Reviews
Yes, ‘Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2’ Does in Fact Rule
It is fair to say that Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 is the most hated horror movie sequel of all time. While not a complete box office flop, with it riding the success of the original upon its release, the film was still critically panned, and for years has been cast aside and looked down upon as a mostly-forgotten relic of 2000s slop. This reaction was fair, too…well, for the time, at least. The movie was nothing like the first, vying for a traditional teen horror film set-up, scrapping any semblance of found footage, nuance, subtlety, or experimentation that made the original so iconic.
Why Horror History Is Ready to Reevaluate Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2
That being said, Halloween 3: Season of the Witch had the same reaction, as it was the first Halloween sequel without Michael Myers. Nowadays in the horror community, those three Silver Shamrock masks are iconic and instantly recognizable to any genre fan. It’s high time that Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 gets the same cult status treatment. While not in the same league as the original by any means, it still totally kicks ass in its own right as an alternative, paranoid horror mind-trip.
Although some hardcore horror fans might disagree, The Blair Witch Project is considered the first found footage horror movie, or at least the first one that’s entirely found footage (The Last Broadcast is a mockumentary, and The McPherson Tape is only an hour long. Shush). It’s been written about a million times, revolutionizing online movie marketing and ARG formatting, so there is not much to add upon except this one question: why oh why, after causing such a filmic revolution, would they make a sequel that is not found footage?
Why Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 Abandoned Found Footage
According to Bloody Disgusting, Artisan Entertainment wanted to jump straight into making a sequel as soon as possible. Director Joe Berlinger, who had no previous connection to the original, wanted to make something more conventional, with a more straightforward narrative approach. The movie is meant to be a bit of a commentary on the reaction of the original, and honestly, on rewatch…it actually works. People really thought the first film could have been real. The reactions and hysteria surrounding it were crazy, and this movie serves as a bit of an artistic reaction to said hysteria. It does not always work, but when it does, it proves why it deserves cult status. And additionally, it is pretty scary.
Despite my cocky previous claim that this movie is in fact scary, the plot outside of the scares is a little off the rails, and not in a great way at points. The cult fandom of the first film and conspiracy theorist plots are a little silly, even mildly chuckle-inducing. It creates even more questions on top of the vague first film as well, something that was probably not great for critical response. However, the horror concepts played with in Book of Shadows is something different than the original, expanding the meta-horror in an entirely new way.
Psychological Horror and Reality Distortion
The first movie is so successfully scary ( immersive marketing aside) because of how real it all is. It does not have any actual witch or visual threat in it, making it feel like you are actually watching the final footage of these unfortunate people. In the second one, however, it plays with this idea of grounded-yet-warped reality in a much more trippy, psychologically dread-inducing way. Throughout it, the gang of protagonists slowly becomes tricked through unknown means into committing horrific crimes and murders,with unseen forces gaslighting them and distorting their reality.
The shift from found footage to reality actually makes this idea scarier. While the grounded nature of the first film is unbeatable, there is a certain hopelessness in this film that is quite striking. Because of the found footage format in the first movie, it very well could be anything lurking in the darkness, causing the chaos. However, since we have the comfort of a more traditional narrative framework here, we can truly feel the madness of the characters. If this were a traditional horror film, we should be able to see the threat like any other horror movie-but no, the curse of the original witch is only discussed.
Bleak Horror and Hopelessness in the “Real World”
Additionally, since we have entered the “real world” from the video clips of part one, it gives a terrifying sense that Book of Shadows really is our world, and the evil from that footage has joined us. Cinematically and narratively, the movie also works to secure a tone of pure and utter hopelessness. Despite the fun aesthetics, this movie is bleak.
Goth Representation That Was Ahead of Its Time
The internet nowadays seems to be plagued with people, outside of alt subcultures, fetishizing people in said subcultures. Communities are bombarded with jokes demeaning goth girls, as well as the shallow aesthetization of depression, mental health issues, and/or the political roots of alternative subcultures being exploited. While Book of Shadows might be FAR from this intentional in its social provocations, it surprisingly addresses this problem way ahead of its time, paying homage to alternative cultures and music of the time.
The film is ahead of its time in its nuanced understanding of goth characters, one that does not fetishize them or make them the butt of any joke, a huge problem with films from the era. Kim Diamond is a badass, true-and-true. Additionally, besides the supernatural terrors of which there are plenty, there are the townspeople of Burkittsville. Kim is badgered, berated, and mocked by the townspeople for her style sensibilities-even told to take her makeup off by the Police. She is a great character, and a great representation of these social issues.
