Blair Witch Project

[Mutilated Prey]

Originally Posted by dave13

was this ACTUALLY a thing? I mean, really? has anyone ever met anyone who honestly thought it was real? i find that hard to believe. ah, yes...the old "let's release this snuff film footage theatrically" routine. happens all the time.

I recall there were missing persons posters of the cast put up around town where the movies were playing in the local theaters to help promote realism. I thought it was real at the time for sure having initially seen it in the theaters. So well done.

[deepred]

Originally Posted by Mutilated Prey

I recall there were missing persons posters of the cast put up around town where the movies were playing in the local theaters to help promote realism. I thought it was real at the time for sure having initially seen it in the theaters. So well done.

They even had the actors stay out of the public when the promotion began. It was very elaborately done. Of course, as more and more time went by it was clear that it was not true.

I was a teenager so I was a little more gullible at the time too.

[King Diamond]

Originally Posted by deepred

... dealt w/ youths investigating a case...

Not to nitpick, but the main characters aren't investigating a case in the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

[cjg]

Thank you Blair Witch makers for spawning all the Paranormal Excorcist Serial Killer found footage shaky cam shit that followed.

[Mok]

I remember my brother and I watched it together with beers in hand. At first we tried to make fun of it by cracking jokes along the way. Then at one point I remember noticing we had shut the fuck up for a while and were watching with quiet intensity.

[Paff]

Originally Posted by cjg

Thank you Blair Witch makers for spawning all the Paranormal Excorcist Serial Killer found footage shaky cam shit that followed.

But did it really? After all, copycat films usually come out within the first few years of a spawning film, and the found footage shit (I'll agree with you on it being shit, by the way) didn't come out for a good 10 years. How long did it take for slasher rip offs after Halloween, post apocalyptic films to come out after Road Warrior, etc? A lot less than 10 years, I can tell you that. And it's certainly not a cost issue, as found footage crap doesn't take a lot of money to make.

There's a HUGE gap between Blair Witch and Paranormal Activity, so I don't think you can fairly blame one for the other. Me, I think it's the proliferation of reality TV more than anything else.

[deepred]

Originally Posted by King Diamond

Not to nitpick, but the main characters aren't investigating a case in the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

Oh? The version I saw had Sally and Franklin checking on their grandfather's grave after hearing about heinous graverobbing which leads them to the family.

[Ash28M]

Originally Posted by Paff

But did it really? After all, copycat films usually come out within the first few years of a spawning film, and the found footage shit (I'll agree with you on it being shit, by the way) didn't come out for a good 10 years. How long did it take for slasher rip offs after Halloween, post apocalyptic films to come out after Road Warrior, etc? A lot less than 10 years, I can tell you that. And it's certainly not a cost issue, as found footage crap doesn't take a lot of money to make.

There's a HUGE gap between Blair Witch and Paranormal Activity, so I don't think you can fairly blame one for the other. Me, I think it's the proliferation of reality TV more than anything else.

Yeah I agree. I think The Blair With Project is to found footage what Halloween was the Slashers (or possibly Black Christmas although it wasn't initially as popular). Even though they were great and popular in themselves. I think Friday the 13th was probably the trigger that blew up the slasher genre. Paranormal Activity was responsible for the recent outpouring of found footage.

[Ash28M]

Originally Posted by SaviniFan

I've always enjoyed TBWP. Although I don't consider it a classic as some have, there is no denying the impact it had on the horror genre. I do think it has one of the best and most disturbing endings I've ever seen. If I had to pick one thing I disliked about it, it would be what I consider an over use of the word "fuck" by the cast. I found that the liberal use of it in the dialogue just made me dislike and be kind of annoyed by the characters, which in turn didn't help in making me feel frightened for them. It just feels like cheap writing and if I personally knew anyone who consistently talked like that, I'd avoid them most of the time.

I thought the cursing was appropriate given they were collage kids. It also wasn't scripted, the directors just told them where to be each day and look surprised when you discover something. It was them feeding them less and less each day and having them feeling dirty and freaked out is what brought on all the cursing.

