The Blair Witch Project - A Masterclass in Subtlety

[@Vaille32]

I saw this in the theater. I was 24 and left the theater thinking “wtf did I just watch?” I was hugely disappointed. But over the years, it’s grown on me and I rewatch it every few years. These days, love the psychological horror. The simplicity and atmosphere amplify that horror exponentially.

[@Talesfromtheshelf]

Thanks so much for watching and this comment. I love hearing the perspective of people who got to see this in the theater.

[@Vaille32]

@@Talesfromtheshelf I was underwhelmed, having felt like I’d just sat thru 2 hours of watching someone’s home videos. It was boring 😝

[@graygarrison2692]

Yes I don't care what Anyone says The Blair Witch Project is a terrifying masterpiece ​@@Talesfromtheshelf

[@graygarrison2692]

​@@TalesfromtheshelfMy favorite Scary movie is The Changeling from 1980

[@jeremywadian310]

I’ve always felt that The Blair Witch Project was a great judge of empathy. If you have the ability to put yourself into someone else’s situation it’s a scary movie. Being lost in the woods and having those strange fucked up things happen would frighten just about anyone. But if you watch the movie just wanting to see a witch scare and hurt people it’s not scary.

[@Talesfromtheshelf]

Thank you!! Yes absolutely. This is my entire thought process towards the movie for the most part. Thanks for watching !!

[@jacklopez2183]

The first time I saw this movie I was about 11 or 12 years old. My dad showed it to my brother and I the day before we left for a camping trip. He even went to the length of building twig figures and rock piles that we found outside of our tents. What was probably just his way of screwing with us became one of my favorite memories and endeared me to this movie and the found footage genre for the rest of time

[@Talesfromtheshelf]

Your dad sounds awesome haha

[@thefrener794]

Some people will say this film is not scary, but then claim the government is fearmongering with just words. Does not make sense.

[@Icarais69]

An excellent analysis of an influential late-1990s classic... I saw it in the theater the year it came out. The dread was really palpable and, as we came to the ending, you could sense almost the whole audience exhale in an "Ohhh..." because it was so deeply uncomfortable a film experience. And yet, once we'd made that sound, this teenage/college-age young man behind me yelled, "It was stupid!" It's a truly polarizing experience. I was so scared I slept with the light on that night, and I treasure THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT because it's the only film I've viewed in a theater that's forced me to do that.

[@Talesfromtheshelf]

Wow! Thanks so much for watching and the kind words. I value the insights of those who experienced the film when it premiered. It’s a perspective I’ll never have so I find it very valuable. Well said man!

[@Icarais69]

@@Talesfromtheshelf Thank you. That's kind of you too. I'll take a look at the rest of your reviews soon. Best wishes, and much joy to you....

[@gnarlycat]

I remember seeing this movie in the theater when i was really young…and I still love it today. It is so raw and makes the most of the less is best approach to film making. Most horror films today use special effects that look more cheesy than scary. Great video! I really enjoyed it and agree 100% with your take on the movie.

[@Talesfromtheshelf]

Thanks so much for watching and the nice comment! I appreciate it!

[@jamesa.romano8500]

I feel like Late Night with the Devil comes the closest in recent memory of matching what Blair Witch Project did, but the film's fatal flaw is that it gives in to the temptation to become a conventional horror film a the 11th hour by allowing Abraxas to completely manifest the child Lily and have her massacre of the guests take place on camera. A simple dimming of the lights accompanied by only wild screams of terror could probably have been more effective - interestingly most people take bigger issue with the final shot (which I'm not going to spoil) rather than the special effects-fueled part.

[@Talesfromtheshelf]

I couldn’t agree more. What Blair witch does so masterfully is it doesn’t disprove any theory. If you think the Blair witch is real, you’re right. If you think there was no witch, you’re also right. They don’t spell anything out for you, allowing our imagination to run wild. Thank you for watching !

[@beqi13]

I saw this in the theatre and the implications alone scared the shit out of me.

[@Talesfromtheshelf]

Man that’s awesome. I hope I can catch a re release one day.

[@Celerott]

I remember when it first came out in the theater, it was a blast to watch. I love that we didn't see anything. It really leaves it up to our imagination. You don't know if it's a crazy person or people, a cult, or if it actually is the Blair Witch.

[@Talesfromtheshelf]

Well said! I love hearing from people who saw this in theaters. Thank you for that comment and thank you for watching !

[@Celerott]

@@Talesfromtheshelf With how ambiguous the movie is, it could easily be a generational cult, punishing anyone who seeks out to exploit the Blair Witch. I think it's even more interesting that the people they talked to in the town are members too.

[@Selena-gz9ts]

My husband and I saw this in the theater. Close to the end, the film messed up. It started showing the boxes flipping through, ripping, and burning some. Kind of like it did in I think it did in "Gremlins" (I can't 100% remember) All of us watching it thought it was part of the movie being a "found footage" film. All of a sudden the lights came on and we were instructed to leave. When we finally watched the whole movie we were so disappointed and felt like the ending of the film messing up was a better ending. Maybe we were just too hyped up to finish it. 🤷‍♀️

[@Talesfromtheshelf]

Wow that’s very interesting…makes you think about other possible endings. Thanks for watching !!

