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
Eddie Powell	...	Mummified Guard
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mike Edmonds	...	Tic (uncredited)

Directed by
Ridley Scott

Writing credits
William Hjortsberg		(written by)

Produced by
Joseph P. Grace	....	executive producer
Tim Hampton	....	co-producer
Arnon Milchan	....	producer

Original Music by
Eric Allaman
Christopher Franke		(as Tangerine Dream)
Edgar Froese		(as Tangerine Dream)
Jerry Goldsmith		(European version)
Johannes Schmölling		(as Tangerine Dream)

Cinematography by
Alex Thomson		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Terry Rawlings

Casting by
Noel Davis
Jane Feinberg
Mike Fenton
Donna Isaacson
Marci Liroff
Jeremy Zimmerman

Production Design by
Leslie Dilley
Assheton Gorton

Art Direction by
Norman Dorme		(supervising art director)

Set Decoration by
Ann Mollo

Costume Design by
Charles Knode

Makeup Department
Rob Bottin	....	special makeup effects creator
Lois Burwell	....	makeup artist
Linda DeVetta	....	makeup artist
Nick Dudman	....	prosthetic makeup artist
Eithne Fennel	....	hair stylist (as Eithne Fennell)
Betty Glasow	....	hair stylist
Pauline Heys	....	makeup artist
Robert Lobetta	....	hair stylist: Mia Sara
Vincent Prentice	....	lead special makeup artist
Barbara Ritchie	....	key hair stylist
Peter Robb-King	....	makeup artist
Jane Royle	....	makeup artist
Joan White	....	hair stylist
Jean Ann Black	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
David Barron	....	unit manager
Joel Chernoff	....	executive in charge of production
Hugh Harlow	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Richard Coleman	....	third assistant director
Michael Murray	....	first assistant director
Ken Shane	....	third assistant director
Garth Thomas	....	first assistant director
Paul Tivers	....	second assistant director
Gerry Toomey	....	second assistant director
Bill Westley	....	first assistant director
Kevin Westley	....	assistant director: acrobatic sequences

