Tag Archives: slenderman

Watch for the Slenderman

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My first introduction to the Slenderman was the Marble Hornets YouTube series (which I stumbled across completely randomly). The surreal nature of the “monster” mixed with the at times utterly banal reality of the clips really worked well for me. It was two seasons of episodes before I really had a handle on what was going on, and I use that term loosely as the story in total is gloriously amorphus in the way that urban legends often are.

This movie, Always Watching, was inspired by that YouTube show… which says more than a little about the impact it–and the Slenderman mythology as a whole–has had.

I’ll leave it to the vlog to review the movie and just say that I enjoyed it well enough.

Knowing that it’s Doug Jones in the suit and face-hiding mask is nice. And seeing Alexandra Breckenridge (currently on The Walking Dead) nearly unrecognizable as a redhead hanging out with Jake McDorman (who I was last watching on the quickly cancelled rom-com-sit-com Manhattan Love Story) with Chris Marquette (who, regardless of the tons of other things he’s done, will always be Adam from Joan of Arcadia to me) slowly going absolutely insane was a solid ride.

Definitely check out the history of the Slender Man… possibly the only urban legend we can completely trace the root of. Sadly, the creature has also been blamed for inspiring some real-life horror that’s at least on par with what’s in any movie or show.

If you’re a Marble Hornets fan or a Slender Man fan, let me know… and let me know what you think of this movie. But first, watch the vlog.

Don’t forget that you have some say over what goes on for the next 100 days… click the big green button below here to get to the page where you can submit topic suggestions and questions (so I know what kinds of things you want to see go on in these videos).

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FCC Overloaded, Rough Road to College, Red Velvet Mites of Love, Genderless, and Slenderman Delusions

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This entry is part 39 of 100 in the series Today's Tidbits

One of the strangest bits of news that came through today (amid a crazy work schedule and some really annoying Facebook problems), was the story of two 12-year-old girls who stabbed another 12-year-old “friend” of theirs in an attempted murder.

They did it, the article said, to gain the favor of the Slender Man and earn the comfort of getting to hang out with him in his mystical mansion in the woods.

In a word, that’s crazy.

For those who don’t know, Slender Man is a meme that kind of got out of control. Started in a “make something creepy” flavored thread on an online message board. He’s kind of taken on a life of it’s own, growing far beyond the confines of that one thread and making appearances in videos, art, and even computer games.

Apparently now he’s a focus for human sacrifice, too.

And that’s just sad.

Delusional is as delusional does, but at least most delusions in the past have been based on things that aren’t as easily dismiss-able (or searchable) as being, well, genuine fakes. Angels, demons, aliens, even most other urban legends, all have their origins buried in generations of ambiguity. Slenderman’s creation is documented on a Wikipedia page that’s one of the first things that comes up when you search for him.

If these kids can’t make the distinction between something that obviously made up and reality, it’s no wonder they have no problem with the idea of killing someone they called a friend.

There’s no connection to reality, let alone real-world cause and effect or empathy, to be found here.

At least not yet.

Maybe something more… human… will emerge if the case proceeds and the media covers it with any sensibility.

The one vaguely positive thing here is that it’s not the media fishing for a cause… this whole Slender Man motivation is apparently what the girls explained when they were caught.