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Killer Mindset: Mockumentaries That Give Homicide a Human Side

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Let’s admit it, we’re fascinated by serial killers. The constant reminder of our own mortality shown through the deeply disturbing acts of a human monster is, honestly, pretty damn bleak.

Slashers have sliced, diced, and secured their place as a staple of pop culture. We constantly see new Ghostface killers, small-town sadists, and unstoppable juggernauts hacking through a hoard of wayward youths.

Mockumentaries like Man Bites Dog, Charm (Random Acts of Violence), Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon and The Poughkeepsie Tapes give a more realistic glimpse (albeit a fabricated one) into the hyper-productivity and psychological maneuvering of a killer.

Each mockumentary has its own distinct style, so the films I’ve covered have some noticeable differences. That being said, they each demonstrate the human side of a serial killer, but in dramatically different ways.

Man Bites Dog

Man Bites Dog takes the direct approach of following an urban psychopath as he stabs and shoots his way through the city. Ben is a confident, clever, friendly serial killer. We see him through his daily life; visits with his parents, discussions of architecture, and chaotic murder.

The unnerving connection that Ben develops with his film crew demonstrates how manipulative and mesmerizing these madmen can be. The filmmakers witness firsthand the full extent of what he is capable of, and yet, they are drawn further into the action.

Shot entirely in black and white, this Belgian film goes to some really dark places.

Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon

Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon is a cheeky re-imagining of the creation of a Big Name Killer like Jason, Michael or Freddy.

A documentary crew follows Leslie Mancuso, a charismatic and likable nightmare-in-training as he stalks his chosen Survivor Girl. He prepares various traps and predicts her reactions, methodically choreographing their encounters.

The whole film is chock-full of typical horror tropes. More importantly, it humanizes the enthusiastic murderer by showing him as an Average Joe. He has goals. He has turtles. He has to do a lot of cardio (it’s not easy to catch up to running, screaming teenagers at a menacing walking pace).

Watching Leslie, you can understand how so many killers are able to hide in plain sight. He is devoted to his career in “the business of fear”, yet you can’t help but root for him.

Part mockumentary, part feature, the film jumps between documentary footage and polished multi-camera action sequences. We end up with a film that shows the dedication of a young man who yearns for purpose. It just happens that his purpose is murder.

The Poughkeepsie Tapes

Truthfully, I can’t stop thinking about The Poughkeepsie Tapes. In an abandoned house, investigators discover over 800 videotapes, numbered for the police to watch in order. Filmed by the perpetrator, the films act as a visual record of the horrific, sadistic torture and murder of several victims.

Writer/Director John Erick Dowdle (As Above, So Below) has created a spot-on “true crime” documentary. A sense of realism is created by using interviews with criminology and psychology “experts” inter-cut with graphic scenes from the videotapes. There’s a keen attention to detail with deep roots in reality.

The psychological affect that these tragedies have on the victims and their families is visibly painful. The Poughkeepsie Tapes is an emotionally charged psychological horror and a chilling reminder that yes, stuff like this actually happens. These psychopathic killers truly do exist.

Want more ultra-violence? Click Here to check out the trailer for an actual real-life documentary about attempted murder.

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Russell Crowe To Star in Another Exorcism Movie & It’s Not a Sequel

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Maybe it’s because The Exorcist just celebrated its 50th-anniversary last year, or maybe it’s because aging Academy Award-winning actors aren’t too proud to take on obscure roles, but Russell Crowe is visiting the Devil once again in yet another possession film. And it’s not related to his last one, The Pope’s Exorcist.

According to Collider, the film titled The Exorcism was originally going to be released under the name The Georgetown Project. Rights for its North American release were once in the hands of Miramax but then went to Vertical Entertainment. It will release on June 7 in theaters then head over to Shudder for subscribers.

Crowe will also star in this year’s upcoming Kraven the Hunter which is set to drop in theaters on August 30.

