Daniel Myrick & Eduardo Sánchez

·34 min·3 clips

Daniel Myrick describes the Blair Witch phenomenon as a dam bursting, leaving him in a boat with no control.

The episode begins with host Mark introducing his guests, Eduardo Sánchez and Daniel Myrick, the writers, directors, and editors of The Blair Witch Project. Mark shares his personal experience seeing the film in theaters and its lasting impact on him. He briefly mentions a previous interview with Nicholas Vince about Nightbreed and Hellraiser before transitioning to the main interview. Mark asks the directors about their first formative film experiences. Daniel Myrick recalls being blown away by Close Encounters of the Third Kind, which inspired him to make movies that evoke similar feelings. Eduardo Sánchez describes watching films with his immigrant father from Cuba, citing Star Wars as the movie that made him curious about filmmaking techniques. The conversation shifts to practical effects versus CGI, with both directors emphasizing authenticity and storytelling over flashy visuals. They explain how The Blair Witch Project's low budget forced them to rely on minimalist, practical effects and the audience's imagination, comparing it to a radio drama. Mark asks how they processed the film's rapid, massive success and cultural phenomenon status. Daniel Myrick describes it as surreal, like being in a boat rushing down a dam with no control, and notes people often remember where they were when they saw it. Eduardo Sánchez adds that they still hear references to the movie in other media, which feels unbelievable. The directors discuss the new Second Sight Blu-ray release, highlighting its restoration from original high-8 tapes and 16mm negatives, along with unseen documentary footage. They praise Second Sight for preserving physical media and allowing them creative input. Mark ends the interview by asking each guest for a song that means a lot to them. Eduardo Sánchez chooses Prince's '1999', linking it to the film's release year, while Daniel Myrick selects U2's 'Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For' from the Joshua Tree era. In the outro, Mark encourages listeners to share the episode, support his Patreon, and check out sponsors Vice Press and Richer Sounds. He teases episode 400 and promotes the Second Sight Blu-ray release.

As heard by us

A clear look at how The Blair Witch Project turns what the camera cannot show into lasting fear.

Eduardo Sanchez and Daniel Myrick revisit The Blair Witch Project through the thing that still gives it power: what stays just out of sight. Their conversation traces the film's unease back to 1970s pseudo-documentaries, Legend of Boggy Creek, In Search Of, and the primal fear…

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Want to know why a few sounds in the woods can still get under your skin?

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