Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 (2000)

User Rating:

4.0/10   

Director:

Joe Berlinger

Writers (WGA):

Daniel Myrick (characters) and
Eduardo Sánchez (characters) ...
(more)

Release Date:

27 October 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Evil Doesnt Die.

Plot:

College students at a Boston college become fascinated by the events of the three missing filmmakers in Maryland, so they decide to go into the same woods and find out what really happened.

Plot Keywords:

Witch | Murder | Female Nudity | Dream | Wiccan

Awards:

2 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Kim Director	...	Kim Diamond
Jeffrey Donovan	...	Jeffrey Patterson
Erica Leerhsen	...	Erica Geerson
Tristine Skyler	...	Tristen Ryler (as Tristen Skyler)
Stephen Barker Turner	...	Stephen Ryan Parker
Kurt Loder	...	Himself
Chuck Scarborough	...	Himself
Bruce Reed	...	Burkitsville Resident #1
Lynda Millard	...	Burkitsville Resident #2
Deb Burgoyne	...	Burkitsville Resident #3
Andrea Cox	...	Burkitsville Resident #4
Joe Berlinger	...	Burkitsville Tourist #1
Sara Phillips	...	Burkitsville Tourist #2
Lanny Flaherty	...	Sheriff Cravens
Pete Burris	...	MBI Man #1
Briton Green	...	Stoner #1
Erik Jensen	...	Stoner #2
Peggy K. Chang	...	Foreigner #1
Tony Tsang	...	Foreigner #2
Anja Baron	...	Foreigner #3
Kevin Murray	...	Doctor
Keira Naughton	...	Nurse
Lauren Hulsey	...	Eillen Treacle
Ed Sala	...	MBI Man #2
Tyler Zeisloft	...	Teenager #1
Richard Kirkwood	...	Teenager #2
Justin Fair	...	Teenager #3
Raynor Scheine	...	Rustin Parr
Brilane Bowman	...	Ham Lady
Kennen Sisco	...	Peggy
Robert M. Kelly	...	MBI Man #3
Dina Napoli	...	Reporter, WBAL
Landra Booker	...	Reporter, Fox 45
Jacqui Allen	...	Reporter
Sloane Brown	...	Reporter, WJZ 13
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Nasi Glekas	...	Security Guard
Karen Tsen Lee	...	(voice)
Heidi Burger	...	Print Reporter (uncredited)
Heather Donahue	...	Herself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Brian Dragonuk	...	Angry Citizen at Courthouse (uncredited)
Roger Ebert	...	Himself (uncredited)
Armen Garo	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Cathy Haase	...	First Nurse (uncredited)
Rick Kain	...	On Cammera News Reporter (uncredited)
Joshua Leonard	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Julie Mabry	...	Hiker in Woods (uncredited)
Chad Ridgely	...	Photographer (uncredited)
Ryan Slattery	...	(uncredited)
Michael C. Williams	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)

Directed by
Joe Berlinger

Writing credits (WGA)
Daniel Myrick		(characters) and
Eduardo Sánchez		(characters)
Dick Beebe		(written by) and
Joe Berlinger		(written by)

Produced by
Bill Carraro	....	producer
Kevin J. Foxe	....	associate producer
Daniel Myrick	....	executive producer
Eduardo Sánchez	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Carter Burwell

Cinematography by
Nancy Schreiber

Film Editing by
Sarah Flack

Casting by
Will Cantler
Bernard Telsey
David Vaccari

Production Design by
Vincent Peranio		(as Vince Peranio)

Art Direction by
Justin Scoppa Jr.
Rob Simons

Set Decoration by
Steve George		(as Steven H. George)
Susan Kessel

Costume Design by
Melissa Toth

Makeup Department
Gina W. Bateman	....	key makeup artist
John Caglione Jr.	....	special makeup effects artist
Joseph A. Campayno	....	makeup artist
Lisa Hazell	....	hair stylist
Charmaine Henninger	....	hair stylist
Janice Kinigopoulos	....	key hair stylist
Cheryl 'Pickles' Kinion	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Bill Carraro	....	unit production manager
Dana Robin	....	assistant unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Bill Carraro	....	second unit director
H.H. Cooper	....	first assistant director
Joe Incaprera	....	second second assistant director
Dale M. Nielsen	....	assistant director
Robert Rooy	....	first assistant director: second unit

