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Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon
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Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon

2007
Comedy
Suspense/Thriller
1h 32m
The world's next great psych-slasher has given a documentary crew exclusive access to his life as he plans his reign of terror over the sleepy town of Glen Echo, all the while deconstructing the conventions and archetypes of the horror genre for them. (Anchor Bay Entertainment)
Directed by:
Scott Glosserman
Written by:
Scott Glosserman David J. Stieve
+1 more
Starring:
Robert Englund Robert Englund Scott Wilson Scott Wilson Zelda Rubinstein Zelda Rubinstein Nathan Baesel Angela Goethals Angela Goethals Bridgett Newton Kate Lang Johnson Kate Lang Johnson Ben Pace Britain Spellings Hart Turner Krissy Carlson Travis Zariwny
More
Genres:
Comedy, Suspense/Thriller, Horror
Country:
USA
Language:
English
imdb More information at IMDb
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Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon

2007
Comedy
Suspense/Thriller
1h 32m
Your probable score
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer
Avg Percentile 53.96% from 574 total ratings
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

(574)
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barthalenBarthalen
Rated 27 Oct 2014
69
51st
ScreamMan Bites Dog.
Rated 27 Oct 2014
spookymaskSpookyMask
Rated 15 Dec 2008
79
81st
A pretty cool twist on the slasher genre, even though it becomes a slasher itself.
Rated 15 Dec 2008
theshmotheshmo
Rated 10 Nov 2009
85
75th
Wow. I haven't been this impressed by an actor in years. N. Baesel delivers in the movie as a comical and horrifying killer. One second I was laughing and the next shocked by the speed at which he turned and became a monster. There is nothing better than a lovable villain in a movie and Vernon is the new standard. Early on you get a comical view of a slasher movie from the point of view from the slasher. But then as the film progresses it turns scary and ends with a great twist. Watch this movie
Rated 10 Nov 2009
clopinetteClopinette
Rated 02 Mar 2010
50
10th
The first two thirds or so are amazing, there are no words for how much I loved it. Then they drop the mockumentary angle and the whole thing goes to hell. And no, "it's for the satire!" is not an excuse. You do not satirize crappy half-assed slasher endings by making one yourself. The hamfisted climax severely cuts down the rating because I am so sick of hamfisted climaxes ruining perfectly good set-ups.
Rated 02 Mar 2010
crayonCRAYON
Rated 17 Mar 2010
55
15th
Everything in this movie felt forced. The lead actor annoyed me because it's like he was told "be likable", and he tried his damnedest. The best part was when the movie was setting up the murders, but if I had never seen a slasher movie it wouldn't have been nearly as funny. The last third is just bad. I was watching because of the slasher deconstruction, I had no interest in actually watching a shitty slasher. Also, if you don't see the twist a mile away then you weren't paying attention.
Rated 17 Mar 2010
jschlanskyJSchlansky
Rated 10 Aug 2017
58
38th
Not so great but it's certainly enjoyable. None of the actual attempts at horror work in the slightest which makes the last act a slog to get through. The subversions and deconstructions are funny but not quite as clever as they seem to think. Also breaking the mockumentary angle works for the end but is just off-putting the other times they do it and makes the amount they do stick to it feel pointless.
Rated 10 Aug 2017
paxtonPaxton
Rated 07 Feb 2012
84
93rd
In dissecting the slasher genre, they breath new life into both the slasher and the documentary method of telling a story. Leslie Vernon is immediately affable, I rooted for him right until I realized he was watching me watch the movie and he knew my every move.
Rated 07 Feb 2012
damildamil
Rated 28 Dec 2012
65
54th
This film had a pretty cool concept, but the execution of it was far from perfect. It started off pretty well, especially for a low-budget, independent film. However, the 3rd act was pretty lame and kinda ruined all the good stuff that preceded it. A lot of the acting was pretty poor too. It's a shame, really.
Rated 28 Dec 2012
matthew_parkinsonMatthew Parkinson
Rated 31 Oct 2013
60
62nd
Behind the Mask is a smart, witty, and terribly funny deconstruction of the slasher genre. It has an entry barrier -- if you haven't seen at least a few slasher films and you understand their conventions, you're going to miss a lot of the fun of this film -- but if you reach that and you enjoy this genre, you're going to have a good time. It's a lot more enjoyable in its first hour, before it transitions into the genre it's satirizing, but it's still well worth checking out.
