Movie junkie Jessie Robbins selects a flick to freak you out on a Saturday night.
What do you aspire to be in your life? When you were little, did you want to be a fireman? A doctor? I was always convinced that I would be an actress, and while speaking in public is not my greatest ability (obviously I tend to write, alone, from the security of my own home instead) I have learned a thing or two from the one or two times I was actually in front of a camera, or audience. I would hope, judging from your answers, that none of you chose supernatural serial killer, akin to Michael Myers, Freddy Krueger, or Jason Voorhees”.
While ambitious, and fascinating from the perspective of my line of work, its just well its not a very good idea.
Leslie Vernon is a man who, hopefully unlike the rest of you, has this dream. He has trained extensively to terrorize and maim his victims, and a college documentary film crew are going to capture his shining moment on camera.
BEHIND THE MASK: THE RISE OF LESLIE VERNON is kind of a mouthful, so from here on out I will refer to it as BTMTROLV. Dont try to say that out loud because it sounds RIDICULOUS.
BTMTROLV stars Nathan Baesel as the titular Leslie, a goofy and rather delightful fellow who jumps at the opportunity to show Taylor (Angela Goethals) and her crew around his ancestral home, and let them in on his routine for keeping himself in shape, yknow, so he can murder a bunch of sex-having teenagers efficiently. Baesel (for MOST of the film anyway) is a genuinely nice guy, his charming and boyish attitude makes his a sympathetic character, you want him to make a connection with his prospective victim, you want him to plant evidence suggesting his lineage, and more than anything, you want to see the inevitable bloodbath go down. Because you want this for him. (She said convincingly)
Angela Goethals Taylor has ambition, she wants to be a journalist or TV personality like Barbara Walters, and she sees this piece as her big break. Along the way however, Taylor starts to feel the gravity of the situation, and must decide if her lifes work is important enough to witness the deaths of half a dozen teenagers.
The backdrop of the film, Leslies home/apple orchard, is a refreshing landscape in horror, the misty rows of apple trees, the gnarled branches, are all unchartered territory for the genre and make for a very spooky setting.
BTMTROLV is a funny, funny flick. Baesels whimsical personality is a refreshing juxtaposition against his sinister motivations, he kind of reminds me of a deceitful puppy. Goethals delivery, while at times a little forced, is funny in its own right, going from eager and enthusiastic to solemn and professional at the drop of a hat.
With colourful cameos from Robert Englund, Zelda Rubinstein and Scott Wilson, BTMTROLV is one of my go-to films for when Im in the mood for a laugh, or feeling blue, or pretty much any other emotion. This weeks homework is to stop what youre doing IMMEDIATELY, I dont care how important, get comfy and throw this flick on. In fact, host a viewing party of this bad boy.
Stay scared kiddies!
