B Movies Blog

Hello, Movie Mavens! Welcome back to the B Movies Blog. Today, we’re popping Slenderman content into the ol’ VCR. 

CW/TW: gun violence, su*c*d*, su*c*d*l ideation, drug use, stabbing, child death, loud noises, flashing lights, dark subject matter, and all like subjects 

Before we dive into this piece, I have a responsibility to address a few things up top. 

First and foremost, I know the idea of Slenderman led to an absolute tragedy. If you aren’t familiar with the case, there’s a documentary that covers the details, and you can find information about it online. All of those involved were minors, so I’m not going to get into the details here. 

I understand there is a dark side to all of this content, so if you plan to watch or rewatch any of the series mentioned here, I would recommend looking into them before beginning. 

Secondly, I don’t condone the actions of the creator of TribeTwelve. I know there was some stuff within the crew from Marble Hornets as well. I also know that the Trials from EMH are also controversial. It’s awful that there are so many terrible things within this space, but I would be remiss if I didn’t mention them. 

Thirdly, some of this content is a little rough around the edges because it was made by teenaged/college-aged peeps in the late aughts and into the early 2010s. Keep that in mind while watching because I think (and would hope) they would do some things differently. 

Lastly, like with other pieces, I’ll link videos, but I’m not going to include pictures with funny captions because it doesn’t feel appropriate. 

Alrighty, I think that does it for our disclaimers. Let’s get into it. 

Slenderman…used to freak me out. I’ll be honest. 

The idea of being followed is something that doesn’t scare me, per se, but it’s something that lives in the back of my anxiety-riddled mind.

I’m also a woman, so, fair. 

That’s why I was so late to the Slenderverse (and yes, I hated writing that as much as I’m sure you hated reading it). 

However, a few years ago, I finally buckled down and watched all of Marble Hornets, TribeTwelve, and my personal favorite, EverymanHYBRID. 

Video Source: EverymanHYBRID

In grand Baillee tradition, I also spent DAYS watching commentary videos from the Night Mind channel rewatching these series. I’m sure no one is surprised. 

For those who aren’t familiar, Slenderman is an entity originating from the internet back in the late aughts. He’s usually depicted as an abnormally thin and tall faceless creature wearing a black suit, white dress shirt, and tie, with gangly limbs. He also sometimes has visible tentacles, while, other times, they’re merely alluded to. 

Slenderman causes those in his presence to suffer from memory loss, dizziness, disorientation, coughing, etc…He can also influence people, primarily children and young adults, to do terrible things. We’re gonna leave it there. 

After Slenderman arrived on the scene, there was a multitude of content created around and expanding upon his lore. 

These include the aforementioned big three: Marble Hornets, EverymanHYBRID, and TribeTwelve. 

Video Source: Marble Hornets

All three series may keep parts of the Slenderman lore the same, but I think they each have their own distinct feel. 

For example, Marble Hornets feels the most cinematic to me; it’s like watching a movie in installments. 

EverymanHYBRID feels more episodic and almost play-like. Additionally, the EMH crew went all in on making things interactive (which also had its downside). 

TribeTwelve includes these incredible animations that remind me of FAITH: The Unholy Trinity. 

Video Source: TribeTwelve

While some things don’t hold up, the talent of these creators is apparent throughout. 

These series went on for YEARS and had to be carefully planned and executed so that everything would make sense and wrap up. It’s so impressive. 

Also, these series play off each other. There are direct connections between EMH and TribeTwelve. In fact, Noah from TribeTwelve and the EMH crew appear in each other’s videos, and their lore intertwines. I also think Alex from Marble Hornets makes an appearance in a video where Noah from TribeTwelve is meeting with Habit from EMH. It’s wild. 

Video Source: TribeTwelve

As a writer and content creator (gag), I know how hard it is to make content, and B Movies isn’t nearly as intricate as these series were. There were so many moving parts, so they get mad props from me for making all of this content. 

Now, let’s touch on some of the bad. Is this content extremely dark and violent? Yes. Do I think children should be watching it? Absolutely not. I’m a 31-year-old adult, and I took breaks in-between my research. It’s also not the first time a series has made me take a break. 

I also think these are a little rough around the edges. There are some things that really didn’t age well/some language used that didn’t need to be. We don’t need evil characters to say offensive things to show how evil they are, and some of the subject matter could’ve been cut. 

All of these series also reminded me how much I hate the loud, jarring noises of Slenderman content. I digress. 

Slenderman content is unique in that there’s so much lore to lay as the foundation, but you aren’t bound to it; the myth is up to interpretation. 

Slenderman also plays off of the primal human fear of being followed, and, honestly, being hunted. It’s also terrifying because it personifies having your identity stripped away through memory loss, possession, etc… 

I do think these series, particularly EverymanHYBRID and Marble Hornets, do deserve a watch, but I think you should proceed with caution. If anything becomes triggering or upsetting, don’t be afraid to turn it off. It’s a lot to take in, so no one will blame you for avoiding it. 

Hell, there are horror scenes that still bother me to this very day, and I watch horror content on the daily. 

Another thing to keep in mind is that some of the videos for these channels may be edited or unavailable. For those who aren’t in their 30s, you used to be able to post videos with copyright music without consequence. 

That is, absolutely, not the case any more. 

You can find some of this footage in the Night Mind analysis videos, though. 

Alrighty, friends, I think I’m going to leave our journey into the Slenderverse here. 

I’m not going to tell you to definitely check these out, because I think this content can be triggering. 

If you’re interested, I would start by Googling the synopsis, having a trusted person watch some of it first to get their opinion, maybe watching some of the analysis videos and muting/looking away during the footage, etc… 

If you need to skip this content, it’s okay! 

I’m only a silly goose writing about pop culture on the internet, and, sometimes, that involves writing about triggering content. 

I love you either way. 🖤