Urban Legend (1998)

Lighting Techniques

The lighting is very dark with a blue tint. There is also nearly no source of light apart from the car headlights. This creates a sense of path being lit up that they have to follow and the light it the only way out. The fact that the weather is bad with rain, thunder and lightning at the beginning shows that something bad is going to happen.

Camera Techniques
There is a high establishing shot of the car at the beginning. This shows the persons vulnerability. The quick zoom in on someone’s face at the point of scary moment shows the shock and emotion on the persons face and creates tensions and draws the audience in. The tension is also built on by the cuts becoming more frequently and a lot more jumpy.

Sound
Eerie music is played before something scary is going to happen. It starts of really subtle then builds up along with the tensions of the scene and the quicker cuts. This makes the audience feel uneasy and makes expect something jumpy to happen. Right before the scary moment happens however, the eerie music stops and the scene is silent making the audience feel relaxed again. Then a sound effect is played sharply to make the audience jump and draw them back in, this then finishes off the horror sequence.

Characters

The Killer

The killer is typically in clothes that doesn’t show any features, especially the face. The hood that they always wear over their head blacks out their face completely to leave the view in mystery as to who it is. Also the dark clothes they wear reflects the darkness inside of the. Also the fact that the killer was revealed to be main character’s best friend is typical of a horror and the way it all links up at the end as to why she is killing people and why it involves the main character.

Main Character - Brenda Bates
This is the one that no one believes. They witness most of the killings and they end up being the reason why people are being killed. They tell be people the killer and as the film progresses people usually give up on them and ignore them. They tend to do some investigation of their own and go looking for the killer. They normally make false actuations as to who the killer is. They also survive in the end but usually have a near-death experience before they get rid of the killer.

The Helper/Clever One - Paul Gardener
This character will usually assist the main character and help them work out the mystery. They are one of the only people who believes them throughout most of the film. The character in particular is a reporter for the college. He purposely goes around looking for clues and facts on the mysteries and the urban legends. This character writes the articles that people don’t want to read or believe in. In the end, they and the main charter, defeat the killer.

Non-Believer/Arrogant - Damon Brooks

This is often the male character. They come across as arrogant and superior over others. They act like they aren’t scared of anything and are very cocky. They convince other characters that they are over reacting and there isn’t anything to be scared of. These characters are usually the first to be killed, and that is exactly what happens in the film. At the start of the film the audience are reassured by this character with them being the voice of reason. But when they’re killed the audience will lose all sense of security.

Female Victim
We feel sorry for this character the most. Even though there is a lot death of characters in the film, this one affects the audience the most. She is seen as the vulnerable that we feel sorry for. She is also a bit ditsy and that makes us feel sorry for her she can’t help herself. They are usually blond and attractive. Their death doesn’t normally come first but when it does it is the most graphic and gruesome. This is exactly what happens in the film as she is one of the last to die. She becomes trapped by the killer and in the end has nowhere to run and accepts her fate. This exaggerates her vulnerability.

Key horror moments

Car driving on a deserted road - This shows the victims isolation and vulnerability.

False safety - She runs to the car to escape only to get murdered by the killer.

Disconnected phone - This is a classic convention of a horror. This emphasises her vulnerability as she can’t get help.

Weapon - There is always a weapon used in a horror. This is typically used by the victim or the killer.

Car ran out of fuel - This eliminates the victims escape route.

False Accusations - In most horrors the main character accuses someone who is close to them as being the killer. The audience believe this and automatically think this is the killer. They then save the day as the killer’s real identity is shown and the help the main character at the end.Urban Legend (YouTube)