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Roach & Seals Reels: "The Blair Witch Project"
by Donnie Seals Jr.
Assistant Photo Editor
and Chris Roach
Correspondent
Throughout the 100 years or so that movies have been around, breakthroughs have always rocked the boat and changed the industry. In the same way that the introduction of sound and the dawning of special effects changed movies, a new film era was born with "The Blair Witch Project."
Due to Internet hype and buzz generated by word of mouth, "Blair Witch" was the movie to see this past summer, and its $22,000 budget generated more than $100 million at the box office. So how did this happen just by using videotape and 16mm film? The answer is simple--creativity.
Directors' Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez made a horror film unlike any other--it seemed real. The cameras were part of the movie, and this brought the audience closer to the terror. Due to the fact that you never see the monster, it was your imagination that inspired fear.
When I saw "The Blair Witch Project" in the theater, I was not scared. Months of hype and anticipation had raised my expectations through the roof. Seeing what is essentially "lost" video footage, on the big screen lowers the scare-o-meter quite a bit. Yet watching this movie at home, in the dark, after all the hype, my feelings changed. This is a scary film. If you can make yourself believe this footage is real (like the people who offered to help in the search for the missing three when the movie was released) and get yourself into it, you are in for one hell of a good thrill. Despite what other people might think, watching "The Blair Witch Project" eight times might not be a bad idea. It gets spookier with each viewing. This movie proves (take note film students) that you don’t need a big budget and stars to make an impact on the film world. You just need to work hard, use your imagination, and be original. If life in the big city gives you writer block, just take a nice hike in the woods to get those creative juices flowing.
AUDIO
The English 2.0 track on “The Blair Witch Project” is bland at best, and it is not going to blow you away with explosion-like sound effects. Is it supposed to? No. The audio for this DVD fits the film and the stereo soundtrack produces the director’s desired effects.
VIDEO
“The Blair Witch Project” is not quite widescreen and yet, not quite full frame. Myrick and Sanchez mix video and 16mm film, so you get a box frame on the screen. To those film purists who feel the full frame look on this DVD is shaving some of the picture, think again. To be honest, “The Blair Witch Project” isn’t really full frame. Try the term “windowboxed” (thanks to Bill Hunt from The Digital Bits).
If you remember in the theater, the movie was a box shape with space on the sides. The use of video and 16mm film gives the film a lot of grain, which will be very noticeable in the night scenes. None of this takes away any viewing pleasure, unless you get motion sickness from the shaking of the video camera.
EXTRAS
There is nothing to fear about buying this DVD. It is loaded with more extras than the film "Gone With the Wind." First, you get the "Curse of the Blair Witch," which originally was a special for the Sci-Fi channel, but if you missed it, now is your chance. This mockumentary is a great companion to the film. There are mock interviews with the people who found the footage and with others who talk about the myths of "Blair Witch." This little feature will give you insight on many of the questions the film leaves you with. The disc also has "newly discovered footage," which is really only one drawn out scene--a nice little extra for "Blair Witch" fans. It also features three different trailers for the film, and cast and crew biographies. Plus, it has director and producer commentary, which brings you inside the film as they reveal their secrets to making the movie. Like the film itself, this DVD is priced to fit your budget.
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