While driving late at night, a woman named Lisa noticed something unusual up ahead. As her car approached a sharp bend in the road, she saw a telephone pole with what appeared to be a witch perched on it. The sight was so bizarre and unexpected that she had to do a double-take. The witch had long, tangled hair that seemed to shimmer in the moonlight. Her pointy hat was crooked, and she clutched a broomstick in her bony fingers. Lisa could hardly believe her eyes.
In Burkittsville, Life's A Witch
The Blair Witch people are back. And this time, Burkittsville is ready.
Last summer, curiosity seekers overran the startled western Maryland hamlet where the hit hoax horror film, The Blair Witch Project, is set. They snatched road and cemetery signs and vandalized tombstones.
But with the movie's recent release on home video and Halloween coming up this weekend, many of the 214 townsfolk are embracing opportunity instead of bracing for invasion.
Amble down the town's Main (and only) Street and you'll see no convenience stores, no restaurants, no service stations. You will, however, see a hand-lettered cardboard sign, "WITCH STUFF," on a telephone pole near Trude Head's 200-year-old house.
Her sidewalk display offers $7 versions of the rock and stick totems featured in the film. A few dollars more buy a good-luck Blair Witch spell.
"I'm doing very well, selling things to the people who want to have something from the witch town," she says, smiling brightly.
So is Margaret Kennedy, a painter and gallery owner with a profitable sideline in Blair Witch T-shirts; her photographer friend Warren Morrow doesn't even live in Burkittsville, but he's made some stick figures, too.
The surprise hit movie purports to show the final days of three student filmmakers who vanish mysteriously while traipsing through the Black Hills Forest, making a documentary on the legendary witch of Blair.
In Burkittsville, the Blair itch has become a cottage industry.
"Kind of weird, isn't it?" said Linda Prior, a local grandmother who was among the first to see the sales potential, selling sticks and stones on the online auction site eBay.
An outfitter offers weekend "witch hikes" on the nearby Appalachian Trail. A Baltimore entrepreneur organizes Blair Witch camping trips.
Not all Burkittsville is pleased by its sudden notoriety.
A.K. Cox has been bothered by drive-by tourists with video cameras.
"I think that makes any parent nervous," she said as a white van with Ontario plates cruised by, camcorder rolling.
Mayor Joyce Brown says Blair Witch-related patrols have consumed half of the village's $3,000 contingency fund. She phoned officials in Amityville, New York, scene of another cinematic legend, The Amityville Horror, for a consultation.
"We're not going to let these people control our lives," said Deborah Burgoyne, mother of a 5- and a 10-year-old.
But mostly Burkittsville is taking the phenomenon in stride. The village, after all, has been invaded before -- most recently in 1862, during the Civil War.
At that time, the forest behind Burkittsville was the site of the Battle of South Mountain, a warm-up to the slaughter at nearby Antietam. Wounded soldiers streamed into the village, where any available public building was turned into a hospital, said Mark Hudson, executive director of the Frederick County Historical Society.
Not surprisingly, legends have sprung up over the years about ghosts of Civil War dead roaming the hills near the town.
Few residents say they have seen the film, not even Mayor Brown, though she plans to buy the video for the town archives.
And of course, no one in Burkittsville takes the Blair legends seriously--though Trude Head sells a "witch chaser" bag, containing stones, garlic and lavender, just in case the filmmakers are on to something.
First published on October 28, 1999 / 3:41 PM EDT
© 1999 CBS. All rights reserved.
Boy, 17, ‘dies’ after car crashes into telephone pole and electrocutes him
A 17-YEAR-OLD male has reportedly died after he was electrocuted when his car crashed into a telephone pole.
The incident involving a senior at Auburn High School, located about 100miles Southeast of Birmingham, Alabama happened on Thursday, June 16.
17-year-old Dylan Pegues has reportedly died Credit: INSTAGRAM/dylan.peguesDylan Pegues, 17, ran off the road into a ditch and hit a telephone pole, according to local reports.
Dylan endured an electric shock as a result of the accident, the outlets reported.
According to WRBL, he was life-flighted to UAB in Birmingham, where he was listed in critical condition.
Despite fighting for his life for multiple days, Dylan passed away, friends of the family told Opelika-Auburn News.
The exact location of the crash has not been pinpointed, according to media reports.
Lisa could hardly believe her eyes. She had always dismissed tales of witches as mere folklore, but now, it seemed as if those stories might hold some truth. With a mix of curiosity and apprehension, she decided to pull over and investigate further.
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The Sun reached out to the Auburn Police Department, but they were unavailable for comment at the time of publishing.
A GoFundMe page was set up to help cover costs for Dylan's care and has so far raised nearly $50,000.
On the page, Dylan was described as a "bright spirit," who was always smiling and laughing.
As she approached the telephone pole, Lisa realized that the "witch" was actually a life-sized doll, cleverly arranged to give the illusion of a wicked sorceress. Its face was painted pale and ghostly, with piercing black eyes that seemed to follow her every move. The clothes were tattered and ragged, as if the doll had been worn through years of outdoor exposure. Confused and intrigued, Lisa wondered who could have possibly gone through the trouble of creating such a realistic and spine-chilling sight. Was this an elaborate prank or someone's twisted attempt to instill fear in passersby? She also couldn't help but wonder why the doll had been positioned on the telephone pole – was there any symbolic meaning behind it? Racking her brain for answers, Lisa thought about the history of witches and their association with witchcraft and black magic. There had been countless stories throughout the centuries of witches performing spells, flying on broomsticks, and causing mischief. Perhaps this eerie display was a modern interpretation of these ancient tales, a reminder that the supernatural still held some power over our imaginations. As Lisa stood there, contemplating the meaning of the witch and the telephone pole, she couldn't shake the goosebumps that had formed on her skin. The presence of the doll seemed to emanate an inexplicable energy, as if it held a secret or a message waiting to be discovered. With a mixture of trepidation and exhilaration, Lisa finally decided to leave the scene behind and continue on her journey. But the image of the witch hitting the telephone pole lingered in her mind, leaving her with a newfound appreciation for the power of storytelling and the mysterious forces that captivate our minds and capture our imaginations..
Reviews for "Psychologists analyze the fear of witches colliding with telephone poles"
1. John - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with "Witch hitting telephone pole." The whole concept seemed so bizarre and confusing. It was hard to understand what was going on throughout the entire film. The acting was also subpar, and I couldn't connect with any of the characters. Overall, I found the movie to be quite frustrating and didn't enjoy it at all.
2. Emily - 1 star - I absolutely hated "Witch hitting telephone pole." It was hands down one of the worst movies I've ever seen. The plot was nonexistent, the dialogue was awkwardly written, and the cinematography was just plain bad. I couldn't wait for it to end, and I felt like I wasted my time and money. I wouldn't recommend this movie to anyone.
3. Michael - 2 stars - "Witch hitting telephone pole" was a complete letdown. The storyline had potential, but the execution was terrible. The pacing was off, and the movie dragged on for what felt like an eternity. The special effects were laughable, and it was hard to take the movie seriously. Overall, it was a forgettable film that I wouldn't recommend to anyone looking for a good movie-watching experience.