[Paff]

I was also ok with the limited vocabulary and the annoyance of the characters, as to me it lent to the realism of it. I KNOW people like that. Or for another example, a friend of mine went to film school, and in this one class you were part of a team. For each project, the team would rotate jobs. As in, one time you'd be director, one time you'd be cinematographer, one time you'd be lighting, etc etc etc. My buddy told me that at the first meeting, one person loudly declared that he would ONLY direct, as that was what he planned to do and that all the other jobs would be a "waste of time" for him. How friggin arrogant, right? Not to mention ignorant. But this type of film student exists, and is very well portrayed by Heather Donahue.

It's one of those things that either works for you or doesn't. There's not a lot of hidden meaning in this movie. As I mentioned in my first post (10 years ago!) I see the exact same things that the haters of this movie do. But for me, that just makes it all the more realistic to me.

[Fistfuck]

Originally Posted by Paff

I was also ok with the limited vocabulary and the annoyance of the characters, as to me it lent to the realism of it. I KNOW people like that. Or for another example, a friend of mine went to film school, and in this one class you were part of a team. For each project, the team would rotate jobs. As in, one time you'd be director, one time you'd be cinematographer, one time you'd be lighting, etc etc etc. My buddy told me that at the first meeting, one person loudly declared that he would ONLY direct, as that was what he planned to do and that all the other jobs would be a "waste of time" for him. How friggin arrogant, right?

And that gentleman's name was Alfred Hitchcock...

[King Diamond]

Originally Posted by deepred

Oh? The version I saw had Sally and Franklin checking on their grandfather's grave after hearing about heinous graverobbing which leads them to the family.

That's not the same thing as investigating a case. If there was a robbery at work, and you were urged to check your locker to see if anything had been stolen from it, would you consider yourself to be investigating a case? No. The characters in Texas Chainsaw Massacre seem to have no interest in looking at evidence, or trying to get to the bottom of who was behind the grave robbing. And it doesn't really lead them to the family. It was more a matter of wrong place, wrong time.

[deepred]

Originally Posted by King Diamond

That's not the same thing as investigating a case. If there was a robbery at work, and you were urged to check your locker to see if anything had been stolen from it, would you consider yourself to be investigating a case? No. The characters in Texas Chainsaw Massacre seem to have no interest in looking at evidence, or trying to get to the bottom of who was behind the grave robbing. And it doesn't really lead them to the family. It was more a matter of wrong place, wrong time.

OK, youths who hear a story and go check it out and end up in trouble.

In TCM, they hear about the grave robbers (who were the family) and when they go to that area to check on their grandfather's grave, they eventually fall into the clutches of the family by being in the area where they robbed graves.

IN BWP, the filmmakers go to check out the legend of Blair Witch, which eventually leads them to the Blair Witch by being in the area where the Blair Witch legends happened.

Sorry, shouldn't have used investigate. I am saying there are similarities on how the stories are set up. Similarities, definition of similar - Related in appearance or nature; alike though not identical.

[King Diamond]

Originally Posted by deepred

OK, youths who hear a story and go check it out and end up in trouble.

In TCM, they hear about the grave robbers (who were the family) and when they go to that area to check on their grandfather's grave, they eventually fall into the clutches of the family by being in the area where they robbed graves.

IN BWP, the filmmakers go to check out the legend of Blair Witch, which eventually leads them to the Blair Witch by being in the area where the Blair Witch legends happened.

Sorry, shouldn't have used investigate. I am saying there are similarities on how the stories are set up. Similarities, definition of similar - Related in appearance or nature; alike though not identical.

I don't want to split hairs, or deal with further unwarranted snark, so I'll let the baby have its bottle.

[deepred]

Originally Posted by King Diamond

I don't want to split hairs, or deal with further unwarranted snark, so I'll let the baby have its bottle.

Ok, then don't nitpick. I don't know what it really contributes. I list out 7 similarities and you write a one line response debunking one point over the use of the word "investigate".

Oh, they didn't really investigate in TCM, they just passively checked it out. *yawn*