![]() ![]() Sometimes, our greatest fears in real life can haunt us more than watching a final girl sequence. The film brilliantly subverts the classic horror structure by demonstrating that life can be more frightening than any jump scares or spooky supernatural figures. Overall, The Blair Witch Project is a product of the power of storytelling even under a tight deadline and lack of funding. This goes to show that the visuals when accompanied by the right dosage of chilling sounds and camera movement can make footage more daunting, even if the quality of the image isn't that great. The night shoots, specifically, make it hard to see things in detail, but what you can see with the limited lighting is enough to keep you on the edge of your seat. During the time in the forest, the camera is operated in a frenetic manner given how frightened everyone is when they hear sounds coming from outside the tent. ![]() ![]() ![]() Her screams and out-of-breath reactions are so credible that they give you goosebumps down your spine.įurthermore, the film uses its homemade video element to its advantage. It takes her the longest time to reach a breaking point, but when she does, the actress excels. She makes the audience think that everything is under control, but her poor map-reading skill leads the group into walking in circles for days on end. Donaghue is the mastermind behind the so-called documentary and out of the three, she is the star of this indie production. They also serve as a contrast between the constant laughter and levity that were previously captured before they got lost. The moments where characters begin to blame each other for their doomed trip emphasize the divisive dynamic within the group. It really seems like they were close friends at the beginning (even though no actual context or character development takes place) and slowly have their bond fractured by the horrifying circumstances that they face in the woods. With such a heavily improvised script, you are drawn to the rawness of the filmmakers' journey onscreen. However, that doesn't mean that the ride wasn't worth it. This unexpected turn of events is the misstep that makes The Blair Witch Project too good to be true. With a rushed ending that didn't seem convincing enough, the spell cast on the audience expires when they find out that it was all a lie. Yet, there is a noticeable decadence in pacing toward the film's final minutes. As a first-time viewer, you are fooled practically the whole way through given the believable screams and Donaghue's heart-wrenching confession on tape. The way they made a low-budget vision into a horrific reality-driven scenario is what makes this film worthwhile. That is why Myrick and Sanchez deserve a round of applause. What was supposed to be a cool project, becomes a living nightmare. Although the video shoots remain, the purpose behind the recording shifts to showing all the twisted sounds that they hear at night and the constant breakdowns that each member experiences. After the group visits Coffin Rock, they go from knowing exactly where they are to getting stuck in the middle of nowhere feeling cold, hungry, and desperate. That is when everything goes in a spiral. With a black-and-white filter and a dramatic opening, the audience will notice a clear difference between what is intended to show up in the filmmakers' documentary and what is just off-screen goofiness.įollowing the conversation with locals over what they've heard about the witch and the haunted forest, Donaghue and her companions head towards the woods, presuming that they will get out on time for their next work shift. Once the ceremonies are over, the first official shoot begins at the cemetery. Even zoom-ins to marshmallow packages and a good luck kiss on the film slate are captured prior to the real deal. When the cameras start rolling, the trio record themselves in a vlog style, packing up their bags and Blair Witch source material to help them navigate the landmarks where the legend took place. Consequently, it is a successful way of luring viewers into believing that what they are about to witness is unquestionably true. A year later their footage was found." Right off the bat, the whole notion of watching people getting lost in the woods and leaving nothing but videos behind is incredibly unsettling. It says: "In October of 1994, three student filmmakers disappeared in the woods near Burkittsville, Maryland while shooting a documentary. SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT Tricking the AudienceĪ few seconds into the film, phrases pop up on the black screen, introducing the façade. ![]()
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