lost in the woods at night

Rating: 9/10 (10 August 1999)

Blair Witch is a great show that succeeds despite its problems.
Problems: The hand-held camera jostles irritatingly in the opening, but that allows you to better ignore the subdued bouncing that is often present later in the film. Probably the dumbest thing in the film is that the film-makers always keep shooting film or video. Personally, I would have been more impressed if most of the shots were less carefully framed, shot from the hip as it were, suggesting that the camera was being used more as a light source than as a recorder of events. While I was able to suspend disbelief *while I watched*, the thought of all that running around (without tripping) while a camera is plastered to one's eye boggles the mind. I was also p***ed that the trio mentioned following a stream but decided instead to completely rely on their obviously non-functional compass.
Succeeds: All that aside, I loved this show (nine out of ten). Woods don't scare me. Lost in the woods doesn't scare me. The woods at night doesn't scare me. But oooooo I'd be scared if it went on for days and nights and days and nights and something/someone maybe? was stalking me. I've been too tired to think straight. I can empathise. Ever see "Things to do in Denver when you're Dead" Remember the guy who decides to stay awake several days, waiting for the assassin? That's the last half hour of Blair Witch. I was expecting the trio to turn on each other at any moment. And Heather? Loved her acting. First time I can remember an actress allowing her voice to break while screaming -- it's bad for your voice, hurts, and pretty well nobody does it. But it sounds so much more authentic. That's the neat thing about this film -- it feels authentic. I believed in these people. I was glad when the film ended. I was tired of being scared.