Movies Like The McPherson Tape (1989)

The McPherson Tape is a 1989 horror, science fiction, thriller film from Dean Alioto with a MovieMagicScore of 5.2/10. Here are 20 similar films, ranked by real viewer ratings — starting with Area 51 and Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

Horror Science Fiction Thriller

Area 51

2015

Three young conspiracy theorists attempt to uncover the mysteries of Area 51, the government's secret location rumored to have hosted encounters with alien beings. What they find at this hidden facility exposes unimaginable secrets.

4.9

MagicScore

Close Encounters of the Third Kind

1977

After an encounter with UFOs, an electricity linesman feels undeniably drawn to an isolated area in the wilderness where something spectacular is about to happen.

7.3

MagicScore

Apollo 18

2011

Officially, Apollo 17 was the last manned mission to the moon. But a year later in 1973, three American astronauts were sent on a secret mission to the moon funded by the US Department of Defense. What you are about to see is the actual footage which the astronauts captured on that mission. While NASA denies its authenticity, others say it's the real reason we've never gone back to the moon.

5.3

MagicScore

The Wicksboro Incident

2003

In 1953 the entire population of Wicksboro, Texas vanishes. Forty five years later a witness comes out of hiding to tell the story.

4.9

MagicScore

The Arrival

1996

Zane Ziminski is an astrophysicist who receives a message that seems to have extraterrestrial origins. Eerily soon after his discovery, Zane is fired. He then embarks on a search to determine the origins of the transmission that leads him into a Hitchcockian labyrinth of paranoia and intrigue.

6.0

MagicScore

The Man from Planet X

1951

While watching for a planet that may collide with earth, scientists stationed in Scotland are approached by a visitor from outer space.

5.8

MagicScore

The Fourth Kind

2009

Since the 1960s, a disproportionate number of the population in and around Nome, Alaska, have gone missing. Despite FBI investigations, the disappearances remain a mystery. Dr. Abigail Tyler, a psychologist, may be on the verge of blowing the unsolved cases wide open when, during the course of treating her patients, she finds evidence of alien abductions.

6.3

MagicScore

Fire in the Sky

1993

After clearing brush for the government, a group of men return to town claiming their friend was abducted. Despite no apparent motive or evidence of foul play, no-one believes their story and his disappearance is treated as murder.

6.7

MagicScore

The Night Caller

1965

The inhabitants of Ganymede need to find mates from another world or they will become extinct. They soon discover a suitable breeding stock amongst the females of planet Earth.

5.3

MagicScore

#10

The Poughkeepsie Tapes

2007

When hundreds of videotapes showing torture, murder and dismemberment are found in an abandoned house, they reveal a serial killer's decade-long reign of terror and become the most disturbing collection of evidence homicide detectives have ever seen.

6.6

MagicScore

#11

Afflicted

2014

Two friends' tour of Europe takes a dark turn when one of them contracts a mysterious illness. They race to find out what it is and how to cure it before the sickness consumes him completely.

6.4

MagicScore

#12

Lake Mungo

2009

After 16-year-old Alice Palmer drowns at a local dam, her family experiences a series of strange, inexplicable events centered in and around their home. Unsettled, the Palmers seek the help of a psychic and parapsychologist, who discovers that Alice led a secret, double life. At Lake Mungo, Alice's secret past emerges.

6.2

MagicScore

#13

The Last Exorcism

2010

After years of performing “exorcisms” and taking believers’ money, Reverend Marcus travels to rural Louisiana with a film crew so he can dispel what he believes is the myth of demonic possession. The dynamic reverend is certain that this will be another routine “exorcism” on a disturbed religious fanatic but instead comes upon the blood-soaked farm of the Sweetzer family and a true evil he would have never thought imaginable.

5.7

MagicScore

#14

Willow Creek

2013

Looking to make a splash online with his research videos into the existence of Bigfoot, Jim and his girlfriend Kelly take a camping trip to the small town of Willow Creek, California, and the surrounding mountains where the infamous footage of the supposed sasquatch was filmed.

5.1

MagicScore

#15

Alien Abduction

2014

A vacationing family encounters an alien threat in this pulse-pounding thriller based on the real-life Brown Mountain Lights phenomenon in North Carolina.

5.9

MagicScore

#16

Skinwalker Ranch

2013

In 2010 “Skinwalker Ranch” gained media attention after experiencing a wide range of unexplained phenomena. Reports ranged from UFO sightings to livestock mutilation, but maybe most notable was the disappearance of ranch owner Hoyt Miller’s eight-year-old son Cody on November 11, 2010. Close to a year later, Modern Defense Enterprises has sent a team of experts to document and investigate the mysterious occurrences, which only escalate upon their arrival. Tensions rise as the team must decide how far they will go to unlock the mysteries of “Skinwalker Ranch.” The group debates whether the answers are worth risking their lives for, or if they should just call off the investigation and leave the ranch—that is, if leaving is actually an option…

5.3

MagicScore

#17

Hangar 10

2014

33 years after the infamous Rendlesham Forest UFO incident, three metal detector enthusiasts hunting for Saxon gold in the same region, capture incredible footage of UFO's whilst filming their expedition. As night falls and with their navigation equipment failing, they find themselves facing a terrifying encounter with an unforgiving alien presence.

4.1

MagicScore

#18

Troll Hunter

2010

A group of students investigates a series of mysterious bear killings, but learns that there are much more dangerous things going on. They start to follow a mysterious hunter, learning that he is actually a troll hunter.

6.7

MagicScore

#19

The Blackwell Ghost

2017

A filmmaker tries to prove that ghosts are real but soon regrets his intentions after he finds himself being terrorized in a haunted house by a ghost with a dark past. An authentic documentary that shows actual ghost footage that was captured on camera.

6.4

MagicScore

#20

Antrum

2018

Rumored to have been lost, Antrum appears as a cursed film from the 1970s. Viewers are warned to proceed with caution. It’s said to be a story about a young boy and girl who enter the forest in an attempt to save the soul of their recently deceased pet. They journey to “The Antrum,” the very spot the devil landed after being cast out of heaven. There, the children begin to dig a hole to hell.

5.8

MagicScore

Frequently asked

What are the best movies like The McPherson Tape?

The top films similar to The McPherson Tape by MovieMagicScore are Area 51 (4.9), Close Encounters of the Third Kind (7.3), Apollo 18 (5.3). Each shares horror/science fiction/thriller themes and is ranked by real viewer ratings, not critics or studios.

Is The McPherson Tape worth watching?

The McPherson Tape holds a MovieMagicScore of 5.2/10 from 58 viewer ratings.

What kind of movie is The McPherson Tape?

The McPherson Tape (1989) is a horror, science fiction, thriller film directed by Dean Alioto, starring Tommy Giavocchini, Patrick Kelley, Shirly McCalla.

Where can I find more recommendations like The McPherson Tape?

Browse the full ranked list above, or explore more horror recommendations on MovieMagicScore, where every list is ordered by genuine viewer ratings.

Keep exploring

Movies like Area 51 Movies like Close Encounters of the Third Kind Movies like Apollo 18 Movies like The Wicksboro Incident Movies like The Arrival Movies like The Man from Planet X

About movies like The McPherson Tape

This ranked list pairs The McPherson Tape (1989), a horror and science fiction and thriller film from Dean Alioto, with similar titles by genre, theme and cast overlap (fans of Tommy Giavocchini take note). Unlike critic-driven sites, every position here is ordered by MovieMagicScore — a rating built only from real viewers, with no studio marketing or paid placement. Scores update as more people rate, so the list stays current.

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