What is written above is simply the tag line to one of the last Slasher films of 1998.. Recently released in Australia.. It scared off the competition (The Faculty released 2 weeks later after advertising that it would start when UL started).. The film it self although sounding clever to a NEWBIE is nothing more than rebottling.. of "After Midnight", "Candyman" (series), "Campfire Tales" and "I Know What You Did Last Summer" (Series).. So why do it??? Money may have been the big motive.. Because lately Slasher films have had a large 3rd coming.. Since the release of the NOTHING NEW slasher film Scream.. Surely in Theoretical terms the latest wave of horror has just been a form of post modern homage.. Nothing NEW has come from it.. The only new thing in the third wave is FAMILIAR faces.. That's right the studios decided to use a bunch of actors from Channel 10's tuesday night viewing.. Which of course is the reason for the resurgence.. It's more having the chance to see those annoying TV actors get slaughtered on the Big Screen..
Are there any positives to this New Film Urban Legends?? Well other than a new use of Technique in horror directing.. No.. But is the Slasher sub-genre getting anywhere close to making an equivalent of what the film "SPEED" was to Madbomber subgenre within the genre of action??? Urban Legend got closer than Scream got.. Scream of course when analyzed becomes more of a parody than a scary movie.. Urban Legend on the other hand sets out to scare you with those stories that scared you while you were on Junior camps or scouting trips.. It took some of the Urban Legends never before commited to film and put them there.. "The couple in the winnebago in Campfire Tales" was switched to Friends in a car parked in the woods, the killer gets the friend who leaves the car and freaks out the person whos in the car.. Pop rocks and soda.. Achilles Slasher (usually under the bed.), Internet Stalkers.. Kidney Thieves.. Animals in microwaves.. Radioshows that were really murders... Gang member light intiation... This film has most of the done to death legends.. And one person is going around doing all the killing.... Well one Legend was missing from this film.. That was the one with the Peanut Butter, the birthday girl, her dog.. And a surprise party.. I'd tell you it but you'd die laughing.. Then there is also the one about the McDonald manager and the Mayonaise..
What new directing techniques I hear you scream.. Jamie Blanks has managed to in one foul swoop show us that all the actors on the set were inable to do just that.. ACT.. Many scene's were under acted.. But Blanks seemed to still get jumps from the audience in the right places.. I heard sreams in the screening I attended.. I haven't heard anyone scream at horror film since I saw "Event Horizon".. Of all the places to scream it was at the point where Natalie Simon (Alicia Witt "the one that looks like Kate Winslett") bumps into Michelle Mancini (Natasha Gregson Wagner) in the library.. Blanks was able to build tension within almost every scene after the HANGING murder (this is not classed as a spoiler).. It was not completely non-stop scare from there to the end but it was the closest a Slasher film has come to doing this since it's Ancestor HALLOWEEN was made.. But still alas the perfect Slasher film is still a fight between "Halloween" and "The Burning" IMHO with "Halloween" conquering because of age.. But is there a chance that SONY or Dimension will pull there head in and stop Homaging the SLASHER film and in fact CHANGE the Sub-genre for the better.. The potential for making a horro film that has a scare every 30sec's is not an impossible one to reach.. The closer it gets to the climax.. the scares should becoming quicker than every 30 secs.. A constant wave of scare. That leaves the audience heart punding from the scare before last.. but scares in Slasher are from A LOUD bang.. and the swing of the knife.. A horror film either needs to do that.. Or constantly build up that the scream with one and a half hours of undying suspense.. Followed by a vision that flatlines a couple of audeince members..
What has changed in the SLASHER subgenre over the last few years.. The victims have become smarter.. so smart.. That the audience can pick the killer becasue the KILLER is the dumb one.. IN all cases since scream the slasher genre has prooven to us that if the killer is amongst the friends.. The Killer is the one that is most out of place.. It has gotten to obvious.. I was thanking god when IKWYDLS was released because the killer was barely part of the clan.. If you are unable to pick the killer in this film with as much pace as you picke the killer in Scream and Scream 2.. Then you are a real NEWBIE.. Most people will know between the 1/4 and 1/2 mark of the film who the killer is.. Through the use of non-consistent dialogue and poor character portrayal..
The Prelude to this film is by far the best I had seen of the 1998 films.. "Turn around Bright Eyes....".. Brad Douriff is brilliant as usual as the gas station clerk..
Find out who the ESKIMO atired KILLER is in the "The SPOILER room"..
You may also want to vote for this movie as the best or worst film of '98.. Also may like the official site.. or an actor in the film.. or perhaps there is eyecandy award in the lurk.. You can vote in all these categories.. '98 POLL...
I liked Urban Legends.. It was a good POP-CORN film it made SONY a packet of money.. So I'm sure they are happy.. But with SONY now paying writer a 3% commision on top of there 1 0r 2 million fee.. Screenplay's like Godzilla and this may become a thing of the past..
I'm forced to give this page a 3***.. SONY has a good little history of making official promo sites.. That entertain and are interactive.. But I'm forced to deduct 2 points.. Well because.. The interactivity stopped before the film was released in Australia.. The interactivity consisted of an "Ask the Cast." section where you could post messages to the cast and hope they reply.. But that is no SHUTDOWN.. Then there was the Legend's Book.. Where you were able to post your own Urban Legends.. I got mine in because I went to the site before they SHUTDOWN that part.. The results of both these interactions are available.. Why you will even find a post from me on PAGE 10 of the Legend's Book..
The page opening is cool enough.. You need to wait for A .wav to load for the fullest effect.. That way you get a radio promo of the film while the entrance graphic is up.. When you get inside.. You find a brownish colouring of a webpage.. with use of java to make things light up on moveover commands.. There is a main cast list.. Video clips.. Crew information.. And a very interesting behind the scenes section.. that gives you clips in .mov format not RA.. unfortunately.. But the info contained withing the behind the scene's sedction is very decent.. There is a FLASH section that is a book that opens, "The Encyclopedia of Urban Legends".. It has a bunch of little ULs listed.. I'll leave the fullness of the FLASH thing a surpirse for those who want to see it..
The Page does a good job of in no-way whatso ever giving away who the killer is.. So it is safe to see if you have not yet seen the film.. I know a lot of people only visit sites after the movie.. But I think you'll find it is good idea to chek on these sites.. They usually don't spoil the film..
-Gb URBAN LEGENDS OFFICIAL
, 1998-1999.