The developers even have the player call Bullet over and state within a static screen, “Stay close to him. This is where the narrative integrity of the video game falls apart. Not this time” - meaning he has screwed up before. The video game tries to simulate this documentary style, twisting it enough so it feels more interactive and personal, since the player is viewing things from the more cinematic third-person and then shifting into the Ellis’s first-person perspective.Īs the game begins, we have a conversation with Sheriff Lanning, the chief of police, where we learn that Ellis has “health issues.” Ellis promises he won’t “screw this up. It allows the viewer to garner information without having any of the protagonists outright say it, skimming the line of “show, don’t tell.” Book of Shadows also makes use of shifting perspectives and camera angles throughout its intro, offering interviews with residents from Burkittsville.
THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT 1999 PC GAME TV
Ellis - a former police officer, war veteran, and the videogame’s only playable character - hears about the disappearance of 9-year-old Peter Shannon from a news station on his car radio, whereas Book of Shadows rushes to flood the viewer’s screen with clips from TV shows and news reporters talking about the hype and legendary success of The Blair Witch Project. In both the video game and Book of Shadows, we learn exposition via a news source. The year is 1996, two years after the events of the original film, and within these first few minutes of cutscene, we are privy to a sweeping camera view of the lush environment and the soon-to-be-very-familiar sounds of a dog yawning. The video game begins with the main protagonist, Ellis Lynch, and his dog, Bullet, in a car - a clear connection to the group driving sequence after the title reveal in Book of Shadows. The surprising intersections between Blair Witch and Book of Shadows
THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT 1999 PC GAME MOVIE
The randomness of scenes, unfocused plot, and uninspired writing have been pulled from this movie sequel and dumped almost carelessly into the video game’s framework, infecting this franchise’s modern resurrection with clichés and muddiness that, ultimately, do not capture the horror and drama-charged simplicity of the original 1999 film. Narrative clarity is key, but the formula Blair Witch fixates on is very nearly copied and pasted from Book of Shadows - which, as some Blair Witch fans may disclose, is not a typical fan favorite when people bring up the franchise. It is far more jumbled and complex, mixing in a variety of flashbacks and scenes from the past and probable future, and completely ignores the basics of what can make a humble story into an utter masterpiece. What the 2019 Blair Witch video game fails to capture is a clear narrative. The ultimate success of this simplicity is also what sets the creative bar so high. Their believable reactions and building insanity are what make this film so terrifying. These straightforward techniques and careful planning are what make the original film so great, offering the audience direct, seemingly unedited thoughts and feelings between the characters. The narrative’s simplicity stems from a very clear and distinct plotline, in addition to the directors’ ingenious decision to have the actors themselves act as cameramen. A sense of uneasiness and fear gradually build as the main characters realize they are lost and being pursued. Three protagonists go out into the woods to film a documentary about a superstitious town that believes in an entity called the Blair Witch. The Blair Witch Project, the root of this franchise’s success and creation, has a fairly simple formula. In fact, the amount of call and response between the 2019 video game and the series’ second film, Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 (2000) is hard to ignore - and ultimately does a disservice to the video game’s already weak narrative.
The 2019 video game Blair Witch is a fresh attempt at reinterpreting the franchise - but does it retain the craft and feel of the original movie? Unfortunately, no, although it does employ a wide range of techniques that are found heavily within subsequent films. Many different modes of storytelling have attempted to utilize the story and lore of the 1999 film The Blair Witch Project, from cinematic sequels to a trilogy of so-so PC games back in 2000.