Beware the Slenderman (2016)

Tells the story of two 12-year old girls, who attempted to murder one of their friends in an attempt to appease Slenderman, a fictional monster from a horror website.

Director:

Irene Taylor Brodsky

Stars:

Morgan Geyser, Anissa Weier, Angie Geyser

1 win & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Morgan Geyser	...	Self - Stabbing Suspect
Anissa Weier	...	Self - Stabbing Suspect
Angie Geyser	...	Self - Morgan's Mother
Bill Weier	...	Self - Anissa's Father
Michael O. Bohren	...	Self - Judge
Michelle Trussoni	...	Self - City of Waukesha Police Department
Kristi Weier	...	Self - Anissa's Mother
Payton Leutner	...	Self - Stabbing Victim (archive footage)
Trevor J. Blank	...	Self - Digital Folklorist
Brad Kim	...	Self - KnowYourMeme.com
Richard Dawkins	...	Self - Evolutionary Biologist
Jack Zipes	...	Self - Literary Critic
Tom Haynes	...	Self - Anissa's Former Teacher
Abigail Baird	...	Self - Neurodevelopmental Psychologist
Tyler	...	Self - Former Fellow Inmate

Storyline

Lurking in the shadows of the Internet, a faceless modern-day bogeyman has attracted the attention and fear of a young generation who whisper his name online. Slenderman lives on the dark pages of the web, where impressionable youth create and cultivate his mythos in message boards, YouTube clips and various other digital incantations. But the online fairy tale becomes a shocking real-life horror as two 12-year-old girls, guided by their devotion to Slenderman, lure their friend into the woods to attempt a seemingly inexplicable, brutal murder. From the depths of one the Internet's most unsettling creations to the court case that must consider the consequences, Beware the Slenderman brings to light questions of accountability in an age where young, growing minds are only a few clicks away from creating and consuming something that may influence them to commit unspeakable crimes.

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Plot Keywords:

internet | slenderman | girl | stabbing | meme | 

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Taglines:

On May 31st, 2014, in the woods outside of Waukesha, Wisconsin, two 12-year-old girls stabbed their classmate 19 times. This is the true story of what drove them to do it.

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Genres:

Documentary | Biography | Crime

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Certificate:

TV-14

Did You Know?

Trivia

Although the stabbing took place in Waukesha County (Waukesha). Anisa is being held further north in adjoining Washington County (West Bend).

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Goofs

During Trevor J. Blank's interview (at the 28:18 mark), footage is shown of the popular Youtube series "WATCHER" by Andrew J. Neis. "WATCHER" is not a Slenderman-related series, it features a human stranger that stands outside of a couple's apartment window and stares at them, never moving or speaking. The creators of "Beware the Slenderman" appear to have digitally edited the video to remove the face of the "WATCHER" character and make it appear as though it could possibly be a real-life Slenderman.

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Quotes

Herself - Stabbing Suspect: Make sure she's down.

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Connections

Referenced in Half in the Bag: Slender Man (2018)

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Soundtracks

Rising Walls
(uncredited)
Music by Myuu

User Reviews

Blame the Internet, blame the kids....honestly?

I found this to be a well done documentary that effectively portrayed our society the way it is today. The film glossed over the plight of the victim just as these girls did, and we expect them to show empathy? Did the filmmakers?

It's true kids are overexposed to a lot of things on the internet, but when HAVEN'T kids been exposed to awful things? Just look at the history of the world!! It is RIFE with horrific wars, oppression, persecution, poverty, death...children have always been exposed to these things.

The justice system is ridiculous. Trying 6th graders as adults, questioning their beliefs and labeling them mentally ill at age 12 when the brain isn't even developed? There's a reason we don't diagnose psychopathy until age 18.

I'm not excusing what these girls did. Its horrific. But why are we so baffled? Wars have been raging for millennia, and even in the 21st century society ADULTS are killing each other in the name of "beliefs," which are quite honestly no less rational than internet demons.

Seriously.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 August 2018 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

Beware the Slenderman

Company Credits

Production Co:

HBO Documentary Films, Vermilion Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

114 min

Color:

Color