susanmariesabo Oh wow, this "documentary" is really just a couple of hours of self-indulgence. Made by the same man who made "Cropsey" (which was ok), this film purports to reveal the origins behind 4 urban legends. The facts are sparse because it's not a real documentary. So the time is filled with visiting old locations where literally nothing else happens, telling innocent residents that their homes were formerly occupied by killers, and a plodding, uninteresting, downright irritating narration that I suppose is supposed to sound menacing but comes off as ridiculous and heavy-handed. If you're really into urban legends, your time would be way better spent at Wikipedia. This "film" is dull, uninspired, and boring.

gil-191-414728 I really enjoyed this piece! Rachel Mills and Joshua Zeman do an excellent job of examining several urban legends and the crimes that may have inspired them. I would really like to see them turn this into a series that explores true crimes and studies the twisting of the facts by the general public. Rachel and Joshua take a first person role in examining the facts and perceptions surrounding several high profile murders that spawned or at the very least bolstered urban legends such as the man with the hook, the babysitter and the caller and 'killer clown'. Their objective look at these is very believable and I think would do well in an ongoing examination of other high profile crimes and how facts get twisted in the retelling.

butaneggbert Man, I wanted this to be good. The study of urban legends is so fascinating, and the right approach would dig into all their social underpinnings and (the point of this movie, apparently) how they might have evolved from true-life events.But this ego-driven mess (I won't call it a "documentary", which would dishonor the craft) isn't really about urban legends. It's about two wanna-be sociologists throwing every horror movie trope they can think of onto the screen.Eerie lighting: check.Contrived, faux-spontaneous conversations: check.Heavy-handed, non-professional narration: check."Oh oh the monster is creeping up!" music under EVERY scene: check.Meanwhile they do their best to look like serious researchers, but the avalanche of illogical leaps and unsubstantiated conclusions keeps giving them away.It's only mockable up to a point, then it turns truly ugly. When you're going to linger on explicit photographs of actual torture and murder victims, respect is essential. But because this is merely the cartoon of an "investigation", these shots come off as lascivious exploitation. I feel for any family members who come upon this movie.Unwatchable. I turned it off.

Drew Grimm Van Ess This was a screener that I was really looking forward to. If there's something I love, it's a good horror-based documentary. I love learning, and there's nothing better to learn about then anything horror. In this case, Killer Legends, takes you all over the place, from Texas to Missouri, to Chicago investigating and finding the truth behind some of the cruelest urban legends. I've seen a lot of narratives before, but never one that dug to find the ugly truth that inspired some of the most chilling stories ever told. So this was a treat, and it's incredibly well made.Joshua Zeman (Cropsey 2009) and Rachel Mills (American Pickers 2012) take you on a journey that makes you face the harsh reality that real life is far worse than any scary story made up. Also, that any tall tale is always based on some truth, which is always more horrifying. When watching, I couldn't help but reflect how screwed up we are as a species to do the things we do. Killer Legends shows you that you don't have to be scared of the monster in your closet, or the creepy clown doll under your bed, because human beings and what they're capable of, trump all else.We learn about The Hookman, and the danger of sex amongst teens. In 1946, a killer known as The Phantom murders four couples on Lover's Lane, claiming five victims. He was never caught, and the incidents have been dubbed the Moonlight Murders. These killings are what inspired the motion picture, The Town that Dreaded Sundown, because The Phantom always wore a mask.Then we get schooled about the Candyman urban legend, where a man gives poison to children in Halloween candy. The sickening truth behind this involves a father poisoning his son's pixie stick, in order to claim the child's insurance policy. Though some still believe him to be innocent, he was given the death penalty via lethal injection.The Baby-Sitter is one of the most disturbing urban legends by far, as this documentary will teach you that in Columbia Missouri 1950, Jannet Christman was strangled to death with an iron cord. We learn there was a similar strangulation in 1946, only two blocks over from where Chistman would be killed just four years later. Both are said to have probably known the antagonist, because there aren't signs that there was a struggle.The clowns are possibly the most unsettling of all the stories told. We delve into the psyche of why clowns are so creepy, and how it's the perversion of innocence. I didn't even know there was a name for those afraid of clowns, but now I do. It's called coulrophobia. We learn about random kidnappings and sightings all involving men dressed as clowns, to lore children in. And of course, John Wayne Gacy, and his 29 victims are mentioned.There's no point in me ruining all the specific details, so I'll stop there. But, I sincerely liked this feature. The time and effort that went into making it is undeniable. Joshua and Rachel did their homework in this eye-opening docudrama. If you like finding the grit and dirt behind scary stories, there's no reason not to watch it. It's very knowledgeable and informative, as well as unsettling.Killer Legends hits DVD July 1st, so check it out. And beware of the truth.