Me too. I tried to buy it on DVD and ended up with the director's cut and it absolutely was not better... I loved the original movie and felt like the DVD was some bootleg mash-up with poorly framed shots.
Such a great thing about the eighties where films could be geared towards younger audiences yet still be a little dark: Never Ending Story, Labyrinth, The Dark Crystal...
Scott’s career has always amazed me. Nearly every one of his flops goes on to become a cult classic, better regarded than the rival successes of their time. Also worth noting that most negative criticism is based on studio cuts as opposed to his true vision… which speaks volumes.
you're so right. I just rewatched The Duellists after reading about how low the budget was, and I was blown away at what an interesting, gorgeous movie it is.
I'm so damn grateful we got Tim Curry. Even in the "disasters" or movies that are total flops. Tim Curry is just an absolute delight who chews the scenery like no ones business. Honestly, the 'failures' he's been apart of can't be written off as total failures due to his performances which are always top notch.
Still the best looking fantasy film ever made! What Legend lacked in story, it made up in production value. The sets, the costumes and the cinematography were all first class and beautiful. It is a sheer pleasure to look at this film. I only wish it was as good a pleasure to watch. The director's cut is obviously a better film, however, it lacks the awesome soundtrack the edited film contains. That said, Jerry Goldsmith's soundtrack is by no means bad. It's just not Tangerine Dream. God, I just wish the script was better!
The original script was more Shakespearean. And they filmed the first half of the movie. Before the Studio stepped in. Forcing rewrite. Out of all the remakes we get Nowadays. I wish Legend would've one of them. Am always going like the Ridley Scott version. But, as long as they stay true to the theme of good and evil. Am ok with whatever they do with it.
I totally get what you're saying but ..at least for me, that's the charm. It's a hybrid: a very 80's movie with the soundtrack and the dialogue and action but with some incredibly beautiful visuals/cinematography. It's just... unique and wonderful. But, it would have been interesting to see a more Shakespearean version.
I totally agree. It wasn't " lightning in a bottle". It Was a lightning storm in a bottle." One change would've changed the whole feeling of the film. On top of that. Legend Is a type of fantasy That's not usually done In the mainstream of media. The princess is down to earth. The elf is the main character. Not the supporting sidekick . They actually address evil and temptation during the movie. Yeah, I would love to see some of alternate versions of Legend from alternate realities. But, I am happy with the one Ridey Scott gave us.
And you kinda can see the Shakespearean version of Legend. Watch movie from the beginning to the Reveal of the unicorns. You can hear what it was in the way characters speak. I just wish, more of it was allowed to exist. Am 99% certain that's where the script got the rewrite. But, I don't know for sure. Because I wasn't there.
I can't disagree more strongly about the musical score. Nothing at all against the legendary Jerry Goldsmith, but Tangerine Dream's score for the US cut is amazing. The unicorn theme is one of the best pieces of film score of all time. It gives an entirely different feel to the movie, and is one of the reasons I prefer the US cut to the international. In the 90s, I worked in a mall based chain of video sales stores called Suncoast Motion Picture Company. In every store I worked in, I made Legend part of the in store playlist. The movies would play in the store, and on tv's that faced out into the mall. Legend sold on vhs for $10, and whenever it would play, it would sell like crazy.
Loved this film when I was young. Great sets, music by Tangerine Dream, and above all, Mia Sara in her black dress dancing for Darkness played by the great Tim Curry in a superb FX designed Devil costume. Yeah, I still watch it if I catch it on cable now and then...
I saw this on TV in 1999 on the Syfy channel. I love the sets and the makeup effects, especially Tim Curry as darkness and Robert Picardo as the evil witch.
I literally watched this on the weekend again. It's a great film. Darkness trying to corrupt the princess is by far the best part of the film. His laugh when she asks to be the one who kills the unicorn 🦄 epic.
Everything about this film (including the casting of Cruise) is perfection. The mashing of a childlike Grimm's fairytale with A+ horror-flick monsters, the dichotomy is captivating. The proof the film works hinges on one scene... Darkness: I give you my heart... My soul... My love... Lili: Love? *Darkness looks away deeply troubled by her question, by his own confession* If you were caught up in the drama of that moment the whole movie worked for you.
I think it’s more a matter of demerits by comparison. I too loved it as a kid, but saw the prior films they scored much later and liked them far more. And Goldsmith’s score, of course, is genius.
Yes i was going to say the same! had the tangerine dream version on video as a child. Maybe its what you grew up with but i've seen the dance scene with the other song and it doesn't fit nearly as well. Tangerine dream adds to ominous mystical vibe! also i'm from england yet somehow had a copy of the american cut.
I agree - all the brits down on Tangerine dream, the otherworldly and ethereal sound they put together. I don't care for Goldsmith's score at all in comparison !!!
I personally think Tom Cruise nailed the innocent vibe of Jack with his confused stares and subtle smiles. It's not a very deep character but it's reminiscent of old European fairytales. I wish Hollywood would bring back movies like this and Ladyhawke, The Neverending Story and Labyrinth.
