{"id":23592,"date":"2021-09-28T21:32:56","date_gmt":"2021-09-29T04:32:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/?p=23592"},"modified":"2021-09-28T21:32:56","modified_gmt":"2021-09-29T04:32:56","slug":"blasts-from-the-past-blu-ray-review-legend-1985","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/?p=23592","title":{"rendered":"Blasts from the Past! Blu-ray Review: LEGEND (1985)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This \u201cLimited Edition\u201d 2-disc Blu-ray is being released by Arrow Video. Amazon is now listing it as being available for purchase on October 12th. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In the early 80s, fantasy movies were experiencing a major\nuptick in popularity. The decade was chock full of titles like Clash of the\nTitans<\/em>, Dragonslayer<\/em>, Excalibur<\/em>, Heavy Metal<\/em>, Time\nBandits<\/em>, The Secret of NIMH<\/em>, Conan the Barbarian<\/em>, The\nBeastmaster<\/em>, The Dark Crystal<\/em>, Krull<\/em>, The Company of Wolves<\/em>,\nThe NeverEnding Story<\/em>, Ladyhawk<\/em>, Return to Oz<\/em>, Red\nSonja<\/em>, Labyrinth<\/em> and Willow<\/em> to name but a few. Many of these\nfilms were box office hits. However, as the period wore on several of the later\nfeatures ended up getting lost in the shuffle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the most notable examples was Legend<\/em>, a\nfantasy modeled in part after Grimm\u2019s fairy tales. The movie boasted noted\ndirector Ridley Scott (who had just come off of Alien<\/em> and Blade Runner<\/em>)\nand an early leading role for future-star Tom Cruise. While the film had its\nshare of supporters, as a youth I remember checking the movie out and being underwhelmed.\nIt certainly looked phenomenal, but it was difficult to connect with the central\ncharacters. In fact, it appeared that the main romantic relationship was barely\ndeveloped and the movie played out as something of a choppy mess. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I didn\u2019t know it at the time, but the North American film\nhad been heavily edited from both the director\u2019s original version and a slightly\nextended European cut. Like Blade Runner<\/em> and some of the filmmaker\u2019s later\ntitles, there had always been a longer version out there. In 2002, Scott thankfully\nreconstructed most of the film that he originally turned in, adding roughly 26\nminutes of new material in addition to using some alternate takes within preexisting\nscenes. Arrow Video have now decided to release Legend as a 2-disc \u201cLimited\nEdition\u201d Blu-ray with both the US theatrical version and Director\u2019s Cut presented\nin high definition with a 2K restoration and scan. It\u2019s another stunning\nrelease that is certain to win the movie over some new fans.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ll write a story synopsis exclusively based on the Director\u2019s Cut. The story is set in a magical world with creatures both good and sinister. The most sinister is the Lord of Darkness (Tim Curry), who wants to kill a pair of magical unicorns and take their horns (or alicorns). This will make the villain all-powerful and plunge the world into permanent night. Meanwhile, Princess Lili (Mia Sara) sneaks into the forest to spend time with Jack O\u2019 the Green (Tom Cruise), a youngster who lives among the woodland creatures. Jack is enchanted by Lili, who is discovering that she can use her charm to get what she desires. When he shows her the unicorns from a distance, the princess ignores Jack\u2019s warnings and decides to approach them. Her act allows the Lords of Darkness\u2019 goblin Blix (Alice Playten) to attack, murder one of the creatures and take its horn. The world immediately begins to fall apart. A regretful Lili tries to set things right, while young Jack must learn to be a hero and square off against the Lord of Darkness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

As mentioned, two versions are included in this set and they\nmark a fascinating and remarkable contrast. Frankly, the comparison isn\u2019t even\nclose and provides definitive proof of just how butchered the short version truly\nis. We don\u2019t even know Lili is a princess in the American edition, much of the\ncharacter development and the story\u2019s themes are gone and even the dialogue has\nbeen cut to the bone. It all plays like a Cliff\u2019s Notes edition of the original\nfeature. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even the music is completely different. While the US edition\nhad an electronic synthesizer soundtrack by Tangerine Dream, the original possesses\na completely different orchestral score by Jerry Goldsmith. Tangerine Dream are\nfine musicians, but the score is very much of the specific era. Goldsmith\u2019s\nwork has a more timeless sound, suits the material far better and adds more emotional\nresonance to the dramatic moments. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

