Two of the more bizarre found footage movies ever made, Creep and Creep 2, forced audiences to live in tense dramatic irony. At no point in either movie did Mark Duplass appear even marginally coherent, yet his victims numbered in the dozens. Taking a step back into the lore of “Peachfuzz,” Duplass returns to the role with a six-part TV series for Shudder – aptly titled The Creep Tapes. Across the episodes, Duplass gets to flex his acting chops, allowing his serial murderer to take even stranger swings. Horror fans will delight in the late-year show, while those outside the fandom may struggle to connect.
The Creep Tapes Plot
Over the first two Creep films, Duplass’ Peachfuzz serial killer alluded to having killed hundreds in his lifetime. At one point, we were granted a glimpse of the tapes, which appeared to reflect a rather accurate count. For The Creep Tapes, each episode follows one of his killing excursions. Pieced together from various cameras, Duplass slowly chooses his victims and follows them to their untimely deaths.
Duplass still lives channels “Peachfuzz” with unnerving intensity.
Emerging from the mumblecore and indie film movement of the late 2000s, Duplass became a popular figure in the Sundance realm thanks to features like Humpday and Baghead. In many ways, Creep felt like an extension of the esoteric scene he helped cultivate. However, his unconventional series has created a strong following, and its influence can be felt in some of the non-traditional found-footage in recent years (Skinamarink).
Ultimately, Creep can get away with extremely low budgets and allows Duplass to flex his performance muscles. Doing so opens the door for some genuinely unsettling performances from the actor, and it helps utilize his comedic intensity to add tension to the series. The Creep Tapes starts by allowing him to relive other kills, making it tonally and visually similar to the two films.
However, Duplass breaks the formula in the season’s final few episodes and dives into major character work. These are the episodes that ultimately make The Creep Tapes more than a simple transition to the small screen. It would be easy to follow mini-stories in twenty-five minutes. Instead, The Creep Tapes shows the ambition to tackle questions about Peachfuzz’s mental fragility and how broken this man became.
For Duplass to return to the character, he clearly needed challenges. The Creep Tapes provides these for him. While all the markers that we expect from this man appear, there are many other moments that feel inappropriate for us to watch. It’s genuinely great to watch Duplass challenge himself as a performer, and he walks a difficult path between overacting and excellence.
Scary kills in unique scenarios build to horrid delights.
Another aspect that helps The Creep Tapes shine is the creativity they pursue this time out. While the last two features follow filmmakers trying to breakthrough, these episodes have some variation. Yes, there are episodes that follow filmmakers – two, in fact. Even then, the second represents a crippling critique of true crime storytelling. However, the other four show unique bends on the story.
One features heavy questions about institutions and allows Duplass to showcase a different persona. Two others are more contemplative and shake up the formula for what one might consider an “origin story.” As a whole, the season finds new ways to kill its victims. While there is still a slight formula in place that will turn off some viewers, it’s mostly a successful implementation of serial killer stories onto the small screen.
Should I watch The Creep Tapes?
The Creep Tapes will be an easy-to-binge series for horror fans, especially those who love the films. If you’re not a big Duplass or Creep fan, there are still some interesting horror ideas in the show. It will not be for every viewer, but The Creep Tapes should find an audience without much trouble. We want to see more experimentation if the show continues, which the first six episodes leave open as a possibility.
Watch The Creep Tapes on Shudder starting November 15, 2024.
The Creep Tapes Review – An Unhinged Mark Duplass Doubles Down on Horror
Scary and strangely funny, Mark Duplass returns to the role of “Peachfuzz” in THE CREEP TAPES for Shudder. The six-episode limited event brings back the found footage franchise to the small screen.
