I worked for Sean S. Cunningham long before I focused in on my study of all noteworthy Horror/Thrillers. We would often hear about films that were inspired by Friday the 13 or done as a love letter to that franchise or some of Sean’s other work, like the many awful ripoffs of Last House on the Left. He would usually avoid watching the films himself because someone might ask for his opinion, and he knew they were looking for an endorsement. Just knowing he attended a premiere could be a sign of approval for a movie he hadn’t seen yet. But, Behind the Mask came to our office with a few bonafides.
It was Kane Hodder who first said we should give this one a look. That the script was clever, creating explanations and reasons for most of Jason Voorhees’ abilities. It impressed Robert Englund, who agreed to play a small part and help promote the film. There’s a great role for Scott Wilson (The Ninth Configuration) as Leslie’s mentor, who has settled down but still uses some of his slasher skills in the kitchen. For those that prefer their Horror with less meta-winking, the film settles into a classic slasher for the climax, like how Hot Fuzz eventually becomes a full-on Action movie for the end. Another interesting point today is how much the film focuses on the slasher, something that was seen as a novelty with the very recent In a Violent Nature.
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