CG Arts & Animation / Year 1 / Unit 2: Space / Film 5 / Legend Dir: Ridley Scott 1985

Thatcher, Reagan, Flock of Seagulls. These werent the only evil things from the 1980s. There were also Hollywood movies such as this one... OEhley J., (date unknown) Whether this lm is a success in the way most lms are considered such, seems somewhat academic. What is of importance is the lengths that Ridley Scott and his crew have gone to to create a lush fantastical environment where a cast of equally fantastical characters sit quite comfortably. The story is basic. The beautiful Mia Sara beguiles the impressionable hero Tom Cruise into showing her the sacred Unicorn, protectors of light and good in the realm. With a touch she renders them vulnerable to attack from the minions of the Darkness (played brilliantly by Tim Curry). With a stroke of a sword the Unicorn loses its horn and Winter falls across the land. This is a good point to stop and consider the effects the story has on the set at this time. The forest realm the characters inhabit seems vast and real, in a time when special effects were still largely dependent on the ingenuity of set designers imdb set designers name. Every detail seems to t. Mosses and Lichens sit on and twisted trees as though they had ever been. The moisture hanging in the air leaves a taste in ones mouth. Only the forests of Fangorn in Peter Jacksons Lord of The Rings Trilogy dates superseded the efforts of the crew on Legend, and of course Jackson had the benets of a massive budget and twenty years of ???. When the blow that severs the Unicorns horn falls the forest is lled with snow, accentuating the lay of the land and adding another glittery sheen to the already twinkling environment.

CG Arts & Animation / Year 1 / Unit 2: Space / Film 5 / Legend Dir: Ridley Scott 1985

The lair of the Darkness is a malevolent festering pit, as one would imagine. Terrifying the children that watched its 1985 release with ease. One of the most mesmerising scenes is when Mia Sara, captured by the Darknesss endish servants interacts with the gure of a masked dancer. Pirouetting Sara around an immense chamber lled with vast onyx like pillars the heroine becomes literally dizzied by the encounter. This does nothing to prepare her for the next... ...Tim Currys Darkness is absolutely incredible. A Rob Bottin Masterpiece, Darkness is a ginormous, bull-horned, spiky chinned, glowing-eyed, hoofed Satan of the highest order. And Curry not only manages to make his voice match the power inherent in that character, but he also acts even though theyve pretty much replaced his entire body. Walls W., (date unknown). Emerging through a mirror - in a scene that is engrained on the memories of those children seeing him for the rst time - Curry dominates a scene laced with menace as he attempts to turn the innocence of Saras princess to his own evil ends. The remainder of the lm is an, at times exciting but generally vacuous piece of cinema. All the special effects in the world, and all of the great makeup, and all of the great Muppet creatures cant save a movie that has no clear idea of its own mission and no joy in its own accomplishment. Ebert R. (date unknown). Eberts assessment of this lm is accurate, and not too harsh. The plot is very basic, so much so that at times the lm feels like its dragging its feet. The makeup and set building is inspiring, however. But nothing can detract from the fact that those children, who cowered before the Darknesss fury, will be disappointed when they re-watch the lm as adults. Critics Bibliography Ebert R., (date unknown). Chicago Sun-Times rottentomatoes.com OEhley J., (date unknown). Sci-Fi Movie page rottentomatoes.com Walls W., (date unknown). Needcoffee.com rottentomatoes.com Images http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1012164-legend/