
directed by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez
Regardless of whether you are a fan of found footage films or not it is impossible to deny the profound effect The Blair Witch Project had on the recent film industry. The film is still the most financially successful Sundance Film of all time and it holds the record in the Guinness Book of World Records for the ‘Top Box Office Ratio’. Found footage has been intrinsically linked to the horror genre since The Blair Witch Project, spawning other successful franchises such as Paranormal Activity, VHS, and REC. The horror section of Netflix’s ‘Watch Instantly’ selection is chock-full of low-budget found footage horror films trying to achieve similar success.
The Blair Witch Project used clever marketing to lure people into the theaters making them believe the film and the legend of the Blair Witch were both real. As someone who has spent a lot of time camping, this film particularly scared me. Not only are the nighttime, bizarre occurrences and sounds scary but also the simple act of getting lost in the woods for days is terrifying. The Blair Witch Project uses our fears of the woods, the dark, and the unknown to great effect. There have been many fair criticisms of the film over the years and the film does lend itself to endless parodies but it is a frightening film that has left a substantial mark on the recent film industry.