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Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon is a unique and entrancing exploration of the horror genre. While it’s been compared to the deconstructionist horror-comedy series Scream, Behind the Mask distinguishes itself by taking a mockumentary approach that treats its subject matter more seriously.
Released in 2006, Behind the Mask benefits from excellent direction by Scott Glosserman that deftly blends documentary and horror elements to provide a fresh and entertaining perspective on both film making styles.
In this movie we meet Leslie Vernon, an aspiring serial killer who invites a documentary film crew to shadow him as he meticulously plots his imminent murder spree. Leslie’s depth of knowledge and charisma instantly take the documentarians off guard – much, as it turns out, to their peril. That ability to balance character and horror; humor and tension, sets this movie apart.
Nathan Baesel delivers a standout performance as Leslie Vernon. His portrayal strikes the perfect blend of charm and menace needed to sell viewers on the story. The documentary crew’s interactions with Vernon provide a meta-commentary on horror movie tropes. And while the movie does deconstruct the genre, unlike Scream it reassembles the parts it just showed you into a well-oiled whole.
The supporting cast, including Angela Goethals as documentary filmmaker Taylor Gentry, complements Baesel’s performance, contributing to the film’s overall authenticity. The other characters’ interactions with Vernon lend the proceedings a sense of realism that makes the unfolding horror hit all the harder.
Because as the documentary crew delve deeper into Vernon’s world, the film subtly shifts from a mockumentary style to a more traditional horror format. This transition dials up the suspense, keeping audiences guessing about the characters’ true natures and intentions.
That’s why Behind the Mask does better at offering a fresh perspective on the slasher genre than other post-1980s efforts – it pays homage to its roots more than mocking them. This subtler touch creates an atmosphere that manages to be weightier and more engrossing. And the documentary angle better justifies the characters’ self-awareness.
Which brings up another noteworthy aspect of Behind the Mask: its attention to detail regarding the mechanics of horror. Vernon carefully explains his methodology, giving the film crew and the viewer a master-level lesson in the planning and psychology of the classic slasher. This meta-narrative sets up the movie’s rules, engages viewers by making them feel like they’re privy to insider secrets, establishes Leslie’s bona fides, and even gets the audience rooting for him.
That kind of narrative multitasking is the mark of skilled writing, indeed.
And it paves the way for an unexpected turn into a gripping climax that blurs the lines between reality and horror fiction. This twist elevates Behind the Mask above a simple parody and encourages viewers to question what they’ve just witnessed. The cinematographers in particular deserve full marks for ably transitioning between documentary and horror filming conventions.
In addition to its clever storytelling, the film incorporates subtle nods to classic horror icons. It definitely stirs up my Gen Y nostalgia for the old masked slasher flicks. Yet its capable storytelling makes Behind the Mask just as accessible to newcomers.
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You make me want to see a horror film.
I hate horror.
Well done, sir.
Thank you. This movie is the departure point I’d recommend.
2006 was also the height of DVD extras.
The behind the scenes bits and directors commentary on the disc add value and even more meta.
They’re some of the best.
I can’t shake the feeling that some critic panned BEHIND THE MASK for its cinematography.
“It couldn’t decide whether it wanted to be a documentary or a horror film, and the blending between the shot conventions exacerbated the problem.”
Even so, I’m with Mr. Schreffer. You have piqued my curiosity.
If a critic says that, it tells me he is a) super shallow and b) bad at pattern recognition.
I’ve never heard of this one before. The fact that it came out during the ’00s, the era where horror mostly consists of hidden gems like Altered, makes me more curious to see it. While I wasn’t the biggest on that era of film, if it’s good, it’s usually really good. Weird time.
Slasher movies are really difficult to get right, in my opinion, in that most of them are just an excuse to see bad people suffer horribly. Don’t get me wrong, that can be done well, but I prefer takes like the ’80s Alone in the Dark that emphasize the line between good and evil first and foremost.
When people ask me how they should get into the slasher genre, Behind the Mask is where I tell them to start. High recommend in general.
This is one I’m going to have to track down now. It sounds like my wife would love it and I might enjoy watching it with her. She grew up on classic ’80’s slasher flicks.
She is this movie’s exact audience.
This is the premise of a 1992 Belgian film called Man Bites Dog (so disgusting I couldn’t make it through). Behind the Mask sounds like a much better version!