Ten years ago, Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez redefined moviemaking with "The Blair Witch Project," a labor of love that turned into one of the highest grossing films of that year. According to the movie's opening credits, three student filmmakers went into the woods near Burkittsville, Maryland to do some research on the "Blair Witch," a local Burkittsville legend. The students allegedly disappeared in October 1994, but the footage they shot was recovered a year later.

Myrick and Sanchez reportedly assembled "The Blair Witch Project" from the recovered camcorder tapes. The shaky footage shows Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard and Michael Williams camping out in the woods for their film project. Unfortunately, creepy images and sounds start tormenting the young filmmakers. The movie ends with jumbled footage and screaming before the screen finally goes blank.

Prior to the release of "The Blair Witch Project," the movie's publicists were conspicuously silent when asked if the film was real or fiction. The question was quickly answered in the Midwest when Heather Donahue appeared as a waitress in a series of commercials for Steak 'n Shake restaurants. As it turns out, the three "student filmmakers" actually were recruited by the directors to play themselves in the film.

According to the cast members, Myrick and Sanchez handed Donahue, Leonard and Williams instructions on slips of paper prior to each day's shooting. The instructions would say to do things such as "Start an argument" or "Don't believe anything that Heather says." This improvisation gave the film its realistic and chilly feeling, especially the famous scene where Heather Donahue is crying into the camera lens.

In many ways, "The Blair Witch Project" remains one of the purest horror films that uses an outdoor setting. In fact, Emily Riemer of "Paste Magazine" recently reported that Myrick and Sanchez are planning a sequel to their original film, which should be more faithful to the original than the disappointing follow-up in 2000.

Resources:
Paste Magazine, "Tenth Anniversary Sequel to 'The Blair Witch Project' in the Works," Emily Riemer

Even when the weather turns brisk, you can still pull your bicycle out of the garage and take it for a late afternoon spin through the park. When the urge to ride hits, slip on your bicycle helmet, let your mind shift into low gear and listen to these two-wheeled tunes on your iPod:

"Couldn't We Ride" (Performed by Kermit and Miss Piggy)

Featured in the 1981 movie The Great Muppet Caper, Kermit and Miss Piggy sing this song about the joys of cycling while they take a ride through the park. Muppet creator Jim Henson and his son Brian were involved in the intricate mechanics involved in making two of Henson's creations appear to ride bicycles.

"Santa's Workshop" (Performed by Schwinntonation)

A Chicago group named Schwinntonation isn't happy simply to write songs about bicycles. Using their two-wheelers, the group turns the sounds made by bicycles into musical tracks like "Santa's Workshop" and "Tuneup for the Big Race." The percussion effect created by their bicycles is oddly hypnotic.

"Bicycle Safety" (Performed by John Buchanan)

One track from his album Safety Songs, John Buchanan sings about the basics of bicycle safety to the tune of "Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star." Even the most experienced riders can always use a reminder about the basics.

"Broken Bicycles" (Performed by Tom Waits)

In this song from the soundtrack album to Francis Ford Coppola's One from the Heart, Tom Waits sings about a love relationship that feels like an old bicycle. The relationship, like the bike, may be old, rusty and broken, but he simply doesn't have the heart to throw it away.

"The Bicycle Song" (Performed by Uncle Andy)

A cautionary tale about cycling, Uncle Andy sings about the potential dangers that can occur if your ride your bicycle down a hill at 90 miles per hour. Suffice it to say, the singer goes to pieces—and so does his bicycle.

"Bicycle Race" (Performed by Queen)

The most universally recognized anthem about cycling, Queen performs this tune about a young man who wants nothing more out of life than to get on his bicycle and ride.

Resources:
http://bicycleuniverse.info/stuff/music.html
http://schwinntonation.googlepages.com/
http://www.songsforteaching.com/johnbuchanan/bicyclesafety.htm