Blackwood Evil

The worst thing about this movie is the lead woman. She's a manipulative, immature, passive-aggressive, unprofessional, and under rehearsed character. She presents her lines for the "documentary" portion of the "movie" like a high schooler who just threw their presentation together at lunchtime. She badgers the antagonistic property owner in a really just annoying way. He somehow comes across as more likeable than her and I don't think that's what they were going for.

All issues aside with choppy storytelling, terrible sound quality, and noooothing happening for most of the movie and when things did happen, it mostly made no sense, I wanted a ghost to jump out and slap that lady so bad.

Gave it 2 stars because I did watch until the end so there's that.

I'd forgotten I gave this movie a go a while back, but only made it ten minutes in before turning it off. I tried again, this time, begrudgingly, I made it 46 minutes before calling it quits.

It's not the terrible lighting, poor sound, or dismal VCR quality footage, that was on purpose, I presume. It's the script, and actors. I realize this was a found footage attempt, and as such, some of the dialogue might have been adlibbed. But there had to be a script somewhere. And with novice writers, and just terrible writers, the desperate need to insert 'conflict' in each and every scene seems to be ingrained in their very soul. Screenplay writing 101.

It worked in Blair Witch, unfortunately, almost every found footage knockoff that came afterwards, tried it, and failed. Blackwood Evil failed miserably.

I did not mind the lead woman nearly as much as the property owner. His character, his constant interruptions and insults, killed any chance I had at finishing this film. His snide commentary and the ensuing back and forth was tortuous. Completely unnatural.

Here's a nugget for those aspiring horror screenwriters out there: conflict is good, but when it's forced, and rampant, it's not.

This could've been ok but the chick that played Jane Fox was SO annoying that I shut it off 3/4 of the way thru and went back the next day. She was still completely annoying. I can't believe that the director let her screaming, whining and fighting with Travis go on throughout the WHOLE movie. If she was planning on being some future TV personality, except for Springer,, she might wanna reconsider. She said she researched so she should've known what she was getting into. Don't any of these people watch the Travel Channel professional hunters. Everyone is clueless. Dont mess with it and it won't mess with you. Ive never seen some not STFU for one second in a movie. She sounded like she was giving birth to triplets.

Found footage horror that plays up the angle of being real footage. This tape (titled 'Blackwood evil') which was supposedly missing since 2000. Mysteriously is delivered to the sunrise Texas TV station. Obviously riding the coattails of "The Blair Witch Project". Only made the following year. Somewhat authentic with its shot-on-video quality and interesting backstory of its haunted house - on the eerie black lands of Texas. Four people; a reporter, cameraman, psychic and asshole land owner all meet up there on December 31st, 1999 for a couple of hours. However the interest begins to waive once the action takes place at the house with an hour worth of languid set-up. Mostly of back and forth bickering and a giggling reporter who constantly likes the sound of her own voice. The last 20 minutes are filled with weak, and limited supernatural occurrences, confusion, hysteria and baffling character decisions. Making it a frustrating, rather then spooky atmospheric viewing.

Considering the producer, director, writer and one of the main actors was all one man; not to mention a family member of his was the one who did the special effects and there were only 5 other actors in the film, all 7 of these people being fairly novice to main stream film, wow! Just, wow. Lastly, with the budget only being (approx.) $5,000.00, I mean, hats off to creating something you all have every right to be incredibly proud of. As you each should be.

Perhaps, because of those factors some viewers will have difficulty getting into the film. However, one might not realize the creativity, time, effort, overall work it takes to actually finish and put out a film as this unique and adventurous as this FF flick. Hence the appreciation of those efforts and the superb quality of this film may ultimately get lost.

For 7 people, none of them really household names before this, basically creating a 'backyard/hobby film' for fun (meaning that in the most incredible way possible) this film was pretty amazing. Not many people who create a film like this ever get their masterpiece onto a fairly mainstream media platform so that the masses could be blessed with the ability to experience their work. Not many films with such a budget, even those with a decent budget, get such exposure. I doubt if many of us could even create such an epic, creatively constructed and executed, hidden gem of a film such as this.

I hope, if this is the 1st film, it is the 1st of many because if this is where you all started, I see it going so much further from here. I mean, this was so amazing especially with everybody being fairly new to the public, with the equipment available, locations available. Really, the adaptability and creativity is just oozing out of the core of those who brought this film to fruition, especially Richard Catt.

Remember that when watching this, one day cult-classic, and enjoy this wonderful film knowing that with the help of 5 great actors and a family member working special effects, all this was created and executed because of one man and his private collection of film/production equipment.

If you're looking for Hollywood level production or go into this with that level of expectation, it's not here...yet. However if you want to sit back and enjoy a great film knowing the effort, motivation and passion that fueled it and support a dream turned reality, you really can't go wrong. In 10 years time when a man walks across a stage to collect his Oscar; a man who's appreciated and likened with men such as Steven Spielberg, James Caan, Tim Burton and M. Night Shalimar you'll be able to turn to your partner and say, "Yeah, I've been a fan of Richard Catt's films since his first, somewhat obscure, cult classic 'Blackwood Evil'''.

So, go one, take a chance and, discover a hidden treasure.