Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (2006)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Scott Glosserman

Writers:

Scott Glosserman (writer)
David J. Stieve (writer)

Release Date:

14 September 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Jason, Freddy, Myers. We All Need Someone To Look Up To.

Plot:

The next great psycho horror slasher has given a documentary crew exclusive access to his life as he...

Plot Keywords:

Psycho | Slasher | Glen Echo | Mask | Psychopath

Awards:

5 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Nathan Baesel	...	Leslie Vernon
Angela Goethals	...	Taylor Gentry
Robert Englund	...	Doc Halloran
Scott Wilson	...	Eugene
Zelda Rubinstein	...	Mrs. Collinwood
Bridgett Newton	...	Jamie
Kate Lang Johnson	...	Kelly Curtis
Ben Pace	...	Doug Johnson
Britain Spellings	...	Todd Best
Hart Turner	...	Shane
Krissy Carlson	...	Lauren
Travis Zariwny	...	Dr. Meuller
Teo Gomez	...	Stoned Guy
Matt Bolt	...	Slightly More Stoned Guy
Jenafer Brown	...	Carrie - Virgin Girl

MPAA:

Rated R for horror violence, language, some sexual content and brief drug use.

Runtime:

USA:92 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R | Australia:MA | Germany:18 | Finland:K-18 (self applied) | Singapore:M18 | Netherlands:16

Filming Locations:

Banks, Oregon, USA

Company:

Glen Echo Entertainment

Trivia:

At the beginning Taylor is standing in front of the Red Rabbit Pub. This is reference to the Red Rabbit matchbook found by Dr. Loomis in Halloween (1978).

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When Taylor Gentry is running into the apple orchard near the end of the film you can see the set lights at the top of the screen.

Quotes:

Doc Halloran: Expect to see more of me.

Movie Connections:

References Friday the 13th (1980)

Soundtrack:

Bound To Crash

Smart and lots of fun to boot.

A very affable Nathan Baesel plays the title character, an aspiring slasher aiming to take his place among the greats - Jason, Freddy, Michael. His every move is followed by a documentary film crew - Angela Goethals, Britain Spellings and Ben Pace - as he makes preparations for his first mass slaughter.

"Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon" is as clever and engaging a skewering of the slasher genre as I've ever seen. Superb dialog ("You have to do lots of cardio to make it look like you're merely walking when everybody else is running!") and situations do an excellent job at establishing a methodology behind murder sprees. Leslie plans everything down to the last detail, including expectations on how characters will act and re-act. He figures out who his "survivor girl" will be, and is delighted when he attracts an "Ahab" (genre icon Robert Englund, doing a funny riff on Donald Pleasence's signature role of Dr. Loomis). He also finds the time to hook up with his mentor, now supposedly retired, played by the wonderful and under-rated veteran Scott Wilson. Wilson's dialog is particularly solid as he talks about the act of murder and considers it both a business and an art. There are also discussions about the nature of sexual symbolism, both phallic and yonic.

Eventually, the movie shifts into another gear and reveals the grave seriousness behind Leslie's outgoing demeanor. Then we're in slightly more traditional slasher territory, but the movie continues to successfully subvert the genre's conventions, as Leslie is able to adjust admirably when his carefully constructed scenario seems to be going awry. There's a twist during the climax that is pulled off quite humorously. There's also an ultimate revelation to come although it doesn't come off as that surprising given the way the film-makers so gleefully play with us, and so well establish Leslie's cunning intelligence.

Throw in an enjoyably gratuitous breast shot, a fair bit of graphic mayhem, and a cameo appearance by Zelda Rubinstein of "Poltergeist" fame, and the result is a movie that provides a welcome deconstruction of the slasher genre. It's both smart and entertaining and should provide some amusement for the genre's fans.

Be sure to watch for the fleeting Kane Hodder cameo, and to stay through the end credits.

8/10