Legend

Never did the phrase "a beautiful film" have more relevance than in this wonderful piece of adult fantasy. Make no mistake, this masterpiece, Ridley Scott's fourth film (it followed BLADE RUNNER) was never intended for children. Those who have written it off as a kids' movie totally betray their limitations and inability to see what is being offered here.

A youthful Tom Cruise was such a good choice as Jack, the forest dweller destined to plunge the world into darkness and then have but one opportunity to restore the light. Mia Sara is the beautiful princess, part Cinderella, part angel, all virgin! and Tim Curry? well, what a simply staggering contribution as the Lord of Darkness. Totally unrecognizable both visually and audibly but what a performance.

All the Ridley Scott trademarks are here, the back-projected blue light, the filtered scenes of wonderment, central characters in a crisis, the enigma of life itself. If anything, LEGEND is better now than when it was released. In '85 it received critical praise - just no-one went to see it! Well that's not strictly true. I attended the Sydney premiere and sat thru it entranced as others fidgeted, whispered, and generally brought attention to their limited attention spans and lowered perceptions!

Certainly it is a film that on one level children could relate to and even enjoy but it is a far deeper film with a host of reflective ideas and quite magical concepts. What really IS the Lord of Darkness? What is the significance of the Unicorns? What becomes of the innocence we leave behind in childhood? If none of this interests you, make sure you avoid this film!

I finally got to see Legend in its entirety from start to finish in one sitting. Previously I had only seen bits and pieces. Sad to say this is a film whose parts are greater than the whole.

Technically it's a stunning masterpiece. I don't think there was a film like this since Paramount took most of it's players in 1933 and put them all in makeup for its version of Alice in Wonderland. In fact the only two in the film who go without any make up because they're the only humans in the film are woodsman Tom Cruise and princess Mia Sara.

Tom looks a little lost in this part. Fantasy certainly is something he never tried again in his career. Probably he was wise not to. Mia Sara comes off a bit like a spoiled Jewish American Princess. If her dad the king was around, she'd have just ordered him to buy her those unicorns.

However the rest of the cast looks like they're having a grand old time. Especially Tim Curry who steals the film. He overacts with relish his role of the Lord of Darkness, he's the main reason to see Legend.

Legend is photographed well and the makeup is in a class by itself. Why it didn't win an Oscar in the only category Legend was nominated in, is beyond me. Still it's a film best consigned to the juvenile audience.

As a huge fan of Tangerine Dream and Jon Anderson, I praise the fact that their music is in the "American" cut of this film; their music has always sounded like they were trying to do soundtracks to a movie. You hear a song, you get visual images in your head and make a movie of your own.

However, ...

I do have to say that the American Version with Tangerine Dream's soundtrack only makes this movie into a "Cult" film. It could have been great, but (well, you fill in the blank).

Fortunately, I've seen the way it was SUPPOSED to have been released in the States (which you can find on the 2-disc DVD, which has both versions).

The Non-American version has a story which is much fuller, and the music (with a full symphony orchestra) is much better and adds more drama and punctuates the mood of each scene more properly.

I do find the American version's end much more climatic musically and story-wise with Jon Anderson (singer of Yes)'s angelic voice thundering with Tangerine Dream's score in the background.

So, pick an afternoon when you got about 4 hours to spare and watch BOTH. Then, take parts of each version and make YOUR OWN wonderous story.

And another thing, keep in mind that this movie came out a whole 20 years ago. The early 80's. Next year it can buy it's own beer (if it was a person). So, Tim Curry and a lot of others would have been just voices over CGI characters instead of being in actual makeup and there would have been MORE to the story and script if CGI was as available back then as it is now.

There IS such a thing as knowing limitations, you know.

American Version, good enough to make one wonder what was more.

International Version, done much better and fuller (though I like the American ending better)

As I said, watch both versions and make your OWN version to enjoy.

Aaaaannnd ... CUT!

That's a wrap.

There's the original version, released in 1986 and on videotape, and the 2002 Director's Cut, available on DVD. The latter version is one of my all-time favorite movies. It compares quite favorably with Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" and is a modern classic.

The theatrical release of 1986, shamefully butchered (chopped up and badly re-edited) by the mindless suits at Warner, and with its original Jerry Goldsmith score replaced by the rather trite Tangerine Dream soundtrack, is the version most people have seen. It was released on videotape as a children's movie. What it is, and was intended to be, is a fairy tale for adults. In fact, it's too intense for really young children.

It's hard to say that the '86 version deserves any more than the "6" it's rated at on its IMDb main page. It is a disappointment, primarily because it's now impossible to watch without think how much better it could be. The feeling and tone of the film were ruined by its treatment.

The Ridley Scott Director's Cut, released in 2002, is a completely different movie. If you haven't seen this version, you haven't seen the movie. It deserves a score of 9 or 10.

It doesn't look like a movie made 20 years ago. Scenes which are vital to the tone of the film and the meaning of the story have been restored. The sumptuous original soundtrack, recorded with a full orchestra, has also been restored, and this adds more to the film than can be put into words.

About the performances: A very young Tom Cruise is excellent as the hero. Tim Curry as the Lord of Darkness is awesome; his costume and voice alone are worth the cost of renting or buying the DVD. Mia Sara is absolutely stunning as Lily. She actually plays two different versions of her character, both wonderfully. This was her first role, a risk for Scott on such a big budget film, and she turned in the performance of her career. She's never been better, or looked more beautiful, than in this movie. The elves and fairies, both good and evil, are incredibly real-looking and believable. The costumes are perfect, and the sets are breathtaking, literally. One of the largest indoor sets ever constructed - a huge fantasy forest - was built for this movie.

If you haven't seen this version, rent it. If you have kids, buy it for them; they'll watch it over and over. My daughter and her friends watch it repeatedly, she's probably seen it 50 times.

I've read a lot of opposing views here and there are valid views on both sides. I guess it boils down to what your imagination can be hopefully transfered to film for you enjoyment.

I've seen my fair share of fantasy films in my life and Legend probably reached to that part of me quicker than any film of that genre than has been done before and since. Lord of the Rings surpasses it on many levels...but Legeng still has the ability after all these years to make me think of pure fantasy, and that's what I believe this film is about. Good vs evil is what most films are about, but Legend is what fairies and goblins and a mystical forests are!

Visually I doubt you can find much better even 20 odd years later! Good vs evil in a setting that is set in a purer forum. Character development here are not too strong, but they're not meant to be. They are strong enough to portray love vs evil vs good and bad, and they do it well in the context of the story. Tom Cruise did a good Job as the Nieve and yet courageous Jack, Lily was a the prize of his longing and it came across as undeniable. Mia Sara as lily is the stuff of youthful longing.

Tim Curry played the spoiler and he did it to the point of stealing all of the film. He is the stuff of fantasy. The costume was spectacular, and his portrayal of the character was commanding...And over the top cause that what he does well!

I enjoyed the directors cut film more as it is longer and tells the story just a little better, but I enjoyed Tangarines Dream's score more as it captured the mood of fantasy ( for me) as set in a mystical place! Jerry Goldsmith had some very good moments, but TD for me layed out a fairytale with my eyes closed better.

But at the end you either see this for the pure fantasy it is about or you see it as something deeper that it doesn't pretend to be. It's much purer in it's view on good vs evil and to my taste it hits on every level of that platform. And not to mention it's ability to make for a great dream filled with hope and danger.

Pure fantasy...and should be viewed with that intent.