Twenty years ago, independent filmmakers Eduardo Sánchez, Daniel Myrick and Gregg Hale shocked the horror movie industry with the unexpected international success of The Blair Witch Project.

The film’s found footage milieu expertly re-purposed the “is it real?” ephemera of cult television classics like In Search of… and Unsolved Mysteries. It was also the first film to fully embrace the marketing possibilities of the internet, creating its own fan-fueled fantasy world where anxious conspirators could further explore the fictional lore of Maryland’s Blair Witch.

On the eve of opening weekend 1999, Rexx Arkana sat down with the filmmakers to discuss their fascination with horror and the art of storytelling. The result was this feature article originally published in Interface Magazine.

In New York City, Interface (in association with the Sci-Fi Channel, Haxan Films, Artisan Entertainment, Chapter III Records and Eternal Entertainment) sponsored an exclusive release party at the legendary East Village goth/industrial club, The Bank. The event featured a listening session for the film-related soundtrack Josh’s Blair Witch Mix, and a special midnight screening of the associated cable documentary “Curse of the Blair Witch.” A line up of patrons that stretched down Essex Street that night proved to be one of the best and final moments of the venue, which closed shortly after. (Coincidence? Or… something more?)

20 YEARS OF TERROR.

On Friday, October 18th, Haus Arkana recognizes the 20th anniversary of this revolutionary film at BLAIR WITCH HAUS – a private event and screening. The party will feature exclusive giveaways courtesy of HA and STATIK Industrial TV, including original movie posters signed by the filmmakers, DVDs and movie memorabilia and CD copies of the soundtrack, provided by Chapter III.

The event kicks off at 9 PM with a listening party for the seasonally appropriate “13 Ghost Stories,” the latest project from left field music founding father, Jean-Marc Lederman (Weathermen, Fad Gadget, Gene Loves Jezebel, et. al.). Autographed copies of the release – as well as others from the artist – will be given away, courtesy of JMLP and Dependent Records.

Haus Arkana invites you to join us in paying tribute to a film that invigorated 80s nostalgia in horror and independent filmmaking in the internet era.

This October, haunt the halls at BLAIR WITCH HAUS.