As for The Exorcism, Collider provides us with what it’s about:

“The film centers around actor Anthony Miller (Crowe), whose troubles come to the forefront as he shoots a supernatural horror movie. His estranged daughter (Ryan Simpkins) has to figure out whether he’s lapsing into his past addictions, or if something even more horrific is occurring. “

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New F-Bomb Laden ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Trailer: Bloody Buddy Movie

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Deadpool & Wolverine might be the buddy movie of the decade. The two heterodox superheroes are back in the latest trailer for the summer blockbuster, this time with more f-bombs than a gangster film.

‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Movie Trailer

This time the focus is on Wolverine played by Hugh Jackman. The adamantium-infused X-Man is having a bit of a pity party when Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) arrives on the scene who then tries to convince him to team up for selfish reasons. The result is a profanity-filled trailer with a Strange surprise at the end.

Deadpool & Wolverine is one of the most anticipated movies of the year. It comes out on July 26. Here is the latest trailer, and we suggest if you are at work and your space isn’t private, you might want to put in headphones.

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Original Blair Witch Cast Ask Lionsgate for Retroactive Residuals in Light of New Film

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The Blair Witch Project Cast

Jason Blum is planning to reboot The Blair Witch Project for the second time. That’s a fairly large task considering none of the reboots or sequels have managed to capture the magic of the 1999 film that brought found footage into the mainstream.

This idea has not been lost on the original Blair Witch cast, who has recently reached out to Lionsgate to ask for what they feel is fair compensation for their role in the pivotal film. Lionsgate gained access to The Blair Witch Project in 2003 when they purchased Artisan Entertainment.

Blair witch
The Blair Witch Project Cast

However, Artisan Entertainment was an independent studio before its purchase, meaning the actors were not part of SAG-AFTRA. As a result, the cast are not entitled to the same residuals from the project as actors in other major films. The cast doesn’t feel that the studio should be able to continue to profit off of their hard work and likenesses without fair compensation.

Their most recent request asks for “meaningful consultation on any future ‘Blair Witch’ reboot, sequel, prequel, toy, game, ride, escape room, etc., in which one could reasonably assume that Heather, Michael & Josh’s names and/or likenesses will be associated for promotional purposes in the public sphere.”

The blair witch project

At this time, Lionsgate has not offered any comment about this issue.

The full statement made by the cast can be found below.

OUR ASKS OF LIONSGATE (From Heather, Michael & Josh, stars of “The Blair Witch Project”):

1. Retroactive + future residual payments to Heather, Michael and Josh for acting services rendered in the original BWP, equivalent to the sum that would’ve been allotted through SAG-AFTRA, had we had proper union or legal representation when the film was made.

2. Meaningful consultation on any future Blair Witch reboot, sequel, prequel, toy, game, ride, escape room, etc…, in which one could reasonably assume that Heather, Michael & Josh’s names and/or likenesses will be associated for promotional purposes in the public sphere.

Note: Our film has now been rebooted twice, both times were a disappointment from a fan/box office/critical perspective. Neither of these films were made with significant creative input from the original team. As the insiders who created the Blair Witch and have been listening to what fans love & want for 25 years, we’re your single greatest, yet thus-far un-utilized secret-weapon!

3. “The Blair Witch Grant”: A 60k grant (the budget of our original movie), paid out yearly by Lionsgate, to an unknown/aspiring genre filmmaker to assist in making theirfirst feature film. This is a GRANT, not a development fund, hence Lionsgate will not own any of the underlying rights to the project.

A PUBLIC STATEMENT FROM THE DIRECTORS & PRODUCERS OF “THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT”:

As we near the 25th anniversary of The Blair Witch Project, our pride in the storyworld we created and the film we produced is reaffirmed by the recent announcement of a reboot by horror icons Jason Blum and James Wan.

While we, the original filmmakers, respect Lionsgate’s right to monetize the intellectual property as it sees fit, we must highlight the significant contributions of the original cast — Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard, and Mike Williams. As the literal faces of what has become a franchise, their likenesses, voices, and real names are inseparably tied to The Blair Witch Project. Their unique contributions not only defined the film’s authenticity but continue to resonate with audiences around the world.

We celebrate our film’s legacy, and equally, we believe the actors deserve to be celebrated for their enduring association with the franchise.

Sincerely, Eduardo Sanchez, Dan Myrick, Gregg Hale, Robin Cowie, and Michael Monello

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