Three film students vanish after traveling into a Maryland forest to film a documentary on the local Blair Witch legend, leaving only their footage behind.Three film students vanish after traveling into a Maryland forest to film a documentary on the local Blair Witch legend, leaving only their footage behind.Three film students vanish after traveling into a Maryland forest to film a documentary on the local Blair Witch legend, leaving only their footage behind.
- Awards
- 23 wins & 26 nominations
- Michael Williams
- (as Michael Williams)
- Waitress
- (as Sandra Sanchez)
- Interviewee with Child
- (as Jackie Hallex)
- Towns Folk
- (uncredited)
- Directors
- Writers
- Daniel Myrick
- Eduardo Sánchez
- Heather Donahue(uncredited)
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- Trivia(at around 46 mins) In a scene where the main actors are sleeping in a tent at night, the tent suddenly shakes violently and they all get scared. This was unscripted and the director shook the tent; the actors actually were scared.
- GoofsThe three are lost in the woods but in one scene, about 25 feet behind them, a field can be seen through a small gap in the trees. The road is also visible as they try to find the trail.
- Quotes
Heather Donahue: I just want to apologize to Mike's mom, Josh's mom, and my mom. And I'm sorry to everyone. I was very naive. I am so so sorry for everything that has happened. Because in spite of what Mike says now, it is my fault. Because it was my project and I insisted. I insisted on everything. I insisted that we weren't lost. I insisted that we keep going. I insisted that we walk south. Everything had to be my way. And this is where we've ended up and it's all because of me that we're here now - hungry, cold, and hunted. I love you mom, dad. I am so sorry. What is that? I'm scared to close my eyes, I'm scared to open them! We're gonna die out here!
- Crazy creditsThe beginning and end credits are designed in the style of a documentary, e.g. jumping slightly, static instead of rolling credits.
- Alternate versionsIn October 2001, the FX Network aired this with "never-before-seen footage". This turned out to be a few segments spliced into the closing credits of Heather videotaping Mike saying goodbye to his friends and family, and Heather admitting culpability for the week's occurrences. Mike firmly states that it is not her fault, which is referenced in Heather's later confession to the camera in the theatrical version. Also, all profanities are overdubbed, especially a really bad "let's go" over Heather saying "f**k you" to Josh as he berates her about being lost and hunted on the dusk before he is taken away.
The story is quite simple (which is part of why it works). Three film students travel to an old city surrounded by woodlands in pursuit of information about "The Blair Witch", something between local folklore, an urban legend and a myth. The videotape some sites, interview some locals, and head for the woods for a night of camping before heading back to civilization. That's when things start to get wrong, as the trio gets hopelessly lost, tensions become high and someone (or something) obviously tries to make them feel unwelcome.
I know, thinking of that setting almost makes you able to visualize some of the scenes, and most chances are you wouldn't be far from what's actually shown in the film. That's because most Horror fans (and even certain fans of mainstream cinema) have by now seen titles exemplifying how the "Found Footage" sub-genre has improved and matured over the years (and I'd say it has become boring and tedious, but that's just my own thoughts and isn't relevant). No, in order to appreciate the Blair Witch you had to have been there, way back at the turning point of the millennium, when there still hadn't been a "Found Footage" sub-genre and perhaps two films (UFO Abduction of 1989 and its remake Alien Abduction of 1998) have ever used the "documentary" shooting style in a thriller or Horror film. I was too young to take part in the hype, but from I've collected - a website came up telling of a videotape found in a deserted camera in the woods near what used to be the town of "Blair". With no reason not to - people believed it. With no information to contradict this intuitive conclusion - people thought they were actually going to watch an authentic found footage. The producers handed out "Missing" flyers of the students (actually a cast of two actors and an actress) during the debut screening in the festival, the cast itself was forbidden by contract to make any public appearances, and most spectators simply didn't know any better.
Think about it. The web page. The characters' names being identical to the cast's names. Missing person flyers. A footage which in all standards looks precisely like a real documentary. Who could have known? Who would have guessed but the cynics and nay-sayers (who have an annoying habit of being right)? Watching the film under the impression the events were real would indeed justify the film being unofficially dubbed "the scariest movie of all times". And as much as it might today seem average at best both as a Horror title in general and as a "Found Footage" film specifically - numbers don't lie: 40k budget, near 300m earnings. That is how you make a legend.
If any of the anecdotes (true as far as I've been able to track) mentioned here have made you curious and you wish to experience the thrill over two decades after - go right ahead and watch this, just don't expect to have your mind blown. Remember, this is the film which officially gave birth to the Found Footage sub-genre, it was a cinematic and creative breakthrough, but s was the light bulb (and you're reading this on a computer or portable device). If you'd rather enjoy the legacy - go watch any other Found Footage Horror out there (any Paranormal Activity title comes to mind, of course) and know that it wouldn't be here without the pioneering genius of the Blair Witch Project.
- nitzanhavoc
- Nov 21, 2020
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official site
- Language
- Also known as
- Dự Án Phù Thuỷ Blair
- Filming locations
- Patapsco Valley State Park - 8020 Baltimore National Pike, Ellicott City, Maryland, USA(house in final scene)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $60,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $140,539,099
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $1,512,054
- Jul 18, 1999
- Gross worldwide
- $248,639,099
- Runtime1 hour 21 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1