Rated 31 Oct 2013
jarobmuljarobmul
Rated 05 Mar 2022
83
88th
If Michael Scott was a serial killer
Rated 05 Mar 2022
easydiffeasydiff
Rated 08 Apr 2009
88
94th
Fantastic. Funny and (because of the setup) uniquely terrifying. I can't believe this is the lead's first-ever acting gig.
Rated 08 Apr 2009
spunkieSpunkie
Rated 22 Sep 2008
60
65th
Playing on the line of mockumentary, this is a clever discourse of teen-slashers which I have little interest in. Reverse engineering main absurdities of slashers is nicely done, but psychological confessions of Leslie sometimes get out of the limit; "closet represents the womb".
Rated 22 Sep 2008
joseywalesjoseywales
Rated 10 Mar 2008
81
88th
The best thing to happen to the horror/slasher genre in years.
Rated 10 Mar 2008
modernmillieModernMillie
Rated 06 Dec 2015
85
82nd
One of the scripts featured in the documentary Dreams On Spec. More fun than I'd thought it would be. Reminded me in ways of Cabin In The Woods. Watch thru the credits.
Rated 06 Dec 2015
adoubleadouble
Rated 15 Sep 2012
85
76th
A really fun little indy movie that unfortunately has a throughly unsatisfying ending. Nathan Baesel is great in the lead role, coming across as so charming and funny it's hard not to like him. The way the movie plays with the genres cliches is a lot of fun, but unfortunately that all flies out the window in the last 20 minutes when the movie becomes a generic slasher flick with no satire in sight.
Rated 15 Sep 2012
rihreyrihrey
Rated 05 Mar 2022
65
87th
I really enjoyed this. The switch from the mockumentary style of filming to the more conventional one was very well done. It was kinda predictable but it didn't hinder the likability overall.
Rated 05 Mar 2022
abunchofcatsABUNCHOFCATS
Rated 10 Apr 2010
84
62nd
An awesome slasher deconstruction film, and the best in a solid decade, in the form of a mockumentry following a would-be slasher villain. There's numerous nods and the way he goes about setting up his kills is great and plays on the entire slasher genre. This is definitely a movie for the fans of Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm St and Halloween. The switch from mockumentary to slasher at the end is cool too, since the film had been teasing us the whole way. Awesome horror flick.
Rated 10 Apr 2010
getmoneygetmoney
Rated 18 Aug 2013
79
50th
It's weird enough to be 100% worth watching but it's not as groundbreaking as it wants to be.
Rated 18 Aug 2013
yesistastyyesistasty
Rated 27 Aug 2011
76
31st
Cliches aren't a good thing in themselves. That's why slashers kinda suck in the first place.
Rated 27 Aug 2011
teftef
Rated 09 Jul 2010
85
75th
Horror movies never work for me because what is considered scary holds no terrors for me. This movie, by virtue of its humor and satirical intent, is satisfying and good.
Rated 09 Jul 2010
solomonburrrSolomonBurrr
Rated 28 Jul 2020
71
57th
70.7.
Rated 28 Jul 2020
gsbgsb
Rated 27 Aug 2019
80
78th
Great tribute to the slasher genre
Rated 27 Aug 2019
johnsandwichJohnSandwich
Rated 05 Apr 2011
40
15th
found it rather dull tbh
Rated 05 Apr 2011
hellboy76hellboy76
Rated 21 Feb 2011
68
65th
Well made, clever, only soft spot is some of the acting.
Rated 21 Feb 2011
hotsakehotsake
Rated 03 Jun 2020
70
75th
The idea is great and the first half is mostly fun but the final part of the film just didn't work for me. Plus the acting is really really weak from most of the actors.
