Legend is one of my favorite movies of all time, despite Tom Cruise being horribly miscast. The atmosphere and makeup work are both unbelievable (I can't believe it didn't win the 1985 Oscar for Best Makeup - Cronenberg's The Fly did..deservedly so, I guess).
Anyways, the 2-disc Ultimate Edition DVD was finally released yesterday, and it includes the film's original European cut - the way Scott intended it to be before it was changed for US theatres. It contains a lot of missing content, and has a wonderful Jerry Goldsmith score (I'm not saying that Tangerine Dream's US score was bad - not at all). The US version is included, as is director commentary - Ridley's my favorite director, along with David Fincher, and his commentaries are always top-notch - deleted scenes, a Making Of doc, storyboards, etc etc. I'd seen the extended version on LD years ago, and never thought it would ever see another home release. It's miles better than the US one, trust me.
Legend would have been completely different had it been released today - there's no CG in sight.
Ridley Scott loves doing this kind of stuff - I hear he's going to do a Blade Runner multi-disc set next!
Wow. Nice to see another Legend fan on these boards, especially you Bio
I've been waiting for this DVD for a long time as well. I love this film, its beautiful visuals, sets and music(I still prefer Tangerine Dream score, but other one is also not bad ), grand story, characters, woderful make up, and everything else. The more darker feel than your regular childrens fairytail.
I usually not a fan of Cruise, but here even he is good, as Jack of the forrest. Darkness is one of my favorite characters and villians ever. Tim Curry is completely unrecognizable under the grand make up, but the character is excellent.
I also like Ridley Scott, and most of his earlier films, like Blade Runner, Legend, Black Rain. He is a great director.
I also had a extended version on vhs, but lost it sometime ago
Mr. Scott has been talking about that Blade Runner DVD since the first DVD came out, almost. I hope now that Legend is complete that it'll become truth though. I want both versions available as well, even though the director's cut is what it should be (kind of like how Brazil had the butchered version... it's for comparison purposes). Believe it or not, I've never even seen the theatrical all the way through, only the director's cut
Hey Despair - not surprised you like this one too! Very dark indeed - not surprising, since it was written by William Hjortsberg, the same guy who wrote Fallen Angel...which Alan Parker made into Angel Heart.
Tobal - Don't worry, the Blade Runner DVD set WILL happen. Just a question of when - probably by this year, as 2002 is BR's 20th anniversary. It should have both the theatrical, director's cut, and it's rumored a THIRD version of the film as well (a third ending at least). I've heard in one place it'll be 3 discs, four in another....I think it's great that some directors are cool enough to release different versions of the films (that original Brazil cut changed quite a lot of things about the film, didn't it? Made it a totally different picture.)
Yeah, I like when DIRECTORs do it, but not studios because they want to please Blockbuster, wallmart, etc (such as the case with Requiem for a Dream... gotta respect Aronofsky for not allowing any extras on the cut version and making sure it was obvious and said "Edited version" on it).
I didn't know this movie was all cut up in the US, I just thought it sucked. I'll have to pick this up to see the full version. I really wanted to love this movie, maybe a view of the uncut release will change my opinion.
One of the finest films ever made, and further strengthening my argument about the gross improper/over-use of CG in movies today. I'm surprised more people aren't as excited as I am about this release.
To: Gondolin
Re: improper/overuse of CG in modern filmmaking
I couldn't agree more. I hope film makeup doesn't become a lost art. No matter how good CG gets, it will never be able to match the organic-ness of makeup, or hands-on set design. Can you imagine that forest being CG? Yeek.
After watching both versions several times, I've noticed a few things in the US release that are NOT in the Euro cut....interesting.
I think more people aren't excited because, like adol, they didn't know the film was hacked for American audiences.
The docu was great too - that whole bit about making Blix look like Keith Richards - brilliant!!
I completly missed this thread when Legend was released, and was just in Blockbuster, browsing DVD's and picked this up for $19. I loved this movie when I was a kid, and 17 years after it's release Darkness is still a Full On BadAss! That says a lot about a makeup job, in a time where CG runs rampant, but a Makeup demon still looks better. Anyhoo I had no idea it was cut up as much as the lil note from Mr. Scott says it was, so I'll have to check out both versions (Not that I would have cared, when it was released I was only 6)
), grand story, characters, woderful make up, and everything else. The more darker feel than your regular childrens fairytail.
It should have both the theatrical, director's cut, and it's rumored a THIRD version of the film as well (a third ending at least). I've heard in one place it'll be 3 discs, four in another....I think it's great that some directors are cool enough to release different versions of the films (that original Brazil cut changed quite a lot of things about the film, didn't it? Made it a totally different picture.)
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