Urban Legend
Short description
Urban Legend is a horror mystery set at Pendleton College, a New England campus where students take a keen interest in the urban legends passed around among them. When a student is murdered and people begin to disappear, Natalie Simon becomes convinced that the killings are re-enacting those familiar folk tales, one by one. The police see no pattern, and neither her friends nor her teachers take her seriously, leaving her to work out the connection before anyone else falls victim. A student journalist, Paul Gardener, is drawn to the same theory.
The film was directed by Jamie Blanks, the first of three features he made, followed by Valentine in 2001 and Storm Warning in 2007. Silvio Horta wrote the screenplay, and Neal H. Moritz was among the producers. Alicia Witt plays Natalie, with Jared Leto as Paul, Rebecca Gayheart as Brenda Bates, Michael Rosenbaum as Parker Riley, Loretta Devine as Reese Wilson and Tara Reid as Sasha Thomas. Roughly 27 cast members and 100 crew members are credited.
Made for about 14 million dollars, the film took in around 73 million worldwide, a strong return on its budget. On IMDb it holds 5.6 out of 10 from about 78,000 votes, and on TMDB 5.7 out of 10 from roughly 1,500 votes. A critics' rating of 4.6 out of 10 from 67 reviews places it below both audience scores.
What's left behind the scenes
- It was released in Russian theaters under the title "Scary Stories".
- The killer's clothing is shown as it is because it was originally intended for the film to take place in the middle of winter. The weather turned out to be warmer than expected, and the entire winter aspect of the plot was cut (it was easier and cheaper than dealing with fake snow), the extras were re-dressed, but the killer's costume was left unchanged.
- Danielle Harris (who played Toshi) was a smoker at the time of filming and was initially delighted that she would be allowed to smoke directly during work. However, she soon realized that she would have to smoke practically non-stop, and it wasn't long before she got tired of it and quit smoking.
- Tara Reid performed all her stunts during the chase sequence herself, including the fall down the stairs, where she was supported by safety cables. According to the actress, the stuntman involved in this scene used a real, not a prop, axe.
- The film's opening scene at a gas station near Toronto was the first to be shot. Rain machines were used during filming. For the final scene, they needed some kind of dilapidated building. The filmmakers found a building slated for demolition in Toronto and obtained permission to film there. The entire scene takes place at night. The room was draped accordingly, and candles were used as light sources. Cinematographer James Cressentis drew inspiration from Gregory Nava’s drama “The North” (1983).
- Before it was revealed that Brenda (played by Rebecca Gayheart) was the killer, a stuntman was used in the murder scenes.
- Sarah Michelle Gellar was forced to turn down the role of Sasha due to filming "Buffy the Vampire Slayer."
Auditions in India
Casting calls in USA
Castingi w Polsce
Кастинги в Україні
