The Blair Witch Project

 (Fig. 1 – Poster)

The most noticeable quality about “The Blair Witch Project” (1999) is perhaps its lack of fancy special effects and how the viewer doesn’t really need them in order to be shaken to the core. On a closer look the narrative is fascinating in its simplicity and the results it produces really makes you wonder about how easy it is to be scared by the unknown. As Roger Ebert states: “The buried structure of the film, which was written and directed by Eduardo Sanchez and Daniel Myrick, is insidious in the way it introduces information without seeming to.” (Ebert, 1999)

The subtlety with which the story is unfolded before the viewer is on multiple layers. A lot of the narrative is left to the imagination. The Washington Post writes about the film: “We never get quite enough information to figure out what's happening, but – thanks to the script structure worked out by Myrick and Sanchez – we always get enough to make us dread what's coming next.” (Washingtonpost.com, 2015)

 (Fig. 2 – movie still)

The acting is realistic as well, adding to the overall chilling atmosphere (fig.3) . Nathan Rabin talks about that: “I was particularly impressed by Heather Donahue, who really drives the film. In the early scenes in front of the camera, when it still looks like the trio will be making a conventional documentary rather than entering a world of delirium and insanity from which they will never escape, she really nails the studied stiffness and laboured formality of documentary hosts without devolving into cartoonishness or caricature.” (Rabin, 2015)

 (Fig. 3 – movie still)

In conclusion, “The Blair Witch Project” started a trend of mockumentaries and many movies are highly influenced by it. It is a terrifying film, made in a creative and incredibly effective way.

Images:

Fig. 1 - Listal.com, (2015). Picture of The Blair Witch Project. [online] Available at: http://www.listal.com/viewimage/216575 [Accessed 20 Apr. 2015].

Fig. 2 - Static.cinemagia.ro, (2015). [online] Available at: http://static.cinemagia.ro/img/db/movie/00/01/42/the-blair-witch-project-376471l.jpg [Accessed 20 Apr. 2015].

Fig. 3 - Filmfork-cdn.s3.amazonaws.com, (2015). [online] Available at: https://filmfork-cdn.s3.amazonaws.com/content/bl3.jpg [Accessed 20 Apr. 2015].

Bibliography:

Ebert, R. (1999). The Blair Witch Project Movie Review (1999) | Roger Ebert. [online] Rogerebert.com. Available at: http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-blair-witch-project-1999 [Accessed 20 Apr. 2015].

Rabin, N. (2015). Blair Witch: the most widely despised great horror movie. [online] The Dissolve. Available at: https://thedissolve.com/features/movie-of-the-week/801-blair-witch-the-most-widely-despised-great-horror-/ [Accessed 20 Apr. 2015].

Washingtonpost.com, (2015). 'The Blair Witch Project' (R). [online] Available at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/blairwitchprojectrose.htm [Accessed 20 Apr. 2015].