The Rise of Leslie Vernon (Collector’s Edition)
Behind the Mask is a tribute to fans of the slasher genre with a charismatic lead, a wink and a nod at common tropes, and a couple of Hollywood legends thrown in for good measure.
BTM is really two movies in one. For the first half, it is a mockumentary that follows a journalist and her film crew. They’re interviewing Leslie Vernon (Nathan Baesel (Invasion)) who has set the wheels in motion to become the next great slasher. Think VH1’s Behind the Music if it was set in a world where all the rules of horror movies apply.
Unlike The Shape, Jason Voorhees, or Freddy Krueger, Leslie has no magical powers or super strength. He’s super smart and driven to succeed, but he’s just a guy. This aspect makes him a bit of an outlier in the genre. Baesel injects a sense of humor and charisma that really takes Leslie to the next level. He has the backyard barbeque smiling vibe while hiding the most sinister of motives.
Leslie’s energy drives the movie, but he needs a mouthpiece to tell his story. That’s where Taylor Gentry, the reporter comes in. Taylor (Jerry Maguire’s Angela Goethals) brings a naivety to the equation, effectively playing the role of the audience. She is horrified and fascinated as Leslie reveals each part to his plan. And what a plan it is.
The film switches gears once Leslie begins his killing spree. The handheld camera work that frames the mockumentary goes away, and the audience finds itself square in the middle of a genuine slasher flick. Gordy Haab’s fantastic score emphasizes the tension as Taylor, Doug (Ben Pace (That Cosplay Show)), and Todd (Brittain Spellings (Video Game Reunion)) realize they’re now part of Leslie’s equation.
Behind the Mask benefits from an almost perfect storm. Writer David J. Stieve came up with the idea at a time of self-doubt which just happened to be on Halloween. Director Scott Glosserman is intensely passionate about the horror genre. (He wrote his thesis on the genre, specifically using The Shining for examples.) Baesel is a breath of fresh air as Leslie and Goethals blends innocence and ferocity perfectly.
The film also benefits from some Hollywood legends in smaller roles. Freddy himself, Robert Englund, plays Leslie’s foil, a role called an “Aha.” Scott Wilson (The Walking Dead) plays Leslie’s mentor, Gene, an old time veteran of the slasher game. Zelda Rubinstein (Poltergeist) plays the librarian whose exposition fills in Leslie’s back story. Kate Miner (Shameless) is vastly underrated as a scream queen.
The Collector’s Edition Blu-Ray includes a ton of extra features. There are two commentary tracks – one with Glosserman and another with Baesel, Pace, Goethals and Spellings. Featurettes include interviews with Stieve, Pace and Goethals, a “Making of” short, a sequence on casting the movie and more. There is a nod to the comic book related to the film, and some wonderful deleted scenes. The film is displayed in 1080p HD with dolby 5.1 and available English subtitles.
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