Blair Witch and the Shakey Cam Legacy

Ten years ago a zero-budget-made-in 10-days student flick made it's makers a fortune when the Blair Witch Project was released. Some said it was terrifying..some said it was nauseating..some said it was sh!t...

But whatever your opinion it opened the flood gates for what has become known as films made in the 'Shakey Cam'..ie hand held/amateur style footage to make it look more 'real'...like actual 'shot on a cam corder or phone by a member of the public' newsreel.

Personally I find 'Shakey Cam' really annoying. BWP is almost impossible to watch as the constant motion of the camera either makes you feel ill or simply prevents you from seeing what the f*ck is actually happening.

For this reason I avoided seeing many of the subsequent 'Shakey Cam' films that have flooded the cinemas since BWP. However recently I have ended seeing,one way or another( oh..alright...because Vix wanted to see them) [Rec] (Spanish original now re-made as 'Quarantine')..Cloverfield and most recently 'Diary Of The Dead' and I must admit..none of them were as annoying and shakey as BWP. Maybe because camcoeders have progressed so much in the past 10 years and have 'anti-shake' features built in which reduces the amount of on screen wobble.

Also, though I think the film makers realise that films where you can't really see what's happening get negative reviews and response so a certain amount of clairity is demanded by the viewing public.

I know a woman who had to leave a cinema she was watching Cloverfield in because of motion sickness. I viewed all the shakey cam flicks I saw on DVD but I can understand how watching something like that on a huge screen would screw with your balance perception.

Now the confession. When each of these films were announced I stated catagorically that I wouldn't be going to see them simply because they were filmed on hand held cameras..however I've quite enjoyed everyone of them :o

[rec] was, for me, the best of them. I've not seen the American re-make but Vix is keen so it's only a matter of time I guess..Cloverfield was certainly a lot better than I thought it was going to be visually even if the story was a bit naff..and Diary Of The Dead is certainly the poorest of Romero's zombie flicks but I've certainly seen much worse in the genre and didn't really mind (or notice too much) the Docu-cam style in it at all. If anything it added to the tension without getting on your nerves.

So any other views on 'Shakey Cam' films? Like 'em? Hate 'em? No Opinion? Wanna have your say? Be my guest....

I figure I'm pretty much obliged to weigh in because of my sig. The only of those other movies you mentioned that I've seen is Diary of the Dead, which you are right is an ok movie, but nothing special.

I guess the shakey cam doesn't really bother me too much. Even with a still camera, BWP would have sucked. Blair Witch sucked because of the lousy screenplay, IMO.

I never wanted to see Cloverfield in the slightest bit. When I first saw the trailer I thought it looked like a cross between Blair Witch and the Godzilla remake....I still haven't seen it and don't plan to, but I don't think it's because of the shakey cam, although admittedly that was the only thing that made me link it to BWP.

On second thought, the shakey cam does bother me. However, its not the shakiness, it's the fact that I can't see everything that's going on. I want to see all the characters. I want cuts and different angles. Even seeing things through someone's eyes you at least get peripheral vision.

It doesn't bother me that much, but I sometimes will get a headache watching them. Watching Saving Private Ryan, I got a killer headache becasuse it was the first time seeing the shaky camera technique. I made myself watch it again because I knew I'd love the film, which I did.

I liked Cloverfield, and really didn't mind it.

Blair Witch was pure dogsh!t in my opinion, and I just hated the movie in general.

I agree Blair Witch was pure crappola.

I don't remember the shakey camera in Saving Private Ryan, if it bothered me at the time, I have forgotten about it (like most every other thing).

I originally saw Cloverfield on dvd and wasn't at all bothered by the shaky cam and generally enjoyed it. However, I later saw it on a big wall sized home theater and it made me feel sick. So I am not against the technique, but think I'll only watch these movies on dvd.

I like the idea of a shaky cam as in it gives a real unique quality to the movie but it just never really works, I just think it's a lost cause.

before i knew it was fake, not gonna lie, i was scared ****less lol

Jimmy and Judy is a "shaky cam" movie that manages to be pretty damn good.


http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0425151/

I'm with Cic in the sense that I'm fine with it unless it's on a big screen. Dvd I can deal with it easy enough.

As for the Blair Witch, I hated it. Never got why people got scared of it at all and keep in mind I was still pretty young when it came out. That being said I am grateful for the film because without it The Blair Thumb would never have been born and 20% of my movie quotes used in real life wouldn't exist. :p

how long was it after the movie came out that we found out it wasnt a true story

When I heard what it was about :rolleyes:

When I heard what it was about :rolleyes:

Badda-BING! :D