The Blair Witch Project (1999, Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard, Michael C. Williams)
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.
Quick Plot: Three student filmmakers investigate the legend of the Blair Witch. Their search takes them deep into the woods to a site where gruesome events took place long ago, at the bidding of a ghostly old woman. They expect to be gone for two or three days, but quickly lose their map and begin to walk in circles. Marshalled on by the director, Heather, the group continues blindly. Tension builds as days stretch on, food supplies diminish, exhaustion sets in, fingers point, and strange noises in the dark feed overactive imaginations.
Scariest Scene: When Heather turns the camera toward herself and apologizes to the people she believes they will never see again. Her fear is infectious. Then, the final scene… Awesome.
Firsthand Fright: “I saw this movie in the theater, the day before my family and I went on our annual camping trip. Each summer, we head way up north, to a very remote area of a National Forest – no electricity, no flushing toilets or showers, no other people nearby. Let me tell you, I have never been so scared to walk through the woods as I was that year, even in broad daylight. At night!? Forget about it.” – Athena, TV Listings
Final Say: The Blair Witch Project is the most successful independent film ever made. It took the most rudimentary elements of storytelling and created an unforgettable experience, and set the record for highest profit-to-cost ratio in film history. Its realistic, hand-cam “documentary” style, plus the use of unknowns in the acting roles, had many viewers wondering if the footage was actually real.
Doubt the reach of this film? Just check out any number of the numerous spoofs and parodies, from The Office and Family Guy to the Muppets and Scooby Doo to any number of first year film students. See this humorous animated take on how the movie should have ended:
Airing (all times Eastern): Oct 15, 6:30p – Showtime Next; Oct 27, 6:35p – Flix; Oct 30, 8:05p – Showtime Next. *For more air dates and times, search the online movie database at www.channelguidemag.com
