Legend

Legend

1985

Director- Ridley Scott

Cast- Tim Curry, Tom Cruise, Mia Sara, David Bennent, Alice Playten, Billy Barty, Cork Hubbert, Peter O'Farrell, Kiran Shah, Annabelle Lanyon, Tina Martin, Robert Picardo

           

There are  quite a few fantasy films that prominently feature demons, devils or witches. Most though, do so outside the context of Christian mythology, usually in a mythical land with its own pantheon. Legend certainly doesn’t have any obvious Christian symbolism and there are no witch hunters or inquisitions. It does have some religious language, but it also has one thing that helps it create a bridge between fantasy and horror, creating a unique, memorable dark fantasy;Tim Curry’s Darkness. Not only is it one of the greatest, maybe the greatest, make-up job in all of cinema, he is the archetypal Devil. He’s not just the Devil, he’s every image of the Devil you’ve ever seen, boiled down, distilled and perfected.

            The story is a simple one. Darkness, in an effort to eliminate any forces for good that might oppose him, wants to kill the last remaining unicorns. Princess Lily (Mia Sara) is a good hearted girl (if not naive and a little spoiled) who gets caught up in the plot and captured by the forces of evil. Her rescuer is Jack (Tom Cruise in an early role), the quintessential hero, aided by a group of gnomes and fairies.

            Legend is one of the darkest fantasy films you are likely to see. Not only is its subject dark (the seduction and eventual corruption of innocence), its imagery is dark. The make-up and costumes have an archetypal feel. The characters look strangely familiar, like a vague memory from a picture book you had as a child.

            As stated earlier though, the real centerpiece of the film is Tim Curry. How is this possibly the man who played Dr. Frank N. Furter? The make-up job is stupendous, but Curry comes through the prosthetics. His facial expressions, his body language, drip with malice. Curry’s baritone vocal performance helps seal the deal.

            The director’s cut of the film is not only longer than the theatrical version, but is re-edited in places. I prefer the director’s cut, but both versions should be readily available as they are usually sold together. If you want a movie that will stimulate the intellectual adult in you, and frighten the child in you (or any real children who happen to watch it), Legend is a fun, dark, return to an earlier type of storytelling.