Article | How 'The Blair Witch Project' Revolutionized Horror Movies

In 1999, directors and screenwriters Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez were about to make history by joining forces to helm an independent film that would change the course of American cinema: 'The Blair Witch Project'.

Just the title is powerful enough to awaken memories or even the curiosity of the public – after all, it is very difficult to find someone who has never at least heard of the feature film. For those who don't know, the narrative is centered on a group of amateur filmmakers who travel to a small town in the state of Maryland, in the United States, to shoot a documentary about the mythical Blair Witch - a legendary character who, allegedly, was responsible for the death of several people and still haunts that region. And, driven by this intriguing plot, the trio formed by Heather, Mike, and Josh (who are the names of the actors who portray them) delve into the frightening forests to find answers or at least material to produce the film. However, what should have been field research turns into an endless nightmare when mysterious events lead them to believe that the witch, indeed, exists.

The production belongs to the well-known found footage genre and, despite not being the first to use this resource, was responsible for popularizing it around the world and causing a great commotion for its realistic aesthetics and for techniques that were not seen before. Of course, if we go back a little further in time, we can mention the Italian classic 'Cannibal Holocaust' as the official precursor of this style - but it was only with 'The Blair Witch Project' that this subgenre would become one of the staples of horror in the subsequent decades.

Every cog in the feature, from pre-production to consecutive repercussions, was of significant importance for the immortalization of its legacy. Being a very low-budget title (around $60,000) and being first-time filmmakers, Myrick and Sánchez heavily invested in brilliant marketing: initially, they hired unknown actors to play the leads; then, Haxan Films, which oversaw the project, posted posters announcing the disappearance of three young filmmakers, beginning to attract attention. And, when the trailer was launched, nobody could believe that the story was fictitious. Much of the audience bought the idea that the shown film was factual and that all the people who appeared were involved in a controversial, unsolved tragedy. The actors were even advised not to appear in public to increase the suspense.

When we watch 'The Blair Witch Project', it's automatic to think that, in general, the composition was easy to be made. However, Myrick and Sánchez were committed to creating something never seen before and outlined a deep (and fictitious, logically) mythology; however, the lines and reactions of Heather, Mike, and Josh are improvised and legitimate, made, roughly speaking, without their knowledge to guarantee an almost cruel naturalness. Therefore, it was only to be expected that the repercussion would not only be positive but would attract the attention of authorities to ensure that no one was hurt and that everyone on the team was alive. And, for comparison's sake, viewers felt compelled to check it out, as the box office surpassed the budget by more than 2000 times, closing at $248.6 million (equivalent to more than $450 million in 2023, adjusting for inflation).

Even so, it is necessary to comment on the glaring disparity between the audience's reception and international criticism: we can see a clash between the 86% approval of experts and a melancholic C+ grade from spectators - and this is a perception that extends to this day, but now delving into an understanding that, in a way, the film has not aged as well as it should have. Despite the aforementioned discrepancy, its legacy remains alive and influenced an untold number of subsequent projects - which were not limited to horror, but extended to drama and suspense with enviable ease.

It is possible to see the project's influx in major mainstream productions that would be released over the years. The first that comes to mind is 'Paranormal Activity', which incorporated all the elements explored by the 1999 title and transformed them into something even more terrifying; but, beyond the obvious, we have incursions like 'As Above, So Below', which became a darling of horror aficionados; the acclaimed 'REC' and the American "version" titled 'Quarantine'; and, bringing even more to the present, we see the ramifications caused, directly or indirectly, by 'Unfriended', 'Searching...' (and the spiritual sequel 'Run') and 'Host' - all three offering original perspectives to revitalize the genre.

Almost two and a half decades later, 'The Blair Witch Project' remains one of the most revolutionary productions of contemporary cinema - even with valid criticisms about its aging, as already mentioned. It's no exaggeration to say that, without the film's impact, the projects mentioned in the above paragraph wouldn't exist - and that's why it's always a good idea to revisit the one that popularized the genre.