Every friend group has one—the person who, despite all evidence to the contrary, insists on believing the most outrageous things. For us, it’s Greg. And as we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the cultural touchstone “The Blair Witch Project,” we can’t help but reminisce about the time Greg was absolutely convinced the movie was a documentary.
“It is real, man!” Greg declared, eyes wide with a mix of fear and conviction, back in 1999. “I saw it on the internet! But if you look at the footage closely, it’s clear something really happened out there. The way they filmed it, the panic—it’s all too real to be just made up. I’m telling you, the whole thing was supposed to be a secret. The movie isn’t fiction; it’s the real deal!”
Ah, yes. The internet, the final arbiter of truth and reason. Never mind that the filmmakers, cast, and even the town of Burkittsville had gone on record multiple times to clarify that it was all make-believe. Greg was steadfast in his belief, quoting obscure forums and dodgy fan sites as his sources.
“We spent over $100 on theater tickets to see it multiple times just to humor him,” recalls our friend Jessica. “And every time, he pointed out the same ‘proofs’—the shaky camera work, the missing posters, the interviews with locals. It was surreal.”
Greg’s dedication to the “truth” of “The Blair Witch Project” went beyond just multiple viewings. He researched “Blair Witch” lore like it was his job. He’d show up to hang out and have a new tidbit printed off from some random listserv, like how the actors used their real names or how the directors had to pretend that it was a fake documentary or the distributor wouldn’t put it out because the kids died.
“Remember that time we asked him to come camping?” laughs Jessica. “He refused to go into the woods without a GPS, a satellite phone, and enough supplies to survive an apocalypse. He said he didn’t want to be the next Blair Witch victim. It was hilarious and sad at the same time.”
Dr. Christina Harmon, professor of Urban Legends and Folklore at Washington University, provides some insight into Greg’s unwavering belief.
“It’s not uncommon for people to cling to sensational stories, especially when they feel they have uncovered a hidden truth,” Dr. Harmon explained. “In Greg’s case, his insistence that ‘The Blair Witch Project’ was real likely provided a sense of adventure and importance. It’s the same psychological mechanism that drives conspiracy theories and urban legends.”
Despite our best efforts to enlighten Greg over the years, his conviction never wavered. Even when the actors appeared on talk shows, very much alive and discussing their roles, Greg dismissed it as a cover-up.
Finally, sometime after college and the film had dissipated into a pop culture footnote, Greg relented and admitted how silly it was that he believed it was real. But that doesn’t mean we ever let him forget it.
But the best part? Greg absolutely hates how much we bring it up. Every Halloween, every movie night, every casual mention of camping—we never miss an opportunity to remind him.
“Come on, guys, it was 25 years ago,” Greg texted in the group chat as recently as last week, but we just can’t help ourselves. “Let it go already!”
Every birthday and Christmas we get Greg a VHS or DVD copy of the movie, which drives him crazy. Here is hoping they release a 4K version before the holidays. We even threw his bachelor party in Burkittsville, Maryland where it was filmed. We had T-shirts made that said, “I’m a Blair Witch Believer.” He refused to wear it, but the rest of us wore them proudly all weekend.
“Seriously, it’s not funny anymore,” Greg insisted when reached for comment about this article. But it’s tradition now, and I’m sure we will tell his kids all about it when they are old enough. So here’s to 25 more years of “The Blair Witch Project,” and to Greg—our dumb, gullible friend.