The 21st century’s “most traumatizing” found footage horror film is now available to stream for free
An infamous found-footage horror film that left TikTokers scarred for life is now available to stream for free—but you should be scared… very scared.
The found footage subgenre is home to some of the best horror films of all time, equipped with indelibly terrifying images that you can’t shake; too scared to close your eyes, too frightened to open them.
Mike standing in the corner of the basement in “Blair Witch Project,” the reporter dragged into the darkness in “Rec,” the masked killer creeping across the floor in “Poughkeepsie Tapes” – these are just a few examples.
However, there is one moment in a film that has earned a terrifying reputation, and those three words will send a chill down the spine of those who have seen it: Photograph Number One.
No spoilers, but this is from Megan is Missing, an infamous 2011 horror film. After Megan (Rachel Quinn) meets a boy she’s been chatting with online, she goes missing—so her best friend Amy (Amber Perkins) tries to figure out what happened.
Anchor Bay MoviesYou can watch the film for free in two ways: if you have a library card in the US, it’s available on Hoopla, or you can stream it on the Internet Archive.
The film went viral in November 2020 when people on TikTok filmed their reactions to the “photo number one” scene. This caught the attention of Michael Goi, the film’s director.
“Don’t watch the movie in the middle of the night. Don’t watch the movie alone. And when you see the words ‘photo number one’ pop up on your screen, you have about four seconds to turn the movie off if you’re already a little freaked out before you see things you might not want to see,” he urged viewers.
Although the film was touted as an “educational” film, it was banned in New Zealand because the censorship board there deemed it “offensive” and “harmful to the public welfare.”
A new member of the “Megan is Missing fucked me up” club took to the horror subreddit to warn people about the film (and give them recommendations).
“The photo scene was fucking awful and the only way I can describe how I felt was my heart dropping… I’ve seen some dark movies before but this pushed me to my fucking limits. Never again,” they wrote.
“This movie totally traumatized my best friend and I as young teenagers. We were honestly just like the two protagonists and it felt so real to us. I only saw it once and it still makes me sick when I think about it,” commented another user.
“When I saw it, I felt like I was witnessing a crime in real time,” wrote a third, while a fourth added: “It’s been a while since a movie has shaken me, but this film really got to me… and I say that as someone who has seen enough movies that push the boundaries of what is acceptable.”
If you’re not feeling brave enough for Megan is Missing, check out our list of new movies to watch this month.