A Love Letter to 2000s Horror Aesthetics
In addition to Kim Diamond, the film is also a total 2000s throwback. If you’re a fan of horror flicks like House of Wax, Final Destination 2, Cherry Falls, or any other 2000s horror film that looks and feels like a nu metal or industrial music video, Book of Shadows can be enjoyed for that alone. Visually, musically, and overall stylistically, the film indulges in all of its turn-of-the-century, grunge-y trimmings.
Visually, the movie is catnip for fans of the time period. It’s heavily atmospheric, with phenomenal shots of isolated cemeteries, decaying buildings, and creepy, rural towns. While yeah, everyone loves modern day sleek nightmares like The Substance or any A24 arthouse flick, let’s be real. This era of movies gave you no question that you were watching a tried-and-true, capital “H” HORROR movie. Even on listicles discussing this era, Book of Shadows goes forgotten among fans.
The Iconic 2000s Soundtrack
Another great mark of the era is the soundtrack. As is typical with movies of this time, the music kind of made it. Book of Shadows boasts Dragula by Rob Zombie, Feel Good Hit of the Summer by Queens of the Stone Age, and other songs by Marilyn Manson, Nickelback, and System of a Down. It’s pretty iconic, and even if you don’t treat it as a legit sequel to the original, it is still worth watching.
Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 is far from perfect. It’s messy, often confusing, often too silly, and riddled with garishness that might not work for all. However, it is not your typical horror sequel. It is trying to do something vastly different and has a lot more on its mind than it might lead you to believe.
Most people find that stretching their dollar still barely gets them by in today’s economy. I am very particular about what I spend my spare money on regarding extracurriculars. And no one likes to feel like their money is wasted. Madame Morbid Trolley Tours wasn’t an experience I had been familiar with. Maybe that’s because I’m chronically offline for most of my life. So this leads to the perfect question: in today’s turbulent economy, is Madame Morbid Trolley Tours worth the price? The short answer is unquestionably, yes. But it’s more than just a simple yes.
My wife and I arrived at the designated meeting point 15 minutes before the scheduled departure time. A handful of minutes later, a gorgeous, e-candle-lit trolley pulled up to the side of the road. We were greeted by impeccably on-brand Allison Chase, our tour guide, and trolley driver ‘Mad’ Matt Zaller. The wonderfully cheery duo invited us on the trolley, and the tour was set to begin.
400 Years of Death, Destruction, and Infrastructure
After a welcoming video intro from someone who knows a thing or two about busting ghosts, we set off on the inaugural Madame Morbid Trolley Tour in its ninth year of operation. From the Brooklyn Naval Yard all the way to Dumbo, and more, this tour magnificently chronicles 400 years of history, the good and the bad, expertly. No matter how much you think you may know about Brooklyn history, I can bet there will be something new learned within the first 15 minutes of the tour. From the first-ever plane crash to one of the worst theater fires in history, this tour covers tragedies that the greatest horror writers couldn’t conceive.
The Deadly [Charming] Docent
Allison Chase led the fascinating tour in character from the moment we stepped on the trolley until our departure. But Allison’s character was not forced or fake; you could feel Allison’s passion for not just morbid history, but the accuracy of it. Some of the stories we heard were steeped in historical context, and it was not boring for a single second. The Madame Morbid Trolley Tour is not your standard full-talking tour. It’s a mixed-media adventure of some of Brooklyn’s darkest moments.
During “downtime” (the times between locations), we were edutained by mini documentaries (that were quite funny). Some of the “downtime” was filled with traffic trivia (I won a needle pen!). And other times were show-and-tell-like, with objects passed around for us to examine. But there was never a moment of silence that wasn’t purposeful. All in all, Allison’s knowledge and passion shone like the luminosity of a full moon.
Is Madame Morbid Trolley Tours Worth It?
The Madame Morbid Trolley Tour was not just a fun night out for my wife and me, but it was a delightfully dark night of edutainment. It should also be noted that ‘Mad’ Matt’s driving skills were fantastic. There was a time when I had become enamored with how Matt handled the narrow streets of Brooklyn before realizing that I needed to refocus my attention on Allison. The Madame Morbid Trolley Tour is an exceptionally fun evening of horror and history that will make you think twice next time you walk down the streets of Brooklyn. It is worth the money, and then some. There’s no better activity for a cold, dark October night than the Madame Morbid Trolley Tour.
