The Blair Witch Project (1999)

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.

Directors:

Daniel Myrick, Eduardo Sánchez (as Eduardo Sanchez)

Writers:

Daniel Myrick, Eduardo Sánchez (as Eduardo Sanchez)

Stars:

Heather Donahue, Michael C. Williams, Joshua Leonard

19 wins & 26 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Heather Donahue	...	Heather Donahue
Joshua Leonard	...	Joshua 'Josh' Leonard
Michael C. Williams	...	Michael 'Mike' Williams (as Michael Williams)
Bob Griffin	...	Short Fisherman
Jim King	...	Interviewee
Sandra Sánchez	...	Waitress (as Sandra Sanchez)
Ed Swanson	...	Fisherman With Glasses
Patricia DeCou	...	Mary Brown
Mark Mason	...	Man in Yellow Hat
Susie Gooch	...	Interviewee with Child (as Jackie Hallex)

Storyline

In search of a local legend, three bold amateur documentarians--director, Heather; cameraman, Josh; sound recorder, Mike--hike into Burkittsville's gloomy Black Hills Forest to find a shadow: the fabled Blair Witch. Now, one long year later--after that fateful October of 1994--there's still no sign of the student filmmakers, apart from the raw footage they left behind. Who knows what truly happened during their creepy five-day journey into the mouth of madness? Was there, indeed, an intangible supernatural presence in the dark woods that led to the team's disappearance? Either way, the missing trio must have seen something. Could the nightmarish myth be real?

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Plot Keywords:

found footage | lost in the woods | supernatural horror | ghost story | maryland | 

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Taglines:

Before Cloverfield... There was... The Blair Witch Project.

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Genres:

Horror | Mystery

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language

Did You Know?

Trivia

Miramax passed on the opportunity to acquire and distribute the movie. The decision was made by Jason Blum who didn't think the movie would be a hit. He would later start his own production company which turned in profitable movies like Get Out (2017), and the found-footage film Paranormal Activity (2007).

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Goofs

In Mike's reference to "The Wizard of Oz" in which he asks "Wicked Witch of the West, Wicked Witch of the East, which one was bad?" And Heather answers "Wicked Witch of the West was the bad one." Actually both Witches were bad. The Witch of the North was the good one.

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Quotes

Heather Donahue: Mmmm. Marshmallows. Soft.

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Crazy Credits

The beginning and end credits are designed in the style of a documentary, e.g. jumping slightly, static instead of rolling credits.

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Alternate Versions

The film's CD soundtrack includes an enhanced CD-ROM portion which includes a scene not shown in the film, more of the three arguing about which direction to go, in which Heather and Mike nearly leave Josh behind.

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Connections

Referenced in .com for Murder (2002)

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Soundtracks

The Star Spangled Banner
Music by John Stafford Smith
Lyrics by Francis Scott Key (1814)
Sung a cappella by Joshua Leonard and Michael C. Williams

User Reviews

Dull and Annoying

This movies tries to slowly build up the tension with the kids lost in the woods and vague hints that there might be something else out there too that's going to get them but it is a long time in before anything actually happens.

This might work if the characters were sympathetic and compelling but actually they are whiny, annoying, pathetic brats. They have gone out walking in an area of woods that they don't know and not a one of them can even read a map. They start whingeing and moaning right from the beginning, far before there is even a hint of any malevolent presence. They just bumble around directionless and snivelling without making any plan or discussing any interpersonal relationships or history that could constitute plot, context or back-story.

Frankly they are such terrible company to be in that you actually want them to die and the slow pace of the film just causes frustration when you find you are an hour in and they are still not dead yet.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

30 July 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Blair Witch Project

Filming Locations:

Maryland, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$60,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$1,512,054, 18 July 1999

Gross USA:

$140,539,099

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$248,639,099

Company Credits

Production Co:

Haxan Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

81 min 88 min (Special Edition)

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1