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John Robie looks at THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT

Well our faithful feline felon furls his brow and takes a piercing peep at that film that has 'GOTTEN' to a lot of folks. This little film that could is going to be at CANNES, word has it that up in Chicago there's going to be some screenings (details are sketchy)... But you know... the film opens the same day as EYES WIDE SHUT, and ya know? See Kubrick first (don't be an idiot, Kubrick's last gift to mankind should be opened first) but after the 5 hours of excited spilling of words out of your mouth and the jabbering holes of your friends... Wander back to the theater (walk at night) and check out this one. It might just crawl under your skin... Here's Robie...

Blair Witch Project review—

To do this right I’m going to throw some advice out to any of you (any of you left who don’t know, that is) who have heard a few whispers about this flick and are curious as to what the hell it is. Stop reading this review right now, don’t read any other review of it you see in newspapers or the internet, shut off the television if they start talking about it and stuff a tennis ball in your friend’s mouth if he starts spouting off about what he heard it is. I even think the poster they had for it at Sundance gives away a bit too much, and it’s only a black poster with a small image of half a face and a tiny little figure at the bottom and the title “The Blair Witch Project.” If there was ever, EVER, a movie that will get under your skin—ESPECIALLY if you know NOTHING about it before hand—it’s this movie. I apologize for all those lame all-caps-I-STRESS-THIS typing, but I’m trying to get a point across here. Put the kids to sleep, this movie is fucking awesome.

I beg you, if you want to really enjoy this movie, don’t read anything else I’ve written. Just click the back arrow up at the top of the screen and say to yourself “what the hell was that guy’s trip?” I’m going to keep this quick and vague, and I’m sorry if I pile on the adjectives of praise with so little explanation as to why. I won’t go into what happens because it would completely ruin it.

I take that back. You could know the entire story of this movie, heck you could even memorize the script. You’ll still get scared shitless when you go see this. The difference between the freak factor here and, say, the first Friday the 13th is the difference between a leaky blow up doll and a booby dancer. You can get older and look back and laugh (minor threat…) at Jason and Freddy, but I swear my fifty year old mother would get absolutely frightened watching Blair Witch.

It’s the kind of scary you get when you’re walking along all alone at night in the middle of nowhere and, even though you’re singing out loud to let all the baddies of the night know you’re not scared, deep down you’re about ready to crap your pants. I always imagined that the freakish vampire from W. Murnau’s Nosferatu was out to get me. Him and the robot lady from the end of Superman III. It’s that kind of scary, the stuff you make up totally in your head, that Blair Witch plays on. Of course all types of scary you make up in your head, but when those intangible fears start to materialize themselves in very real ways….

Just let yourself go into the theater, let yourself think that the movie isn’t going anywhere, let yourself complain that it looks like a hack job up there on the screen. Then, after about 45 minutes, realize that the supremely talented creators of this film have been messing with you—preparing you—all along. Then sit back and watch your skin crawl. And see how great it is to bring something out of the theater with you when you go home. Man, how great is it to see what good movies can do?

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Reader Talkback

I take it you liked it?
by bitchass
Apr 27th, 1999
11:31:36 AM
Screening in Boston TONIGHT (4/27)
by Kane
Apr 27th, 1999
11:41:24 AM
The film that can save horror.
by spike lee
Apr 27th, 1999
11:52:19 AM
Horror
by Dingo Wrangler
Apr 27th, 1999
12:10:07 PM
Already saw it . . .
by Jedilips
Apr 27th, 1999
12:41:34 PM
The Blair Witch Project
by W. Leach
Apr 27th, 1999
01:26:52 PM
Oh yeah ...
by W. Leach
Apr 27th, 1999
01:30:12 PM
Don't believe the hype
by HDIXON
Apr 27th, 1999
03:21:22 PM
The Facts of Life Halloween Special
by soupeysails
Apr 27th, 1999
03:31:15 PM
Uh....
by Henrik
Apr 27th, 1999
03:38:30 PM
WHERE CAN I SEE THIS FILM!!!!!!!!
by NM Movie Man
Apr 27th, 1999
03:47:05 PM
NY screening
by Pilgrym
Apr 27th, 1999
04:09:56 PM
Smelled like a scam then...
by Fred4sure
Apr 27th, 1999
05:35:11 PM
Blair witch showing in albuquerque?
by super69kid
Apr 27th, 1999
07:46:22 PM
So it's a scam
by MonkeyChylde
Apr 27th, 1999
08:02:32 PM
Just saw it...
by Kane
Apr 27th, 1999
08:09:59 PM
Effectiveness of psuedo-documentaries
by The Chief
Apr 27th, 1999
08:35:26 PM
Truth or Fiction, it's beyond the point...
by Down10
Apr 27th, 1999
11:52:19 PM
this is coming to Australia right?
by P
Apr 28th, 1999
04:01:28 AM
Crap! I'm such a sucker
by JeepGuy
Apr 28th, 1999
04:09:14 AM
Saw an advance last night
by LANDO
Apr 28th, 1999
07:13:03 AM
Non-Spoiler Review
by Kane
Apr 28th, 1999
07:13:21 AM
Blair Witch
by Karellan
Apr 28th, 1999
05:36:51 PM
Orlando and the film industry
by randy
Apr 28th, 1999
09:31:19 PM
blair witch sneak preview in portland (4/27/99)
by dboo
Apr 29th, 1999
01:13:39 AM
Blair Witch
by Cherokee
Apr 30th, 1999
01:28:45 AM
Blair Witch Project
by rapatu
Apr 30th, 1999
09:58:16 PM
Artisan
by jack_torrance
May 2nd, 1999
07:12:06 PM
Lovecraft
by Lord Shell
May 4th, 1999
06:33:54 PM
ED SANCHEZ
by noahsark
May 8th, 1999
10:27:21 PM
Blair Witch
by sureshot
May 9th, 1999
09:35:40 PM
freaking awesome
by 1515
May 16th, 1999
12:13:43 AM
Dream on Orlando...too bad this film was great!
by P. Joseph
May 25th, 1999
11:34:42 AM
Blair witch
by Cobra Commander
May 31st, 1999
02:20:07 PM
Blair Witch ...
by AmosMagee
Jun 16th, 1999
05:54:17 PM
A few thoughts from a jaded movie buff.
by trdow
Aug 5th, 1999
08:52:35 PM
blair witch project
by caman21126
Aug 8th, 1999
08:29:06 AM
blair witch project scarry? my butt!! it sucks
by caman21126
Aug 8th, 1999
08:58:03 AM
Did he just say his butt sucks?
by Wolfpack
Jul 22nd, 2006
05:35:17 PM

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