The Poughkeepsie Tapes

The Poughkeepsie Tapes
Theatrical release poster
Directed byJohn Erick Dowdle
Screenplay byJohn Erick Dowdle
Story by
  • John Erick Dowdle
  • Drew Dowdle
Produced byDrew Dowdle
CinematographyShawn Dufraine
Edited byJohn Erick Dowdle
Music byKeefus Ciancia
Distributed byMGM Distribution Co. (via Orion Pictures)
Release dates
Running time
86 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$200,000
Box office$10.7 million

The Poughkeepsie Tapes is a 2007 American pseudo-documentary horror film written, directed, and edited by John Erick Dowdle from a story he co-wrote with his brother Drew Dowdle. It revolves around a serial killer's murders in Poughkeepsie, New York, told through interviews and footage from a cache of the killer's snuff films.

The film premiered at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival, but had a troubled release history; it was originally slated for theatrical release by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in February 2008, but was removed from the release schedule. The film had a brief video-on-demand release in 2014, but remained unavailable on home media. In October 2017, the film was released and remastered on DVD and Blu-ray by Shout! Factory via the newly-revived Orion Pictures.