Devoted cult follower here- I saw a couple of minutes of the opening of the movie as a child and spent next 10 years wondering what that movie with the devil and the unicorn had been. It's right up there with The Last Unicorn as one of the greatest fantasy movies ever made. Also, the tangerine dream cut forever.
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The director’s cut would have been much better if they had kept the music from Tangerine Dream. I would like to see both Ridley Scott and Tom Cruise revisit this universe.
As a pagan, I looked forward to this film so much. And I was ecstatic watching it. It was so beautiful, so lovingly made! And when Tom showed up, dropping out of the branches of that tree with that wild look in his eye, oh my! He scrabbled in the dirt, glancing at the princess like an animal, and I held my breath. Was this it? Was this really the film version of our mythology, gorgeously crafted as it deserved? Would Mr. Risky Business really pull off the role of Jack in the Green, the embodiment of the wild, the lover of the Maiden? And then he opened his mouth. *** SIGH *** Damn. So close, yet so far. He missed it. Not his fault, though - he tried. But he didn't understand the story or the character, so he swung far off the mark. Later on, I read an interview where he described Jack as "this weird kid who lives in the woods", and realized no one had told him where this story comes from, and why it endures. So he never really had a chance to inhabit Jack as he's been known throughout the centuries and in all those folk tales. In the end, I kinda wish it had been a silent film. By that I mean a film with no dialogue. Think about it the next time you watch it. Considering how well-known all the figures in the film are - the lovely princess, the wild boy, the fairies, the imps, the unicorns, etc. - do you really need to hear those lines in order to understand what's going on? Imagine it as a visual opera, with that amazing classical score. What an experience that would be!
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@@tomcruise3703 I think what she's trying to say is, you sucked balls in this movie. Or rather you should've had a set of balls in your mouth the whole movie, instead of being able to speak.
If the director’s cut came out in the US, it would have been a bigger hit. That’s the only version of the film I’ve seen and think it’s very underrated
I have loved this movie since it came out. As a young teen in the 80's I loved the original release and never knew about other edits of the movie. When I found the director's cut, I fell in love with it all over again. This is a movie that I highly recommend to anybody who loves true fantasy movies. The attention to detail is far beyond anything you get today, and practical effects win out over CGI every time.
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This is a nostalgic love of mine. I think its because the production is amazing to look at. And you can never go wrong with Tim Curry, what an incredible performance. I loved watching this movie when I was a kid and I still dont mind watching to this day. But I completely agree with Tom cruise. Theres something to be said when you always think of legend and forget that tom cruise is in it 😜 but still I feel bad for the cast and crew, this movie did deserve much more love. It just fell through the netting with all the other fantasy movies at the time.
Thanks for the endless love and support you have constantly shown me in such difficult moment. I’m forever grateful. I really appreciate your unconditional love to me and every effort exerted by you to cause a change…Where are you watching from?
I agree with you that Johnny Depp would have been better in the role of Jack than Tom Cruise. Now I'm going to give what I think is my unpopular opinion about this film. I've seen the U.S. version with the Tangerine Dream soundtrack as well as the UK version with the Jerry Goldsmith score, and it makes the two stories very different. I think the Goldsmith score makes it feel more like a child's fairy tale -- Lilly sings a really sickening love song to Jack at one point -- that just didn't work for me. The Tangerine Dream score changes it and makes it a little darker, and this one is my favorite. I love this movie (I guess I'm part of the cult), and I watch it every year around the winter solstice. There's just something about the cinematography, the set design, the makeup and characters and soundtrack that make me watch over and over again. Thanks for doing this recap about a movie that a lot of people don't like.
I loved this movie. My mother recorded the special uncut edition off tv, which included the scene when Gump asked Jack the riddle, with his correct answer being the only thing that would assure the fae's help. So many memories. Possibly one of the best underrated movies of all time
Love Legend. Darkness haunted my dreams well into adulthood. I've always felt that, out of place Cruise in Legend was the model for the majority of modern day genre CW leads. LOL
The Tangerine Dream score is BY FAR my all time favorite soundtrack. Calling it "silly" is asinine as the ethereal electronica as found in the opening scene... THE DANCE... DARKNESS. Simply brilliant!!! It moulds the feel of the film. The English directors cut is superior but Goldsmiths paint by numbers score is not. It is on par with anything Zimmer, Vangelis or Stu Copeland has done
@@nikosvault perhaps i was a bit harsh, but my point is Goldsmiths score is rote and derivative. It is excellent and has a few very good pieces but overall the Tangerine Dream score is ethereal and sounds like magic. All you need to do is listen to both soundtracks "Darkness" theme. One is standard villian fare the other evokes pure dread and horror.
I used to catch parts of this film on HBO in the late 80's and early 90's and have loved it since. It really impressed me as a kid, and still does. I enjoy all versions of the film, but actually prefer the U.S. cut, even though the reveal of Darkness through the mirror in Ridley's cut is pretty cool and clever!
The first time I saw Legend was a showing on BBC2 here in the UK, but it must have been the U.S. cut as it features Tangerine Dream's score and a scene with a Blue Darkness which I found out through a book on makeup effects only made the American cut. I didn't see the International cut until I purchased a DVD many years later and it was somewhat jarring to hear a different score than the one I was used to.
