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IMDbPro

Urban Legend

  • 19981998
  • RR
  • 1h 39m
IMDb RATING
5.6/10
66K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,011
537
Urban Legend (1998)
Theatrical Trailer from Columbia Tristar
Play trailer0:31
1 Video
99+ Photos
  • Horror
  • Mystery
  • Thriller
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.
IMDb RATING
5.6/10
66K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,011
537
  • Director
    • Jamie Blanks
  • Writer
    • Silvio Horta
  • Stars
    • Jared Leto
    • Alicia Witt
    • Rebecca Gayheart
Top credits
  • Director
    • Jamie Blanks
  • Writer
    • Silvio Horta
  • Stars
    • Jared Leto
    • Alicia Witt
    • Rebecca Gayheart
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 486User reviews
    • 130Critic reviews
    • 35Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 2 nominations

    Videos1

    Urban Legend
    Trailer 0:31
    Urban Legend

    Photos360

    Natasha Gregson Wagner appears as Michelle Mancini
    Natalie & Brenda
    Natalie, Brenda & Damon
    Alicia Witt stars as Natalie Simon
    Loretta Devine appears as Reese Wilson
    Sasha meets the killer
    Rebecca Gayheart co-stars as Brenda
    Jared Leto co-stars as Paul
    Rebecca Gayheart and Alicia Witt in Urban Legend (1998)
    Rebecca Gayheart, Alicia Witt, Joshua Jackson, and Michael Rosenbaum in Urban Legend (1998)
    Tara Reid in Urban Legend (1998)
    Rebecca Gayheart and Alicia Witt in Urban Legend (1998)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Jared Leto
    Jared Leto
    • Paul Gardeneras Paul Gardener
    Alicia Witt
    Alicia Witt
    • Natalie Simonas Natalie Simon
    Rebecca Gayheart
    Rebecca Gayheart
    • Brenda Batesas Brenda Bates
    Michael Rosenbaum
    Michael Rosenbaum
    • Parker Rileyas Parker Riley
    Loretta Devine
    Loretta Devine
    • Reese Wilsonas Reese Wilson
    Joshua Jackson
    Joshua Jackson
    • Damon Brooksas Damon Brooks
    Tara Reid
    Tara Reid
    • Sasha Thomasas Sasha Thomas
    John Neville
    John Neville
    • Dean Adamsas Dean Adams
    Julian Richings
    Julian Richings
    • Weird Janitoras Weird Janitor
    Robert Englund
    Robert Englund
    • Professor William Wexleras Professor William Wexler
    Danielle Harris
    Danielle Harris
    • Tosh Guanerias Tosh Guaneri
    Natasha Gregson Wagner
    Natasha Gregson Wagner
    • Michelle Mancinias Michelle Mancini
    Gord Martineau
    • David McAreeas David McAree
    Kay Hawtrey
    Kay Hawtrey
    • Library Attendantas Library Attendant
    Angela Vint
    • Bitchy Girlas Bitchy Girl
    J.C. Kenny
    • Weather Womanas Weather Woman
    Vince Corazza
    Vince Corazza
    • David Evansas David Evans
    • (as Vince Corrazza)
    Balázs Koós
    • Nerdy Guyas Nerdy Guy
    • Director
      • Jamie Blanks
    • Writer
      • Silvio Horta
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The 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.
    • Goofs
      In 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 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.
    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Ronin/Pecker/Clay Pigeons/Urban Legend/Shadrach (1998)
    • Soundtracks
      Total 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

    User reviews486

    Review
    Top review
    5/10
    Good premise wasted in tepid horror film
    The days of low-budget slasher films appear to be back with Urban Legend, a mildly entertaining but mostly lame variation on Scream with an attractive cast of young TV stars.

    The plot centers on a series of campus murders in the mold of urban legends, most of which will be familiar even to the younger audience this is pandering to. What little suspense there is comes from the anticipation of these scenes, since the surrounding story is almost as ridiculous as the film itself.

    If the screenwriters had concentrated less on incorporating the whodunit aspect into the plot and more on the legends themselves, they might have had something here. Experienced viewers will spot the killer's identity (and motive) early on, and those that don't will be fooled only because the conclusion is so completely ludicrous, not to mention mostly impossible.

    Of course, most of this would be easily overlooked if Urban Legend was scary, but time and again, director Jamie Banks telegraphs the surprises far ahead, and doesn't know how to time the shocks. Over and over we get the sudden burst of loud music followed by a character running into another character, but it doesn't work. And that gets annoying after the third or fourth try. Occasionally Banks does get something eerie going, but the style is more suited to an action flick.

    Of the cast, most of the actors more or less get by despite a less-than-clever script, though it's disheartening to see a talented young actor like Jared Leto wasting his time with a nothing role as the reporter. Horror favorites Robert Englund and Brad Douriff pop up in cameos, adding a nice touch to their brief scenes.

    What we're left with is an intriguing idea undone by cliche after cliche. The legends are potent enough to hold your attention to the end, and horror fans will find a few gruesome goodies to amuse themselves. And even though the script needs to be about three times again as clever as it is, there is a great in-joke at the end about one of the actresses and a commercial.

    That clever scene might have been the first scene of a clever movie. It's the last scene of this one.
    helpful•22
    13
    • chainsaw-8
    • Sep 29, 1998

    FAQ3

    • When was Wexler killed and how?
    • What legends were used on the victims?
    • What happened to Natalie and Paul at the end?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 25, 1998 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • Canada
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Urban Legends
    • Filming locations
      • Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
    • Production companies
      • Phoenix Pictures
      • Canal+ Droits Audiovisuels
      • Original Film
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • 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
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 39 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
      • SDDS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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