Legend on DVD

By Jim Bray

Ridley Scott's Legend is an epic fantasy that mixes fairies and goblins with Ultimate Good and Ultimate Evil.

As with his immediately previous film, Blade Runner, it never really found its audience upon its initial release. Unlike Blade Runner, however, it has never attained the "legendary" status that gave it new life on home video until today it's considered a modern masterpiece.

That may change with this new DVD release, which claims to be the Ultimate Edition of Scott's fantasy.

I saw Legend on its initial theatrical release and liked it, though I also found it frustrating and suspected that somewhere inside that 90 minute movie was a great two hour movie trying to get out.

Well, Universal's new DVD brings us that two hour movie as well as the "original" 90 minute theatrical version, and dares us to compare them.

So I did, and now I'm really confused. Because while the new, two hour director's cut version is better overall (if only for the reason that it unfolds at a less frenetic and disjointed pace), there are things in the short cut that are missing from the director's cut that I think it really needed.

I guess we need another "ultimate edition" in which both versions are edited into one using DVD's "branching technology" the way Fox did with "The Abyss."

For example, the opening of the new version doesn't show us Darkness (Tim Curry) as he bemoans his fate, whereas the "original" does let us see him, kind of. Instead, the "new" version gives us a strange looking window while Darkness speaks in voice over.

Likewise, at the film's end, the old version shows us how the dead Unicorn is restored to life, while the new version just shows the two beasts cavorting as if nothing had ever happened. In its place, we get more of Jack (Tom Cruise) and Lily (Mia Sara) getting kissy-face. What is this, a fantasy or a chick flick?

On the other hand, I preferred the longer version more overall, including a definite preference for Jerry Goldsmith's sweeping score over the one Tangerine Dream performed for the truncated version.

Anyway, you're never going to please everyone, and I'm still tickled pink that Universal gave us such a great package for this nearly forgotten classic.

The story involves a scheme by Darkness, who can't stand light, to remove light from the upper world and make the whole earth his domain. This can be accomplished by killing the two remaining Unicorns, so he sends some of his evil minions to do the dirty deed.

They almost succeed, killing one Unicorn and escaping back below with its horn, leaving lovely Lily devasted with grief and shame for having unknowingly led them to the Unicorn while she selfishly tried to touch one. Then she's dragged below to become the bride of Darkness.

And Jack is left to pick up the pieces. Aided by an elf, a fairy, and a couple of dwarfs, he sallies forth to the underworld determined to restore light to the world and save his love from the clutches of Darkness.

As you might expect with a Ridley Scott movie, Legend is gorgeous to look at and to listen to. The sets are glorious, whether the idyllic world with its wafting petals or the fiery underworld with its shadowy and gross creatures. The performances are also very good, with the young Cruise showing the stuff that would make him a star and Tim Curry, unrecognizable beneath the horrifying makeup, deliciously vile. Mia Sara's pretty good, too.

Then there's the supporting cast, most of whom are unrecognizable beneath Rob Bottin's outstanding fantasy makeup. They all combine to make a fantastic fantasy cast.

But even the long version somehow still doesn't seem to click, and I can't put my finger on why. I'll gladly give it a few more looks to see if I can figure it out, though. In the meantime, I'll have to call it a "flawed masterpiece."

Disc One is the new, director's cut edition (and, in the liner notes, Ridley Scott explains why there was a shorter version in the first place) with Jerry Goldsmith's score and an optional audio commentary by director Scott. The picture quality is good, but not excellent, which is a damn shame. Some shots look gorgeous, but many don't look nearly as sharp as the DVD medium is capable of being - and the red opening credits look very smeary (they actually use a drop shadow, but it's hard to see and therefore it just looks washed out - though the color is excellent).

Audio choices for the director's cut include Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS surround, and the sound quality is very good.

Disc Two is the "original" theatrical version with the Tangerine Dream score. The picture quality is about the same as on disc one, and while the audio sounds fine it's only offered in Dolby Surround.

But you get a pile of extras, including an in-depth feature that includes interviews with just about everyone except Tom Cruise. As for other extras, how's this for a list?
- "Creating a Myth: The Making of Legend"
- Isolated musical score by Tangerine Dream
- Lost Scenes "Alternate opening: Four Goblins"
- A recreation of "The Faerie Dance" using photos, storyboards and original music
- Storyboards: "Lily and the Unicorns," "Jack's Challenge," "Downfall of Darkness"
- Brian Ferry's "Is Your Love Strong Enough" music video
- Photo Galleries
- Images of Legend (continuity polaroids - these are shot on set and used to ensure everything matches up in subsequent camera set ups, which could be done on different days)
- Two Theatrical trailers, four TV commercials
- Production notes, cast/filmmaker info
- DVD ROM features - a script to scene comparison.

That's a pile of stuff, and Legend fans will probably love poring over it all.

In all, a very good, though not quite good enough (picture and sound-wise) DVD of a wonderful, but flawed, attempt at making a "serious" fantasy epic.

Legend, the Ultimate Edition, from Universal Home Video
114 min/ 90 min, anamorphic widescreen (2.35:1), 16x9 TV compatible, Dolby Digital 5.1/DTS (disc one) Dolby Surround (disc two)
Starring Tom Cruise, Mia Sara, Tim Curry
Produced by Arnon Milchan,
Written by William Hjortsberg, Directed by Ridley Scott

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