Yeah you go through childhood wondering what the devil looks like, you see pictures, cartoons and stuff, then you watch Legend and its " *oh!...oh there he is* "
My favorite Fantasy film all time. There hasn't been anything else quite like this(and given the direction Hollywood is taking, will never be again). A movie that had no source material to back it up. Scott has said in interviews that he pieced together the story with his writers with a desire to make a classic fairy tale for a modern audience. Its one example in film-making where every scene is rich, vibrant and well thought out.. eludes to having a back story of its own. Some of the uses of practical effects and settings in this movie have yet to be rivaled by even CGI in much the same way as Blade Runner. I've always been disappointed that no other movie or book ever picked this up as it would be awesome to have this world fleshed out and explored a bit more. But maybe that's why I love it so much. While giving you so much it still leaves a lot to the imagination.
I saw Legend on TV as a kid and the story, visuals, the cast (Tim Curry in particular of course) and yes, the Tangerine Dream score stayed with me. It wasn’t until I saw the international version with the Jerry Goldsmith score that found a new love for it again. One of my true favorites.
I know people don't like it, but I appreciate the American version with the music change. But I do love and own the director's cut with the real music and everything in there that should have been
Totally totally disagree on the tangerine dream score; the shorter cut is the better cut, because this, narratively, isn’t really a strong movie; it plays back much better as like a long ass music video fantasy fever dream; goldsmiths score isn’t particularly notable either; it lacks the gravitas of something like Williams or Horners Willow soundtrack. Adore this movie so much. At 90 minutes it’s a spectacular, moody piece.
Over the years I've noticed amoung my circle there are those who love Legend and those who love (unironically) Hawk the Slayer. Rarely do I agree with the latter on films. 😉
After buying the dvd with the director's cut 20 years ago and being so fascinated at just how vastly different the 2 cuts of the film are, I deep dived on as much more BTS info. that I could find and lemme tell ya, the original script for this movie was insanely dark. The overall story was much larger in scale too. Many more characters with huge battle scenes of Jack and his friends fighting off Darkness' army on their way to his castle, for starters. Oh, and Instead of turning into a sexy goth witch, not only is Lily turned into some sorta werewolf beast that actually has sex with Darkness and DIES before the 3rd act, but Jack is some sorta lizard creature as well.
It would be nice if Ridley Scott would reboot the franchise and all Legend actors would reprise their roles to continue the story in the aftermath of the defeat of Darkness. “What is light without dark”, “We are brothers eternal”.
This movie when it was rereleased was cleaned up and the dark foggy parts you can finally see clearly! Like Darkness's palace when Lilly runs through it is more vibrant and you can see all the amazing set that you couldn't when it came out! Curry's Darkness is EPIC even to this day! He oozes sex and makes you want more! Thank you for making this video!!
LEGEND is a cult fantasy movie that remains memorable to me not because of Tom Cruise but mainly due to DAVID BENNENT as Honeythorn Gump. Hollywood sadly didn't know what to do with this talented youngster from THE TIN DRUM.
Wait up, video voice guy. Alien was certified classic out of the gate since '79, it didn't need the director's cut. Not saying the alternate version was bad or changed anything significant, it's just the original didn't need the other version to be looked upon with fondness.
Legend is a wild movie. I can’t tell if how I feel about it. The pacing is so odd. I say this as someone who loves Kingdom of Heaven and Alien as well as someone who is a huge fan of Tom Cruise.
Curry fucking killed it in this movie , made before its time ....I think Tom cruise was awesome and worked well with others. This movie is so under appreciated its bull squirt . But I must hear this alternate sound track...
Legend is like Blade Runner, underrated when it first came out but more appreciated with time, especially the worlds they created--imaginary but very believable. Darkness and the swamp witch were amazing customs.
Legend is a fantastically and wonderfully strange movie. It's worth a watch if for nothing else than Tim Curry and the amazing Prince of Darkness effects. Tom Cruise is only a couple of inches shorter than Tim Curry, but the way it was shot made made him look massive. Good stuff and needs to be seen more! Also, Tim Curry awesome in everything he does.
It's a dark fairy tail the type of story you tell to children to explain why there is snow or why the sun disappears when it's dark. Like all this happens every night to ensure the sun will rise. It's a great movie
I loved this movie as a kid. I watched it a few years ago and regretted it - best to leave in the childhood memories. It was still visually captivating but the script... let's be generous and say it needed work. Funnily enough while I remember Tim Curry being in this movie I didn't remember Tom Cruise being in it until I realized on re-watching it. Strange given Curry was in full-body make-up... says something about how memorable the performances were I guess
Who cares about Tom Cruise? The selling point is Tim Curry as the devil falling through his space window, which honestly was a dumb idea to have in the first place.
This is one of my favorite films of all time. It really made an affect on me. I adore it. It makes me sad that it wasn't as loved. It also definitely enlightened me on my gayness cause of Tom's costume. Lol
