Welcome to Day 27 of our 31 on 31 for Halloween celebration. It's crazy how fast things are going. We are very much almost at the finish line. Looking back now, I honestly did not think I would make it through this series. It was definitely a lot to take on. But it's been very interesting getting to highlight some films that maybe you haven't seen yet while checking out new ones. Yeah, there's been one or two that I watched in thought of including it in the celebration. However because of one thing or another, it just didn't fit.
However, today's film is one that is an interesting addition to this celebration. In 2006, Anchor Bay released a new horror comedy from Scott Glosserman. At the time, it was something that people hoped it would one day be a cult classic. Through the years, I can safely say that people remember the story that happened in the town of Glen Echo. This was a breath of fresh air. It definitely broke new ground as it felt like a hybrid film. One part of it was the slasher genre that we all love, but there was a part of found footage to it. That film gave way to a new villain in the horror genre. Say hello to Leslie Vernon.
Behind The Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon was a small film. It was one that grew through word of mouth. The title character itself, Leslie Vernon, was something vastly different. It was a new approach to the horror genre. It paid its homage and felt like a love letter. But at the same time, it felt like a much needed deconstruction of the genre as well.
The world presented in this film was something that was new. It was a world where the slashers of the 70s and 80s existed. We even get to see familiar locations from those films. Who has been taking care of the Elm Street house? Well, it's none other than Kane Hodder himself. That was a super cool cameo. Getting to see the different locations is so cool cause it establishes this world in such a unique way. And no, it's not just Elm Street. We see Haddonfield and Crystal Lake as well.
One of the coolest fan theories about this film is the character of Eugene played by Scott Wilson. During the film, it's established that Eugene was a slasher and that his wife was one of his former victims. This is a really cool parallel to Leslie's story. Now, fans being fans. This theory goes that Eugene was Billy from the original Black Christmas and that his wife was the final girl. How cool a thought is that. It makes a lot of sense. So much that this became my personal headcanon for it.
This film isn't afraid to have fun. Throughout the first two acts of the film, we go on a complete journey with Leslie as he literally breaks down all the typical horror tropes. Oh, that door surprisingly shuts behind the girl so that then she catches a glimpse of the killer? It's as easy as being because of a string tied to a brick. Oh, the killer seemingly teleports from one place to another? He may have brushed up on his parkour. It's a lot of fun seeing all the work that can go into being a slasher.
Nathan Baesel steals the show as Leslie. He literally is a complete goof at times and that helps make him a bit likeable. However, at the drop of a hat, he is able to just turn on the darkness within. It's also intriguing to see just how well thought his plans are. Angela Goethals is another standout in the acting as Taylor. This here is a woman that is trying to make a quick documentary. She is likeable. However, as the film goes on, we begin to see just how much of a good person she is. She's not afraid to turn back and try to help others. Scott Wilson, Robert Englund, and Zelda Rubenstein also deliver solid performances. Again, look at the paragraph above about Scott Wilson. He's such a good actor that is here to have fun. Robert Englund gets to have fun with not playing a slasher, but getting to basically be the Loomis to Leslie's Michael. And then Zelda just shows how awesome she is with her performance as the librarian. She still displayed the power that she had in the original Poltergeist. She was able to bring such a gravitas to things that make you believe what she is saying.
The whole third act of the film was something that I didn't see coming when I originally watched it. It is a showcase of why we love horror films. And that's a strength to this whole film. I won't go into any more details. This film is one that if you love horror films, you need to check out.
Rating: 5 out of 5.
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