The Blair Witch Project is a stomach-turning thriller that gave the children of the ‘90s a fright! Though the movie wasn’t as popular as other classics such as Scream, or The Shining, we believe it is just as sinister. With an unknown, supernatural being as the story’s antagonist, the viewer is left sitting on the edge of their seat.

The movie was filmed in 1999, starring the underground actors Rei Hance, Joshua Leonard, and Micheal Williams. The three of them played the roles of Heather, Josh, and Mickey.

The young adults go deep into the woods, hoping to make a short horror film on the legend of the Blair Witch. As they are in the middle of filming, they end up going too far into the woods and getting lost. After a few days of being trapped in the woods, Josh suddenly goes missing. Heather and Mickey are frantically trying to escape the woods. Near the end of the film, they end up finding a run-down house in the middle of the forest. Upon investigation, the two of them are faced by the spirit of the Blair Witch, just as we discover where Josh was. The film ends after that. It is short, simple, and incredibly effective. 

Now, the essential question is: why is this movie so scary? Throughout the entire film, the Blair Witch remains anonymous. This creates such an ominous feel to the movie because it leaves the viewer to create their own interpretation of the villain. This sense of the unknown is incredibly important to the plot, as it leaves the viewer questioning the fate of the main characters. 

Another reason why The Blair Witch Project is so nerve-wracking is its found-footage aspect. This feature adds a sense of realism, which places the audience in the character’s shoes. This choice of perspective on the director’s part was incredibly smart. At the time of its release, the found-footage style had hardly been used before. All these factors put together lead the movie to be a dreadful and uneasy experience for those who watch it. While this type of film may not be scary to us, it certainly set the scene for horror movies to come.