The Blair Witch Project (1999)

The Blair Witch Project released in 1999 is a film about 3 student film makers, who are making a documentary about the legend of the Blair Witch and go missing in the forest near Burkettsville Maryland. I experienced this film in the theater when it came out, and it is important to realize that when this film was released, most people believed it to be a true story, and when the film ended, no one got up, no one talked, the credits ended the lights came on, and everyone silently walked out of the theater and got in their cars, no one saying a word. It was the most eerie experience that I have ever experienced in a theater.

The reason so many of us thought that it was true, was because of the unique way that the film was marketed. It relied heavily on creating a myth, and using the internet to promote the myth of the three film makers, and the legend of the Blair Witch. They even released a faux documentary before the film was released to aid in the belief that the film is real. There were missing person fliers of the three film makers posted, there were faux news paper clippings, and even interviews and news casts on the website. All of this aided in creating this myth around the film, and many of the viewers went into it thinking it was real. This was kind of a revolutionary act, and definitely one of the first of its kind.

This film also pioneered the mockumentary, and found footage genres, that would later become popular among horror films. Sadly that is a style that has been overused to the point of annoyance, and was never really done quite as well as in this film. Everything about this film is interesting, the three actors were given very little direction and action is all improvised. The actors were only given hints as to where they were supposed to go next, but no actual direction. The were deprived food, and at night the crew would without their knowledge come and terrorize them. They were for all intents and purposes actually lost in the forest, and the fear, and the frustration that comes across in the film is mostly real emotions. When an actor was given direction, it was done through notes left in film canisters, and the other actors don't know what the direction of the other actors would be.

This is one of the few truly terrifying horror films, and it never used jump scares or gore to accomplish that. The film relied on true human terror and the audience to have an element of empathy for the character, and to feel what it feels like to be lost and scared, and hunted by an unseen force. I've talked to many younger viewers who don't understand what it was like to experience this film for the first time, as we did when it was first released, the film is interesting, to some of us it still holds its horror, while to others it seems more laughable than it does as actual horror film. It makes me think about how when Frankenstein was released in the early 1930s, how it terrified audiences, and now it would be hard to find such a film terrifying. The Blair Witch scared the hell out of film goers in 1999, because of the myth that was created, and we thought it was real, and I am glad that we did. Definitely one of the great horror films of the era.

Nearly all of the critics gave the film positive reviews, and it was one of the highest grossing independent films of all time. Fans had more mixed reviews, and that again might have something to do with not everyone believed the hype. The film was criticized by many viewers for the shaky cameras, the lack of actual action, and Heather's crying in the tent with the snot dripping down, almost landing on the camera. I would say for not having a script and very little direction the actors did a great job playing their roles.

Another great thing about this film, is its minimalist use of music, it really added to the creepiness of the film, and the feel that it is a documentary.

Would I recommend this film? Yes, this is definitely a must see horror film. I would suggest trying to go into it with the idea in your head that this is a true story, so you could feel and experience it the way that we did in the theater in 1999. Definitely give this film a view if you haven't already, or even give it a review if you have seen it before.