-2012 | Sinister

In an era where horror villains are often over-explained or given convoluted backstories, Sinister does something daring with Bughuul: it keeps him almost entirely in the shadows. For the majority of the film, Bughuul is a distortion in the film grain, a figure standing in a corner, or a still image that moves only when the protagonist isn't looking.

The inclusion of these films within the narrative allows director Scott Derrickson to utilize the aesthetic of found footage without the narrative contrivances that often plague the genre. We watch Ellison watching the films. The grainy, flickering quality of the Super 8 stock, paired with the silence of the murder scenes, creates an uncanny valley effect. The lack of sound, save for the hum of the projector, makes the moments of violence—such as the family being pulled underwater in the pool or the ghastly lawnmower scene—brutally visceral. sinister -2012

This structure serves a dual purpose. It distances the audience, reminding us that we are voyeurs watching a character watch a crime, yet it simultaneously implicates us. We are just as curious as Ellison to see what is on the next reel, making us complicit in the unfolding horror. As Ellison investigates the films, he discovers a recurring symbol and a figure lurking in the background of the footage. This entity is Bughuul (or Mr. Boogie), an ancient pagan deity who consumes the souls of children. In an era where horror villains are often