The Blair Witch Project (1999) Dir: Eduardo Sánchez & Daniel Myrick
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This 1999 film is already a classic in the horror community, thanks in no small part to its role as catalyst for a raft of found footage horror films. This Eduardo Sánchez and Daniel Myrick directed film was made on a budget of $60,000, and, rather incredibly, made $248.6 million at the box office.
While this does not guarantee quality of film, it certainly bodes well. The film was, at you would expect from the budget, very simple in its story, filming and visuals. However, all of this worked in its favour, as it only increased the realism of the film.
It was easy to believe what was happening on-screen, which is no doubt a huge factor in why this film works so well. The story relies on very simple, but effective, horror techniques to create suspense and fear - something that was done superbly.
Even the opening scenes, used for some basic exposition, were done in a way that subtly began to build tension and lay the roots for the more sinister scenes later on.
The story got progressively more eerie and tense, until the final climactic scene which brings the film to a sudden and scary end. The characters weren't likeable at first, but I began to root for them more as the film progressed.
Of the three protagonists, Rei Hance was the best performer, particularly with her emotional outbursts, which were very believable. That said, both Joshua Leonard and Michael C. Williams are very good in their own right.
Together, the three work seamlessly, acting and reacting realistically, something that should not be overlooked in explaining why the film works so well.
Overall, this film was an innovator of horror and a genre originating and defining piece of cinema. It is another great example of films being successful on a budget, and remains the best example of found footage horror to date.
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