# Behind The Mask



## Revenant (Mar 17, 2007)

Wednesday night I watched _Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon_. Excellent movie! Loved it. _Scream_ has been officially replaced as best deconstructionist self-referential horror movie.

In this film, the great serial slashers -- Jason, Leatherface, Freddy, Michael... hell, even Pinhead and Chucky -- were real killers, legends of the modern age. Young Leslie Vernon is a budding serial killer who is planning out his Swan Song massacre, his version of "The night _he_ came home." But he does not have a truly infamous past and legend like his heroes Jay, Fred, Mike et al.... so he allows a documentary film crew to follow him and be a part of his preparations for The Big Night. We get to see him choose his victims and why... the right "survivor girl", the right group of friends and associated butcher fodder that must be dispatched before the big showdown, the initial stalking incidents to get his main victim in the right frame of mind etc. We meet "Eugene," the retired serial killer who has taken Leslie under his wing and taught and encouraged him.... We meet Doc Halloran, Leslie's "Ahab" (serial killer speak for the good guy who single-mindedly pursues the killer).

_Scream_ gave us a breakdown/analysis of the slasher movie genre by following the scenario from the victims side. _Behind the Mask_ does the same from the slasher's side. It's loaded with little references, right down to the character's names. And... Leslie's "Ahab" is played by none other than Robert Englund (sporting a Donald Pleasance "Dr. Loomis" beard), and the creepy librarian who gives us the dark legend of the killer's past is Zelda "Step into the light" Rubenstein, everyone's favorite Small Medium At Large from "Poltergeist."

Like any movie, you might like it, you might not. I loved it. Personally I liked it better than Scream. It's loaded with humor (dark, obviously) and homage, but (IMO) doesn't come off as "wink-wink" referential. It was made by people who clearly love horror movies, and pokes a little fun while being quite respectful of the genre and giving an engaging story. The first 3/4 is documentary style, consisting of the "footage" of the accompanying docu-team, and the rest of the film is regular cinematic style of what happens on The Big Night, which plays out like the best of the slasher genre flicks. I'm gonna buy this one.


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## Ghoul Friday (Oct 6, 2007)

Why have I not heard of this movie? Hmm..this is a sign that I haven't been watching enough television. Thanks Revenant. Both for the heads up on the movie (which I am going to look for now) and for bringing to my attention that the emptiness I've been feeling inside MUST be from a lack of television.


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## Revenant (Mar 17, 2007)

This is an independent film. Low budget=no advertising. You won't hear about it on TV. I don't think it got a theatrical release in mainstream theatres, it's been making the rounds of the film festivals. It's already won a few awards tho (FantAsia, GenArt, and Sitges). And it's out on DVD; Wally World even carries it.


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## Ghoul Friday (Oct 6, 2007)

I have rented it (Blockbuster had 2 copies) and look forward to watching it tonight. Checked out the trailer online and it seems like it will be an interesting spin on horror films.

Since it's your post that made me rent it, does that mean you are going to courier me some popcorn?


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## Revenant (Mar 17, 2007)

Here ya go Friday... right-click and save!








mmmm... smell that hot buttery goodness!


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## DeadDudeintheHouse (Jul 23, 2008)

Revenant said:


> _Scream_ has been officially replaced as best deconstructionist self-referential horror movie.


Really? I never looked at the film that way.

But how does Behind the Mask stack up when compared to There's Nothing Out There?


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## sharpobject (May 7, 2008)

I looked up Behind the Mask on the Netflix page - and not only do they have it - but it's available on their playlist to view on your computer at any time. I'll definately have to check this out. thanks.


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## DeadDudeintheHouse (Jul 23, 2008)

The trailer does make it look very intelligent.


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## Revenant (Mar 17, 2007)

DeadDudeintheHouse said:


> But how does Behind the Mask stack up when compared to There's Nothing Out There?


Hmm. Not familiar with that one. I'll have to look for it.


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## DeadDudeintheHouse (Jul 23, 2008)

You haven't seen that movie? You are in for a treat!


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## chubacabra (Jun 14, 2007)

This is one of my all time favorite movies



I def. recommend seeing it


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## Parabola (Jul 4, 2008)

Paradise lost? Found it.


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