What scares us? This film knows.

Rating: 10/10 (6 August 1999)

If I asked any horror film connoiseur what the single greatest moment of any horror film is, I would certainly hope the answer would, almost unanimously, be the infamous Shower Scene from "Psycho," by Alfred Hitchcock. Why bring this up in a review of "The Blair Witch Project, " you ask? Because there is something that Hitchcock understood and is evident in everything he did, especially this particular scene. What this great genius of cinema understood (and many other filmmakers, such as Wes Craven, have forgotten) is that what is truly frightening on screen is not what is seen by the audience, but what is not seen.
I'd like to personally thank Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez for not only making a modern film masterpiece, but for helping movie-goers remember what it's truly like to be scared. Not just grossed out, mind you, but truly sincerely scared out of our minds. "The Blair Witch Project" has done just that, and has done so with startling originality and what I feel is true genius. While other films may garner more critical acclaim or Oscar nominations, I know of no other film that is as original or as creative as this masterpiece. Finally, somebody has remembered what Hitchcock learned, and has made this marvel out of it.
One truly sad thing about "The Blair Witch Project" is that it is much too simple and risky for Hollywood. This film could only have been made independently with first time directors and actors, people who are willing to try anything, and don't know any better.
**** out of ****.