that storyline into her fate. She had these dreams/ visions (such as the overlapping one of her mom not seeing her) and she felt it so deeply and vividly that she felt it into a literal existence. Maybe once those thoughts and feelings grew stronger, then that was when her ghost (a personification of her feelings of loneliness and isolation from her family) slipped into the real world. Her ghost is always just there-not being violent, just there. Perhaps the ghost is just the corner of her mind that felt far away from everyone else, even when she was sitting right next to them.
Maybe it wasn’t that she was seeing her own death/ corpse/ fate, but she was actively writing that ending into her timeline. And perhaps her ghost showing up after her death was less of a typical haunting, but a sort of slap on her parents’ wrist to say ‘do you see me now?’ kind of thing.
I rlly love the ending. The way that, in her premonition, Alice seems to take her mother not seeing her & leaving the room as a kind of confirmation of her invisibility, where as the mother is reflecting and probably, for a change, really hoping that she would see her daughter. That could obviously be interpreted in different ways, but that’s how I see it. It’s so sad, really, how they could have been so close to preventing Alice’s death if each of them had understood what was happening in that moment.
The Exorcism of Emily Rose is also a great watch, Jennifer Carpenter does an incredible job in that movie, there's a scene in it that scared my 11 year old self SO BAD it stuck around in my brain for years hahah, also a found footage style movie that I love is The Taking of Deborah Logan from 2014.