These quotes certainly apply to Blair Witch. The power of this "documentary" is just how real the film felt. The three principle characters behaved like normal 20-somethings of the mid-90s; they could have been friends or neighbors. The film contained a certain spontaneity; it didn't feel scripted or rehearsed. Despite its critics, no one can deny how natural it seems. The scariest stories are the ones that feel the most like they could happen to you, and Blair Witch feels undeniably real.
The film certainly attempts to recapture that "aura" of reality. Its on-location shooting, unrehearsed script and shaky camera work shed the studio qualities of typical films. The irony, of course, is that the audience is fully aware it's a film -- the camera is a central piece of the story, with the characters continually referring to either Heather's obsessive taping or just the weight of the equipment they are carrying. We are constantly reminded that Blair Witch is a film - but that doesn't take us out of the world of the story. We are too entranced, wondering what will happen next; our years of movie-watching prevent us from removing ourselves from the world of the story.
In this sense, their attempt was successful. We feel as if we were wandering through those woods: we see their teeth chatter, hear the wind, the birds, the trickling of the creeks - and it all sounds like it's coming from a standard home video camera, not a film set.
No comments:
Post a Comment