[@AuthorCertifiedGoof]

The Blair Witch Project remains one of my favorite horror movies of all time. I think their ability to build on the story through mockumentaries also added to how much I enjoy what they accomplished. I went to see this in the theater back in 1999 and hadn’t really heard or seen any of the things they used to promote the film on the internet. I’d just heard it was a great horror movie and I decided I wanted to see it! The theater in Seattle where it played actually put up an article in a display case outside explaining that this wasn’t a real story and talked all about their internet promotion. So I went into the theater knowing this wasn’t real. And I still loved it! Only later did I find the documentaries and discovered the myths they built surrounding the story. And then I became obsessed with what they did. It wasn’t even until my drive home after the movie that I realized why Mike was standing in the corner before Heather got knocked out. Call back to the Rustin Parr story! I remember thinking WOAH! Now that’s awesome!!

[@allison5104]

I have never had such a visceral reaction to a film as when I saw Mike in that corner. What a moment, and without any violence or traditionally scary imagery.

[@Talesfromtheshelf]

Thanks for your awesome comment! I love hearing about other peoples experiences with this film.

[@OmegaFox09]

I rmember watching this movie at a sleepover. We watched it at night in the living room. And the living room had windows into the deep forest which made it even scarier.

[@Talesfromtheshelf]

Damn that sounds like a vibe

[@tylerinternet]

watched this for the first time when i was like 15, had no idea what i was getting into i loved it.....and havent wanted to watch it again since

[@Talesfromtheshelf]

Dudee you gotta watch it again soon

[@i.aint.1.of.ur.little.friends]

I just subscribed! Love this video. This film came out When I was thirteen years old. I had just moved from a very big city to a small town and there were woods right outside my house. After i saw this film it was a wrap. I no longer wanted to explore the woods. When I tell you i was terrified and kept my curtains closed at all times 😂.... i aint lying. That movie is a classic.

[@Talesfromtheshelf]

Dude that’s so funny haha thanks for sharing that story! I love hearing all the different ways this movie impacted peoples lives. Thanks for watching !!

[@Nocturnalux]

I was a teen when it came out and saw it on the big screen, I even had the CD with the soundtrack at some point. But I never thought it was real. My mother being a prosecutor, I was much more aware of the legal nightmare that it’d be to release actual found footage of people who had gone missing just a few years prior. The marketing campaign, including the sites and lore, I loved for the novelty of it all. Never believed it was real for a second.

[@Talesfromtheshelf]

Interesting perspective! Thank you for checking out the video

[@Isabella-gq4js]

Ok now I’ll finally watch it

[@Talesfromtheshelf]

I hope you enjoy it, despite me spoiling some of the movie !

[@steelcurtain187]

This was amazing work my friend 😎 I just subscribed

[@Talesfromtheshelf]

Thank you !! I really appreciate that.

[@TalksFromTheCrypt]

Amazing film and amazing video essay on it!!

[@Talesfromtheshelf]

Thanks so much for watching man that’s awesome! Glad you liked it

[@JoseVasquez-sp6kc]

I watched the entire movie opening weekend thinking I was watching the last images of actual victims. The effectiveness of that fake documentary about the Blair Witch a week before the release cannot be overstated. That was the key for me.

[@Talesfromtheshelf]

Man that must’ve been crazy! I wish I was around back then haha

[@JustSomeGuyOutdoors]

I personally like the theory that Josh and Mike plotted to kill Heather. In her journal she writes about slowly losing trust in both of them. Mike "loses the map" and Josh doesn't seem very shocked. In the house Mike yells and runs upstairs potentially allowing Josh to get to the basement and then yells "I'm going downstairs" to let josh know to be ready

[@Talesfromtheshelf]

The beautiful thing about this movie is that technically, any theory is correct. They never say or do anything to prove anything one way or another. Thanks for watching!

[@TheUndeadOfNight]

Count me as one of the Blair Witch Project fans , but only the first one . Agree with everything you said in this well thought out video . Your thoughts about why people find it slow and dull has me thinking about rewatching some movies I have said the same about . The VVitch is one of them , watched it a couple of times but can't get into it . I hated it the first viewing because the trailers set it up as a child snatching witch horror movie ( just like people expecting a witch in BWP ) . Halloween is a good excuse to give it a 3rd try , thanks for the reminder .

[@Talesfromtheshelf]

Hey thanks for watching man! I appreciate the feedback.

[@SpaceAlienJesus]

I love this movie... I was 13 when it came out and there was no Internet in every home . We thought it was real ( to a degree ) Very effective in mood and atmosphere..

[@Talesfromtheshelf]

@@SpaceAlienJesus that’s so cool! Thank you for watching !

[@SpaceAlienJesus]

@@Talesfromtheshelf thank you as well ..

