'Blair Witch' causing more than fear for some

The Associated Press

ATLANTA -- You may want to pick up an extra bag with your popcorn at the concession stand before seeing the "The Blair Witch Project," which is stirring up more than fear among some motion-sick moviegoers.

The low-budget horror thriller, mostly shot with shaky hand-held cameras, is raking in millions around the country. But it isn't a favorite of the theater workers who have to clean up the mess left by those who get queasy watching the movie's often herky-jerky, first- person perspective.

"The first weekend someone threw up in the women's restroom, the men's restroom and in the hallway," said Kris Monroe, manager at Lefont Plaza Theater in Atlanta. "It's not pleasant to clean up.

The independent film, which has taken in $80 million since its release, follows three student filmmakers as they venture into the woods to track the legendary Blair Witch.

The mock documentary features footage supposedly shot by the students and discovered in the woods a year after their disappearance. Unlike many horror films, blood or gore is minimal.

The scenes that make people sick involve quick switches from close-up ground shots to views of the tree tops. And throughout the film, which runs one hour and 27 minutes, the picture is often grainy and out of focus.

News of the queasy reaction to the movie didn't surprise producer Robin Cowie, who said people had panic attacks during the initial screening and at the Sundance Film Festival.

"We've heard different analysis of why it happens. Some simply may get a little motion sickness, that combined with the tension and the pace of the film," Cowie said.

Dr. Helen Cohen of the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston explains: "If you're sitting still, you fool your system into thinking that you're moving if objects are being moved back and forth in front of you. You assume that you're moving."

For viewers, especially those up front in the theater, their entire visual field is filled up by the screen. They have no visual cues to tell them they aren't moving, she said.

Price Tatum, 16, prepared himself before heading to AMC's Galleria 8 in the Atlanta suburbs, "I get queasy real easy, so I took motion sickness pills."

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