Rated 03 Jun 2020
mccorpseMcCorpse
Rated 03 May 2012
68
29th
it was a cool idea, kind of like a both cabin in the woods and man bites dog, how it deconstructs what makes a horror movie and both mocks and becomes one at the same time. pretty well done
Rated 03 May 2012
tripleshTripleSH
Rated 12 Feb 2009
90
90th
See this movie if you haven't. It will make you realize that all the hype they gave to Kevin Williamson for deconstructing the horror genre with the dialogue in Scream is undeserved...because this is what should have been done. Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant.
Rated 12 Feb 2009
catscandalCatScandal
Rated 02 Mar 2010
39
37th
i'm not a big fan of video in film or documentary-style filming, but this is a pretty hilarious deconstruction of slashers. the jabs at psychoanalytic film criticism were spot on and hilarious if you've ever read the types of papers that actually think the closet in Halloween is symbolic of the womb. the third act is a little weak since it's so telegraphed and so (intentionally) cliche, but the film is definitely a must-see for slasher fans.
Rated 02 Mar 2010
halfjapaneseHalfJapanese
Rated 12 Jan 2010
55
17th
See Man Bites Dog instead. It's decent for what it is, and probably more than decent if you're a fan of the slasher genre (I'm not).
Rated 12 Jan 2010
stanthecaddystanthecaddy
Rated 08 Nov 2009
84
72nd
A very fun movie that deconstructs slasher films. As that's the case, your enjoyment may be dependent on how familiar you are with the genre and its conceits. The cast does well all around, though special props go to Nathan Baesel for managing to be both an oddly genial goofball and very sinister- often in the same scene. The conceit of the movie- existence in a world where Freddy, Michael, and Jason are real- is clever, and the nods to their franchises are fun to search for. A great movie.
Rated 08 Nov 2009
ladymcdeathladymcdeath
Rated 01 Apr 2011
87
82nd
Fun and clever.
Rated 01 Apr 2011
fenixdownfenixdown
Rated 03 Oct 2013
72
42nd
Entertaining mockumentary about horror tropes and audience participation.
Rated 03 Oct 2013
goatcabinGoatcabin
Rated 19 Mar 2012
85
39th
Incredibly fun and clever, especially to those who enjoy the slasher genre. It is a crime that the lead actor has not seen more success.
Rated 19 Mar 2012
coheedCoheed
Rated 20 Jun 2011
30
5th
Taking its page from Man Bites Dog, this attempts to deconstruct the slasher film by following the serial killer himself. In attempting to bring together all the clichés of the sub-genre into a realistic world, the film undermines itself because they can be exceptionally silly out of their normal context. A far better film would have embraced the artificiality, but this, despite one or two interesting moments, really doesn't exceed and pales in comparison to the Belgium predecessor.
Rated 20 Jun 2011
cinemaasiaCinema_Asia
Rated 13 Mar 2010
60
30th
A bit gimmicky and I wasn't terribly impressed with the actor they chose to be Leslie Vernon. It plays with horror conventions and expectations rather well and works as both satire and an homage however it still felt pretty flat most of the time.
Rated 13 Mar 2010
adebrownAdeBrown
Rated 04 Aug 2007
90
88th
This film takes the post-modern horror comedy of Scream and makes it funnier AND more horrific. A slasher film from the POV of the slasher may not be unique, but how about if that POV is expressed on camera to a documentary crew? Some excellent nods to the classics (and the less than classic) of the genre.
Rated 04 Aug 2007
lumpnboylumpnboy
Rated 12 Sep 2015
40
35th
A spoof expansion of a version of the premise of TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE: THE NEXT GENERATION into a full parallel universe, seen through mockumentary. Starts much better than it becomes, with some nice if too often predictable moments, unless predictable jokes about predictability are unpredictably hilarious. Certainly not a horror film.
Rated 12 Sep 2015
luciusgoreluciusgore
Rated 18 Feb 2009
30
37th
"A rather funny "Scream"-like cross between a mockumentary and a direct-to-video slasher movie."
Rated 18 Feb 2009
rocketluccoRocketlucco
Rated 04 Dec 2010
70
64th
Overall Enjoyment: 30/40, Plot/Themes: 20/20, Cinematography/Direction: 10/20, Acting/Writing: 10/20 Very clever, original, and hilarious movie if you are a fan of the horror movie genre. I don't want to ruin any of the plot, but it was well done and enjoyable the entire time. It's also relatively short which makes it very re-watchable.