For more information on Madame Morbid Trolley Tours, and to get your tickets, click here!
I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I should have watched the Stephen King adaptation Cujo a million years ago. First of all, I was a voracious King reader in middle school. The other thing I was obsessed with during those years was Friends. You know, the show that hinges a major episode’s subplot on Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) watching Cujo for the first time. Whatever the reason was, I never got around to it, but I’m rectifying that oversight now.
What is Cujo About?
Cujo tells a relatively simple story. Donna Trenton’s (Dee Wallace) a housewife who’s cheating on her husband Vic (Daniel Hugh-Kelly) with local handyman Steve (Christopher Stone). There’s no accounting for taste, because Vic is 10 times hotter and Steve doesn’t own a bed frame. Look, Donna. I know Vic has that awful David Hasselhoff hair, but I promise the 1980s will end sooner or later. It’ll be OK.
Donna’s attempted termination of this affair ultimately leads to its discovery. Amid this drama, her car breaks down at a mechanic’s isolated farmhouse, trapping her and her son, Tad (Danny Pintauro). You see, the mechanic’s dog, Cujo, freshly christened with rabies, is patrolling the area and attacking everything in sight.
Dee Wallace Is Cujo’s Not-So-Secret Weapon
It would be impossible to start a worthwhile review of Cujo without praising Dee Wallace. The woman is a genre icon, naturally. Think about this: She had only appeared in seven theatrical movies before starring in Cujo. Four of those movies are The Stepford Wives, The Hills Have Eyes, E.T., and The Howling. But this woman didn’t become an icon simply by accidentally stumbling into some iconic titles. She is simply terrific as Donna, using her darting eyes and taut expression to deliver oodles of subtext. You instantly get the sense of how trapped she feels by marriage and motherhood without her uttering a single word.
A good performance is vital, here. Because there’s a hell of a lot of drama to get through before she’s trapped in that damn car. But Wallace instantly shoves you into Donna’s perspective, whether you like it or not. This makes it all the more potent when she is menaced by Cujo. Her desperate attempts for survival, also impeccably performed, have true weight because she seems like a real person. She is also given an incredible scene partner in Danny Pintauro. The future Who’s the Boss? star, who was only six when shooting Cujo, has a perfect everychild quality. His innocence heightens the peril. But so does that fact that he is just as irritating as every six-year-old you’ve ever met.
This movie truly captures how annoying it must be to be stuck in a life-and-death situation with a child. This is a compliment, I swear! Donna is worn down by every aspect of the situation, including her own son’s inability to cope with it. And this ratchets up the tension even further, to an almost unbearable degree.
Cujo Is a Mixed Bag, But Worthwhile Overall
The movie doesn’t work if Cujo himself doesn’t work, and at first I was real worried that he wouldn’t. In the first half, the St. Bernards that play Cujo onscreen are often shown to be wagging their tails in delight. Which kind of undercuts the reality of the situation, I’d say. But the editing and the special effects step in to fix what animal training couldn’t. The attack scenes in the second half are constructed with quick cuts that never let you get too much purchase. It’s a good approach for keeping viewers off-kilter.
Also, Cujo becomes less and less recognizable as a cuddly canine the further the movie gets. It’s a simple trick, really. He ends up getting coated with more and more slime. Saliva, pus, blood, and what have you. This is good for making him feel like a true movie monster. Plus, it’s a good mirror for the sliminess inside the car as it gets covered in sweat, blood, and grime.
The second half of the movie ultimately works like gangbusters. It’s a shame that Cujo is too cowardly to get Donna and Tad in the car before the halfway point. This decision is somewhat faithful to the book’s structure as I remember it. However, it diminishes the weight of the long days that they spend in the car. We really need to feel that crushing stretch of time, and we don’t. When Tad is suffering from dehydration, it’s not a gut punch. Honestly, I just found myself asking, “Already?” It’s good that they gave the movie a happier ending, because the classic grimdark Stephen King finale wouldn’t have landed.
Is Cujo Worth Watching in 2026?
At the end of the day, Cujo is a solid movie and I’m glad I finally watched it. However, it’s not such a stone-cold classic that I’m not at least a little intrigued by that upcoming Netflix remake…
