HORROR 101 with Dr. AC: THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT (1999): 25 YEARS IN THE WOODS!!!

THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT (1999) d. Daniel Myrick/Ed Sanchez (USA)
BOOK OF SHADOWS: BLAIR WITCH 2 (2000) d. Joe Berlinger (USA)
BLAIR WITCH (2016) d. Adam Wingard (USA)

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Low-budget horror filmmakers take note: You can make an original and frightening film for barely any money; it simply requires a fresh approach and more imagination than Karo syrup. Witness 1999’s groundbreaking sensation from co-creators Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez, The Blair Witch Project. The slender premise sees three college students go into the woods near Burkittsville, Maryland in October 1994 to record footage for their documentary about the mythical Blair Witch. They are never heard from again. One year later, their footage is discovered, and later assembled by authorities in an attempt to learn their fate and potential whereabouts. What we are presented... is that footage.

Over the past quarter century, The Blair Witch Project has earned as many detractors as fans. Many have taken issue with the hype surrounding its release, the motion sickness-inducing cinematography, or the “annoying” characters. Some have complained that it ripped off earlier films like Cannibal Holocaust, or that it was a better example of innovative marketing than skillful filmmaking.

But to dismiss Blair Witch as “just not scary” is to ignore its creators’ evocative use of sound, the authentic (and mostly improvised) performances, the flawlessly realized "found footage" motif, how so many onscreen events go unanswered, the palpable tension between the increasingly desperate characters, and the bone-chilling, mind-bending climax. It does, however, require a willingness to go along for the ride, to enjoy a simple campfire story well told.

The fact that the film went on to earn $250 million speaks to its effectiveness, and there is no denying this little film helped changed the face of cinema forever. The Blair Witch Project’s lore is so strong that we believe such a legend truly existed. Funny thing is, now it does.

Join AC and his awesome panel of guests (Mark Easteadt, Eric Fritzius, Cati Glidewell, Robin Graves, Kevin Matthews) as we celebrate 25 years of rocks, sticks, and standing in the corner!