MovieChat Forums > The Taking (2014) Discussion > It all started with Blair Witch

It all started with Blair Witch


100 million dollars was made on a home made video tape movie around 1999. I saw it in the theater. Ever since with HD and the change of technology. Movie makers are making these cheap independent movies in the thousands. Whether they go direct to dvd I'm not sure. But this is just another one. Sometimes they are horrible and sometimes they are good. To me it's known as the shaky camcorder movies. But was interesting.

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Nope, it all started with Cannibal Holocaust.

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You're right. It did start with cannibal holocaust. That movie was crazy.

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Cannibal Holocaust was the first but didn't start the trend. It more famous started direct to VHS/video

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Maybe Cannibal Holocaust was the first found-footage-mockumentary kind of film, but certainly, it did not start the trend, as said before. It is a gore film and it has nothing to do with The Blair Witch's legacy or spirit, which is the psychological fear to the unknown or unseeing that comes from a recorded 'real' material. And that is what the hundreds of subsequent movies of this type have absorbed since. Many of them are crap, some are decent, and only a few of them, pretty good...yeah, I see almost all of them...I've no remedy 
By the way, Iliked this one.

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I don't understand the shaky cam attraction.
Even people on YouTube have better camera control.

Who are these home camera doofuses supposed to be? If I had a family member that took such bad video I would run every time they invited me over.

Why would anyone want to put in a movie just to be nauseous or at best focused on the camera choice above the actually film? Because you know that is what a lot of people are doing. It's like Elaine in Seinfeld talking to herself, "Oh my God, I feel sick. Why can't that guy hold the camera steady? I'm going to throw up in my popcorn..yada yada yada".

Not to make it all about me but I have a seizure disorder. I would love to just enjoy a modern day horror movie for once.

I am actually quite shocked the producers risk losing a large percentage of audience due to this style filming choice. Just sitting here listening is a challenge as I see all the movement out of the corner of my eye. I just do not get the appeal.

In defense of this one, it's not AS bad as Blair Witch or some of the others out there.

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Who are these home camera doofuses supposed to be? If I had a family member that took such bad video I would run every time they invited me over.

...and were they actually planning to submit this "Documentary" to some film festival? Because in the actual film the camera guy isn't saying, "Hey, I am making a Shaky Cam documentary! Will you be in it?"

Because really, who would say yes? If your mom really was sick with Alzheimer's are you going to say to your brother, "Hey Bob this guy wants to film us with a Shaky Cam about Mom's Alzheimer's" then Bob is all, "Yeah, let's do it".

So we are to believe that this film student, or whomever, is just really sucky with his camera? Because as said, 12 year olds on YouTube shoot better videos. And I am not talking about the ones where they sit in front of their PC.

Found footage is bad enough but at least they aren't making a major decision to film their dying mother when they clearly know they are horrible at holding a camera.

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I don't understand the shaky cam attraction.
Even people on YouTube have better camera control.

Found footage videos tend to use large bulky professional-level camcorders that actually do shake when slung over the shoulder while walking. But they cheat by not using one of the many forms of hardware and software video stabilization techniques available, which is why YouTube videos appear less shaky.

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[deleted]

Blair witch was *beep*

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Even within North America the Blair Witch did not start the "trend". That would be Alien Abduction: Incident in Lake County (aka the McPherson Tapes), which I actually rather enjoy.

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Blair Witch is terrifying if you take it seriously when you watch it. I dare you to honestly attempt to watch that film in the woods at night camping. good luck

she fell through a hole, and was never seen again

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I kind of think of found footage as the reality television of the horror world. Some movies do it better than others, though. Although more and more people hate it each day Blair Witch still remains one of my favorite films of all time and I think it will always be my favorite found footage film.

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This one actually contained special effects, a decent storyline and an ending... so it's nothing like that *beep* Blair Witch Crap lol

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Say anything, but... it all started with Cannibal Holocaust!!!

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No, it started with Cannibal Holocaust

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