Creepy Urban Legends 😧, 'Kill Me Again' shocks us 🔪, 'Coyotes' insanity 🐺, & more!

Introduction by Brett Petersel | Bluesky | Instagram | Letterboxd

Urban legends have been around for years. As a camper (shout out to Camp Kinder Ring) back in the late 80s/early 90s, Cropsey was all the rage. No one wanted to step foot in the dark waters of Sylvan Lake for fear that Cropsey would drag them underwater. Not me. I jumped right in, showing my fellow campers there's nothing to be afraid of (all while I unrealistically hoped for Cropsey to drown those who bullied me).

These days, we've become familiar with urban legends from the films based on them. From Bigfoot to the Mothman, we hear these stories, watch the films, and maybe dive into their backstories on our own. Of course, because of these stories about urban legends evolving over time, they do gain a life of their own.

The call is coming from inside the house →

IN THE NEWS by Brett Petersel | Bluesky | Instagram | Letterboxd

🔟 Shudder’s 10th anniversary continues with a 10-disc Blu-ray set
Shudder’s 10th anniversary celebration runs until the end of the year, so why not celebrate it with big announcements? They just announced a 10 disc set , which includes Terrified, The Mortuary Collection, The Dark and the Wicked, Host, Mad God, V/H/S/94, Caveat, Skinamarink, Late Night with the Devil, and In a Violent Nature, will be released on November 11th.

🏠 Amazon MGM build a new foundation with a new Amityville Horror film
Fangoria and Deadline both announced that David F. Sandberg (Until Dawn) is set to direct a new Amityville Horror film, a reimagining of the original film, for Amazon MGM Studios.

😈 The Conjuring: Last Rites scares up the box office
The ninth entry in the Conjuring universe raked in almost $200 million at the global box office, making it the highest and most successful opening (globally) for a horror film. A prequel film is reportedly in the works, as well.

🃏 Dread Presents brings The Jester 2 to theaters this month
The Jester 2 will have a two-night screening event through Fathom Entertainment on September 15th and 16th. During the screenings, an exclusive look at the making of the film, along with a behind-the-scenes featurette, will be shown. Purchase tickets here.

GIVEAWAY: CLOWN IN A CORNFIELD

TIMEWARP by Bee Delores | Bluesky | Instagram | Letterboxd

Urban Legends: Final Cut Turns 25

Note: Light spoilers afoot

I watched Urban Legends: Final Cut for the very first time this week. Ahead of its 25th anniversary, it felt like a perfect time to finally check it off my watchlist. I'd always heard mixed things on this early 2000s sequel, and judging by its 2.4 average rating on Letterboxd, most people seem to hate it. You might be surprised to know that I quite liked it! It's obviously cashing in on the teen horror resurgence of the decade, landing somewhere between Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer. In an early film role, Jennifer Morrison leads the cast that also includes Legally Blonde's Matthew Davis, Loretta Devine, and '90s heartthrob Joseph Lawrence. I'd always enjoyed the Urban Legends original, but I tempered expectations heading into the sequel. I didn't look up the synopsis, choosing to go in completely blind.

Amy Mayfield (Morrison) puts in long hours for her thesis film. Deciding to tackle urban legends, she's an ambitious filmmaker who becomes the target of a mysterious, fencing-mask-wearing killer (quite an odd choice there). The unknown stalker picks off those around her, one by one -- including Sandra (played by Jessica Cauffiel, in a niche "second death goes unnoticed because she's supposed to be out of town" typecast, exactly like her role in 2001's Valentine). There's a slight camp-affection to much of the performances (tbh, it should have been a total camp fest, but I digress) that marks the film as a bit silly, yet I couldn't stop watching.

With a screenplay penned by Paul Harris Boardman and Scott Derrickson, Urban Legends: Final Cut is better than it has any right to be. As a sequel to the 1998 original, it does a serviceable job of lassoing you into a story with decent pacing and a strong lead performance by Jennifer Morrison, who makes you care deeply for Amy's survival. I know Morrison mostly from her work on This is Us and Once Upon a Time, so it was refreshing to see her plopped down into a bloody slasher flick. She flexes her acting muscles and really makes an effort with the material, which is more than I can say about a few other actors in the film. But they neither were a distraction nor derailed the story; they were simply there. Morrison just really makes the film, now doesn't she?

With a few inventive kills (a decapitation by broken window and a death made to look like a student film are of particular note), the film certainly makes an effort to be memorable. An outlandish character reveal (Randy in Scream 3 would have a field day) feels shoehorned in and OTT, but I honestly can't be too mad at it as the hunky actor gets double the screentime. All in all, the John Ottman-directed feature left a decent impression on me. Ottman, who I most know as the guy who delivered a very strange score for Halloween H20, delivers middling camera work, just interesting enough to keep me glued to my seat.

I imagine if I'd seen this as a teenager, I would have been totally obsessed with this. Who am I kidding... I might be obsessed with it as an adult. It has an instant comfort film quality that I can't really explain or put into words. Urban Legends: Final Cut isn't terrible but it's not exactly a brilliant masterpiece. It's certainly of-the-era with a rough exterior and an unsurprising killer reveal, but I enjoy it enough I can see myself putting it on as background noise as I do all my favorites. Glaring flaws and all, it's a solid 3.5 out of 5 stars.

TRAILERVILLE

MACABRE DAILY: WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS

💀 Two coasts of HHN Reviews from Orlando and LA (Socials: Sam and Jamie) Orlando LA

 💀 Rachel Harrison dishes on her latest novel, "PLAY NICE" (Socials: Sean) Link

 💀 Vera Farmiga's alt-rock band, THE YAGAS drop ILLUSION into The Conjuring Universe (Socials: Sam) Link

💀 Brooklyn Horror Film Festival announces a Decade-dant lineup, with Macabre Daily as one of the sponsors! Link

OUR FAVORITE URBAN LEGENDS

Did you hear the urban legend about the newsletter subscribers who clicked on a link and were forced to check out a list on Letterboxd, only for them to be forced to watch some amazing horror films? Well, now you have (just click on the link...)

Check out the list on Letterboxd

WHAT TO WATCH

Check out our Screaming Soon list on Letterboxd for the latest release information and what’s coming out in theaters and/or on demand.