Is "The Blair Witch Project" scary?

It's one of those movies that is incredibly divisive. There's the "That was pointless" response and also the "That was scary" response. Viewers really are split on this one as to whether "The Blair Witch Project" is worth watching. IMDBs current rating is 6.3 but the movie has a metascore of 81/100 so you can already see the inconsistency. So, is it worth watching? Is it as good as the hype? Is it completely pointless? Is it scary?

*No Spoilers*

 The Blair Witch Project (1999)

Back in my late teens I had heard of a movie coming from across the pond, "The Blair Witch Project". A supposedly rediscovered home movie that tracked a group of missing students. I had heard a lot of hype over this one and couldn't wait to see it. So that Halloween I set out with a couple of friends to watch the show. I'd seen the trailer so I was prepared for lots of blurry shots of foliage and poor camera work. The first thirty minutes flew by and I was really enjoying the movie, it really is like watching a documentary. From the start Heather's character annoyed me but there was always the chance that we would see her hacked to pieces by the end of the movie so I stuck with it. It was mainly her accent at first that did is for me, I should correct myself here and explain that it was more her dialect. Although I'm very British I don't mind American accents in general, Heather's character just seemed like one of those slightly obnoxious, moaning dim types right from the start. No offence meant Americans, I love your Twinkies, Peeps and Cheese in a can :-) Seriously though, you guys gave us Edgar Allan Poe and Vincent Price, we are in your debt.

 

Anyway, after the essential build-up of finding her two companions/film crew they set out in to the woods. I like the attempts here to talk about folklore and local legends; I would have liked more "real" material to be included here. The interview with Mary Brown seems quite creepy and I really liked the delivery of the ghost/folklore story. For me the movie then changes, it gets a little dull. There's the slow realisation that they might be lost and that they should probably camp the night etc. It's not scary in the least and I'm not actually sure that the film makers intended it to be. It's more of a "fill in the blanks" in your head to generate the scares.

Throughout the movie things go from a nice cheerful walking/movie making trip to a realisation that they are completely lost and there may or may not be the Blair Witch stalking them. For me this is the pivotal point that divides opinion. If you believe that this is just a movie then there really is nothing scary so far apart from a few leaves rustling, straw dolls etc. However, if the tape is genuine the movie will take on a different meaning. In this blog I'm not going to reveal the ending or any more of the detail as I don't want to spoil a viewing for you.

In regard to my initial question, "Is it worth watching?" My answer is "yes". The reason being is that regardless of whether you like the movie or not and believe it is genuine or not really doesn't matter to some extent. I think that many people viewing the first time did not understand the final scene where there is the real pay-off in terms of the story arc. Having a quick read of IMDB it seems that some people are still missing the point. Endless comments of "Nothing Happens" are still being posted all these years later. The elements that makes this movie are that you must listen to the documentary folk stories at the start and that in your own life you've actually had that slightly lost/stalked/frightened/haunted feeling.

If you are they type of viewer that needs endless ghosts, monsters and skeletons jumping out along with the scary music then this movie is definitely not for you. You will only be left disappointed, you won't be scared or entertained. If you’re the type of open-minded movie goer that will give most things a try there is a good chance that you will enjoy this movie. So, is it scary? Well, yes if you understand it and think about it long enough, it will all depend on the viewers interperetation and personal thoughts on the real life what if's of the story.

It’s cheap $60,000 by IMDB estimates with $248,639,099 gross earnings. Incidentally this was also the first DVD I ever bought, ironically it was possibly the only DVD out at the time that did not need to be on DVD since the original was filmed on tape.

Pros: Fairly original idea and something a little different.

Cons: Will not appeal to all.

The Haunted Cinema Rating: 6.5 straw dolls out of 10. I don't love it but I do appreciate it.

Happy hauntings, Jiblet.

Scary Children’s Movies

Ever see something in a kids movie and thing "That's a little bit scary!" It is rare but there are a few examples of this, they tend not to be the obvious monster jumping out or the in-your-face ghost. They tend to be the moments where there is a slightly sinister undertone. Overall I think there’s very few moments in children’s movies that would cause lasting fear. You may disagree with me completely but here's 3 of my nominations for things that would certainly creep most kids out.

Disney's Pinocchio: Jack-ass Scene

Now, I know what you’re thinking, unless you have a phobia of singing crickets or marionettes come to life Disney's Pinocchio can't contain any element of horror? Well consider this scene. It's the part of the movie where Pinocchio visits Pleasure Island along with a group of other boys. They are allowed to drink, gamble, smoke, play pool and hang out having fun all day etc. Generally experiencing the vices of the older adolescent. All in all it's not very politically correct for children but hey, it was the 40's. The particular section I'm nominating is Lampwick's transformation in to a donkey. If seen in the correct frame of mind this is a really traumatising scene. As Lampwick mutates in to a Jack-ass he is literally begging Pinocchio for help, the scene is just really graphic and distressing. The movie has already established that crates of donkeys are being loaded away to some unpleasant future such as working in the salt mines. There's full transformations and sort of half formed talking donkeys like Alexander who is flung back in to acorner with the rest of the chil-donkey creatures begging for his mother. If I was in marketing I would use this as a very potent anti-alcohol and tobacco campaign.

Disney's Pinocchio: Jack-ass Scene

Les Maitres Du Temps (1985): Curing the non-conformers scene

Again, I know what you’re thinking. You thinking "What the Hell is Les Maitres Du Temps?". Well if you are in the UK or USA you are more likely to know this one as "The Time Masters" by Rene Laloux. Straight off the bat I'll let you in on a secret, this is a brilliant movie! It's generally classified as a sci-fi children's cartoon but it has many undertones of political and social ideas, something I admire of the French culture. The story tracks the rescue mission of a young boy called Piel that is trapped on a dangerous planet of Perdide after he fathers land buggy is involved in an accident in which his father dies leaving Piel to fend for himself.

There's a scene where Piel is attacked by giant bugs trying scoop out his brain and also a scene where a friendly creature is absorbed by tentacles in a really distressing way. The scene that I'd like to pick out though is the scene on the planet of "Gamma 10". The two space travellers landing on the planet soon meet some white angel-like creatures with no faces. The space travellers are quickly captured and taken to what appears to be a hive-mind society. The scene is in what looks like the inside of a cave shaped as an amphitheatre. Hundreds of the sinister white faceless angels gather round and chant in unison to cure the non-conformers. It a proper alien communist nightmare of a scene. The audio here is fantastically creepy. A lone course French voice screams out the chants. It's one of those movies you really have to see to appreciate the creepiness although the trailer below will give you a good impression.

 Les Maitres Du Temps (1985).

Return to Oz: Headless Mombi

I'm sure you all know the scene I'm going to suggest here. It's the scenes where Mombi has no head on and also the scenes where Dorothy is attempting to retrieve the key from the head boxes. For a children's movie "Return to Oz" is phenomenally dark in tone. From the Wheelers to the Gnome King, it's all very creepy. I've chosen the headless scene though as it's the most all out horror of the movie. When Mombie shouts "DOROTHY GALE!" and the disembodied heads start screaming it's a real departure from our regular world of Disney.

 Return to Oz: Headless Mombi

Happy hauntings, Jiblet.

So, what are your nominations for scary scenes in a children’s movie? There's many more I'm sure.