Art Department
Yarek Alfer	....	sculptor
Henry Alvarez	....	sculptor
Martin Asbury	....	storyboard artist
Michael Boone	....	draftsman
Tom Brown	....	draughtsman
Alan Cheevers	....	plasterer
John Fenner	....	assistant art director
Ian Gill	....	production buyer
Barnaby Gorton	....	art department trainee
Bill Hargreaves	....	supervising propmaker (as William Hargreaves)
Emma Harrison	....	scenic artist
Andrew Holder	....	sculptor
Robert Jackson	....	carpenter
Dave Jordan	....	property master (as David Jordan)
Martin A. Kline	....	production illustrator
Sherman Labby	....	production illustrator
Alan Lee	....	conceptual designer
Peter Melrose	....	scenic supervisor
Jim Morahan	....	assistant art director (as James Morahan)
Ken Pattenden	....	construction manager
Wesley Peppiatt	....	stand-by props
John Ralph	....	draftsman
Michael Redding	....	construction manager
Martin Smeaton	....	sculptor
Jacqueline Stears	....	scenic artist
Miles Teves	....	concept illustrator: Rob Bottin Productions
Peter Voysey	....	supervising sculptor
Barry Gibbs	....	props (uncredited)
Steve Payne	....	dressing props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Michael A. Carter	....	dubbing mixer
Roy Charman	....	sound mixer
Martin Crane	....	footsteps editor
Ken Dufva	....	foley artist
Glenn Freemantle	....	assistant dubbing editor
Chris Greenham	....	supervising dialogue editor
Graham V. Hartstone	....	sound re-recording mixer
Nicolas Le Messurier	....	sound re-recording mixer
Chris Reed	....	assistant dialogue editor
George Rice	....	sound maintenance
Jim Shields	....	dubbing editor
John Stevenson	....	boom operator
Lionel Strutt	....	adr mixer
Kevin Phelan	....	dubbing theatre projectionist: De Lane Lea London (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Nick Allder	....	special effects supervisor
Henry Alvarez	....	effects sculpturial designer: Rob Bottin Crew
Max Alvarez	....	effects crew: Rob Bottin Crew
Bobby Belnap	....	effects crew: Rob Bottin Crew
Ed Branson	....	effects crew: Rob Bottin Crew
Patricia Brewer	....	effects crew: Rob Bottin Crew
Pat Cardamone	....	effects crew: Rob Bottin Crew
Ron Castro	....	effects crew: Rob Bottin Crew
Jerry Chin	....	effects crew: Rob Bottin Crew
Mike Cobos	....	effects crew: Rob Bottin Crew
Ralph Cobos	....	craft shop supervisor: Rob Bottin Crew
Guy Deel	....	effects crew: Rob Bottin Crew
Ken Diaz	....	effects crew: Rob Bottin Crew
Katalin Elek	....	effects crew: Rob Bottin Crew
Fernando Favila	....	effects production assistant: Rob Bottin Crew
Gunnar Ferdinandsen	....	effects crew: Rob Bottin Crew
Laura Filip	....	effects crew: Rob Bottin Crew
Tamara Fites	....	effects crew: Rob Bottin Crew
Art Flores	....	effects crew: Rob Bottin Crew
Camille Forcy	....	effects crew: Rob Bottin Crew
Susan Forrest	....	effects crew: Rob Bottin Crew
Eddie Garcia	....	effects crew: Rob Bottin Crew
Richard Glass	....	contact lens consultant
John Goodwin	....	lab technician supervisor: Rob Bottin Crew
Joe Griffith	....	effects crew: Rob Bottin Crew
Matthew Harlow	....	special effects technician
Mike Hill	....	effects crew: Rob Bottin Crew
Garth Inns	....	special effects
Jack Johnson	....	effects crew: Rob Bottin Crew
Clive Kay	....	contact lens consultant
Clive R. Kay	....	special effects contact lenses
Martin A. Kline	....	effects crew: Rob Bottin Crew
Phil Knowles	....	special effects
Iva Labianka	....	effects production coordinator: Rob Bottin Crew
Ralph M. Leo	....	effects production auditor: Rob Bottin Crew
Phil Mantione	....	effects crew: Rob Bottin Crew
Laurie Marems	....	effects crew: Rob Bottin Crew
John Markwell	....	special effects
Richard Medina	....	effects crew: Rob Bottin Crew
Chuck Montova	....	effects production coordinator: Rob Bottin Crew
Robert Newman	....	effects crew: Rob Bottin Crew
Becky Ochoa	....	cosmetic paint supervisor: Rob Bottin Crew
Roberto Olivas	....	effects crew: Rob Bottin Crew
Dennis Pawlik	....	effects crew: Rob Bottin Crew
Melvyn Pearson	....	special effects
Patrick Philben	....	effects crew: Rob Bottin Crew
Art Pimentel	....	effects crew: Rob Bottin Crew
Alan Poole	....	special effects technician
Margaret Prentice	....	cosmetic paint supervisor: Rob Bottin Crew (as Margaret Beserra)
Vincent Prentice	....	lead special makeup artist: Rob Bottin Crew
John Rizzo	....	effects crew: Rob Bottin Crew
Sheri Roskie	....	effects crew: Rob Bottin Crew
Richard Ruiz	....	effects crew: Rob Bottin Crew
Terry Schubert	....	special effects
Ernie Shelton	....	effects crew: Rob Bottin Crew
Dwight Shundo	....	effects crew: Rob Bottin Crew
Tom Small	....	effects crew: Rob Bottin Crew
Mike Sorrentino	....	effects production coordinator: Rob Bottin Crew
Wayne Strong	....	effects crew: Rob Bottin Crew
Jackie Tichenor	....	effects crew: Rob Bottin Crew
Josephine Turner	....	effects crew: Rob Bottin Crew
Richard White	....	effects production manager: Rob Bottin Crew

Visual Effects by
John Blakeley	....	modeler
Andrew Eio	....	visual effects technician
Kent Houston	....	visual effects
Nick Kubicki	....	modeler
Allan Moss	....	modeler

Stunts
Vic Armstrong	....	stunts & doubles
Terry Cade	....	stunts & doubles
Perry Davey	....	stunts & doubles
Anthony Georghiou	....	stunts & doubles
Nick Gillard	....	stunts & doubles
Paul Grant	....	stunts & doubles
Kevin Hudson	....	stunts & doubles
Wendy Leech	....	stunts & doubles
Danny Potts	....	stunts & doubles
Jordan Scott	....	stunts & doubles
Dean Shackelford	....	stunts & doubles (as Dean Shackleford)
Nick Gillard	....	stunt double: Mr. Cruise (uncredited)
Eddie Powell	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
George Beavis	....	grip
David Cadwallader	....	grip
Raymond Flindall	....	rigger
Martin Foley	....	clapper loader
Kenny Groom	....	clapper loader
Mark Hanlon	....	electrician
Martin Hume	....	assistant camera
Malcolm Huse	....	grip
Jordan Klein Jr.	....	underwater camera operator
Peter MacDonald	....	camera operator (as Peter McDonald)
Andy Matthews	....	electrician
Max Mowdray	....	additional photographer
Harry Oakes	....	additional photographer
Shaun O'Dell	....	camera operator
Andrew Shields	....	video playback operator
Stefan Stankowski	....	focus puller
Robert Toft	....	video operator
John Tythe	....	gaffer
Peter Versey	....	assistant camera
George Whitear	....	still photographer
Harry Woodley	....	gaffer
Carlos Melville	....	electrician (uncredited)
Chyna Thomson	....	camera trainee (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Betty Adamson	....	wardrobe supervisor
Christopher Alderson	....	costume supervisor
Lola Boomer	....	costume maker
Sue Cable	....	costume maker
Zena Carter	....	costume maker
Elizabeth Charlesworth	....	assistant costume designer
Graham Churchyard	....	assistant costume designer
Karen Elton	....	costume maker
Barbara Gillett	....	wardrobe assistant
Helen Gill	....	wardrobe assistant
John Hilling	....	wardrobe assistant
Janet Lucas	....	wardrobe assistant
Karen McLean	....	costume maker
Penny McVitie	....	costume supervisor
Day Murch	....	costume maker
Patty Pope	....	costume supervisor
Barbara Rutter	....	assistant costume designer
Patrick Sharkey	....	wardrobe assistant
Ro Sylvester-Fisher	....	costume maker (as Rosemary Sylvester Fisher)

