Legend (1986)

Legend (1986)

I am a sucker for any fantasy movie. I can even be drawn in to watch the horrible ones and still find some joy. So, when I discovered that the visionary director behind Alien and Blade Runner directed a fantasy film reminiscent of the tales of King Arthur and Lord of the Rings, I made it my mission to seek the film out. There are multiple versions of the film, so I am reviewing the American version which came out in 1986. The production design and the makeup are true works of art and the visual eye candy really stands out. That said, I wish I could have said the same thing about the story itself. The performances are fine, but the script is mediocre. Thankfully this is a Ridley Scott film, or I am afraid this film would have been utter dreck.

There are multiple versions of the movie. As I said, the American version was released in April 1986 to unflattering reviews. Trivia fact time! The film was released in the UK in 1985 with a slightly longer version. The film was cut for American audiences because Scott reasoned that European audiences were more sophisticated. Can you fault him for that? The music was also changed. The UK version has an orchestral (and rather excellent) score that was composed by Jerry Goldsmith. The American version had a more techno score from Tangerine Dream. I though that score was also good if you left it alone, but Goldsmith’s score is clearly superior. The director’s cut was released in 2002 and both Scott and lead actor Tom Cruise disowned the American version.

When it comes to directing, Ridley Scott is a perfectionist. He is extremely detailed-oriented. That works for the movie and against the movie. The visuals are eye-popping. From the fields where we meet the unicorns to the evil underground lair of Darkness, everything looked well thought out. The design of the forest was incredible. Scott wanted to film at Yosemite, but instead moved to a studio backlot. Very impressive. The use of practical effects and makeup was fantastic. In fact, Tim Curry’s makeup is an iconic vision that will forever be associated with the fantasy genre. Curry spent five-and-a-half hours in makeup every day to achieve his look. Such patience! With most of the effort placed into the look of the film, not much was left in the way of story. I considered the film to be joyless at points and I felt the villain had no motivation for his deeds other than the sake of being evil. I still had interest in the story but nothing like it could have been.

This is the typical fantasy which features a plethora of magical beings such as elves, demons, unicorns, and the list goes on. The main hero of the story is a human named Jack (Tom Cruise). Jack is in love with the Princess Lili (Mia Sara). Lili was abducted by a monster known as Darkness (Tim Curry). He wants to turn Lili to the evil side and make her his wife. He also wants to rid the world of the Sun, light, and unicorns by turning the place into an everlasting darkness. Can Jack defeat Darkness, save the girl, and be a true hero?

I will say that the actors gave committed performances. That should not be a surprise considering Tom Cruise always 100% gives his best. In the scenes where he dove and swam, that was him doing the action. This may not be his best role, but he does what he can with it. Tim Curry looked like he was having a blast. Despite his character not being well planned out in terms of motivation, it was fun watching Curry playing an evil character under all that makeup. Mia Sara did a really nice job. She was chosen because of her theatrical background and it showed here. I read somewhere that Mickey Rooney could have been hired but he did not look short enough next to Cruise who is a pretty small guy himself.

Anyhow, Legend is what it is. You most likely know about it or heard about it because of Curry’s iconic villain. Other than that, it is your standard, by-the-books fantasy film. Not awful, but not the best film. If you like this genre, you will find some enjoyment out of this fairy tale (at least the American film). I did hear better things about the UK version.

My Grade: B-