This story’s about a witch
Who’s never really be seen
But they tell us about her
That she’s really very mean.
You step on her land
And she wants you dead
Going where she is
You should truly dread.
This story has three teens
Who fall into her trap
They won’t be getting out
No, not without a map.
They scream, they run,
They argue, they fight
But in the end
They all die, alright.
I am writing this review technically in response to asyis’ request. But I guess he must know the answer already what with this movie being shown on Star Movies twice last month and many other members writing a review on it. I wanted to write one any way so here am I.
The Blair Witch is supposed to be a legend so not true technically at best. The area is somewhere in Maryland unless I was so ’ frightened ’ that I goofed up.
While I saw the movie I was alone at home. Taking advantage I decided to put a chord from my TV to my sound system. Still it could not frighten me. Although my neighbors came to inquire when the girl in the movie screamed like hell, fire and brimstone.
But the correct word would be, it disturbed me. Before watching the movie I saw the promo saying that the footage was found 1 year after bla bla bla. And the video and sound quality being the way it is, I really thought it was REAL. During the movie though I decided it was not real but I was confused. It was only when the movie ended did they show that line that this was not all real and bla bla bla that I was fully convinced.
I immediately went to the net and when my Home Page this site, loaded I checked out one of the members’ reviews. Kick me coz I can’t remember his name. When I recollect I’ll add it. Then I went to the Film’s Home Page or some page which claimed it was the Home Page anyways.
Turns out, there is a legend as such. The film makers used this background as a legend to make the movie. It seems the actors were given some pages to read. Then they were given plots and circumstances, and they were placed in situations which were not known to them initially so that they could act really or actually NOT ACT and behave as if it were a real life situation.
For example on a night outside their tents there were three stacks of wood arranged in a pile. They had been provided the foot notes earlier that this is the sign that the witch is after you. So they took the cue and acted or rather BEHAVED accordingly. The next night, all clothes and belongings of only one guy are thrown out from his bag. This time only he knew what he had to do. Since all three received different pages to read, the other two did not know that this fellow will disappear the next night. So as far as they were concerned, they were supposed to be genuinely frightened as to the whereabouts of their missing friend. So they wait for him and search for him later. They were told generally in which direction they were supposed to move and all and how to find the house. In this house the climax occurs. The missing fellow’s voice is heard. He is actually yelping for help. These two then start screaming like hell. All of them yell and then the film is ended. As a viewer you have to draw the inference that thy are dead which is not that tough really.
I’ll list the PROS and CONS of the movie because there is a restriction for space in the tables provided below the review.
PROS:
Neither of the three knew the entire plot of the movie at any time. All three had different written notes of the same scene making them react differently.
In effect they passed with flying colors in my book, because this was METHOD ACTING at its best. Also remember the actors while acting had to think of the camera all the time. They were the actors as well as cameramen on this one. So they had to be deadly accurate. Frequent second takes would have spoiled the flow of the 90 minutes film. My guess is they got most of the shots right on the first take.
The entire film looks like a documentary, because it has been shot like a documentary. No fixed positions. No proper sound. That adds a lot of realism and makes you believe that this may actually be true.
You have to hand it to these fellows. Although it was not economically risky they managed to pull off a huge hit with no stars, no cameraman, no sound technicians, no digital effects and no stuntmen.
They did not show a dirt ugly face of a witch to scare us. They tried to scare us with movements of the camera and the actors remarks and shrieks. They did not resort to gimmickry and dhing dhang background music. If they had my neighbors would have called the police.
CONS:
Although initially disturbed, I analyzed this movie thoroughly and found the following flaws in the screenplay, some obvious, some not.
The girl refuses to shut the camera at all during the movie. Only once I guess she does it. Put in a similar situation I would have shut the camera off and would have thought of a way to get the hell of there. She refuses to shut the camera under all circumstances even in the face of some intense and violent persuasion from the males. It was obvious that they will not be needing the footage for their documentary once they were lost. This almost blew the cover that the movie is real for me. Her excuse that someday we will see it and have a hearty laugh seems as lame as Laloo saying all’s well in Bihar. Even in the climax when they hear their friend’s calls for help they do not shut the camera off. You might say they forgot but I think the ideal thing to do would be keep it down and run for your friends. No instead they prefer to carry the thing.
Secondly the camera at most of the time is in the proper place focusing on the face of the people who are speaking. Even normal talk is on cam. Albeit while running at least they make sure that the camera is held below in their arms.
And the greatest and the least obvious flaw. The witch has a given policy of killing any body who enters the forest. Any body who entered never makes it out again. Given this history who was or were the great hero/heroes who ventured in the forest one year later and made it back safely with the footage. Maybe the witch thought if I allow these guys to go they will take the footage and make me famous, so I will spare them. Actually you can say it’s just a film forget this small detail. This flaw can be removed simply by removing that line in the intro which says ‘their footage was found one year later’. If you remove that line the intro goes ‘3 people went to forest. Never came back.’ But then this does not make you believe that the picture is a documentary. So it is Hobson’s choice. Who could have located the footage without getting killed.
All said and done, that Maryland forest is not a place I am DYING to go or GOING to die, whatever.
Indians, this film reminds me of a film called ‘Raat’ made by Boney Kapoor and starring the southern siren Revathi. Even in this film the no ghost with ketchup faces are shown. They scare you with violent jerky camera movements and (scare the hell out of you) intelligent but creepy background music. Those were the Video Cassette Days. I remember seeing half the movie only due to fright but then I was only half my age right now. Even Ramsay films scared me then. Now they tickle my funny bone. Oh the money they spend on makeup if they spent on writing the screenplay.
In case you have managed to read this long, but informative but a bit or greatly boring review completely, give yourselves a pat on the back. Thank You. My Mission Has been Accomplished.