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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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‘The Strangers’ Invaded Coachella in Instagramable PR Stunt

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Renny Harlin’s reboot of The Strangers isn’t coming out until May 17, but those murderous home invaders are making a pit stop at Coachella first.

In the latest Instagramable PR stunt, the studio behind the film decided to have the trio of masked intruders crash Coachella, a music festival that takes place for two weekends in Southern California.

The Strangers

This type of publicity began when Paramount did the same thing with their horror movie Smile in 2022. Their version had seemingly ordinary people in populated places look directly into a camera with an evil grin.

The Strangers

Harlin’s reboot is actually a trilogy with a more expansive world than that of the original.

“When setting out to remake The Strangers, we felt there was a bigger story to be told, which could be as powerful, chilling, and terrifying as the original and could really expand that world,” said producer Courtney Solomon. “Shooting this story as a trilogy allows us to create a hyperreal and terrifying character study. We’re fortunate to be joining forces with Madelaine Petsch, an amazing talent whose character is the driving force of this story.”

The Strangers

The movie follows a young couple (Madelaine Petsch and Froy Gutierrez) who “after their car breaks down in an eerie small town, are forced to spend the night in a remote cabin. Panic ensues as they are terrorized by three masked strangers who strike with no mercy and seemingly no motive in The Strangers: Chapter 1 the chilling first entry of this upcoming horror feature film series.”

The Strangers

The Strangers: Chapter 1 opens in theaters on May 17.

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‘Alien’ Returning to Theaters For a Limited Time

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It’s been 45 years since Ridley Scott’s Alien hit theaters and in celebration of that milestone, it is headed back to the big screen for a limited time. And what better day to do that than Alien Day on April 26?

It also works as a primer for the upcoming Fede Alvarez sequel Alien: Romulus opening on August 16. A special feature in which both Alvarez and Scott discuss the original sci-fi classic will be shown as a part of your theater admission. Take a look at the preview of that conversation below.

Fede Alvarez and Ridley Scott

Back in 1979, the original trailer for Alien was kind of terrifying. Imagine sitting in front of a CRT TV (Cathode Ray Tube) at night and suddenly Jerry Goldsmith’s haunting score begins to play as a giant chicken egg starts to crack with beams of light bursting through the shell and the word “Alien” slowly forms in slanted all caps across the screen. To a twelve-year-old, it was a scary pre-bedtime experience, especially Goldsmith’s screaming electronic musical flourishes playing over scenes of the actual movie. Let the “Is it horror or sci-fi?” debate begin.

Alien became a pop culture phenomenon, complete with kid’s toys, a graphic novel, and an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. It also inspired dioramas in wax museums and even a frightening setpiece at Walt Disney World in the now-defunct Great Movie Ride attraction.

Great Movie Ride

The film stars Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, and John Hurt. It tells the tale of a futuristic crew of blue-collar workers suddenly awakened out of stasis to investigate an undecipherable distress signal coming from a nearby moon. They investigate the source of the signal and discover it’s a warning and not a cry for help. Unbeknownst to the crew, they have brought a giant space creature back on board which they find out in one of the most iconic scenes in cinema history.

It is said that Alvarez’s sequel will pay homage to the original film’s storytelling and set design.

Alien Romulus
Alien (1979)

The Alien theatrical re-release will take place on April 26. Pre-order your tickets and find out where Alien will screen at a theater near you.

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Home Depot’s 12-Foot Skeleton Returns with a New Friend, Plus New Life-Size Prop from Spirit Halloween

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Halloween is the greatest holiday of them all. However, every great holiday needs amazing props to go with it. Luckily for you, there are two new amazing props that have been released, which are sure to impress your neighbors and frighten any neighborhood children who are unfortunate enough to wander past your yard.

The first entry is the return of the Home Depot 12-foot skeleton prop. Home Depot has outdone themselves in the past. But this year the company is bringing bigger and better things to their Halloween prop lineup.

Home Depot Skeleton Prop

This year, the company unveiled its new and improved Skelly. But what is a giant skeleton without a loyal friend? Home Depot has also announced that they will release a five-foot tall skeleton dog prop to eternally keep Skelly company as he haunts your yard this spooky season.

This bony pooch will be five feet tall and seven feet long. The prop will also feature a posable mouth and LCD eyes with eight variable settings. Lance Allen, Home Depot’s merchant of decorative Holliday gear, had the following to say about this year’s lineup.

“This year we increased our realism within the animatronics category, created some impressive, licensed characters and even brought back some fan favorites. Overall, we are most proud of the quality and value we are able to bring to our customers with these pieces so they can continue to grow their collections.”

Home Depot Prop

But what if giant skeletons just aren’t your thing? Well, Spirit Halloween has you covered with their giant life size Terror Dog replica. This massive prop has been ripped out of your nightmares to appear frighteningly on your lawn.

This prop weighs in at almost fifty pounds and features glowing red eyes that are sure to keep your yard safe from any toilet paper throwing hooligans. This iconic Ghostbusters nightmare is a must have for any fan of 80s horror. Or, anyone who loves all things spooky.

Terror Dog Prop
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