Rated 04 Dec 2010
princemuchaoprincemuchao
Rated 10 Nov 2011
79
66th
This is a bit late to the self-aware horror game, but I enjoyed it anyway. For the first half I was convinced that it was going to be a full-fledged horror-comedy, but things get darker toward the end. Although I expected it to play out as it did, the tone change was handled very well. This is a movie with lots of rewatchability.
Rated 10 Nov 2011
slantmagSlantMag
Rated 25 Oct 2010
15
21st
"For all of its lame distastefulness, Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon is a sadly appropriate reflection of its time." - Rob Humanick
Rated 25 Oct 2010
pianosamaPianoSama
Rated 04 Nov 2019
65
45th
Featuring solid performances by Baesel & Goethals, who both do really well in their roles, as well as a fun mashup of visual styles & a pretty great appearance from Robert Englund, it has a lot of good ideas & is enjoyable enough for what it is- though, its execution feels off in several places & the suspension of disbelief required is, at times, a bit much. Still, it's a mostly clever commentary on horror that even subverts its own expectations, & deserves credit for that. Worth a look.
Rated 04 Nov 2019
kojilessKojiless
Rated 26 Feb 2008
88
90th
Good movie. Ending was a little weak, but it does everything else very well. Great casting for the librarian.
Rated 26 Feb 2008
gogokaingogokain
Rated 20 Oct 2012
70
73rd
Surprisingly entertaining.
Rated 20 Oct 2012
glmglm
Rated 05 Oct 2011
72
48th
71.750
Rated 05 Oct 2011
tipar822tipar822
Rated 05 Jan 2017
30
11th
Weak: usually boring and maybe you will not see the whole movie.
Rated 05 Jan 2017
vandelay1Vandelay1
Rated 27 Jun 2008
87
96th
Very Nice
Rated 27 Jun 2008
yournamehereYourNameHere
Rated 22 Apr 2014
80
14th
Film makers follow a serial killer. Funny, and sort of scary at time. Doesn't take itself too seriously.
Rated 22 Apr 2014
cubalCubal
Rated 14 Jan 2008
100
97th
Switching from nerdy and fun analysis of the Slasher horror genre to some of the most spine-chilling horror of the year, Behind the Mask: tRoLV is a roaring hit which haven't gotten nearly as much attention as it does deserve, especially considering the cameo by the man who learned us to fear our dreams, Robert Englund. Leslie Vernon is the slasher above all, and he is portrayed most chillingly while still keeping some sympathic sides. Much more to be said, but alas, 500 leters.
Rated 14 Jan 2008
untrustableuntrustable
Rated 30 Sep 2014
76
56th
A fun deconstruction then reconstruction of the slasher genre.
Rated 30 Sep 2014
bluetinbluetin
Rated 27 Jul 2007
90
38th
the whole documentry feel to the movie was kinda annoying at first but i ended up liking it. i like how the movie was written. its like they actually thought about it instead of giving you something that was just thrown up, for example: captivity.
Rated 27 Jul 2007
kleaklea
Rated 16 May 2012
22
6th
Didn't really watch it, but I could tell from the opening 10 minutes that it just wasn't gonna be for me. Definitely will be a hit or miss movie for people
Rated 16 May 2012
vorpalkittenVorpalKitten
Rated 13 Dec 2014
80
59th
Very clever concept, I really liked this one.
Rated 13 Dec 2014
ofterdingenOfterdingen
Rated 11 Aug 2014
57
45th
Good fun until the final 1/3 where it turns Into just another (bad) slasher movie.
Rated 11 Aug 2014
nandorizzinandorizzi
Rated 30 Jun 2011
20
12th
Bad movie, great disappointment. It fails as a satire, and as a horror movie it fails. Because of the horrible actings and complete lack of sense, could only be considered just a comedy. But this deconstruction of slasher movies that too was not so original or funny.
Rated 30 Jun 2011
wwallce4prezWWallce4prez
Rated 20 Nov 2018
68
41st
Pretty cute and pretty clever. The two leads absolutely sell the silly premise. The mood going from playful to frightening is interesting, but maybe not completely earned.
Rated 20 Nov 2018

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