Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon

The DVD cover for this film makes it look like just another schlock horror film. It’s actually a rather clever spoof/satire that mixes different film modes (documentary, drama, slasher) in an often surprising way. A news crew seeks to cover the return of a potential serial killer to his childhood home on the anniversary of his death, and the-soon-to-be famous killer invites the journalists along for the ride. Nathan Baesel is a crack-up as Vernon, a youngish guy with matinee-idol looks, a penchant for jokes and the intent to kill a houseful of stoned teenagers. The film works because director Scott Glosserman chooses to address his subject seriously and realistically rather than employ slapstick or highly stylized filmmaking. This is a supremely weird film, one that will make horror fans happy.