The Blair Witch Project (1999) / Horror-Mystery

MPAA Rated: R for language
Running time: 81 min.

Cast: Heather Donahue, Michael C. Williams, Joshua Leonard
Director: Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez
Screenplay: Daniel Myrick, Eduardo Sanchez
Review published August 16, 1999

Three film students travel to Maryland to make a documentary based on an urban legend involving a witch in the woods outside of a town formerly known as Blair. While there they find strange occurrences abound.

Obvious fiction where they would like the viewer to believe this was a bunch of footage found a year after the disappearance of the main characters. This sort of horror version of MTV's "Road Rules" has an air of creepiness around it, and does deliver a certain sense of haunting images, but unfortunately a handful of contrived moments and characters detract from what would have otherwise been a believable documentary. Some good acting in certain scenes, alternating with bad in others, the film is more engaging as a curiosity than a narrative. Credit Myrick (The Objective, Solstice) and Sanchez (V/H/S/2, Lovely Molly) for having the guts to make such a unique film, and while it isn't particularly scary or even great, it is still highly recommended as a unique cinematic experience.

-- Followed by Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 (2000) and Blair Witch (2016).  Background elements featured in the faux Sci-Fi Channel documentary, Shadow of the Blair Witch (2000).

 Qwipster's rating:

©1999 Vince Leo