Marble Hornets

A long-running web-series, "Marble Hornets" is something of an odd beast. On one hand, it's concept is great, and it's generally a well-executed example of the "found footage" sub-genre of horror.

On the other hand, I do find there to be many problems with the execution, holding it back from reaching the perfection it is capable of reaching.

But still, for fans of horror, this is definitely a must-see.

The series seems to predominately follow Jay, as he tries to solve the mystery of what happened to his friend Alex that caused him to seemingly lose his mind and withdraw from society. Told from a "found footage" perspective, the early episodes alternate between footage shot by Alex some time earlier that Jay is reviewing (during production of a student-film he was working on) and newer footage shot by Jay as he investigates the matter. Little does Jay know that the mystery of what happened may be linked to a twisted, possibly-supernatural figure known as "The Operator." (Based heavily on the "Slender Man" mythos from the internet.)

I'm quite torn by what to give the series for a score. As I said above, it's a series of strengths and weaknesses. And I fear that my decided on score of 7 may be misleadingly low, despite being a decent score. Because I do genuinely love the series. (Well, at least what I've seen so far.) And in terms of entertainment value, it's great for a free series.

I think the biggest strength of the series is atmosphere, and wonderful use of the "found footage" style. If you're in the correct mindset, this series will definitely creep you to the bone. While the quality might not be great, it comes across as generally "true to life", and there's a wonderful sense of pacing, build-up and payoff as the episodes continue. Technical aspects like composition are also well-handled. And I find the storyline incredibly intriguing, and definitely one that makes me want to continue watching.

That being said, I have some big issues. First, (and I hate to say this), the acting can be pretty bad at times. At least early on. It does rob some of the suspension-of-disbelief that is required for a "found footage" series. I also find the episodes to meander a bit too much. I feel like there is a lot of room and time that could be condensed and make for a more compelling experience. It can almost get boring here and there. Which makes it harder to want to sit through the episodes.

Thankfully, despite those weaknesses, I feel that the strengths make the series one that fans of horror (and especially "Slender Man" fans) certainly must at least try out. I think it's great fun. It has a good story. And it has some absolutely, positively spine-tingling scares.

I give it a pretty-good 7 out of 10. Frightening and fun, but not without its flaws.

Firstly I was largely unaware of the Slenderman mythos before starting this series but this did not effect my enjoyment at all.

Marble Hornets is a well made web series that does a great job of slowly ratcheting up the mystery as the series progresses. I think that series really starts off strong, with short but interesting entries and the perfect use of real life locations.

Unfortunately it does lose it's way a little as the series progresses due to the entries becoming unnecessarily long with large sections of characters walking around buildings/fields with nothing happening. These entries could have been edited down significantly and it would have given the series better pacing. The one caveat to this is that I started watching after the series had ended so I did not have to wait in-between entries for the next one to be released.

The ending is well done which actually came as a nice surprise and it wrapped everything up well.

Marble Hornets is well worth your time but just be prepared to slog through some of the longer entries.

A great, suspenseful series that best represents the "Slenderman phenomenon." From a technical standpoint, this series succeeds without flaw with good special effects that are used appropriately, believable characters, and a gripping storyline. Although presented as a found-footage style film, I believe that it is one of the best examples of an otherwise cash-in genre in horror. While most Slenderman films are dismiss-able, this series creates a well balanced feel of supernatural and reality. I would highly recommend this to anyone with enough time to go through the episodes. It is a very unnerving series and this is coming who has watched hard-core horror movies since he was a child. Overall, I would give it a 10/10 for having done all the things it set out to do perfectly even if it has spawned a following of people making cheap rip offs.

Only yesterday did I find the you-tube show "Marble Hornets". It was recommended to me by a friend because I love psychological horror and mystery. These two words perfectly describe this show.

The show follows Jay, a young man who's best friend encountered a tall, blank faced creature in a business suit by the name of the Operator (or Slender Man) while filming his student film "Marble Hornets". Jay goes through the tapes in an attempt to figure out more about the creature, and is eventually forced to run from the seemingly unstoppable force as he begins to unravel the mystery.

Continuity is highly important and very well done in this series. Tiny things in the first few episodes come into play in later episodes. If you are like me and LOVE connecting the dots and consuming every detail, this show rewards your hard work.

The acting is a little spotty in season one (Entries 1-26), but does not detract from the story or experience. As season two hits the midpoint, the acting improves, and the story begins to unfold.

The shaky hand-held camera quality is really effective in adding to the disturbing atmosphere. The creators do an incredible job of building tension and giving you a sense of dread. I found myself searching every pixel on the screen for a glimpse of Slender Man.

One more small thing that I appreciated was the fact that there was close to no profanity, no sexual content, and very little actual gore. By throwing those factors out, the creators took on the challenge of making their series strong with good writing and editing, which really pays off.

Overall, this show scared me more than any modern day horror film has, and is highly reminiscent of Christopher Nolan's "Memento". If you want to be scared out of your wits, enjoy playing Sherlock Holmes and solving mysteries, or both, this is a must watch.

9/10

Everyone who knows The Blair Witch Project knows the incredible impact it has had on pop culture and the surrounding area it took place in, having the ability to bring a rich history into existence despite having been not known before the film. Marble Hornets attempts to do this with an established internet bogeyman (the Slenderman) and brings it to a level most would not have expected.

Marble Hornets, a youtube series about an abandoned student film with many hidden secrets to share before bringing in the narrator, Jay's own experiences into the story, shows an amazing aptitude into psychological horror. By showing very little of the mysterious tall, well-dressed being, and giving visual and auditory clues of his influence instead, the creators are able to add a perfect amount of tension, keeping viewers on the edge of their seat throughout the duration of each entry into the series. Viewers' minds will be reeling with questions as they watch, trying to uncover the mystery of the events shown.

Highly recommended for fans of horror and mystery, especially Lovecraft fans