Art Department
Edward Bellafiore	....	art department coordinator
Billy Crush	....	assistant props
Michael Davis	....	construction coordinator
Susanna Glattly	....	scenic foreman
Ted Lubonovich II	....	propmaker
Scott T. Pina	....	construction foreman
Lester Poser	....	assistant property master
Michael Sabo	....	set dresser
Helen Williams Ward	....	storyboard artist
Brook Yeaton	....	property master
Silvija L. Moess	....	scenic artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Tom Fleischman	....	sound re-recording mixer
Dan Fulton	....	sound intern
Bobby Johanson	....	adr engineer
Malaika Langa	....	audio post coordinator
Tony Martinez	....	sound editor
Jay Meagher	....	production sound mixer
Branka Mrkic	....	sound effects editor
Jac Rubenstein	....	dialogue editor
Warren Shaw	....	supervising sound editor
Paul P. Soucek	....	supervising sound editor
Eric Strausser	....	apprentice sound editor
Steven Visscher	....	supervising foley editor
Daniel Ward	....	assistant sound editor

Special Effects by
Wilfred Caban	....	special effects coordinator (as Will Caban)
Tamara Carlson	....	fabrication crew: K.N.B Effects Group
Kevin Carter	....	special effects contact lenses
Steven Kirshoff	....	special effects coordinator

Visual Effects by
Randall Balsmeyer	....	visual effects supervisor
Daniel Leung	....	digital compositing supervisor
Matt McDonald	....	digital compositor
Christopher Dusendschon	....	in-show optical process and effects compositor: THDX (uncredited)
Christopher Dusendschon	....	optical element Hazeltine colorist: THDX (uncredited)

Stunts
G.A. Aguilar	....	stunt coordinator
Jill Brown	....	stunt double
Blaise Corrigan	....	stunts
Chuck Jeffreys	....	stunts
Jason Noto	....	stunt driver

Camera and Electrical Department
Wayne Arnold	....	film loader
John C. Barber	....	grip
Sean Patrick Crowell	....	key grip
Rusty Gardner	....	video assist operator: second unit
Michael Gearhart	....	grip
Abbot Genser	....	still photographer
Tim Gordon	....	electrician
Craig Haagensen	....	director of photography: second unit
Jay Kemp	....	gaffer
Richard Klompus	....	video assist operator
Ralph Mendoza	....	camera operator: SpaceCam
Michael Proscia Jr.	....	gaffer (segment)
Mark Walpole	....	additional second assistant camera

Casting Department
Joe Adams	....	casting: Los Angeles
Pat Moran	....	casting: Baltimore

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Catharine Fletcher Incaprera	....	costume supervisor
Mara Majorowicz	....	key costumer
Erica Westheimer	....	assistant to costume designer

Editorial Department
Erin Crackel	....	apprentice editor
Charlene Hamer	....	assistant editor
James Nichols Jr.	....	assistant editor
Shawn Nuzzo	....	post-production associate
Alan Oxman	....	additional editor
Tina Pacheco	....	first assistant editor
Robert Zorella	....	editorial production assistant
John Marston	....	editorial technician (uncredited)

Music Department
Carter Burwell	....	music recordist
Carter Burwell	....	musician
Ed Gerrard	....	music supervisor
Gman	....	musician
Joe Lisanti	....	music editor: temp music
Marilyn Manson	....	executive soundtrack producer
Deirdre O'Hara	....	music consultant
David Torn	....	musician (as SPLaTTeRCeLL)

Transportation Department
Charles E. Bauer	....	driver
Mike Easter	....	transportation co-captain
Michael Luckeroth	....	driver
Gerald Titus	....	driver
Douglas A. Walk	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Annie Noel Applegarth	....	clearance coordinator
Annie Noel Applegarth	....	product placement
Angela Athayde	....	additional set production assistant
Michael Bederman	....	production accountant
John Francis Black II	....	payroll accountant
Michael Bonfiglio	....	assistant: Mr. Berlinger, New York
Tonya Bowen	....	studio production coordinator
Jane Burka	....	assistant: Mr Berlinger
Jane Burka	....	script supervisor: second unit
Al Cerullo	....	helicopter pilot
Brian Cooper	....	production secretary
Joan Devilla	....	payroll accountant
Caprice Ericson	....	location scout
Ginny Galloway	....	assistant: Mr. Carraro
Patti Hawn	....	unit publicist
Jeff Johnson	....	set medic
Rick Kain	....	stand-in: Eric Jensen
Lisa Katcher	....	script supervisor
Kristan C. Keck	....	accounting assistant
Martin Kircher	....	dailies projectionist
Stephanie Lovell	....	set production assistant
Kimberly Masimore	....	production assistant
Bryan Nelson	....	production assistant
Jason Noto	....	body double
Sean Oliver	....	adr loop group
Erik Proveaux	....	caterer
Scott Rabenstein	....	production assistant
Ruben Flores Rios II	....	production assistant
Xanthus Valan	....	set production assistant
Drew Vandervelde	....	production assistant
Craig Wirth	....	production assistant
Andrew Golov	....	production executive (uncredited)
Andrew Golov	....	studio executive (uncredited)
Wayne Petrucelli	....	security coordinator (uncredited)
Timothy Scott Ralston	....	studio projectionist (uncredited)
Peter Pamela Rose	....	adr loop group (uncredited)
Cathy Ziehl	....	studio coordinator (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Artisan Entertainment
• Haxan Films