As you might have already guessed, I think the Director\u2019s Cut is vastly superior. It is a proper fairy tale and more exciting feature with each of the leads slowly discovering their hidden abilities. There\u2019s an incredible sequence with Jack traversing across a swamp and encountering a monstrous water-hag who wants to devour him, named Meg Mucklebones (Robert Picardo). In the US edition, they trade a line of two, Jack acts and moves on. In the extended cut, there\u2019s a much longer exchange. In over his head, the hero desperately tries to figure out an escape, keeping the beast talking to buy himself time while he figures out how to fight back. It\u2019s a far more exciting moment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Overall, the hero\u2019s journey is clearer and his growth and development\nis more engaging. In fact, all of the characters and relationships are better developed\nin this version. This includes Lili, who is dealing with the temptations of evil,\nas well as building on her gifts of charm to try and trick the Lord of Darkness.\nThe two leads are still archetypes, but the extra material adds enough to make\nthem relatable, adding to the tension and making for a more compelling experience.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Of course, no matter which version of the movie you watch, everything\nonscreen looks incredible (after all, the imagery was the main attraction in\nthe North American version). The enormous, forested sets were created entirely\non a soundstage, allowing director Scott to go absolutely wild with the visuals\nand present an endless array of eye-popping sights. The photography from Alex\nThompson (Excalibur<\/em>, The Keep<\/em>, Labyrinth<\/em>, Cliffhanger<\/em>)\nis jaw-dropping. This includes picturesque images of the leads among live forest\ncreature to the gruesome areas within the Lord of Darkness\u2019 castle that are lit\nwith towering flames and smoke. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Speaking of which, Tim Curry makes for one of the most memorable\nfoes of this era as the Lord of Darkness. The make-up by Rob Bottin (The Thing<\/em>,\nRobocop<\/em>) is also exemplary – at least the artist received an Academy\nAward nomination for his stunning work. Curry looms over the cast, projecting menace,\nthreatening others in an amusing manner and even delivering a memorable\nmonologue or two about the nature of evil and its place in the world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, while Legend<\/em> has always looked great, the\nDirector\u2019s Cut really clarifies the story and elevates the material\nsignificantly. It isn\u2019t perfect, but the longer version is a very good fantasy film.\nIt\u2019s also a title that really benefits from a sharp and clear new Blu-ray, making\nthe shots pop even more than they did on previous disc releases. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

If that weren\u2019t enough, this \u201cLimited Edition\u201d arrives with\na bevy of extras that provide some great background information. There is an\ninformative commentary track on each cut of the movie. A film historian who has\nwritten books on Ridley Scott talks about the US cut, which he refers to as\nbeing a \u201cmutilation\u201d of the original vision. Admittedly, he also acknowledges\nthat the North American cut was the first experience many had with the movie\n(himself included), noting that he understands why some appreciate the short version\n(this reviewer certainly does not fall into that category). He also provides\nplenty of interesting background information on the amazing sets, as well as\nwhat inspired Scott to make the movie and how he approached telling it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Naturally, the director\u2019s commentary on his preferred cut is\neven more enlightening. He explains his choices and also goes into the process\nof creating the massive forest soundstage set. It combined massive fiberglass trees\nwith real soil, topiary and a running stream. Apparently, the incredible work\nwas convincing enough for animals to move in and live in the soundstage during\nmuch of the production. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Scott also goes into what occurred after the shoot wrapped.\nHe admits that the cut down versions of the movie were a mistake. The director states\nthat executives weren\u2019t crazy about his cut and that after a poor test screening,\nchanges were suggested. He describes going through a \u201ccrisis of confidence\u201d (Blade\nRunner<\/em> hadn\u2019t been acknowledged as a classic yet and was a flop at the box\noffice, nor had it been well-received by the press) and readily accepted the\nsuggestions made, chopping the movie down and having it completely re-scored. The\nfilmmaker admits they were bad decisions that ultimately did little to help the\nmovie. Scott is very frank about his experiences, making for an interesting track.