It takes a lot to terrify the master of American horror. But this film nevertheless succeeded in traumatizing Stephen King, so much so that he was unable to finish it!
Stephen King is undoubtedly the master of modern horror. The writer, author of Shining, That or Carrie has terrorized generations of readers, but also generations of spectators with the adaptation of his works on the big screen. It’s not easy to scare him, and yet: he admitted in an interview that he was never able to see the end of this cult horror film, which completely terrorized him.
And he’s not the only one: when it was released in 1999, this American independent film traumatized many moviegoers, notably by using the “found footage” technique. The entire horror film is in fact presented as if it were videos recorded on a camcorder by students (we could do the same with a smartphone today). This technique accentuates both realism and tension by playing on what is shown on the screen and especially on the imagination of the viewer, who does not necessarily see everything in the image.
The film’s storyline is unstoppable: three film students are making a documentary on a legend, that of the Blair Witch. They then begin their investigation in the woods, where several people have been murdered. But the place seems haunted by terrifying mystical forces, and the three young people quickly regret their expedition.
This film is obviously The Blair Witch Project, a feature film directed by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez which enjoyed phenomenal success upon its release. It will become the second highest-grossing film in history by collecting $248.6 million at the US box office, for a budget of only $60,000. Very well received by critics at the time, it was presented in several festivals, and notably in an annex competition of the Cannes Film Festival, where it won a Youth Prize for best foreign film.
In the documentary History of HorrorStephen King looks back on his rather unusual viewing experience with The Blair Witch Project. The writer explains that he saw the film after being hit by a minivan and having swallowed several pain-relieving medications: “The first time I saw The Blair Witch Project, I was in the hospital and I was on drugs. My son brought me a VHS tape and said, ‘You have to watch this.’ Halfway through the movie I said, ‘Turn it off, it’s so creepy.’
Succeeding in scaring the master of horror, even if he is convalescing, remains a real feat to be saluted! If you want to try to challenge Stephen King (at your own risk), The Blair Witch Project is available in France for purchase or rental on most VOD platforms.