IMDb > The Blair Witch Project (1999)
The Blair Witch Project
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The Blair Witch Project (1999) More at IMDbPro »

Videos (see all 4)
The Blair Witch Project (1999) -- In October of 1994, three student film makers disappeared in the woods near Burkittesville, Maryland. One year later, their footage was found.
The Blair Witch Project (1999) -- Harry Smith speaks with otolaryngologist Dr. Michael Stewart about how shaky camera work in films like "The Blair Witch Project" and the newly-released "Cloverfield" can cause motion sickness.
The Blair Witch Project (1999) -- Sinematurk - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
6.2/10   81,858 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 33% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Writers:
Daniel Myrick (writer) &
Eduardo Sánchez (writer)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Blair Witch Project on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
30 July 1999 (USA) more
Genre:
Horror | Mystery | Thriller more
Tagline:
In October of 1994 three student filmmakers disappeared in the woods near Burkittsville, Maryland, while shooting a documentary...A year later their footage was found. more
Plot:
In October of 1994, three student film makers disappeared in the woods near Burkittesville, Maryland. One year later, their footage was found. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
11 wins & 16 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(437 articles)
Paranormal Activity | Film review
 (From The Guardian - Film News. 28 November 2009, 4:07 PM, PST)
The Pull List Comic Reviews: ‘Blackest Night’, ‘Powers’, ‘Archie’ and More!
 (From The Flickcast. 26 November 2009, 3:30 PM, PST)
User Comments:
Cinema Verite Fright... more (3269 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (complete, awaiting verification)

Heather Donahue ... Heather Donahue

Joshua Leonard ... Joshua 'Josh' Leonard
Michael C. Williams ... Michael 'Mike' Williams (as Michael Williams)
Bob Griffith ... Short Fisherman
Jim King ... Interviewee
Sandra Sánchez ... Waitress (as Sandra Sanchez)
Ed Swanson ... Fisherman With Glasses
Patricia DeCou ... Mary Brown
Mark Mason ... Man in Yellow Hat
Jackie Hallex ... Interviewee with Child
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Directed by
Daniel Myrick 
Eduardo Sánchez  (as Eduardo Sanchez)
 
Writing credits
Daniel Myrick (writer) &
Eduardo Sánchez (writer) (as Eduardo Sanchez)

Produced by
Robin Cowie .... producer
Bob Eick .... executive producer
Kevin J. Foxe .... executive producer
Gregg Hale .... producer
Michael Monello .... co-producer
 
Original Music by
Tony Cora 
 
Cinematography by
Neal Fredericks 
 
Film Editing by
Daniel Myrick 
Eduardo Sánchez  (as Eduardo Sanchez)
 
Production Design by
Ben Rock 
 
Art Direction by
Ricardo Moreno  (as Ricardo R. Moreno)
 
Art Department
Patricia DeCou .... art technician
Brigan Gresh .... scenic artist (as Brigan Docking)
Andrew White .... scenic artist
 
Sound Department
Harry Cohen .... final sound mixer
Gerry Lentz .... final sound mixer
Dana Meeks .... sound mixer
Jack Sherdel .... sound
Rich Weingart .... final sound mixer
Eddie Bydalek .... sound recordist (uncredited)
Paul Curtis .... dialogue editor (uncredited)
Elisabeth Flaum .... sound effects editor (uncredited)
Shawn Kennelly .... foley mixer (uncredited)
Clive Taylor .... sound editor (TV version) (uncredited)
 
Stunts
Steven A. Blake .... stunt rigging
Douglas Retzler .... stunt rigging
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Stefanie DeCassan .... still photographer (as Stefanie Decassan)
Hector Lopez .... additional photographer
Julie Ann Smith .... still photographer
 
