Review

Building a legend on top of a legend, The Blair Witch Project purports to be footage that three student filmmakers took while researching the myth in the cursed woods. Needless to say, the three were never found, and this film linearly pieces together their footage (video and 16mm) as a documentary. The trip starts bouncily enough, but as they become lost, the film becomes truly terrifying, thanks to the audience being placed in the very same situation as the "actors". Never knowing what's behind a tree, or what's in the dark, the dread relentlessly builds, especially for those with active imaginations. Heather Donahue's breakdown is particularly compelling (and almost unbearable). Stylistically perfect, it's so realistic (no music, no voice–over, no omniscient footage) that the cynical camcorder generation can finally suspend disbelief at a horror movie. However, those expecting the shocks and jumps (and accompanying catharsis) of a Halloween or Scream will be disappointed. Accept this film as it is: a "documentary" that's a totally original experiment in terror. The website is an integral part of the experience.