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Heather Donahue, Michael Williams, Joshua Leonard, Bob Griffith, Jim King ... see more see more... , Sandra Sánchez , Ed Swanson , Patricia Decou , Kim Richards , Bob Griffin , Michael C. Williams

Combining Hi-8 video with black-and-white 16 mm film, this film presents a raw look at what can happen when college students forego common sense and enter the world of voodoo and witchcraft. Presented... read more read more... as a straightforward documentary, the film opens with a title card explaining that in 1994, three students went into the Maryland back woods to do a film project on the Blair Witch incidents. These kids were never seen again, and the film you are about to see is from their recovered equipment, found in the woods a year later. The entire movie documents their adventures leading up to their final minutes. The Blair Witch incident, as we initially learn from the local town elders, is an old legend about a group of witches who tortured and killed several children many years ago. Everyone in town knows the story and they're all sketchy on the details. Out in the woods and away from their parked car (and civilization), what starts as a school exercise turns into a nightmare when the three kids lose their map. Forced to spend extra days finding their way out, the kids then start to hear horrific sounds outside their tents in the pitch-black middle of night. They also find strange artifacts from (what can only be) the Blair Witch, still living in the woods. Frightened, they desperately try to find their way out of the woods, with no luck. Slowly these students start to unravel, knowing they have no way of getting out, no food, and it's getting cold. Each night they are confronted with shrieking and sounds so haunting that they are convinced someone is following them, and they quickly begin to fear for their lives. The film premiered in the midnight movie section at the 1999 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Chris Gore, Rovi

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47% liked it

367,860 ratings

Critics

85% liked it

133 critics

R, 1 hr. 27 min.

Directed by: Daniel Myrick, Bob Griffin, Eduardo Sánchez (II), Eduardo Sanchez, Daniel/Eduardo Myrick/Sanchez, Bob Griffith, Heather Donahue, Jim King, Joshua Leonard, Michael C. Williams, Michael Williams, Sandra Sánchez

Release Date: July 30, 1999

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DVD Release Date: October 26, 1999

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Stats: 21,741 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (21,741)

  • moonrivers
    October 2, 2011
    moonrivers
    Reputation precedes this work justifiably as the effect achieved is immersion into the DNA of terror namely: your own imagination. One might ask, "What's the worst that can happen?", but in truth you already know. You already know.
  • FrizzDrop
    September 30, 2011
    FrizzDrop
    An innovation in film making and the first in the realism by the handheld camera genre, Blair Witch sparked films such as Cloverfield, Paranormal Activity, and Quarantine. Besides that, it is a really well made film. Drawing on old Hollywood's technique of building suspense witho... read moreut showing the ghost in the closet or the scary monster under the bed, Blair Witch leaves much up to the imagination. Three filmmakers, two are friendly, one is an outsider. As they become lost in the vast woods, running low on supplies and turning on one another for a scapegoat, they also come into contact with a series of strange events, including footsteps all around their campsite, piles of rocks, and bundles of twigs that were not there when they arrived. Blair addresses all the audience's concerns by answering the questions of: Why are you still filming even though there's a witch after you? Where's the confrontation towards your new member? Everything that you're expecting to poke holes in is covered, and so it's a character study in a way. As the terror builds, the truth comes out amongst them: we may die. Not of starvation, but by the hands of this thing that's hunting us. The drive in the witch is fueled by Joshua's disturbance of a scared cairn, and in doing so is her principle target, getting slimed and chased through the woods. This ghost is furious, all powerful, and unstoppable, exemplifying the best kind of fear. The only reason I couldn't get into it fully was because I know none of it is real, this isn't 1999 when the sensationalism was building for this film, and Paranormal Activity scared the pants off me years later with its payoff. Still, a true gem of horror film making.
  • superjoker1
    August 13, 2011
    superjoker1
    Although it might seem sluggish to some, the whole thing is fascinating and incredibly realistic. The concept is simple but powerful, and the movie shifts from fun joyride to riveting drama to shocking horror. It's surprising that nobody in this movie got nominated for an oscar, ... read moreconsidering how realistic they were in extremely demanding roles. In the end the movie's not full out scary, but it's creepy and gut wrenching and really makes you feel for the three students. I had trouble sleeping afterward even though I was long way away from any woods.
  • fb729949618
    August 1, 2011
    fb729949618
    4 and a half stars simply for it's uniqueness. Breakthrough movie with new scares and filming techniques. Good movie when I was 10 and good movie to this day. Props.
  • murphmann93
    June 23, 2011
    murphmann93
    Scary but the storyline is badly written. Quite boring and overrated.
  • sergioogarcia
    June 23, 2011
    sergioogarcia
    Another classic. Supposedly put it togheter from an amateur video about a Blair's witch documentary. That's the key of the film. Really scary if you think of it that way.
  • blkbomb
    June 21, 2011
    blkbomb
    Josh: "OK, here's your motivation. You're lost, you're angry in the woods, and no one is here to help you. There's a witch and she keeps leaving shit outside your door. There's no one here to help you! She left little trinkets, you took one of them, she ran after us. There's no o... read morene here to help you! We walked for 15 hours today, we ended up in the same place! There's no one here to help you, THAT'S your motivation! THAT'S YOUR MOTIVATION!" Besides The House of the Devil, The Blair Witch Project is my favorite horror movie made in the last 15 years. There is something to be said for a movie that can show absolutely nothing and still be as scary as this movie is. Watching the actors; it's actually believable that all this happened. It doesn't at all seem like they are acting. It seems like they are in a screwed up situation and they are reacting like anyone would. I love how the movie is shot. I like the shaky cam. It gives the movie a much more real feel. Other than the ending, my favorite part of the movie is the interviews. They really set us up for everything that is going to happen throughout the entire movie. The father son fishing interview was by far the best. It was funny and just like real life. Sme people believe, some don't. This is a very under appreciated movie.
  • DreamExtractor
    March 27, 2011
    DreamExtractor
    One of my favorite horror films. It works on so many levels because (unlike Paranormal Activity) the handheld camera works, and the actors are unknown so I could believe them better.
  • TheDudeLebowski65
    March 20, 2011
    TheDudeLebowski65
    Looking back over ten years after it's initial release, The Blair Witch Project is an impressive, yet flawed documentary style Horror film. Filmed as "found" footage, Blair Witch is a chilling film. However there are many films of in this genre that are far superior to this film.... read more One example comes to mind, Cannibal Holocaust. Cannibal Holocaust was more raw, intense and chilling than this. Many people have claimed that this film ripped off Cannibal Holocaust, I can see similarities, example the found footage angle. But thats where it ends. The Blair Witch Project is not a perfect film, but you have to admit that they were able to craft something like this with a 16 mm Camera and turn out a profit, and making it one of the most "chilling", "scary" "found footage" films ever as what everyone in the movie critics circle has been saying about this film. I don't think it's scary, but I do believe its chilling. The Blair Witch Project is the type of film thats been sorta killed by the hype. Every mainstream critic that called it the scariest film since The Exorcist doesn't know what they're talking about. I mentioned it was the scariest of it kind, but I stress the fact that it's what mainstream critics say of this film. Blair Witch is chilling and tense, but never feels truly scary. There are far better films of this genre that are much more scary, disturbing and twisted than this. I enjoyed the film, I thought it was a very creative effort, but honestly I don't see why the film has gotten so much praise than it deserves is beyond me. If you want the best found footage film, hunt down a copy of the unrated, uncut version Cannibal Holocaust. But if you're new to the genre, then give this one a look. A good film, but nothing phenomenal.
  • sanjurosamurai
    January 15, 2011
    sanjurosamurai
    not as "good" as many other horror favorites, but this is simply put the single scariest film that i have ever seen. the ambiance is perfect for fear and the filming method made for a terrifying atmosphere. very effective.

