Episode 234: Writer Ariel Powers-Schaub and The Blair Witch Project (1999)

·1 hr 14 min·5 clips

At 12, Ariel thought The Blair Witch Project was real footage, discovering a new way to be afraid that changed her forever.

The episode begins with hosts Terry and Mary Beth introducing guest Ariel Powers-Schaub, author of the upcoming book Millennial Nasties, which examines 2000s horror films. Ariel explains that the book originated from her pandemic-era deep dive into the Saw franchise, leading her to explore the decade's horror trends. She discusses common themes in millennial horror, such as fear of the other, home invasions, and post-9/11 anxieties. The conversation shifts to Ariel's horror background, growing up with Stephen King books and family camping trips, and her first forbidden read, Gerald's Game. The main focus is The Blair Witch Project, which Ariel saw in theaters at age 12 without knowing it was fiction, leaving her profoundly unsettled. She describes how the film's found-footage style and marketing blurred reality, creating a lifelong chase for that fear. The hosts share their own experiences with the film, including Terry believing it was real due to viral marketing and Mary Beth's childhood trauma from watching it in Maryland. They analyze key scenes, like the bundle of teeth and the stick figures, and discuss the film's timeless quality. The episode delves into the mistreatment of actress Heather Donahue, who faced bullying and a Razzie for her performance, highlighting misogyny in horror. Ariel proposes an interpretation that Heather becomes the Blair Witch through male scapegoating. The conversation touches on the film's influence on low-budget horror like Saw, its mythology, and the video games it inspired. The episode concludes with ratings and Ariel promoting her book.

As heard by us

A Blair Witch memory opens into a thoughtful look at the fear horror fans keep chasing.

Scarred for Life takes a strong route into The Blair Witch Project through Arielle Power Schaub's memory of seeing it at 12 and realizing fear could work in a new way.

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Why you'd press play

Press play for Arielle Power Schaub's childhood encounter with The Blair Witch Project, the movie she frames as a before-and-after point in her horror life.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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