I am trying to get the SD on this new movie coming out. Supposedly it’s based on a true story of a murderer named Rustin Parr, who killed 7 children and buried them in the cellar. It takes place in Burkittsville, MD. Then 3 filmakers named Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard, and Michael Williams went to go do a story on it, went into the woods and disappeared. Any info? It kinda sounds made up to me (a la Amityville Horror).
It’s fiction.
Looks like a good flick, probably. There are some previews on the web, probably at www.blairwitch.com .
Snopes has a page on it, too. Sounds like a good scary movie, but its fiction.
Revtim, I went onto that site-it’s sponsered by the moviemakers, so I figure whatever they say probably should be taken with a grain of salt. But it did get me curious.
I took classes at Montgomery College and can honestly say that anyone who claims that three Montgomery College students went out during their spare time for a class project is lying. Therefore, the story is a fake.
Actually it’s fiction and pseudo-fact. The existence of the town of Blair and the witch are somewhat documented in the book mentioned on the website. The bit of the students disappearing is fiction, but they do a convincing job of it (I saw the VCD) pretty good scare flick!
To deal with men by force is as impractical as to deal with nature by persuasion.
Haven’t gone to the BLAIR WITCH website yet, but I think even the book the documents the so-called backstory is fiction–an invention by the filmmakers to give their psuedo-documentary an air of authenticity.
Can’t believe anybody’s being fooled by this ruse (although I hear the film’s good). Since it started getting good word-of-mouth at festivals, anyone who’s heard about the film knows it’s fiction–to be taken no more literally than FARGO’s asertion that it’s “based on a true story.”
Yes, it’s a fictional movie, about fictional events. But it’s apparently quite scary.
But it’s more ‘real’ than most movies in an interesting way: apparently the directors used a scriptless method-acting approach to filming it. They sent the three actors out into the woods for three days with a GPS, a few cameras, and instructions on what to do, and to film everything. And then at night the directors would sneak out to wherever the actors were camping and make creepy sounds and do stuff to freak them out. Apparently much of the footage in the final film came from this exercise.
Neat!
Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way if they get mad, you’re already a mile away. And they don’t have any shoes.
The Sci-fi Channel is airing a one hour special tonight (7PM and 10PM in CA) on the Blair Witch Project. My TV Guide lacked specifics but seemed to be referring to the whole mess as authentic. I’ll be watching to see what they have to say – hopefully there will be disclaimers.
Jess
Full of 'satiable curtiosity
According to a friend of mine, the thing on the Sci Fi channel is supposed to look like a true documentary. They’re making it look like a true story since that’s the way the movie is promoted.
Good thing someone asked about The Blair Witch Project. When I saw the commercial on sci fi, I thought it was a true story too.
The movie should be incredible. I intend to see it as soon as it comes out.
It’s fiction.
It’s also the first horror film to be accepted by Sundance, so it should be good.
–Rowan
Shopping is still cheaper than therapy. --my Aunt Franny
The Sci-Fi Channel special WAS filmed like a documentary. Enjoyable enough – but no disclaimers at all, unfortunately. People are definately going to think the movie was based on a true occurance. Just what we needed – ANOTHER urban legend!
Jess
Full of 'satiable curtiosity
Thought you all might enjoy this:
The Blair Warner Project
http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Lounge/3027/Blair.html
As others have said, the movie is fictional.The film makers made it seem like it was real to make it seem scarier than if people knew it was fake.
the “history” behind it is (This is easily found on other sites so i’m not spoiling the movie 
):
In the 1700’s a woman in the town of Blair, Maryland was accused by several girls of luring them to her house to draw their blood. She was found guilty of witchcraft. The town found her guilty and banished her into the woods to die (it was mid winter). After that, people from the town started disappearing. The residents assumed the town was cursed and abandoned it.Later the town of Burkittsville was established on the site of Blair. Ever since the banishment of the witch, people started disappearing from the forest. Rustin Parr who popokis5 mentioned supposedly killed 7 children because of the witchs ghost.
The disappearances and the legend of the blair witch were the reason the dilm students went out to do a documentary. Theres a lot of interesting stuff on the blairwitch.com site. They even have “the evidence” of the film students belongings on the site. The “mythology” link tells you the timeline of events in the history of the Blair witch
oh yeah and check out the audio file where Heather Donohue tells about what happened to a search party near this rock called Coffin Rock. Interesting stuff.
Great site Topolino!
My understanding is that the movie is a “recreation of sorts”. There were three students from Montgomery college who did disappear in 1994 while doing a film project on the Blair witch - site the Washington Post. The ‘Blair Witch Project’ therefore is a fake.
Joools is right, it was filmed at Sennaca Creek State Parka park near Washington, DC, I Mt. bike there.
I usually hate horror films, even Scream, but this one looks great.
Uh, I don’t think so. Can you link to that article, please? There were no such students; I used Dow Jones interactive to search every major newspaper in the country back to 1990, and found zip.
O.K.! Now we’re getting somewhere. Rustin Parr information, anyone? (Except for the Blair witch site, which is put out by the studios, friends.)
pld is right – there is no such thing. There was a long article in the Chicago Tribune (yesterday?) about the movie. A complete fiction, from beginning to end – but the filmmakers did it right, and even made up fake postcards and the like to get interest generated from potential backers.
The Urban Legend site, www.snopes.com, has a ton of stuff on it.
–Rowan
Shopping is still cheaper than therapy. --my Aunt Franny
I’m sure it’s a good film; I’m anxious to see it. But, I don’t call that directing. Directors should work with the actors, not play them like chumps. Also, there were no blocking rehearsals, and no first aid on “set”, which is dangerous.
Remember, I’m pulling for you; we’re all in this together.
—Red Green