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Critic Reviews

Bob Longino
October 18, 2008
Bob Longino, Atlanta Journal-Constitution

[A] creepy tale of witchcraft, murders and ghost sightings. Full Review

Jeff Giles
September 24, 2007
Jeff Giles, Newsweek

Heather's shaky video work can induce motion sickness -- it looks like combat footage as she bolts through the woods -- but just try turning away. Full Review

David Edelstein
September 24, 2007
David Edelstein, Slate

I could tell you the story -- give away every detail -- and The Blair Witch Project would still freeze your blood. Full Review

Kirk Honeycutt
September 24, 2007
Kirk Honeycutt, Hollywood Reporter

The viewer never glimpses anything more than the shadow of a clever movie.

Jonathan Rosenbaum
September 24, 2007
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader

What gives the film much of its force and its mounting sense of queasy uncertainty is its narrative method, which ensures that we know no more about the proceedings than the characters do. Full Review

Andrew Sarris
April 27, 2007
Andrew Sarris, New York Observer

Where is the suspense? Where is the involvement? Where is the identification? Full Review

Bruce Westbrook
July 21, 2005
Bruce Westbrook, Houston Chronicle

If you can handle its unconventional approach, you won't feel as if you're seeing a film so much as witnessing a living nightmare. Full Review

Liam Lacey
April 25, 2003
Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail

What can anyone say about The Blair Witch Project that hasn't been trumpeted from a thousand Web sites already? Full Review

Edward Guthmann
June 18, 2002
Edward Guthmann, San Francisco Chronicle

There's no denying the terror in The Blair Witch Project. It's fierce, it's palpable and it gets deep under the skin. Full Review

Kevin Thomas
February 14, 2001
Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times

In short, the film is a clever, entertaining stunt, no more, no less, and a terrific calling card for its fledgling filmmakers, Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez. Full Review

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The Blair Witch Project Trivia

  • In what state did the three hikers get lost in The Blair Witch Project?  Answer »
  • In the Blair Witch project, During the night, When they hear children about, What do the children and the blair witch then do?  Answer »
  • What horror film caused some theatres to suggest that patrons prone to motion sickness sit in the aisle seats?   Answer »
  • *****Heather, Joshua and Michael were the Three Main Characters in which 1999 Film*****  Answer »
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