Found Footage is a subgenre of horror film that has had many successful representatives over the years. The film that made the genre famous was Blair Witch Project. However, the producer explains 25 years later that we have actually been watching the wrong version.
What kind of movie is Blair Witch Project? Blair Witch Project premiered in 1999. The film tells the story of 3 film students who want to make a documentary about the urban legend of a witch in the woods. The students disappear, and only the camera footage is found. Accordingly, the film is shot in the style of Found Footage.
This means: Only “real” camera footage is used, without much post-production. For the viewer, it looks as if someone actually recorded something, like in a documentary. Accordingly, it is also extremely cheap to make such a film. According to Box Office Mojo, the film cost only $60,000 (about 54,000 Euros).
The film grossed almost $250 million worldwide (about 224 million Euros). This is an enormous profit compared to the costs. However, as the film’s producer explains now, we have been watching the wrong version for 25 years.
You can find a horror tip on Netflix here: A new horror film for 18+ is streaming on Netflix – it starts off so thrilling that you can hardly wait until the guy from Die Hard 4 messes everything up
Wrong Format at the Time
What is “wrong” about Blair Witch Project? As the film’s producer, Michael Monello, explains on x.com, the version of the film that was released on DVD, Blu-Ray, and later on streaming is not the “real” version of the film at all.
In 1999, the theater versions of films were simply converted from their 35mm version to video for DVD. However, Blair Witch Project was not shot on 35 mm, but with a camcorder. To adapt the film for DVD release formats, the original version had to be converted into a 35mm version beforehand. However, this led to all versions not looking as they were shot. (via shotonwhat.com)
Unfortunately, the 35mm negative is NOT the actual camera negative. Therefore, the version that was released for all forms of home video is incorrect. The colors, the motion, the oddly rounded corners – it didn’t look like a home video, and it didn’t look like a film.
Michael Monello on Blair Witch Project (Source: x.com)
According to him, the true
Found-Footage experience does not come across properly in these versions. That’s why he is also looking forward to a new version of the film that is supposed to be released on Blu-Ray in November. In The Blair Witch Project LTD ED, there are many bonus features, including restored original elements and, according to Monello, the real
version.
Unfortunately, there is one downside. The new version of the film is currently only being released in the UK on Blu-Ray. If you want to watch it, you will have to import it, according to the current status. At least in Germany, there is more luck than in the USA. The Blu-Ray is not suitable for all regions. Only for Region B. This includes Germany, so it can be played on common Blu-Ray players. The USA is Region A. If you don’t want to deal with imports, you can find more horror films on this list: 5 horror films for 18+, which are not for the faint of heart
