The most terrifying motion picture event of the century.

Rating: Null/10 (2 September 1999)

Even after the substantial amount of hype surrounding this film before it was released nationwide, I still find this the scariest film I have ever seen. The concept was fresh and original: a group of college kids hiking through the woods looking for clues as to the legend of the Blair Witch, shot as a documentary. From what I hear, the story and myth was a fabrication of the directors and the actors improvised the majority of the film. Even after knowing all that, it was still an extraordinarily effective horror film. The realism of the picture is what heightened the intensity. The absence of a suspenseful score, "fake" scares and even a visible villain brought it above the recent "Scream"-style genre invading cineplexes today. The most effective special effect "The Blair Witch Project" uses is the audience's imagination. Our imaginations are so wild and vivid; it taps into our worst nightmare in various moments of the film. What I have learned as a child is that the noise in the dark is, usually, ten times scarier than what makes the noise in the dark. The performances were realistic and very emotional. The three actors displayed the most impressive improvisation I have ever witnessed. Heather Donahue gives an emotional and powerful performance, one of the best performances by an actress of the year. Also, the ending is one of the most hair-raising climaxes ever put on film. My heart was racing until its abrupt end, leaving me a very satisfied customer. See this film while it's still playing on the big screen; trust me, it's worth it. Or you can wait until it debuts on video October 26th. Either way, experience the most terrifying motion picture of the century.