“The Blair Witch Project” (Directed by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez, 1999) is still by far one of the most haunting movies I have ever seen. With the “sequel” releasing in about 3 weeks, my preteen fears have come alive again.
Where do I even begin with “The Blair Witch Project”? This movie single-handedly scared the hell out of me and then some. The film doesn’t necessarily affect everyone the same way, though. I’ve met a lot of people who “weren’t scared” and those who shared the genuine fear like myself. There are many points about the original that make this movie so astonishing. From the budget (one of the highest grossing small budget films ever), the creepy website, marketing, cast, and the lure of it all. I’ll touch on most of these in some form or another.
Diving into research on the original 1999 horror film was full of excitement. I’ve read over a lot of unbelievable facts that solidify why it is one of the most crucial films ever made. Before I get into the details I understand that horror isn’t for everyone and I’m not trying to convince others to like this movie. I just want people to appreciate why it is so important to cinema as a whole.
There are a total of ten credited roles in “The Blair Witch Project” but there are only really three crucial roles that matter. Heather Donahue, Josh Leonard, and Mike Williams are the stars and the force that drives home terror. These three set out on a journey to uncover a myth of “The Blair Witch,” a legendary murderer in Burkittsville, Maryland. The group interviews some locals to see if they can find out any more information before heading into the seemingly innocent woods. After interviewing a known “insane” woman, they feel strange. She says that she has met the Blair Witch in person and describes her as a hairy half human, half animal. After their initial research, they set out into the woods on the hunt for this evil entity. Everything seems to be going well until they notice that they could be walking in circles. Confused, tired, and cold, the trio begins to bicker. This could be their ultimate demise. Peculiar events start to arise at nighttime without explanation. Is the myth true or is it all in their heads?
That brief summation of the movie is all one really needs to decide whether or not to take the chance of being haunted forever or to take the high road and ignore it.
“The Blair Witch Project” is known as one of the lowest budget movies ever, especially mainstream. There are many numbers thrown around about what the true budget was but it is estimated around $22,000 dollars (at least at the start). What is astonishing about that number is that it returned roughly over $240 million. This movie madness was spread by word of mouth and their impeccable marketing campaign driven by fear of the unknown.
"The Blair Witch Project” was one of the first mainstream “found footage” films that took the world by storm. They marketed the movie via their creepy website that really made the case feel genuine. My friend and I were talking about their marketing campaign, to paraphrase Spencer Churchill; he made the point that “The Blair Witch Project” essentially was born during the rise of the Internet. Their primary marketing was through the website that they made. It has bios of the students; the myth of the witch, the aftermath (including police reports), and even interviews with family members. There was so much mystery about this case that it truly looked as if it was real. So much so, that Heather Donahue’s mother actually received sympathy cards. After causing a stir, the town of Burkittsville, had a large influx of visitors on the hunt for the Blair Witch.
I have an exuberant love for this movie, especially around Halloween time. My favorite parts are the “behind the scenes” knowledge. There are so many interesting factors that I had to narrow them down. To make a genuine horror film, all of the components need to be unified. Myrick and Sanchez definitely accomplished that. Throughout the movie, a common theme is confusion. The actors stayed true to this theme because they were legitimately lost in the woods. This added to the tension of the film and brought real emotion to the performances. The movie only took a stunning 8 days to film. During those 8 days, the directors did what every director should do; push them to the limit. They gradually started giving the actors less and less food to build the frustration. Not only were the actors exhausted from wandering and lack of food; at night the directors were scaring them. This brought out genuine fear and it really emulates to the audience. They react exactly how I envision myself reacting.
Adam Wingard has done his fair share for modern day horror. He understands how the genre works and he knows what the true fans want. Some of his films aren’t necessarily “scary” but he certainly knows how to bring out a certain “feel.” His next big film is, “The Blair Witch” (2016), a risky move to reboot a classic story. The difference to the original is that the original is about being lost in the woods. This reboot is about being chased through the woods. From what I’ve seen and read, Heather Donahue’s brother discovers the sister’s video from the woods. He and a small group set out to find his sister.
I have faith in Wingard and his writer, Simon Barrett, because their track record. Some examples are “V/H/S” (2012), “V/H/S 2” (2013), “The Guest” (2014), “You’re Next” (2011), and “ABC’s of Death” (2012). All movies I would recommend to horror fans. These two have worked together and are on the same page, perfect dynamic duo to revitalize a classic. The reason it is a reboot is because they aren’t remaking “The Blair Witch Project” they are making a “sequel”.
“The Blair Witch Project” has always been one of the scariest films I have ever seen. Even to this day I still feel worried about being near woods in the dead of night. Little noises crackling in the deep of the woods and subtle cool breezes bring the myth of The Blair Witch alive. Her haunting presence shocked the world and all of her power mortified the viewer’s souls. Whether you want to let her take over your psyche or if you shut her out, you can’t deny the uneasiness people feel while watching this film. I have high hopes for this new reboot and am ready to let the Witch capture my soul once more.
