Scared of what cannot be seen only felt ...

Mysterious Witch Pros: Different style of creating the movie Cons :Maybe a little too crude Bottom Line : If you want to watch a horror movie without special effects and feel scared check this movie out !! Full Review Plot Details: This opinion reveals major details about the movie's plot. I am not into Horror movies but this movie was something, which made me want to see as it was based on a true story. ' "On October 21, 1994, Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard, and Michael Williams hiked into the Black Hills Forest to shoot a documentary film on a local legend called 'The Blair Witch,' and were never seen again. One year later, their footage was found.'' That’s what appears at the start of the movie. This movie was a low budget movie written and directed for the first time by Eduardo Sanchez and Daniel Myrick. Though it was their first attempt at directing and writing this movie caused a furore in the Sundance Film Festival. On October 21, 1994, three young film makers Heather, Michael and Josh hiked into the Black Hills Forest of Maryland. They are very excited about the project. The project is a documentary about the local legend of Blair Witch. This film is their legacy, or so it is said, documenting what happened in the woods. Heather sets the stage of the documentary by interviewing the residents about the Blair Witch stories of murder and mysterious disappearances. Some residents are skeptic while some are scared and they do believe in the legend of the Blair Witch. Heather chalks out a plan to journey with her friends for a two-day excursion into the Black Hills Forest. Heather is constantly carrying a Hi-8 video camera in her hand and using a map and compass.She leads Joshua (who is filming with a grainy black-and-white 16mm camera) and Michael (who is there to pick up the sound) deep into the woods. The camera takes a life of its own as the movie progresses and it shows us the different characters undergoing the ordeal of being hunted. As Heather and her friends hike deep into the forest and they come across a rock known as Coffin rock according to the map which Heather has, where five men were supposedly tortured. Their hands and legs were bound together and their intestines taken out. When the village people found out they were horrified at the sight. When they came back to dispose the bodies, the bodies were nowhere to be seen. They move from that place and after trudging along for sometime, they set up camp as it becomes dark. When they fall asleep, they are startled to hear some weird noises of snapping twigs. The next morning they talk about the spooky noises but they don’t give too much of an importance. The next night they experience terror when they are assaulted by something. Heather rushes out with her camera and she is seen to be following a pale shadow or something ( it is not very clear). In the morning they find a hank of hair ritualistically tied with blood and human tooth. Josh has his stuff messed up. Josh is scared. By now everyone is scared and they decide to go back to their car and head for home. But now the map is lost and Heather decides that they would move South. After sometime they realize the come across a portion of the forest, which has sticks portraying the Blair Witch hanging from trees. They are filled with uneasiness and they decide to get out as soon as possible. The tension builds up and the three students are snapping each other. They are nervous and unsure as to whether they will get out of the forest. As they continue walking they realize that they have come back to the same spot on Coffin Rock. This make them go crazy and they slowly start breaking down emotionally. Josh and Mike blame Heather for being so arrogant and leading them to nowhere. Their only hope is to pray and get out of that place as soon as possible. Josh wanders away and after a while when Heather and Mike calls for Josh, Josh does not reply back. Both Mike and Heather are very scared and they start looking around nearby. As it starts getting dark, they Mike and Heather set up camp hoping that Josh comes back. That night Heather is very scared and she looks into the camera and apologizes to her parents and her friends’ parents for being in that predicament. She is shown to be very scared. The fear starts building and suddenly they hear their friend Josh calling out from the woods. Both heather and Mike rush out in search out the voice and then Josh. They ultimately succumb to their fear and the mysterious something. The ending, though not predictable leaves a lot of questions behind in one’s mind . The movie is made so that it looks like a real documentary. The actors and actresses have done a wonderful job. Looking at them you would feel that it’s happening very naturally and you can experience the fear that they are portraying. The camera working is very crude and jittery – due to the hand held camera. The actors were sent out to the woods for eight days to improvise the picture. Some destination points and encounters have been scripted but some were real. But whatever said and done, this movie brings chills down your spine. It is all the more so as the movie plays upon your imagination, the fear of the unknown and unseen. That is much deep rooted than the gory displays of horror and ghoulish images on the screen. What is created in the mind is much more terrifying than special effects. Don’t expect too much from the movie as regards the special effects which goes unsaid when a horror movie is picturized. You have to feel the movie and yes experience it !!! Recommended: Yes Video Occasion: Good for a Rainy Day Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older