Plot: You MUST know by now! Okay, okay. Three student filmmakers go into the Maryland woods to shoot a documentary on a local legend about a witch. They vanish. A year later their footage is discovered, and it ain. t your Aunt Flossie' s average home movie. Yikes!

DVD Special Features: Director and producer commentary, Dolby, Animated interactive menus, Scene access, production notes, Cast and crew info, Theatrical trailers, Background mythology, Curse of the Blair Witch documentary, "Newly discovered" footage, Exclusive website access including a map, excerpts from the dossier, and excerpts from the comic book. A tasty DVD package indeed!

The Good: First it was cool to love this movie. Then it was cool to hate it. But the truth is, it. s terrific. And yes, in fact, it is really, REALLY scary. The innovative "guerrilla filmmaking," in which the directors gave the actors only a minimal outline of the script, sent them into the woods, and scared the crap out of them, really works. The emotions you see onscreen are raw and honest. The young actors are talented and intense, and they make you believe that what' s happening to them is real.

Strangely, I found "Blair Witch" to be scarier on DVD than in the theater. Without the distractions of movie patrons breathing and screaming and munching popcorn, in the dark of my own house, I got thoroughly spooked.

The Bad: Some people find the jerky, handheld camera work to be painful to watch, even nauseating. In the interest of making the footage seem as realistic as possible, the sound was not "sweetened" at all, so turn it up. It' s easy to miss a spooky noise in the woods, and then all of a sudden find yourself wondering why everybody. s running and screaming. Finally, this isn' t really a movie, it' s an interactive experience. I strongly suggest you watch the "Curse of the Blair Witch" documentary, then go to the website and read all of the background mythology on the Blair Witch before you actually watch the movie. It' ll make for a scarier and more well-rounded viewing.

Bottom Line: I enjoyed the hell out of this movie. I found the creative approach to making the film refreshing and fun. A last warning--the more imagination you have, the more you will like this flick, and the more it will scare you. If you have no imagination whatsoever, don' t bother. You won' t get it.

Rating: Four martinis with extra olives