[@Marcus616]

I love this movie. I’m more scared with the unknown and the tension. But, of course there’s the audience who prefer cheap wall to wall jump scares especially if it’s part of The Conjuring universe. If that’s their taste it’s okay, but personally those movies are boring and not at all scary. The Blair Witch Project haunted me as a teen and still does as an adult for a reason. It’s genuine.

[@Talesfromtheshelf]

Well said man. I couldn’t agree more. Thanks so much for watching, hope you enjoyed.

[@dexterwatson-n1c]

yes! yes! yes! the BEST!!!!

[@Talesfromtheshelf]

Hell yeah

[@shanecasebeer1364]

TBH, I was underwhelmed with this seeing it on the theatres after all the hype - similar to how I experienced another slow burn of a movie, The Shining. Nevertheless, I became increasingly drawn to both, albeit not "Room 237" level of fandom. I think it would be interesting to see a video review showing comparisons/contrasts between these two. Both had lead actresses who were somewhat maligned, and lots of ambiguity. However, very different in terms of directors, production values, etc. At any rate, I enjoyed this retrospective!

[@Talesfromtheshelf]

Hey thanks for watching! Good point as far comparing the two films. I hadn’t really ever thought of it but you make a compelling argument.

[@BloodSweatandFears]

I watched this movie when I was like 9 or 10, and it scared the heck out of me 😂 I loved it though and I give this movie credit for my taste for horror movies ❤ 🔪

[@Talesfromtheshelf]

You have great taste in horror! Thanks for watching 🫡😎

[@thefrener794]

This was before super bright LED lights.

[@georgenelawson9917]

Its just a theory. A horror theory! And cut lol .

[@BlondieYouTube]

Yo why so few likes? You deserve more subs!

[@Talesfromtheshelf]

Thank you so much! That’s such an awesome thing to say, I really appreciate that!

[@BlondieYouTube]

@@Talesfromtheshelf I subbed by the way, normally I sub to different types of channels, but I liked your video so much I felt you deserved more! Keep on doing the great work!

[@Talesfromtheshelf]

@@BlondieKZbin comments like that are very validating so I definitely appreciate it. I’ve got more videos coming soon!

[@georgenelawson9917]

There's so many shows and movies where I'm reminded of Michael Myers or Halloween its like all one big tree of entertainment and Michael is the trunk of that tree with everything else about evil or close enough to it branching off from it that sounds lot like Halloween ends like Michael is the source and branches can be formed from him like Corey or in thorn trilogy Jaime or in Rob zombies ones Laurie everyone has a piece of Michael in them it's how much you feed the darkness is how much of it grows and takes over you and that's if Michael is the source or the only source bunch of exorcist reminds me of Halloween and I was like it'd be cool to do a crossover would explain a bunch you don't have to name like a demon or devil or pazuzu just say its evil like in Halloween but its all the same thing and can be anyone anywhere lol at any time lol

[@rickygillies28]

You should check out Gonjiam: haunted asylum

[@Talesfromtheshelf]

I’ve seen it! Good movie

[@rickygillies28]

@@Talesfromtheshelf I feel like most horror films these days are really mediocre but korean horror has really brought my interest back .

[@georgenelawson9917]

Did Michael hear a voice from the woods like that dude from the Blair witch is that why he snapped and killed Judith was she talking to him as he grew up in the hospital is that what he sees when he's looking outside the Blair witch or something similar lol

[@Talesfromtheshelf]

I don’t hate this theory lol

[@EtherBotGames]

in my opinion, blair with 2016 is better than a lot of people give it credit for. it definitely lacks the same earthy, realistic, ugly, human production and tone/aesthetic, its a lot more "polished" to its arguable detriment. But, personally, if you just look at the material itself rather than the manner in which it was filmed, it has a lot of interesting and elusive things to add to the blair witch story. This monster who evokes a nightmare version of Kedward "stretched" on the makeshift rack, dovetailing with the original film's contradictory and ambiguous usage of the Rustin Parr story, the way it ends w/ a time-loop implying bookend, reinforcing the timeline weirdness of the original, the "twig-snapping" scene......etc......all make a movie thats incredibly unnerving and mysterious and willing to suggest its horror more than a lot of major studio found footage films do (witchy monster notwithstanding). I also think it shows such a strong grasp on what makes the woods in Blair Witch scary, this sort of oppressive, folkloric, dreamlike, suggestive power.

[@Talesfromtheshelf]

Thank you for this comment! I can tell you’re very passionate about 2016 and you definitely make some good points. For me, that all sounds great on paper but it just isn’t there for me in the film itself.

[@dronessential]

No.

[@EtherBotGames]

@@dronessential my bad, I hadn't thought about it that way

[@JoeLigmama]

The fact they wanted to show a person in a white sheet running through the woods for a scare proves the director's are cheap hacks. The only reason the film is a good as it is is the actors. Most effective horror film of all time.

[@Talesfromtheshelf]

@@JoeLigmama by that same logic Spielberg is a hack too since the shark in jaws didn’t work as much as he wanted? I’d consider it a happy accident