Necessary Monsters

Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (2006)
Directed by Scott Glosserman
Screenplay by David J. Stieve & Scott Glosserman

Behind the Mask goes further than Scream in fully deconstructing the slasher genre and making a really interesting film out of the result. It’s hard to not like Behind the Mask, especially since it features the most genial slasher this side of Dr. Giggles.

Leslie Vernon, a psycho killer....Nathan Baesel (Invasion)
Taylor Gentry, a college student/documentary filmmaker....Angela Goethals (Home Alone, Phenom, 24)
Doug, her cameraman....Ben Pace (Check him out in Elevator, a web series set in an elevator)
Todd, her other cameraman....Britain Spellings (Apparently he plays Mario in a series called Video Game Reunion)
Eugene, a retired psycho killer....Scott Wilson (In Cold Blood, The Great Gatsby, a fine underrated actor)
Jamie, his wife....Bridgett Newton (Radioland Murders, another great performer who deserves a big role)
Mrs. Collinwood, a librarian....Zelda Rubinstein (The great Zelda in her last role. Creepy as ever.)
Kelly, a high school student/waitress....Kate Lang Johnson (Fired Up, Persons Unknown, very tall next to Zelda R.)
Shane, another high school student....Hart Turner
Lauren, another high school student....Krissy Carlson (Passions, Sunset Beach, Devil in the Flesh, the puppet episode of Buffy)
Stoned Guy, a high school stoner...Teo Gomez
Slightly More Stoned Guy, another high school stoner....Matt Bolt
Virgin Girl, a girl from another high school in another town....Jenafer Brown
Doc Halloran, a psychiatrist on the trail of Leslie....Robert Englund (Freddie as the good guy)
Guy at Elm Street House....Kane Hodder (The man who was Jason in a cameo)

You can put Behind the Mask next to films like Man Bites Dog, American Psycho or The Last Horror Movie and it will hold its own as entertainment, art and commentary. Like those other films, this one takes us into the perspective of an affable killer. In the case of Leslie Vernon, he’s so affable that it becomes inevitable that you should root for his success. This film hits the nail on the head in mixing up the humor and the serious and the genre dissection (which is often hilarious).

Behind the Mask doesn’t quite accuse the audience of complicity through voyeurism in the way that Man Bites Dog, American Psycho or especially The Last Horror Movie do. Nonetheless, there is an inherent discomfort in finding yourself rooting for the killer, not because you dislike his victims (which is how many other horror films operate) but because you find yourself genuinely liking this Leslie Vernon fellow. One of the factors that makes Leslie sympathetic is best explained by his mentor who puts it into terms that any folklorist or mythographer would understand. Every culture has its monsters. Leslie’s desire for an “Ahab”--a representative of all that is good--to hunt him as his opposite is an extension of this awareness of narrative. And this is what makes this revisionist slasher so interesting. It’s not just an awareness of genre, but an awareness of the very nature of storytelling and myth. Leslie is a necessary part of a story. Our need for the monster makes his case sympathetic. He is essential for this kind of narrative and this kind of narrative is (presumably) essential to culture...or at least the kind of culture we have created.

The perspective of the film forces us to admire Leslie for the hard work and ingenuity he puts into keeping up his part of the narrative. And in the end his hard work is shown to be even more brilliant than we could have imagined.
Leslie’s potential victims are the usual lot of mooks whose deaths will not set back the progress of civilization and only the documentary film crew (and Doc Halloran) come across as sympathetic as Leslie or his substitute parental figures Eugene and Jamie.
Unlike the films that serve as critiques of horror films or violence this film doesn’t judge the morality of horror narratives. It may not deliver a ringing endorsement of why such narratives are essential to society, it nonetheless embodies the point that a horror film as intelligent as Behind the Mask is essential to society and its understanding of our need for scary stories. This is not a film that gives us a real look behind the mask of a real monster, but a look behind the mask of the fake monsters that we use to scare the crap out of each other with. Why do we feel the need to do this? I think maybe that requires another film entirely.

In the meantime, Behind the Mask if a perfect corrective to the watching of pure horror films. It forces you to sit and think about what your watching but without launching into the kind of polemic that academia or the Council for the Infantilization of Culture would have us sit through.

Bonus
1. Commentary with Nathan Baesel, Angela Goethals, Britain Spellings, Ben Pace
This commentary was a little bit like watching a movie with my friends from middle school.
2. The Making of Behind the Mask
If you liked the movie and just can’t let go of it, yet, then this is for you.
3. The Casting of Behind the Mask
I think some of these things are great for learning which actors do well at casting sessions.
4. Deleted & Extended Scenes with commentary by Scott Glosserman
It’s inevitable that some good bits have to be cut out of a faux documentary for the sake of pacing, so these are a real treat on their own.
Deleted Scenes
Breakfast Scene
A bit slow in places, but I like the tonal shifts in this scene.
Walk-Run Demonstration
This scene is brilliant. It’s a core scene for the film and I think it’s a shame that it’s not in the final product, but you can easily see how this is the sort of fun scene about the mechanics of slasher training that is what this film is all about.
Teen Sex?
This scene had to be cut because of the lighting conditions, but it’s another good scene. Random high school girl gets asked awkward questions on the street by an awkward interviewer.
Groundhog Day
A brilliant scene with Eugene and Jamie. Maybe too much to the point, but a really good scene.
Extended Scenes
Study Scene
A great extra, but you can see how some of the riffs in the library are repetitive. You don’t often get slashers who read Heraclitus.
Fireside Chat
Like the scene with the books, this one just gets a little too obvious. I don’t like the coy (and copyright safe) way of referring to characters from other movies by their initials.
High School Single Take
So close to being a great single take shot of multiple fields of action in front of the high school. Just a little off with the girls jumping rope, but still pretty nice.
Ahab Definition
This is a good extension. Consider this extra credit.
Leslie’s Confession
This is a good scene with serious impact. Nice acting.
Preparations
See above. This is a great scene, not just a great horror movie scene.
5. Trailers
Trailer
The trailer is worth seeing if you haven’t seen it before because it does contain a couple of bits that aren’t in the film. The trailer sold me on wanting to see this film, so it worked.
Teaser Trailer
See above.
6. Previews
Hatchet (2006)
Review forthcoming. This is a straight up old-school somewhat supernatural slasher.
Night of the Living Dorks (2004)
German High School Zombies Dubbed Into English! Must see this film.
Hellboy: Blood and Iron (2007)
This animated bit seems almost more charming than any of the live-action Hellboy movies.
Masters of Horror: Right to Die
And now I’m a little creeped out. Thanks Masters of Horror.
7. Screenplay
You can download a PDF of the original screenplay. The original script is fascinating because it included a whole series of scenes where Leslie was hanging out not just with Eugene, but with the whole gang of mentors including Freddie and Jason. I may like the film as it is, but I can also say the original script has a lot of charm too.

In one last note, I have to admire the fact that this film featured product placement for Kreuz Market in Lockhart, Texas. Nicely done. I suppose this means I'm going to have to do a movie of my own to get a shout out for Smitty's.