Urban Legend (1998)

A college student suspects a series of bizarre deaths are connected to certain urban legends.

Director:

Jamie Blanks

Writer:

Silvio Horta

Stars:

Jared Leto, Alicia Witt, Rebecca Gayheart

1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jared Leto	...	Paul Gardener
Alicia Witt	...	Natalie Simon
Rebecca Gayheart	...	Brenda Bates
Michael Rosenbaum	...	Parker Riley
Loretta Devine	...	Reese Wilson
Joshua Jackson	...	Damon Brooks
Tara Reid	...	Sasha Thomas
John Neville	...	Dean Adams
Julian Richings	...	Weird Janitor
Robert Englund	...	Professor William Wexler
Danielle Harris	...	Tosh Guaneri
Natasha Gregson Wagner	...	Michelle Mancini
Gord Martineau	...	David McAree
Kay Hawtrey	...	Library Attendant
Angela Vint	...	Bitchy Girl

Storyline

Urban Legend tells the story of a group of pretty college students at a remote New England university. The focus of the story is Natalie, a beautiful, academically-gifted student at the fictional Pendleton University. Natalie and her friends are all involved in the Folklore class being taught by Professor Wexler. Wexler regales his class with urban legends, which include Pendleton's own urban legend about a Psych professor who murdered six students at Stanley Hall 25 years ago. Natalie is the first one to suspect there's a killer on campus, especially after she has ties to all of the victims. No one, including her friends, Wexler, Dean Adams and security guard, of course, believes her until it's too late. Now she finds that she and her friends are part of the killer's ultimate urban legend.

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Plot Keywords:

urban legend | college | goth girl | mysterious murderer | murder of roommate | 

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Taglines:

At Pendelton Univ., Urban Legends are coming true!

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Genres:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for horror violence/gore, language and sexual content

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the role of Michelle Mancini, the ill-fated coed who is murdered in the opening scene, actress Natasha Gregson Wagner was cast. Wagner was drawn to the part as she felt it encompassed a "proper scene" that she could "sink [her] teeth into."

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Goofs

While it was probably added for tension and to introduce a greater conflict, the dean's actions to both Paul and Natalie would likely have cost him his job. Her 'criminal record' -- clearly stated to have been an action in high school -- would have been cleared upon her 18th birthday and majority, as per juvenile offender regulations. The dean would have had some difficulty even discovering such information unless he had been looking specifically for it (and likely violating a number of laws), but in any case it not only would have put his position at risk, it also was utterly irrelevant to the allegations Natalie had brought against Wexler and may have been a violation of Natalie's rights. Another instance in the film where involvement of the authorities was conspicuously ignored and characters seemed to happily overlook the very obvious problem with the situation.

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Quotes

Natalie: So this is where you research all your lurid articles?
Paul Gardener: Reality is lurid.

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Alternate Versions

The version of the film shown on the USA network keeps onscreen violence to a minimum. All violence is shown very quickly, while the sound effects during killings have been removed entirely, and any shots of a dead body have been trimmed to show only a flash of what the body looks like.

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Connections

Remade as Whistle (2003)

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Soundtracks

Zoot Suit Riot
Written by Steve Perry
Performed by Cherry Poppin' Daddies
Courtesy of Mojo/Universal Records
Under license from Universal Music Special Markets

User Reviews

A Classic 90s Horror Movie

As someone born in the late 90s, when I think of movies from that time I usually think about the teen-centric movies that came out that usually had overlapping cast members and a punk-rock soundtrack. I think about the fashion and the make-up and the hairstyles that are so specific to that time period.

Urban Legend fits into that mold so perfectly, and when I watch it I feel this weird sense of nostalgia for a time that I wasn't around for. Kind of like how many 80s kids have fallen for Stranger Things or It, this movie has me longing for the late 90s.

Sure, the movie isn't perfect, but it is fun. And it is completely aware of what it wants to be and who it wants to entertain. It knows that slasher fans will recognize the voice of Chucky as the gas station attendant. It knows fans will recognize Freddy Kruger as the professor. It knows that the characters are cookie-cutter stereotypes and fans will be able to guess who lives or dies upon first glance. But that's the whole point; Brad Dourif and Robert Englund are here to add a bit of fun and inside jokes, even in limited roles. Sex-obsessed Sasha is doomed from the moment she appears on screen, but we're not concerned whether she lives or dies, we're concerned with how creative her death will be (and guys with how much cleavage she'll show off before she croaks). We also know that Natalie is going to be our final girl by her conservative wardrobe and her blandly likable personality.

Urban Legend knows all of this, and it works hard to make sure you know it knows what it's doing. I'd be hard pressed to find a more entertaining few hours than sitting down and watching this with a few friends when you're in the mood for a blast from the past.

Details

Country:

France USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 September 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Urban Legends

Filming Locations:

Humber College - 3199 Lake Shore Blvd, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$14,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$10,515,444, 27 September 1998

Gross USA:

$38,072,438

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$72,527,595

Company Credits

Production Co:

Phoenix Pictures, Canal+ Droits Audiovisuels, Original Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1