A college student suspects a series of bizarre deaths are connected to certain urban legends.A college student suspects a series of bizarre deaths are connected to certain urban legends.A college student suspects a series of bizarre deaths are connected to certain urban legends.
- Awards
- 1 win & 2 nominations
Videos1
Vince Corazza
- David Evansas David Evans
- (as Vince Corrazza)
- Director
- Writer
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
- All cast & crew
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. —K. Wilson [edited for spoilers]
- Taglines
- Get Ready To Face Your Worst Fears.
- Genres
- Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
- Rated R for horror violence/gore, language and sexual content
- Parents guide
Did you know
- TriviaThe killer's outfit is based on the fact that the film was originally planned to be set in the middle of winter. When the weather was too warm, it was decided to drop the winter aspect of the storyline, rather than fake snow in all the outdoor scenes, and dress all of the extras in winter outfits, but they kept the killer's costume.
- GoofsIn the final scene, the lead character's abdomen is seen being cut open with a scalpel. We then see her scream in pain. Minutes later, she is no worse for wear, considering the major incision in her stomach. There is no more mention of this "pain" for the rest of the film because the scene was added at the last minute.
- Quotes
Paul Gardener: Hey, how about some interviews? You know, students react to the tragedy on campus.
Brenda: Okay. I am saddened, and moved by the tragic...
Natalie: This was someone's life Paul. Did you even spend one minute thinking about that?
Paul Gardener: No, I didn't. But because of my story, three-thousand five-hundred students will. I think that's enough to help me sleep at night.
- Alternate versionsThe 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.
- ConnectionsFeatured in At the Movies: Ronin/Pecker/Clay Pigeons/Urban Legend/Shadrach (1998)
- SoundtracksTotal Eclipse of the Heart
Written by Jim Steinman (as James Steinman)
Performed by Bonnie Tyler
Courtesy of Columbia Records
By arrangement with Sony Music Licensing
Top review
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.
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.
helpful•134
- beachesrbest
- Jan 13, 2019
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $14,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $38,072,438
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $10,515,444
- Sep 27, 1998
- Gross worldwide
- $72,527,595
- Runtime1 hour 39 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1
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