"The Blair Witch Project" is an American horror movie released in 1999. It was presented as a documentary composed of amateur-looking, real-time footage. The film was directed by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez and was produced by the Haxan Films production company. The film was marketed as a true story, claiming that the footage was real.
In the plot of the movie, three film students visit Maryland to make a film about a local urban legend called the Blair Witch. The three students then set out on a two-day hike through the woods in an attempt to find the Blair Witch. However, they never returned, and one year later their footage was discovered in the woods. This was put together and edited into a movie.
The film was recorded using handheld cameras to give the movie a realistic feel and to make the audience believe that they were watching real footage. The style has since been used in other films, including the monster movie "Cloverfield," to a similar effect.
The original budget for the film was $22,000. This saw the film enter the Guinness Book of World Records for the "Top Budget: Box Office Ratio." The film went on to make $240.5 million, meaning $10,931 was made for every $1 spent. However, in a later interview Sanchez revealed that the final budget had reached between $500,000 and $750,000 after taking into account re-shoots and new sound mixes.
Interesting trivia includes that the film was shot in a total of eight days. Also, before filming began the actors were given nothing more than a 35-page outline of the myth, meaning that all lines and acting were improvised as the majority of events in the film were surprises to the actors. Interestingly, during the filming process the three lead actors were under the belief that the legend was real. It was not until filming was complete and the film was released that they knew the entire myth was made up by the film's creators.
There are a number of mistakes made in the film. Two of the more notable include the following: After waking up to find stone piles around their tents the three leads decide to walk south for the day but continue toward the sunrise, which would be east, not south.
Another mistake can be seen when they lose the map. When the map is lost the group decides to walk in a general direction to find the edge of the woods. However, earlier in the film the map is recorded, but none of the group thinks to rewind the tape to view the map.
"Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2" was released a year later in an attempt to capitalize on the real-world hype surrounding the first movie. The film follows a group of college students who go on a Blair Witch tour only to find themselves waking up with no recollection of the night and with the feeling that something is with them. According to HouseOfHorrors.com, the sequel did not do as well in theaters.