Casting Department
Lisa Dane .... additional casting
 
Music Department
Dan Barrio .... music assistant
Tony Cora .... musician
 
Other crew
Melvin Bayer .... location
Howard Bernstein .... phase one instigator
Mark Bobrow .... production assistant
Beverly Brooks .... video to film transfer
Shelley Buell .... accountant
Rachel Carter .... audition assistant
Harry Clein .... marketing
Ray Combs .... behind-the-scenes video
Matt Compton .... audition assistant
Matt Compton .... location
Sarah Cowie .... accountant
Carolyn DeCassan .... audition assistant
Carolyn DeCassan .... production assistant (as Carolyn Decassan)
Stefanie DeCassan .... audition assistant
Stefanie DeCassan .... production assistant (as Stefanie Decassan)
David Donaldson .... video to film transfer
Julia Fair .... production assistant
Lonnie Glerum .... key production assistant
Christian Gueverra .... location
Trey Howard .... investor tape production (as Trey Butts)
Chrystal Jordan .... investor tape production (as Crystal Jordan)
Shannon Kibler .... production assistant
Kurt McNew .... production assistant
Zubi Mohammed .... behind-the-scenes video
Britt Nichols .... audition assistant
Gene O'Baker .... accountant
Kelly Phipps .... audition assistant
John Pierson .... phase one instigator
Billy Plank .... production assistant
Tina Plank .... production assistant
Dave Poole .... production assistant
Sandra Sánchez .... production assistant (as Sandra Sanchez)
Dave Segal .... investor tape production
Wendy Smith .... investor tape production
Joe Solari .... investor tape production
Adrian Steinbach .... production assistant
Fahad Vania .... audition assistant
Fahad Vania .... production assistant
Jeremy Walker .... marketing
Dennis Warner .... investor tape production
William L. Whitacre .... legal (as Bill Whitacre)
Jenn Winn .... investor tape production
Sam Barber .... pre-production supervisor (uncredited)
Cathy Ziehl .... assistant to studio vice president (uncredited)
 
Thanks
Jane E. Barrick .... special thanks
Teresa Bone .... special thanks
Steve Boudreau .... very special thanks
Peter Broderick .... special thanks
Carmen Cacaven .... special thanks
Larry Carneglia .... special thanks
Karo Cavanaugh .... very special thanks
Brian Clark .... special thanks
Fran Cowie .... very special thanks
Les Cowie .... very special thanks
Sandy Craig .... special thanks
Matthew Curtis .... special thanks
Cecilia DeCassan .... special thanks
Gino DeCassan .... special thanks
Stefanie DeCassan .... very special thanks
Sarah Foxe .... special thanks
Ingrid Fraley .... special thanks
Richard Fraley .... special thanks
Melanie Gasper .... special thanks
Ellen Gillis .... special thanks
Lonnie Glerum .... special thanks
Christian Gueverra .... special thanks (as Christian Guevara)
Dee Guzzi .... special thanks
Jackie Hale .... very special thanks
Tonya Hale .... special thanks
Lynda Hansen .... special thanks
Thomas Ethan Harris .... special thanks
Diana Iwanow .... special thanks
Jeff Johnsen .... special thanks (as Jeff Johnson)
Mary Johnson .... special thanks
Bob Jones .... special thanks
Mike Jones .... special thanks
Nancy Jane King .... special thanks
Louise Levison .... special thanks
Jean Lipphard .... special thanks
Sandra Lukas .... special thanks
Scott Macquarrie .... very special thanks
Terry Martin .... special thanks
Kurt McNew .... very special thanks
Margarita Moreno .... special thanks
Oscar Moreno .... special thanks
Dick Morris .... special thanks
Joe Nagy .... special thanks
Michael Nelson .... special thanks
Dave Norman .... very special thanks
Gene O'Baker .... very special thanks
Peg O'Keef .... special thanks
Anthony Pekarik .... special thanks
Klark J. Perez .... special thanks
Janet Pierson .... special thanks
John Pierson .... special thanks
Don Rhodes .... special thanks
Jim Ritzel .... very special thanks
Korrin Ritzel .... very special thanks
Brian Saway .... special thanks
Cecilia Saway .... special thanks
Rita Saway .... special thanks
William Saway .... special thanks
Jack Sherdel .... very special thanks
Catherine Smith .... special thanks
Don Smith .... special thanks
Ali Steinbach .... very special thanks
Francis Tanner .... very special thanks
Lindsey Tanner .... very special thanks
Jan Ungaro .... very special thanks
Richard Ungaro .... very special thanks
Dennis Warner .... special thanks
Paul K. Williamson .... special thanks
Lorraine Wood .... special thanks
Tara Zwicker .... special thanks
 
