Legend (1985)

Director:

Ridley Scott

Writer:

William Hjortsberg (written by)

Release Date:

18 April 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Fantasy | Adventure | Romance

Tagline:

This is such stuff as dreams are made of. This is Legend.

Plot:

A young man must stop the Lord of Darkness from both destroying daylight and marrying the woman he loves.

Plot Keywords:

Princess | Demon | Unicorn | Monster | Brain Washing

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win & 9 nominations

Cast

Tom Cruise	...	Jack
Mia Sara	...	Lili
Tim Curry	...	Darkness
David Bennent	...	Gump
Alice Playten	...	Blix
Billy Barty	...	Screwball
Cork Hubbert	...	Brown Tom
Peter O'Farrell	...	Pox
Kiran Shah	...	Blunder
Annabelle Lanyon	...	Oona
Robert Picardo	...	Meg Mucklebones
Tina Martin	...	Nell
Ian Longmur	...	Demon Cook
Mike Crane	...	Demon Cook
Liz Gilbert	...	Dancing Black Dress

Also Known As:

Legend of Darkness (UK) (working title)
Legend: Ultimate Edition (USA) (reissue title (video title))

Runtime:

94 min | USA:114 min (director's cut) | USA:89 min

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English | Italian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Iceland:12 | Brazil:Livre | USA:Unrated (director's cut) | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Canada:G (Quebec) | Chile:TE | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Ireland:G | Peru:PT | Singapore:PG | Sweden:11 | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Netherlands:AL

Filming Locations:

Agnes Scott College - 141 E. College Avenue, Decatur, Georgia, USA

Company:

Embassy International Pictures

Trivia:

The production was filmed on the Pinewood Studio sound stage that had been originally created for The Spy Who Loved Me (1977).

Goofs:

Continuity: As Lily's sword cuts the unicorn's chain freeing it, Jack shoots his arrow at the Devil and you can see the arrow strike his neck on the left side. However in the next shot you see that Jack has not yet released his arrow.

Quotes:

Honeythorn Gump: Love you say? Well love is another matter.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "South Park: Imaginationland: Episode II (#11.11)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

Is Your Love Strong Enough

How Americanization ruins...

Legend...

I can only say that this film, at least the European version, succeeds into the creation of a fantasy world that very very few other films have. And NEVER has a fairytale forest been realised so vividly and fantastically as here. The production design at Pinewood Studios is truly outstanding.

Of course, this film was a considerable flop. And looking at it, it isn't too hard to see why. A film that retains some semblance of morality - in this case the most basic, good versus evil - will not play to young audiences of the late 20th century. The tone of the film is perhaps too dark for young children, the overall theme of the film perhaps too juvenile for most adults. And so Legend finds itself in a cinematic limbo, a place without a core audience.

Of course, a cult audience has evolved around this film as it does around anything that misses its major target, and so Legend is a film that is either loved or loathed. Either way, Ridley Scott's stunning visual imaginings are realised with undeniable skill.

In addition to Scott's and his team's visual successes, this film - at least for European viewers - is embellished with one of the most beautiful scores ever written. Jerry Goldsmith has, during his transition from traditional to synthesied orchestra, created one of the richest scores ever bestowed on a film.

Quite what Warner Bros thought they were doing when they removed this score and cut chunks out of the film (and re-edited what was left) I will never understand. The film would and did flop in both versions, but that doesn't necessarily mean it shouldn't have been made.

If you are knew to this film, do yourself a favour and never watch the American version, unless it is the revamped widescreen version with the Goldsmith score back in place.

A visual dream, a beautiful score, a moral tale. Is there any wonder it flopped?