The Blair Witch Project — D.A Stern

In the fall of 1994, three student filmmakers, Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard, and Michael Williams, ventured into the Black Hills of Maryland to investigate the legend of the Blair Witch. They never returned and to this day are still considered missing. However, one year after their disappearance, their footage was discovered. Directors Eduardo Sanchez and Gregg Hale edited the footage and released it as the movie titled The Blair Witch Project. As a companion to the movie, occult journalist D.A. Stern compiled this dossier, unearthing deeper mysteries surrounding the students' disappearance. It includes a full account of the case from a private investigator, police reports, newspaper articles, student profiles, interviews with the students' families and friends, and the most revealing artifact--37 pages from Heather Donahue's journal. We also get a comprehensive history of the Blair Witch legend, complete with a copy of an 1823 newspaper article.

The hype surrounding The Blair Witch Project is a rare phenomenon in which a purely fictitious film (sorry to burst the occult lover's bubble, but there is no Blair Witch myth; and those missing filmmakers are actors who are alive and well) creates a legend in and of itself. The collected data found in this dossier lends more eerie authenticity to the whole affair. This is an outstanding compilation for its acute attention to detail and ability to enhance the mystery, which in the end is the real charm of this portfolio. --Samantha Allen Storey