Urban Legends in Film - Introduction
We all love a
good story. Whether it’s a book, a TV show, movie or telling tales around a
campfire with mates, the age-old tradition of hearing or watching a story
unfold for us, has always been a staple in life. And often, the truth can be
stranger than fiction, but when the two are put together to tell a twisted
version of both, that’s where you get an Urban Legend.
Believed to
have originated formally in the late 1960’s, urban legends are everywhere. They
come from the small stories told for scaring people, to the events in history
that leave much open to speculation. Their origins are not always known, as the
legends can be passed down from one generation to the next and find themselves
journeying the world, and each time the story stops to circulate then continues
on it way, will pick up a new addition to the plot, a different perspective or
varied accounts of what actually happened in that story.
Each telling
of an urban legend would usually begin with the words “Did you hear the one
about..?”, and like moths to the flame we would crowd around the storyteller
and listen to their tall tale. Some people are honestly good at telling urban
legends, whereas others struggle to get it right. You know who the natural
story tellers in life are, and they can be so convincing in their lies you buy
into it, either being scared, fascinated or a bit of both. I recall the time my
uncle told me the story about the Kerang Piranha. This small, country town in
regional Victoria
is home to a pub, a few shops and a large lake. I would go camping there, and
we’d fish on the lake. One time, I found a fish dead on the banks of the river.
It hadn’t been half-eaten or attacked by another fish, and it looked fresh. I
didn’t see another person fishing in the area, so my guess is that the thing
had been scared to death. But by what? At the age of 12, my mind was open to
any possibility, so I ran over to my uncle and told him what I found. He came
to investigate and after surveying the dead fish on the ground, came to one
simple conclusion. With fear in his eyes and a pale face he said, “It must have
been the Kerang Piranha. They get to be two meters big and swim in these
waters. Shit! I’ll have to call Rex Hunt; he’s a good mate of mine. He will
catch the bastards” And I was sold.
My uncle had
me telling this story to everyone I met on the campsite for a solid three days,
and I didn’t pick up on the subtle laughs or eyes rolling. Then, my uncle told
me it was just a story. But I believed him. Could that have become an urban
legend since then? Maybe, as that’s one way they can originate…
Of course,
there are such mysteries in life that warrant an explanation, but we don’t
always get it. Either because there isn’t enough evidence, no one can say what
they’ve seen or heard with enough detail, or it just seems too far fetched to
begin with. Take for example the stories of Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster.
There have been countless sightings but never any scientific proof that either
of these animals actually exist. What they look like and how they interact with
people is interpreted in two of the reviews you’ll read in this series.
Then there’s
the other types of urban legends; the scary stories. The ones we hear as kids or
teens, then start to tell as adults to scare our own kids and teens. Like, “Make
sure to check for the Boogeyman who lives under your bed before going to sleep,
or never say “Bloody Mary” into a mirror three times then turn the light off
and on – because if you do, Bloody Mary appears behind you and you’re dead!
Although I don’t believe that, I’ve still never done it. Both these famous
tales of terror get their renditions in two films reviewed here.
From time to
time, urban legends work their way into the movies. In the case of one movie,
it’s all about the most famous urban legends, in the aptly named “Urban
Legend”. Released in 1998, it was part of the revived Slasher Genre for teens
in the 90’s, and it wasn’t a bad little flick. Also on this list of reviews,
are some films based on urban legends that you might not have heard of, such as
“The Mothman Prophecies” and “Teeth”. One of those films is based on real life
incidents, and the other is based on real life fears; mainly the fear of guys
as they have premarital sex with girls. Watch out for Pillow Pants!
Curious? Has
your appetite for an unusual urban legend gotten the better of you? Then gather
round, and let me tell you a story, or two. Well, eight to be exact, based on
eight different films about Urban Legends.
Here are the films...
Urban Legend
Teeth
Willow Creek
When a Stranger Calls
Boogeyman
Candyman
The Mothman Prophecies
Loch Ness
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