The Hollywood Outsider – Film and Television Podcast | Reviews An award-winning film and television podcast for the fan in all of us
Day 11 – The Blair Witch Project
Oh yes. Just wait for the nerd explosion for mentioning this one in a list for the most influential or favorite horror films. ‘It sucks!’, ‘Overrated!’, ‘Not Scary!’. They’re so cute in their hipster igloos. Are you a person that is a fan of the ‘Found Footage’ genre? Then say your thanks. It is all due to this film. Paranormal Activity 1-36, Last Exorcism, even Cloverfield, all owe their debt to the well filmed and masterful marketing this gem pulled off at the time of its release. And also, still the most successful Found Footage film to date.
So why suggest it when so many declare outrage against it? Because it’s still good. Like most Found Footage flicks, it does not hold up to repeat viewings, but if you have never seen Blair Witch? You owe it to yourself to turn the lights out, grab a couple friends and enjoy the surroundings.
Released in 1999, The Blair Witch Project offers itself as a collection of footage recovered from 3 missing documentarians investigating the aforementioned Blair Witch legend, deep in the heart of woodland Maryland. The movie builds slowly and methodically, as our heroes – Heather, Josh & Mike – find themselves more and more lost, all the while realizing they have become part of the very legend they were researching. The film is capped off with an exhilirating ending that will have you freeze-framing and possibly slapping the person to your immediate right…then rewinding just to see if you really saw what you think you did.
Ignore the countless imitators and grossly overthought sequel, The Blair Witch Project is one of those rare horror films that launched an entirely new genre and finally gave us something we constantly say we really want – Something new. If you have never seen it, ignore the haters (who probably raved about it at the time, but hipster mentality says to bury that deep, deep inside), and give it a look. – Aaron
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There’s our list. Some you might agree with, some you may not. We do not know all though. So what Horror films do YOU feel are required viewing for All Hallows Eve?