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s also a lengthy 2002 making-of documentary that\naddresses all of these stories, as well as the unfortunate loss of the soundstage\nbecause of a fire. Viewers learn that some intended material wasn\u2019t shot\nbecause the set burned down towards the end of production. While the cast and crew\nwere at lunch, a security guard noted the animal residents flying and rushing out\nof the open soundstage doors. It was presumed that gasses inside the structure ignited,\ncausing the massive structure to burn and eventually collapse. In addition to these\nstories, members of the cast and crew also talk about their experiences on set\nand their feeling about the various cuts to the feature. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

There are also a couple of segments dealing with the two\ndifferent scores. One goes into detail about Goldsmith\u2019s work on the film and\nwhat he was trying to convey with the music he wrote. Those who enjoy Tangerine\nDream\u2019s work on the US edition will also see a segment on how this band became\ninvolved and hear from some fans who prefer the keyboard-heavy tracks. You\u2019ll\nalso learn about the catchy pop tunes recorded and added for the US release,\nincluding the Bryan Ferry number, \u201cIs Your Love Strong Enough?\u201d (a music video for\nthe song is also included as a bonus). And you can also listen to the isolated\nscore tracks on their own for comparison\u2019s sake. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Naturally, this release includes a featurette that presents\na comparison of the different versions of the film. The discs include an\nhour-long TV episode detailing Scott\u2019s career up to 2003. There\u2019s also a new featurette\nthat has interviews with grip David Cadwalladr, costume designer Charles Knode,\nco-star Annabelle Lanyon, camera operator Peter MacDonald, set decorator Ann\nMollo and draftsman John Ralph. They all share their experiences on the movie\nand share their amazement that the production designers and cinematographer\ndidn\u2019t receive Oscar nominations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, the release comes with an original promotional\nfeaturette, deleted scenes, the alternate ‘Four Goblins’ opening and ‘The\nFairie Dance’, storyboard galleries for three deleted scenes, two drafts of\nWilliam Hjortsberg’s original screenplay, alternate footage from the overseas\nrelease, plus textless footage, three theatrical trailers, four TV spots and image\ngalleries. And in case you still want more, the Blu-ray arrives with a full\ncolor Blu-ray-sized book on the movie, a fold-out-double sided poster, glossy portraits\nof the cast, six double-sided, postcard sized lobby card reproductions and special\npackaging with newly commissioned artwork and the original theatrical art. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Naturally, if you enjoy the work of Ridley Scott, loved the movie when it was first released, or simply appreciate fantasy pictures, you most certainly should pick up this set. The movie is a visual wonder and the 2K upgrade is astounding. And if that weren\u2019t enough, the Director\u2019s Cut is a vast improvement over the theatrical experience. In the end, it seems that Legend<\/em> is another exemplary and memorable release from Arrow Video that comes heartily recommended.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This \u201cLimited Edition\u201d 2-disc Blu-ray is being released by Arrow Video. Amazon is now listing it as being available for purchase on October 12th.  In the early 80s, fantasy movies were experiencing a major uptick in popularity. The decade was chock full of titles like Clash of the Titans, Dragonslayer, Excalibur, Heavy Metal, Time Bandits, The […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":23605,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[117,1836,2923,2928,3073,7314,7755,12223,12224,12613,13745,17046,23010,23555],"class_list":["post-23592","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-dvdblu-ray-reviews","tag-117","tag-arrow-video","tag-blasts-from-the-past","tag-blasts-from-the-past-blu-ray-review","tag-blu-ray-review","tag-fantasy","tag-forest","tag-legend","tag-legend-blu-ray-review","tag-lord-of-darkness","tag-mia-sara","tag-ridley-scott","tag-tom-cruise","tag-unicorn"],"blocksy_meta":{"styles_descriptor":{"styles":{"desktop":"","tablet":"","mobile":""},"google_fonts":[],"version":8}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23592","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=23592"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23592\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=23592"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=23592"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=23592"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}