Editorial Department
Pamela Power	....	additional editor
Gordon Stainforth	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Michael Clifford	....	music editor
Alexander Courage	....	orchestrator
Ernie Locket	....	music copyist
Michael Redfern	....	assistant music editor
Mike Ross-Trevor	....	music mixer (as Mike Ross)
Jerry Goldsmith	....	conductor (uncredited)

Other crew
Yarek Alfer	....	technician
Vic Armstrong	....	unicorn master
Tony Coroon	....	production accountant
Gordon Davis	....	assistant accountant
Kay Fenton	....	script supervisor
Bryan Ferry	....	appears courtesy of I G Records, Ltd/Warner Bros. Records, Inc
Andrea Fontaine	....	assistant to director
Geoff Freeman	....	unit publicist
Peter Govey	....	title designer: main titles
Danny Graber	....	animal trainer
Jordan Klein Sr.	....	underwater team (as Jordan Klein)
Sandy Langdale	....	assistant accountant (as Sandra Langdale)
Tim Lewis	....	production runner
John McCloughlin	....	underwater team
Gavin McKinney	....	underwater team
Arnon Milchan	....	presenter
Arlene Phillips	....	choreographer
Jean Simmons	....	accounting assistant
Joyce Turner	....	production assistant
Wayne Docksey	....	animal master (uncredited)

Thanks
Scott Milne	....	the producers gratefully acknowledge the assistance and co-operation of
Bette Smith	....	the producers gratefully acknowledge the assistance and co-operation of

Production Companies

• Embassy International Pictures
• Legend Production Company (made by)
• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation
• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1985) (UK) (theatrical)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (1986) (Argentina) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1987) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1988) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner/Weintraub (1990) (Japan) (video) (laserdisc)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures (1985) (USA) (theatrical)
• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (Europe)

Other Companies

• Albert G. Ruben and Company  the producers gratefully acknowledge the assistance and co-operation of (as Albert G. Ruben & Co., Inc.)
• Completion Bond Company  the producers gratefully acknowledge the assistance and co-operation of (as The Completion Bond Company, Inc.)
• De Lane Lea Sound Centre  sound re-recorded by (as De Lane Lea Sound Centre, London)
• Fireman's Fund Insurance Co.  the producers gratefully acknowledge the assistance and co-operation of (as Firemans Fund Insurance Company)
• Fuji  film stock by
• Graham Miller & Co.  the producers gratefully acknowledge the assistance and co-operation of
• Joe Dunton & Company  camera equipment provided by (uncredited)
• Joe Dunton & Company  cameras and lenses (uncredited)
• Joe Dunton Cameras  cameras and lenses supplied by
• Lee Electric  lighting equipment supplied by
• Lee Lighting  grip and lighting equipment (uncredited)
• MCA Records  original motion picture soundtrack album on
• National Philharmonic Chorus  choir (uncredited)
• National Philharmonic Orchestra  orchestra (uncredited)
• Pinewood Studios  sound re-recorded by
• Regency Films  the producers gratefully acknowledge the assistance and co-operation of
• Ruben Sedgwick Ltd.  the producers gratefully acknowledge the assistance and co-operation of (as Ruben Sedgwick Insurance Services)
• Walford Nursery  the producers gratefully acknowledge the assistance and co-operation of

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 voice of Gump (David Bennent) was re-dubbed by Alice Playten (Blix). For the German version, the voice of Blix (Playton) was dubbed by Bennent (Gump), who also voiced himself.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: Oona's opening scenes in the cave (when she's first shown as a human) are out of sync with her voice.

Quotes:

The Lord of Darkness: Father, protect me!

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "Family Guy: Whistle While Your Wife Works (#5.5)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

My True Love's Kiss

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?