The Basement Scene in The Blair Witch Project (1999)
Somehow the creepiest thing about this scene is… posture. Almost nothing we’ve seen on film is as scary as Mike’s body language at the end, in the basement — his shame, his fear, his surrender. He knows he’s done wrong, but he’s too afraid to fight back.
The stars of The Blair Witch Project — Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard and Michael Williams — are marking its 25th anniversary and plans for a reboot by asking Lionsgate for more money and “meaningful consultation” on future projects. Whatever comes of it, Williams definitely earned his money with the basement scene.
Our favorite thing about this very creepy scene is that it didn’t take fancy VFX, a big budget, or even dialogue — just great physical acting.