The "Blair Witch" Hoax....August 25, 1999

The "Blair Witch" Hoax....August 25, 1999

I bathed semi-peacefully this morning. By this I mean that I still had an audience, just not one that deemed my morning scrub a participation sport. Today, Moo decided that mere observation would suffice, and contented herself by staring at me while sitting beside the tub. Indeed, she gave the tub quite a wide berth. Be that as it may, if I know her like I believe I do, tomorrow may be another story altogether. Or perhaps the next day. She likes to learn things the hard way. I am sure she feels the same about me.

She may be an Ivory Girl yet.

The highlight of my day was taking a client to The Blair Witch Project this evening. Originally, my intentions were to see Sixth Sense. I was third back from the ticket booth when the little paper sign was taped to the booth window:

Sixth Sense
is sold out

. I could not believe it. In all the over play this movie gets every day, and given it has been here for a few days, and taking into consideration that I do not live in that big a city, what were the odds? I mean, it was not even like this when Phantom Menace was in town.

Now I really, really have to see this movie. Next time, I will not be adverse to butting in line, even though it goes against my principles. I will just have to make sure I am sans clients. Perhaps I'll invite Quincy along. No one messes with Mamma Quincy. Indeed, one of the first things you see when entering her house is:

When Mamma Aint Happy
Aint Nobody Happy

Woe be to the person who thinks this is hung in jest.

While often this mantra serves to work at my disadvantage, I am not adverse to wielding her powers of persuasion when I am in her good graces.

Getting back to The Blair Witch Project, I feel what the creators were trying to do was brilliant. Perhaps they have paved the way for a whole new genre. Nevertheless, I was disappointed that they let it be known it was all a hoax before it had a good run in theatres. It seems to negate their whole purpose in making the film to begin with. Having had my fill of Jason, Freddy, Michael, and the evening news, it is almost impossible for film to invoke fear in me. Nevertheless, had I been an ignorant going into Blair Witch, I feel it would have scared me bald. At the very least, I would have left with a great deal more grey than I have currently. The actors and directors did a superb job making what is really scripted seem spontaneous and unedited.

I wait, as I have since adolescence, for something to scare the shit out of me.

....Blessed Be