The Blair Witch Project (1999)

“Blair Witch” is one of those films upon its release that most people either liked or hated, with basically no middle ground between. It’s been labeled as no less than the greatest horror film made in recent years (it’s not), if not one of the most original (it’s not that either). Everyone knows by now the whole mock-documentary approach that was used, and I recall after a midnight showing upon it’s release there were still people walking down the aisles going, “man, did that really happen?” These reactions can all be attributed to the terrific way the film and it’s ideology was promoted via an Internet website as being “real”. The combo of the Internet and word of mouth advertising was actually groundbreaking stuff at the time, as those who logged onto the Blair Witch website typically bought the whole thing as being a real event.

Three student filmmakers journey into the Maryland woods to shoot a documentary on the “Blair Witch”, who has supposedly haunted the area since colonial times. Once deep in the woods the crew gets lost and soon start receiving various supernatural “visits” that intensify in ferocity with each passing day and night. The film is presented in a “documentary” feel, in that the footage shot by the actors on their expedition is what the film consists of. The main gripe you will hear from many concerning the film is that you “never see anything” in terms of the witch, etc. This is what makes the film work. Way to often in movies today the audience is so used to having everything crammed down their throats in a visual sense, thus leaving nothing to the imagination. Here, the scares are mostly subliminal and allow your mind to really run wild with the “what could be out there” train of thought. From the first time our little crew is sticking their heads out of their tent, hearing bizarre noises coming from all around them in the deep, dark woods, I’ll admit it really creeped me out. Anyone who has ever been in the woods at night knows how creepy it can get, Blair Witch or not. I loved the scene of our filmmakers stumbling upon the now infamous “stick figures” dangling from the trees, again, put yourself in their situation and then think how you would feel. It’s creepy shit, plain and simple. Another highlight is the “tent attack” scene, complete with unseen cackling children, where something “unknown” starts shaking and poking our camper’s tent. Again, the film puts the viewer in the tent along with Heather, Josh, and Mike, and you feel as if you’re really right there with them, attacked by something unknown and unseen. Just imagine being the first one out of the tent, with whatever it was that just attacked you lurking right outside…brrrrr. As the film moves along our group submits to paranoia and mistrust with each other that grows worse as each day passes. Many feel that the actors were extremely annoying and such, but I feel they did a great job portraying the fear you would experience from such a situation. The ending did seem a tad rushed and unfortunately answered zero questions, but I think that was all done on purpose. Part of me does wish we could have gotten at least one glimpse of the Witch, no matter how quick and subliminal, particularly after the rather creepy description we get by the local crazy, who describes her as “she was like a woman, though covered in coarse fur all over her body”. There was something about that woman’s appearance and description of the witch that really creeped me out…not sure why.

I guess to summarize here, “Blair Witch” is hardly unique in the pseudo-documentary approach, “Cannibal Holocaust” beat them to the punch some twenty years ago in that respect, but it plays with the viewers mind, an aspect that I really enjoyed. Plus, it was radically different than most genre fare that was out at the time and in that case, change was definitely good. “Blair Witch” does a great job of balancing both the subtle and intense scares, and as for my first line, put me in the “I liked it” category. (Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez)