The Blair Witch Project Relys on Psychological Scares.
The Blair Witch Project raises feelings of
powerlessness, being hunted and the hopeless unknown. All for about
35K...with some ingenious Internet marketing.
Review by: The Zombie Master Lee Roberts October 27, 2006
Release: 1999 Written and Directed by: Daniel Myrick & Eduardo Sanchez
Starring: Heather Donahue as Heather Joshua Leonard as Josh Michael C. Williams as Mike
“In October of 1994 three student filmmakers
disappeared in the woods near Burkittsville, Maryland, while shooting a
documentary. A year later their footage was found.”
I was led to a website that started with those now famous words. It
told the story of a lady who, in 1785, was accused and found guilty of
witchcraft. After being banished from the Township of Blair in North
Central Maryland she is then blamed for the disappearance of all of her
accusers and others within the township. And now three filmmakers have
disappeared tracking down the legend. How intriguing…how
inspirational…how revolutionary…how totally cool. I was
sucked in.
The Blair Witch Project first introduces us to the main
characters by showing us the footage of them preparing to travel into
Burkittsville, Maryland to investigate the legend of the Blair Witch.
Heather, Josh, and Mike are three film students with three different
personalities that begin
their journey through the backwoods of what was once the Blair
Township. We then watch as all three begin to have their spirits broken
from cheerful, to frustrated, to suspicious, to downright terrified.
The ending just cements the type of horror that causes long, sleepless
nights.
The Blair Witch Project is a classic study in the way a director
allows the styles of his influences to flow through his own. Myrick and
Sanchez (filmmakers) take a meager budget ($35,000 Note: Night of the
Living Dead cost $114,000 in 1968), Hi-8 and 16mm cameras, and create a
masterpiece of cinema. Throughout the film you will see the combined
styles of Romero, Carpenter, Hooper and even Welles.
The editing room floor must have been littered with cut footage. The
first cut was two and a half hours long and was cut more to a time of
86 minutes. Not a task that I would have wanted to undertake.
There is no soundtrack, no monster, no special effects, and no gore.
Ninety percent of the standard content of the horror movie is absent.
The only thing left is the other ten percent or the psychological
effect. With the lack of visual effects the viewer is forced to uses
the power of the imagination to visualize what could be out there
bringing fear to the students.
The Blair Witch Project is not for everyone, in fact it is
either loved or hated (I loved it my wife hated it), but should be
viewed by every horror fan. It should also be required viewing for any
student of film and filmmaking. If for no other reason than to show
what can be done with virtually nothing to work with except for
imagination, determination, and a passion for their art. Questions or comments about The Blair Witch Project? Contact us!
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I was led to a website that started with those now famous words. It
told the story of a lady who, in 1785, was accused and found guilty of
witchcraft. After being banished from the Township of Blair in North
Central Maryland she is then blamed for the disappearance of all of her
accusers and others within the township. And now three filmmakers have
disappeared tracking down the legend. How intriguing…how
inspirational…how revolutionary…how totally cool. I was
sucked in. 
their journey through the backwoods of what was once the Blair
Township. We then watch as all three begin to have their spirits broken
from cheerful, to frustrated, to suspicious, to downright terrified.
The ending just cements the type of horror that causes long, sleepless
nights.
The editing room floor must have been littered with cut footage. The
first cut was two and a half hours long and was cut more to a time of
86 minutes. Not a task that I would have wanted to undertake.
The Blair Witch Project is not for everyone, in fact it is
either loved or hated (I loved it my wife hated it), but should be
viewed by every horror fan. It should also be required viewing for any
student of film and filmmaking. If for no other reason than to show
what can be done with virtually nothing to work with except for
imagination, determination, and a passion for their art. 
Blink
Del.icio.us
Digg
Furl
Google
Simpy
Spurl
Technorati
Y!
MyWeb