Distributors

• Artisan Entertainment (2000) (USA) (all media)
• Columbia TriStar Egmont Film Distributors (2000) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2001) (Netherlands) (DVD) (rental)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2001) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Egmont Entertainment (2001) (Finland) (DVD)
• Egmont Entertainment (2001) (Finland) (VHS)
• Filmes Lusomundo
• Frenetic Films (2000) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Highlight Film (2001) (Germany) (DVD)
• K2 Entertainment
• Laurenfilm (Spain)
• Lions Gate Films (2003) (USA) (all media)
• Líder Films (Argentina)
• Mars Distribution (France)
• Paradiso Home Entertainment (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Paris Vídeo (Brazil) (DVD)
• Paris Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Victor Company of Japan (JVC)
• Yorin (2003) (Netherlands) (TV) (first national airing)

Other Companies

• Mobtown Props  property
• Priority Records  soundtrack
• Rockbottom Rentals  cell phone rentals
• Summit Entertainment  foreign sales

Also Known As:

BW2 (USA) (promotional abbreviation)
BWP2 (USA) (promotional abbreviation)
Blair Redux (USA) (working title)
Blair Witch 2 (USA) (working title)
Blair Witch 2: Book of Shadows (USA) (working title)
Book of Shadows: Blair Witch Project 2 (USA) (video title)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence, language, sexuality and drug use.

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | German

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

Malaysia:18PL | Netherlands:16 | South Korea:18 | Philippines:PG-13 | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Germany:18 | Hong Kong:IIB | Japan:PG-12 | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/16 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R (certificate #37725) | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Company:

Artisan Entertainment

Trivia:

The character of Kim Diamond is inspired by infamous black metal singer King Diamond.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Kim asks Tristen about how pregnant she is, in wide shots Tristen has a wisp of hair sticking out at her left, but in close shots, she doesn't.

Quotes:

Kim: They never should've let you out. You're a long way from sane.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in My Big Fat Independent Movie (2005)

Soundtrack:

Dragula

Nice idea, poor delivery

Attracted by the film `The Blair Witch Project' hoards of film fans have been pouring into the small town of the film. One such group books onto a `Blair Witch Hunt' tour to camp in the woods and see the sights. When they awake the next morning to find their camera equipment smashed, 5 hours unaccounted for and their film hidden in the same spot as the film from the original movie they are unsure what happened. However as they replay the video tape they notice some very weird things.

Undeterred by bad reviews I decided to watch this film on television the other night. Initially I was impressed by the idea, instead of following the original movie, the sequel twists the idea of the original as a documentary and presents it as a film but then uses the film to present another story that is `in the real world'. Conceptually this was quite clever and I was drawn in by it. Sadly this didn't last very long and it wasn't long before it became quite an ordinary film that wasn't creepy in any way and was actually quite dull.

The plot is interesting – interesting enough to keep me watching anyway. The twists are the end are meant to be horrifying and perhaps surprising but by then all they got out of me was an `oh' of vague interest. For most of the film it is noisy chat and fake surprises and creepy goings-on. They didn't work as the film felt very trashy and uninvolving. The gore and flashed edits of violence were supposed to keep us guessing I think but they only served to numb me to the film, as did the occasional dream/fantasy sequence. It was a shame as it was a clever idea and had some good bits in it but the delivery let it down.

The direction is very plain and doesn't manage to build an air of suspense anywhere near as well as in the original, resulting in a rather boring series of scenes punctuated by `scares' that don't work. The cast don't really help either, they don't come across as real people and it is hard to care for such as self important group of people who are walking stereotypes – the goth, the witch, the college boy etc. At least in the original we got to see them break down and become more afraid during the film – here they could be the cast from any teen horror movie.

As you may have guessed I'm not a big fan of teen slasher movies but Blair Witch was much more than that and traded on atmosphere – that was it's strength. By throwing in gore from the very start and having tonnes of little imagined scenes of horror, Book of Shadows loses that strength and becomes a movie that lives and dies on it's ability to scare. Sadly the originally good idea doesn't scare and remains `interesting' and nothing more. It is a shame that they had to make this film as it won't satisfy those who like their horror creepy or those who like it bloody.