Review of Blair Witch Project, The: Special Edition

Video

The Blair Witch Project is released on Region 1 DVD at the same time it gets its UK cinema release. This is arguably the most over hyped movie to hit us for years. If the rumours we hear are true, this film will cause widespread coronaries, nightmares galore and garbled shrieking that even the likes of that bird Bjork cannot match. This film’s pre info even beat the scariness hype we endured in 1991 for the Silence of the Lambs.

This film is a low budget (50,000 dollars to make on Hi-8 video and 16mm film) effort by an unknown team. Much of the film’s popularity is largely attributable to the related internet web site (www.blairwitch.com) that has been up and running for a few months before the film got its release.

The video quality is as you would expect and looks like what it is – a camcorder movie! Most of the film was shot by the actors themselves after minimal training. It is in 1.33:1 format, and the handshaking camera work adds to the visual impact of the film.

The film alternates between the colour Hi-8 video, and black and white 16mm film, and skilful editing has resulted in a powerful, hard hitting horror movie.

But is it scary? Well.

Audio

Due the nature of the equipment used, the film is recorded on Dolby Digital stereo only. This still allows the eerie sounds in the woods and strange noises the three hear, to enhance the atmosphere and impact of the film.

Features

There are several notable extras included.

One is a documentary that I would say was vital viewing for understanding to the full the actual plot! Cinema goers who see The Blair Witch Project will be left wondering what the ending was all about, had they not paid full attention to the start of the movie. DVD owners with these extras fair better, as the documentary, and also the commentary that accompanies the film, should really be viewed to ‘get’ it. I would say it is better to watch the documentary before seeing the film itself. This gives a good background to the movie.

You also get the usual clutch of trailers, and fantastic animated menus which can almost be described as ‘Alien’ quality.

Conclusion

Well, back to my original question. Is it scary?

For me the answer was a resounding NO! It is however a highly original and very clever film. I thought to myself before it started – ‘This will be a GOOD horror film’, rather than the usual Hellraiser/Evil Dead load of rubbish which I can never understand the appeal of. So yes, I was looking forward to hiding behind the settee during this. We did everything we could – late at night, large 8ft projector screen, no lights on in the house at all, but no I wasn’t in the least scared which I was sorry about. We took our pulses at the end, and my friend’s was racing, and mine was just plodding along. Oh well.

That said, it is a must-see movie, even just to satisfy yourself that it was over hyped, and to see if you found it scarier than Silence of the Lambs (which I DID find scarier). It is also a very clever film, and full credit to the production company for taking on the big boys with a cheap movie that already had a massive following before its release.