We’ve got screams. We’ve got dark, sinister tunnels. We’ve got severed heads, walking corpses, coffins doing things they definitely should not be doing, strange weapons, and explosions. All of it’s captured from the grainy, glitchy, shaky-as-hell point of view of a freaked-out filmer who somehow manages to hold onto their camera while fighting for their life. Yep, it’s the first trailer for V/H/S/94, the latest (and potentially greatest?) in the found-footage anthology series. Watch it below!
As with all the V/H/S films — and found-footage horror in general — the frights here look to stem from the fact that we’re experiencing the shocks right along with the person who’s shooting them, as well as the unease in not being able to see exactly what’s going on thanks to some deliberately crappy production values. That crappiness will hopefully be balanced out by suspenseful writing that sets up the scenarios, and a heavy dose of dread filling each segment’s atmosphere.
Here’s the film’s official synopsis: “After the discovery of a mysterious VHS tape, a brutish police swat team launch a high intensity raid on a remote warehouse, only to discover a sinister cult compound whose collection of pre-recorded material uncovers a nightmarish conspiracy.
V/H/S/94 is the fourth instalment in the hit horror anthology franchise and marks the return of the infamous found footage anthology with segments from franchise alumni Simon Barrett (Séance) and Timo Tjahjanto (May the Devil Take You Too) in addition to acclaimed directors Jennifer Reeder (Knives & Skin), Ryan Prows (Lowlife), and Chloe Okuno (Slut).”
At San Diego Comic-Con earlier this year, the V/H/S/94 panel discussion revealed the segments (all set in 1994) will build toward an overarching story. That’s a first for the series, but it makes sense and feels like just the sort of fresh approach that could help fans wipe the previous series entry — 2014’s disappointing V/H/S: Viral — out of their minds. V/H/S/94 will have its world premiere at Fantastic Fest in late September before arriving on Shudder on October 6.