The new issue of RUE MORGUE MAGAZINE is out and this month's cover story is a look back at the most successful independent film of all time, THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT. It is the 10th anniversary of the film, so I thought I would see what you thought of this film. While not every horror fan liked the movie, just about everyone went to see it in the theater. It was made for around $35,000 dollars and grossed around $250 million worldwide! I was actually one of the ones that didn't care for this film. While hyped more than any movie I can remember, I recall it being a huge let down for me upon finally viewing the film. As you recall, there was a huge Internet campaign, which is pretty common now, but a fairly new marketing approach at the time. Also, the film company tried to (with great results) get people to think this was a real documentary and that the film was the "lost footage" actually found years later that showed the "missing" kids and what happened to them. Even though I knew this was not true, and it was just a regular horror movie, I was still pumped to see it after hearing so much about it. I remember sitting in the theater and wondering "when it was going to pick up and get better". It seemed to be that the only thing the filmmakers were using to try to scare us were spooky sounds and sticks hanging from trees. Sticks aren't that scary to me...especially if you are in the woods (sticks belong there!)! Anyway, I remember it starting to get good....the kids go into the house at the end to see their buddy standing in a corner......what is going to happen now, I asked? Is something going to come out and get him? And do you remember what happened? The screen went blank and the credits starting rolling. Um...excuse me, did we forget something here? Are we really going to have the climax of the film being that we see a guy standing in the corner? Oh well. I remember some friends I was with being totally freaked out and thinking it was the scariest thing they ever saw. I just didn't get it. Nothing about that movie was scary to me. I have to admit though, that was the one and only time I saw this film. I didn't care for it, so I never bothered to re-visit it on video/DVD. Maybe I should....maybe in my house with all the lights out it would be scarier, or maybe all the scares they left off screen for you to imagine would be better with 10 more years of my developing mind. Who knows. Anyway, that is my view, and I would like to hear yours! Did you like this movie? Did it actually scare you? Discuss!
Sunday, July 19, 2009
THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT 10th anniversary...what did YOU think of this film?
The new issue of RUE MORGUE MAGAZINE is out and this month's cover story is a look back at the most successful independent film of all time, THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT. It is the 10th anniversary of the film, so I thought I would see what you thought of this film. While not every horror fan liked the movie, just about everyone went to see it in the theater. It was made for around $35,000 dollars and grossed around $250 million worldwide! I was actually one of the ones that didn't care for this film. While hyped more than any movie I can remember, I recall it being a huge let down for me upon finally viewing the film. As you recall, there was a huge Internet campaign, which is pretty common now, but a fairly new marketing approach at the time. Also, the film company tried to (with great results) get people to think this was a real documentary and that the film was the "lost footage" actually found years later that showed the "missing" kids and what happened to them. Even though I knew this was not true, and it was just a regular horror movie, I was still pumped to see it after hearing so much about it. I remember sitting in the theater and wondering "when it was going to pick up and get better". It seemed to be that the only thing the filmmakers were using to try to scare us were spooky sounds and sticks hanging from trees. Sticks aren't that scary to me...especially if you are in the woods (sticks belong there!)! Anyway, I remember it starting to get good....the kids go into the house at the end to see their buddy standing in a corner......what is going to happen now, I asked? Is something going to come out and get him? And do you remember what happened? The screen went blank and the credits starting rolling. Um...excuse me, did we forget something here? Are we really going to have the climax of the film being that we see a guy standing in the corner? Oh well. I remember some friends I was with being totally freaked out and thinking it was the scariest thing they ever saw. I just didn't get it. Nothing about that movie was scary to me. I have to admit though, that was the one and only time I saw this film. I didn't care for it, so I never bothered to re-visit it on video/DVD. Maybe I should....maybe in my house with all the lights out it would be scarier, or maybe all the scares they left off screen for you to imagine would be better with 10 more years of my developing mind. Who knows. Anyway, that is my view, and I would like to hear yours! Did you like this movie? Did it actually scare you? Discuss!
I liked Blair Witch, up to a point. I love how the producers were able to create an almost urban-legend lore about the backstory by just word-of-mouth. But the ending lost me, too. I literally had to be told what it meant, and then I was pissed. And let's not even discuss the crap-tastic sequel...
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