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BOOK
OF SHADOWS: Blair Witch 2 review by Joseph B. Mauceri
REVIEW: "I hope to create a psychological horror movie that serves a mainstream audience while simultaneously commenting on the media-created event called ŒThe Blair Witch Project,' thus connecting my first feature with the kind of social analysis I have undertaken in my documentary work," explained director Joe Berlinger. I doubt that Myrick and Sanchez began work on "The Blair Witch Project" with such lofty ideals. When a genre film sets out from a position of trying to be a "meditation on violence in the media" it is almost destined to fail. Stephen King did not try to label his reflection on his life and the genre, Danse Macabre, a work of fiction. The greatest storytellers of all time understood the basic principle of the parable. Begin by trying to tell a good story, and if you can teach folks something a long the way all the better. You need to know your audience and how to craft the tale in order to find elements the listeners can relate to. Unless you're going to see an "art house film," folks go to the flicks to be entertained. Myrick and Sanchez understood the language of fear and how to translate that into a cinematic experience for an audience. Director Joe Berlinger's inexperience with the literary and cinematic genre is shamelessly obvious. The story utilizes elements from such films and novels as "House on Haunted Hill" ¯ especially the remake ¯ "The Haunting" ¯ the black-&-white classic ¯ "The Legend of Hell House" ¯ "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre," "The Evil Dead" and "The Evil Dead II: Dead by Dawn," and the list goes on and on. As a cineterrortologist (a term coined by the critically acclaimed genre journalist Stanley Wiater), I've come to understand that it doesn't matter how many times they've taken the ride, people like scary movies. You can repackage, mix and blend themes as many times as you can. But the minute you try to tell them they "haven't seen anything like it before," or disguise it as "social commentary," you are asking for trouble. The selection of characters almost seems like a bad joke ¯ A mental patient, Wiccan, Goth and two grad students are hiking through the woods. . . The opening of BOOK OF SHADOWS attempts to recreate the media hype surrounding the Blair Witch phenomenon. Berlinger's documentary eye fails to capture the intensity or emotion needed to set the tone that draws an audience in. The director suggests that the characters are victims of mass hysteria. Unfortunately, BOOK OF SHADOWS is devoid of atmosphere or mood that might separate hysteria from fact. It is overly lit, so that the "unknown" lurking in the shadows is not as powerful as in its predecessor. It is similar to the problem with the lightening designed utilized in the big budget remake of "The Haunting." The outdoor shots, except for the drunken frenzy around the campfire, are almost as brightly lit as a night game of baseball. Another problem with "The Haunting" that plagues BOOK OF SHADOWS is a production design that tries to utilize a large, open location. Think about you basic haunted house in any amusement park. There are lots of winding hallways, with coroners you can't see around. There are tight corridors, low ceilings and odd angles. It's a similar environment that can be created by sitting around a campfire with the night closing in. The majority of the action is confined to the campsite and Jeff's digs. Not necessarily a bad thing, but a limited number of sets are usually a sign of a film trying to make due on a tight budget. BOOK OF SHADOWS has nudity and gore, something lacking in its predecessor. Yet the nudity and gore are presented as what the characters perceives as an alternate reality. Berlinger believes "what is truly scary is not some inexplicable supernatural force, but rather human action." It all feels a bit "Nightmare on Elm Street," and often a bit gratuitous. If it isn't directed to the audience for its shock value, it is certainly meant to be for the characters. In the final analysis it definitely feels like a double standard. What saves BOOK OF SHADOWS from utter collapse is a talented cast. Each member fully understands the nature of their role and delivers a grounded performance. You sense their terror, even though we might not feel or understand it. I was especially impressed by the work of Erica Leershen and Kim Director, the Wiccan and Goth. They both had a grasp on the culture and, knowing several Goths and Wiccans, brought a genuine feel to their characters. "I hope this film does what I have always endeavored to do in my work: examine complex subjects with the respect and thought they deserve. I like to raise issues and present both sides, and not necessarily answer the questions," the director commented. Joe, snap out of it! It's only a scary movie. "The Blair Witch Project" was a pseudo-documentary so why not get a documentary filmmaker to shoot the sequel? Man, Joe, you've bought into the studio hype hook, line and sinker. BOOK OF SHADOWS is a rushed commercial vehicle that seeks to monopolize on a daunting merchandising scheme. Think about it, why are Myrick and Sanchez only executive producers, and have no other involvement with the film? As P.T. Barnum said, "There is a sucker born every minute." I know quite a few of those suckers who came away from the original feeling a little short changed. But you know what? They can't say that they weren't frightened. The law of diminishing returns suggests that sequels need to recreate a portion of that original experience. BOOK OF SHADOWS should have a good opening weekend, but will probably suffer a quick death by word of mouth, if the reviews don't. This Halloween offering is certainly no treat! OFFICIAL
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SYNOPSIS:
Back to the Black Hills near Burkittsville, MD. A former mental
patient, a Wiccan, a psychic Goth and two grad students head out
on an overnight trip to a sinister site of Blair Witch lore. The
next morning reveals that some "strange" doings occurred. They pack
up and head back to Jeff's abandoned warehouse to try and piece
the previous night's events together. Ups! Too late, when
they left the woods they didn't leave alone. Or is it all just a
manifestation of their own hysteria.