Crew verified as complete


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Additional Details

MPAA:
Rated R for language.
Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parents
Runtime:
81 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Black and White | Color
Aspect Ratio:
1.33 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby SR
Certification:
Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Malaysia:18PL | Hungary:16 | South Korea:18 | Argentina:13 | Australia:MA (original rating) | Australia:M | Belgium:KNT | Chile:14 | Denmark:15 | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:IIB | Iceland:12 | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R13 | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:NC-16 (re-rating) | Singapore:PG (original rating) | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R (certificate #36716) | Philippines:PG-13
Filming Locations:
Adamstown Village Market - 5550 Mountville Road, Adamstown, Maryland, USA more
Company:
Haxan Films more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The actors were given no more than a 35-page outline of the mythology behind the plot before shooting began. All lines were improvised and nearly all the events in the film were unknown to the three actors beforehand, and were often on-camera surprises to them all. more
Goofs:
Revealing mistakes: The three are lost in the woods but in one scene, about 25 feet behind them, a field can be seen through a small gap in the trees. The road is also visible as they try to find the trail. more
Quotes:
Interviewee: There was this old Mary Brown...
Heather Donahue: Mary Brown? Hmm.
Interviewee: Yeah, and she was kind of a crazy - - crazy lady.
Heather Donahue: How was she seen by the community?
Interviewee: Crazy.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "EastEnders: (2005-09-27)" (2005) more
Soundtrack:
The Star Spangled Banner more

FAQ

Why couldn't they find their way out of the forest?
Whose house are the characters in at the end of the film?
Who else was screaming in the house?
more

User Comments

   (Comment on this title)
40 out of 73 people found the following comment useful.
Cinema Verite Fright..., 25 October 1999
8/10
Author: Donald J. Lamb from Philadelphia, PA

Is THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT a masterful ghost film or a gimmick to create a multi-media event? It is both. The picture, shot on super 8 video and 16mm film displayed in a squared, documentary-like frame, is quirky, annoying, and spectacularly scary. The scenes at night quite frankly scared the hell out of me. The gimmick that THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT is created confusion and wonder over whether or not the footage shot was real life. Now, we all know the truth, but the French term 'cinema verite' is defined by this grisly film.

A guaranteed cult classic, BLAIR WITCH has "Heather, Mike, and Josh" heading off into the allegedly hexed woods of Maryland looking for the Blair Witch or whatever else may exist up in those hills. For most of the film, it is very unclear. The beginning excerpts ingeniously set up the three participants to believe they are a) experiencing the supernatural, b) being played like a fiddle by the suspicious townspeople or c) just completely out of their minds. Its up to the viewer to decide but my money is on option A.

Most filmgoers know that the filmmakers Sanchez and Myrick used their MAC cards and cookie jars to put this phenom together and I commend them. This is a tour-de-force thriller that does indeed seem real. Its all improvised and 'verite' like and the best part about the movie's many chills are based on the basic premise that scares most of us: We are generally frightened by what we cannot see. Many times throughout the film, the screen is completely dark with sudden bursts of screams and grainy scenery. For the sake of the suspense, the film may have been better if we did not know the gimmick. The realism is sometimes smothering.

True, the hand-held camera can make you achy in the head, but the way the actors play off each other is magic and not for the faint of heart. I viewed the film on DVD with someone who was not feeling too well because of the dizzying camera, but somehow the black and white and color and rain blend together and allow Myrick and Sanchez to do what they were attempting to do. Spooking an audience with unseen forces is so effective and I was reminded of Robert Wise's original THE HAUNTING from 1963 with the groans and the cries and the shrieks. A baby's giggle can be heard during one spellbinding scene when the tent the 3 students sleep in takes on a life of its own.

Much has been made about a similar film made in similar fashion by some other young auteurs well before THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT was released. I never saw it and if it was as good as this film we would've seen it. Nonetheless, this past summer shocked and surprised me with the amount of good horror pictures around. In the woods, no one can hear you scream either.

Rating: ***1/2

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