The Blair Witch Project Movie Review

The Blair Witch Project (1999)

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Written by: Daniel Myrick, Eduardo Sánchez, Heather Donahue
Directed by: Daniel Myrick, Eduardo Sánchez
Starring: Heather Donahue, Michael Williams, Joshua Leonard
Rated: PG-13
Watch the trailer

Plot
Three film students vanish after traveling into a Maryland forest to film a documentary on the local Blair Witch legend, leaving only their footage behind.

Verdict
It's worth watching because while this is a gimmick, it's a gimmick that's easy to do poorly and difficult to get right. This movie creates a great story by using the gimmick perfectly, and provides a satisfying conclusion, making the rest of the movie even better. The downside is that every shot is poorly framed, you'll never see what you want to in the shot, but it does truly feel like found footage and that is what made this so popular. Horror movies often show too much. This borders on not showing enough, but that forces you to imagine what's in the darkness which can be more effective.
Watch It.

Review
I remember when this released, it was a cultural phenomenon. People wondered if it was real, and for good reason. The marketing disseminated missing persons posters and news stories that the student film makers actually were missing, running stories in small newspapers. There were anecdotes of the camera work making people sick or forcing them to run out of the theater. This was not only a unique presentation of a 'real' documentary, but it reached a threshold where word of mouth spread rapidly. It influenced several horror movies, filming on a shoestring budget and hoping to capture widespread success. It catapulted found footage films to the forefront of cinema.

Heather Donahue plays Heather

It starts with three would-be filmmakers getting ready to head to Burkittsville where they interview residents, asking if they've heard of the Blair Witch. It serves to establish the legend. There are also scenes of the trio as if the camera is left running. That grounds the story and the characters. The film making isn't good, but it does lend authenticity.

They start their hike to the rumored cabin and are soon lost in the woods. They argue, venting frustrations, and it feels realistic. Common frustrations are part of what lays the foundation for this as characters snap at each for trying to film the argument. They get truly lost though Heather won't admit it, while that irritates Mike and Josh. What was supposed to be a two day trip is stretching. While they should have been back to the car, they have no idea where they are.

Joshua Leonard, Michael Williams play Josh, Mike

They spend another night in the woods, and they discover deliberate piles of rocks outside their tents. It comes back to a story a resident told them about the piles of rocks in the woods. The situation devolves and the tension between them is uncomfortable. They hear noises in the woods, and the fear only makes them more frustrated with each other.

I like a good gimmick movie, and this has a great gimmick. Many horror movies fall into the trap of showing too much. This does the opposite of showing too little, but that taps into the imagination. We don't get a good look at anything, but you wonder what's just beyond the edges of the frame. If you embrace the format and experience, imagining how you'd feel in the situation, this becomes a vivid experience. That can take some work as the framing leaves a lot to be desired. You'd think even a handheld camera would capture the action better. Then again, this is a time before everyone had a camera with an LED view finder.