Horror buffs can stream a ‘clever’ and ‘chilling’ cult classic for free this Halloween.
As October rolls in, many are gearing up for the spooky season by binge-watching as many horror films and TV shows as possible throughout the month.
There’s no better way to kick it off than with a modern classic that hit the screens twenty-five years ago.
The Blair Witch Project is now available on BBC iPlayer at no extra cost, as part of the streaming service’s eerie collection for the season.
First hitting cinemas in 1999, the film marked a turning point for horror flicks and single-handedly revived a subgenre, with Collider dubbing it a ‘cult classic’ in an updated review.
More than two decades later, found footage films have become a staple, with more recent examples including Late Night with the Devil, Paranormal Activity and Cloverfield.
The Blair Witch’s plot revolves around footage found from discarded cameras of young filmmakers who have mysteriously disappeared.
The students embark on a journey to create a documentary about the mythical witch, with the film’s promotional material even suggesting that the events captured on camera were real.
They head to Maryland in the US to interview locals about the tales and hearsay, where they learn of a recluse living in the forest, suspected of kidnapping and killing children in his basement, reports the Mirror.
The film, which was made on a shoestring budget estimated between $200,000 to $750,000, stunned Hollywood by pulling in over $248 million at the global box office, earning it a spot as one of the all-time great indie movies.
Despite receiving criticism since it first hit screens, it’s held onto a legion of fans who salute its legacy as a horror masterstroke.
One fan took to Rotten Tomatoes to share: “So convincing was this clever, chilling fake documentary that Donahue’s mother received sympathy cards from people who believed that her daughter was actually dead or missing.”
Meanwhile, another stated: “The Blair Witch Project is the most effective and unsettling horror movie in quite a long time. Just to clarify: after seeing this, you will not sleep well. Invest in a night light.”
The Blair Witch Project is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
