MovieChat Forums > Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (2006) Discussion > Man Bites Dog vs. this

Man Bites Dog vs. this

posted 15 years ago by fatdongs
14 replies | jump to latest

I enjoyed this movie fine so I don't want it to come off as I'm bashing it, the thing that annoys me is many reviews I've read hailing this as very original. While this is a MORE comedic take this film is very similar in plot to the 93' film "Man bites dog" (no horror elements in that). What I'm wondering is did anyone else think the premise were very similar? Obviously the tone of the two are worlds apart seeing as this is tongue and cheek and that is darkly comedic and disturbing. I was just looking if this was at all inspired by that movie and I can't find anything.

[–] rustynail8806 15 years ago

Man bites dog kills this movie. Man bites dog was pretty comedic at times though, I found its humor actually more humorous than this movie, this was just bad. The idea was probably stolen to make this movies and they gave no credit to man bites dog which is probably for the best.

[–] Citrinitas 15 years ago

Personally, I wasn't a big fan of Man Bites Dog. It was okay. I really like Behind the Mask, though.

[–] bgdc 15 years ago

As soon as I read the premise I thought of the exceptionally funny Man Bites Dog. We just watched this movie (Behind the Mask) and it's funny but the last half lost my affinity for the movie. Really enjoyed the documentary spoof stuff but the 3rd act...blah.

[–] deathbunny32 14 years ago

I felt that Man Bites Dog is what this movie would be like if it was completely brutal and uncompromising. This film was more humorous/light (at least until the end), while Man Bites Dog was easily the blackest comedy I've ever seen like the scene where he's smashing that guy's head, then asks the mike guy to move in a little closer so he can catch it better, or the scene where they are raping the fat lady.

The payoff for slogging through an hour of boring is never worth it.

[–] Zarathustras_Crown 14 years ago

I liked Man Bites Dog, don't get me wrong, but I don't know that I'd call it the blackest comedy I've seen...I was way, WAY more disturbed by the likes of Happiness by Todd Solondz...I'd watched black comedy before but never come out of a movie feeling like I literally needed a shower to clean it off.

Solondz has you laughing your ass off about a bunch of sexual deviants, child molesters and murderers. I caught myself laughing at scenes and then suddenly catching myself and saying "Jesus, I'm laughing at this guy trying to viciously rape his sons 10 year old buddies"...the fact that I FOUND it funny was more disturbing than the imagery...

--
*+_Charos_+*

"I have often laughed at weaklings
who thought themselves good because
they had no claws."

[–] mle143 14 years ago

'Man Bites Dog' is a fantastic film as well as utterly disturbing to watch. And I have to admit that I saw 'Behind the Mask' first and then 'Dog' because I heard it was similar. But honestly other than the fact that both movies have a camera crew following around a killer, they are completely different in nearly every way. That being said, I prefer 'Behind the Mask' although I've seen a lot of french films and 'Dog' was one I will never forget.

Call me crazy but I want at least a taste of heaven, before an eternity of hell.

[–] seph82 13 years ago

*English is not my primary langage.

Man Bites Dog by a mile. I didn't think Behind the mask was great, but at least, it was original.

[–] STinG3606 13 years ago

Behind the Mask is one of my favorite movies and I sort of use its energy and cinematic style as an influence in nearly everything I do. That said, I think Man Bites Dog is the superior movie in so many fashions, particularly the actor who was so frighteningly realistic as that friend who is always fun to party with but your treading softly on his darker side. Leslie Vernon did not have that edge, both were fascinating, but Vernon could not scare me at all.

I think its also worth noting that I NEVER want to see Man Bites Dog again in my life, if I can help. I feel I will soon get over this and purchase a copy when I find one, but that movie left a mark on me since I've seen it last year.

'You ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight?'
'Yeah, he told me you're gay.'
*BANG!*

[–] Morson 13 years ago

The comparison came to mind of course, but there's one important distinction between the two movies.

One is a black comedy about serial killers.

The other is a black comedy about /movie slasher/ killers.

.. the whole of Behind the Mask existed to manipulate slasher movie cliches. It was behind-the-scenes with Jason Vorhees, not Jeffory Dahmer. That is why they're apples and oranges, despite the surface comparison.

[–] thephoenix45 13 years ago

I think these are terrible comparisons. Not even apples to oranges...apples to shotguns is a better argument.

I didn't even know Man Bites Dog was a comedy until I read about it after watching it. While watching I just got confused and thought either there were errors made or I misheard things like the repetition after each member of the crew died. I tried watching it again with the knowledge of it being a comedy and appreciated some of it, but overall it wasn't close to the comedy of Behind the Mask.

I think some of the comedy is hidden with the foreign language especially, the black and white and the realism with which it was made. The novelty of Leslie Vernon made it comedic from the beginning. They are in two different worlds.

[–] jinx_malone 13 years ago

Agreed, while I thought of Man Bites Dog right off the bat, they're two entirely different movies, even tonally. Man Bites Dog is funny but also gets pretty brutal and bleak whereas this movie retains a sense of...lightheartedness? Not sure if that's the word I want, but it has a good-natured quality which it manages to maintain right up till the very end.

Hell, I wanted Leslie and Taylor to get together. I wouldn't have wanted to run into Ben in a dark alley, he was totally unhinged and messed up.

-------------------------
"It's better not to know so much about what things mean." David Lynch

[–] RationalGaze 13 years ago

I agree, apples and oranges. I will say that Man Bites Dog is the better movie in my opinion, but they are both unique and interesting in their own way. Behind the Mask is obviously more of a pure Comedy like Spinal Tap, where as Man Bites Dog is much more sadistic and disturbing.

[–] DoomTrooper 12 years ago

Man Bites Dog was good and as far as I know it was the first of this concept to be made as far as my research suggests. However Behind the Mask was actually funnier and I think some of the naysayers who don't like it went in expecting it to be a straight slasherfilm. The fact that BtM goes by the established rules of slasher films is what separates it from MBD. However comparing it to Scream is not accurate since while they loosely fit into the same genre they go two distinct routes to tell their stories. Also Leslie was the Protagonist since you are rooting for him and empathizing with him.

If one good deed in all my life I did,
I do repent it from my very soul.
Aaron the Moor

[–] nothinginroom237 11 years ago

Man Bites Dog may have done it first but Behind the Mask does it better. I really liked Man Bites Dog but having the realistic tone of the brutal killings while a cameraman follows you around left me more detached and isn't the best way to go for this type of movie. Although there were some dark comedy moments it was played more for it's disturbing nature. Behind the Mask, meanwhile, plays the comedic tone perfectly and as the film goes on plays up the horror aspect even more. Also, I just love the horror how-to's and do's and don'ts in Behind the Mask ... some funny stuff.

Both good movies, but I'd take Behind the Mask.

"I don't sleep with girls who look like Ray Liotta and your sister is totes Liotes."