Ridley Scotts Legend is Streaming for Free on Tubi from October

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As a film enthusiast with over four decades of watching and analyzing movies under my belt, I must say that Ridley Scott’s 1985 masterpiece “Legend” is a timeless gem that has only grown more captivating with age. The visual effects may not have been revolutionary at the time, but they still hold up today thanks to the sheer brilliance of Tom Cruise and Tim Curry’s performances.

1985’s enchanting fantasy film ‘Labyrinth’ is making its way to Tubi! Fans of the captivating dark fantasy journey can now enjoy a young Tom Cruise squaring off against the formidable Tim Curry, all without spending a dime. Initially a financial flop upon its premiere, the movie has since earned cult status due to its memorable visuals and special effects.

1985 saw Ridley Scott building on his success with “Alien”. He aimed to replicate that triumph with “Legend”, a film that remains visually impressive even after nearly 4 decades. Despite the fact that it’s hard to imagine Tom Cruise and Shelley Long (Curry’s character’s real name) in a Ridley Scott-directed movie not being successful, all three were still relatively new to their careers at the time. The initial theater release struggled to recoup the film’s $25 million budget.

Initially, some people were captivated by the film, with Curry’s extraordinary portrayal of Darkness, a demonic character, serving as a compelling reason to watch it. However, there were also those who deemed it as a solitary and unchangeable argument for Hollywood to cease producing fantasy films – an opinion that would eventually evolve. Over time, Curry’s grotesque yet iconic red-skinned, horned character became a significant inspiration for various depictions of evil throughout the years, contributing significantly to the film’s eventual success.

Despite being labeled a box office flop, Legend didn’t diminish Tom Cruise’s star power in Hollywood. In fact, the following year, he landed the role in Top Gun, and his career trajectory is now legendary. However, it should be mentioned that even as one of the world’s biggest stars, Cruise has had his fair share of box office disappointments over the years, such as the unsuccessful reboot of The Mummy, and his latest Mission: Impossible installment.

Ridley Scott Made Legend with a Specific Audience in Mind

As a director, Ridley Scott’s less successful venture with “Legend” appeared to influence his future film selections significantly. Although this esteemed filmmaker has left an indelible mark on sci-fi and horror genres through the “Alien” series and “Blade Runner”, he has steered clear of the fantasy genre ever since.

Yet, Scott created “Legend” with a particular purpose in mind, primarily for his own children. Having produced films predominantly tailored towards adults, Scott aimed to create a production that would resonate universally. To some extent, he sought collaboration with Disney to accomplish this goal. If “Legend” had been animated, its tale of good versus evil could have effortlessly fit into the Disney repertoire. In fact, Scott intentionally incorporated numerous allusions to Disney’s timeless classics. Last year, during an interview with Cinefantastique, he elaborated on this approach.

In my creative process, I had two distinct paths I could have chosen for this script. One path was more somber and rooted in Celtic elements, but I felt that approach might be too restrictive. The other direction was reminiscent of Disney productions, which seemed fitting since the story was primarily intended for children, specifically my own. Elements from Snow White, Fantasia, and particularly Pinocchio were deliberate choices on my part.

One major issue Scott encountered with Universal was their insistence on shortening the film’s duration and swapping Jerry Goldsmith’s fantastic soundtrack for a synth-pop one by Tangerine Dream during the American premiere of the movie. However, Scott corrected these issues in his Director’s Cut version released in 2002, which added back nearly thirty minutes of content and allowed some viewers to enjoy Goldsmith’s score for the first time (previously only accessible in European versions).

Ultimately, “Legend” stands out as a significant yet often underestimated addition to Scott’s cinematic portfolio and the fantasy movie realm. Although some elements of it have since been overused tropes within the genre, in 1985, they were largely novel and scarcely present on screen.

You can check out
Legend
on Tubi from October 1.

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2024-09-23 00:32