Was "The Last Broadcast" ripped-off?

[Woll]

www.the11thhour.com/archives/091999/features/factandfiction1.html

This archived article from September, 1999 suggests that it was. I'm not sure, and if I found out that indeed it was with evidence I wouldn't care. They're two great movies if you ask me, one for it's build up, and the other for the better written narrative and ending.

I believe the blatant rip off of Paranormal Activity, "Paranormal Entity", or "The Finley Tapes", is much better than the original movie.

What do you guys think?

[mrtnflmngak]

I loved both movies. I think TLB was so underrated but I don't think BWP ripped on it. Doubt they even knew about it cos TLB never got much publicity due to how low budget it was.

[Tweek]

This is an old one.

Depends on who you ask. TLB people say they were first, Haxan says they were. Both were released around the same time and were shot is similar styles. Comparison was inevitable.

I like both films but consider BW to be the better of the two.

[Silverpsycho]

I finally got around to watching The Last Broadcast and I'm so happy I did. I give it kudos to being so inventive, really pioneering the mockumentary style. I know Cannibal Holocaust is essentially the first, but I don't see that necessarily on par with TLB and TBWP.

As I watched TLB, I did notice numerous similarities throughout and it saddened me a little because it seems far more than just "coincidence." However with that said, I still find The Blair Witch Project to be the better of the two. There is nothing wrong with taking something and making it better, morphing it into something that works better. I'm just bummed that The Last Broadcast was not given credit where credit is due. I'm not sure how that would have been done though, as that would have distracted the marketing and realism of The Blair Witch Project.

It's really tough to say if The Blair Witch Project really did steal the idea or not, especially with The Last Broadcast being so under the radar. I'd think Sanchez and Myrick would be in the know when it comes to film though, so I'm sure they had knowledge of it. Obviously there is no proof and believe me, I would certainly hope it is pure coincidence but wow...they are so alike.

In the end, The Blair Witch Project most certainly deserves praise it got because everything about it was done so well. I just wish The Last Broadcast wasn't so under the radar because it's deserving of praise too.

[Sz]

I like TLB, but BWP is an whole other weight class.

[xBlairWitchLegendx]

I wouldn't say TBWP ripped TLB off, Some say that they did but I don't believe it. To be honest if they did "Rip-off" TLB I am glad they did because I don't like The Last Broadcast all that much and find The Blair Witch Project to be the superior film but thats just my opinion after all.

[voke]

Nope, I don't believe that was the case. While I love both films, The Last Broadcast was released when Ed was pretty much halfway through filming The Blair Witch Project, so it's pretty much impossible that the guys saw the movie during the writing of the film. Which kind of makes it hard to 'rip off'.

[Monrozombi]

They found out about TLB in 98 and heard the premise was similar and saw it and didn't have any animosity with the filmmakers or worry too much that their films were similar enough to cause issues when BWP got released. They didn't meet the makers of TLB until after both films came out.

[Monrozombi]

yeah unfortunately not a very thrilling story filled w/ drama lol

[Anarchist86ed]

They both ripped off the Mcpherson tape,