FILMFACTS
PRODUCTION
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No Good without Evil. No Love without Hate. No Innocence without Lust. I am Darkness.
The Unicorn... A re-ocurring feature of Ridley Scott's early movies
Production
Go behind the scenes on the 1985 Fantasy movie starring Tom Cruise, Mia Sara, David Bennent, Tim Curry
Peter O'Farrell, Alice Playten, Cork Hubbert, Billy Barty, Kiran Shah, Annabelle Lanyon, Robert Picardo, Tina Martin, Ian Longmur, Mike Crane, Liz Gilbert, Eddie Powell Update Cast
We believe the following info is all legit. If it's bogus or you have additional info, please update us.
Thanks to Hollie
When Princess Lily became one with the dress she was suppose to be a cat. A black cat, but the movie budget was too much and they decided not because of the cost.Thanks to Jess
In the scene with Meg Mucklebones, the actor had to be put in the water while he had the latex on. When latex hits water, the water engulfed the makeup so it was hard to breathe. Watch the scene where Meg makes her appearance merging from the water, she looks like she is spitting out the water and gasping for air!Rewind Archive
David Bennent's (Gump) voice was redubbed by Alice Playten who also did the voice of Blix. I once read that the director thought that David's German accent would be too hard for children to understand.Rewind Archive
The "icicles" in the treasure cavern were made out of several hundred pounds of paraffin wax.Thanks to politeintruder
It's widely known, of course, that there was an initial cut of the Film that played more classically with a score by Jerry Goldsmith. His score was Ridley Scott's personal favorite and the score was replaced for the US market after test screenings proved unsuccessful.Like Bladerunner, after the test screenings were not kind, the movie had to be modified. A tighter edit and a more emotional, busy score, infinitely better in my opinion, by Tangerine Dream.
Thanks to Brett
Most of the forest scenes in the movie were filmed on a massive set, built inside a sound stage. Ridley had originally planned some overhead and fly-through shots, but they (along with a lot of other planned footage) were never filmed, because the entire set burned flat to the ground.Thanks to Jess
The fire that destroyed the Bond Stage happened while everyone was at lunch, luckily, because someone could have been killed if it happened when they were shooting.Thanks to Rob Caton
The end shot of the film in which the characters wave to Jack (Tom Cruise) and Princess Lily (Mia Sara) was actually filmed in the gardens of Pinewood Studios (as was some of the early Unicorn sequences). This was due to the set burning down on the giant 007 Bond stage with only a few sequences remaining to be shot.A few of the hastily constructed trees and plants were dropped into the gardens and with the help of some natural light/sunshine the end scenes were captured.
Director Ridley Scott states this fact on the commentary of the Director's Cut of the film on the Ultimate Edition Dvd.
Next Section: Deleted Scenes
Deleted Scenes
There are often scenes cut from the final version of a movie. Sometimes these will have been seen by preview audiences, or be included in Blu-ray or DVD extras etc.
Shucks.. We don't know of any cut scenes from "Legend". Can you help? Please add one for others to enjoy. It's quick & easy
Next Section: Alternate Versions
Alternate Versions
Sometimes, there will be several versions of a movie floating about on cable, tv or video etc. Other times, a Director may release a special cut of the movie on Blu-ray or DVD.
The following versions of Legend are apparently real. If you disagree or have additional info, please update us.Rewind Archive
There are at least three different versions of this picture: the original European release (94 min.), the American theatrical release (89 min.) and a network TV version (94 min.).Rewind Archive
Before the American release, the film was re-edited once more because Universal president Sid Sheinberg felt the European version was unappealing to young American audiences and the score was replaced with new compositions by the band Tangerine Dream, plus a song by Jon Anderson and Brian Ferry was added over the end credits). The US version runs 89 minutes.Rewind Archive
The USA network TV version is roughly the same as the American theatrical release but features a voice over of the opening crawl text and some extra footage taken from the European version (recognizable because it features cues from Goldsmith's score).Rewind Archive
Here are the differences between the European and American versions (taken from the Legend FAQ by Tony Anderson, Sean Murphy & Geoff Wright. Used with permission):Early in the American version we see someone being tortured by demons before an open view of the star filled void. Darkness is shown in blue with yellow glowing fingernails and he delivers a different opening soliloquy. In the European version we do not get the torture scene nor to we see more than the arm of Darkness.
When Lili enters Nell's cabin there is a shot of Nell's sleeping husband in the European version.
Lili is a princess in the European version, but called merely a Lady in the American version.
In the American version, Lili has a vision of the future when she sees the revolving figures of the clock (death chasing a maiden) become encased in ice for a moment. No ice in the European version of this shot.
The cutting of the scenes with Jack, Lily, and the stalking goblins is arranged differently between the two versions.
Lili asks Jack to teach her rabbit in the European version, whereas she asks him to "tell me our future" in the American version.
There is more footage of Jack swimming underwater to find the ring in the European version.
Lightning strikes a tree just before the unicorn falls in the American version. We also see the cutting of the alicorn in this version.
In the American version we see Jack struggling through the dark forest snow calling Lily before he succumbs. We also see an extra shot of the goblins riding in the snow. In the European version we cut from Lili in the cottage to the shot of Jack sleeping in the snow.
When Gump queries Jack in the American version, Jack immediately admits that he took Lily to see the unicorns. In the European version, Jack first denies that he did anything and then admits his transgression. Gump becomes bug-eyed and threatening in the European version and makes Jack solve a riddle before all will be forgiven. The American version does not contain the riddle and is much shorter and simpler.
The scene of Blix and the goblins intoxicated with the power of the alicorn is split into two segments in the European version separated by the scene with Jack and Oona in the cave. In the American version, the cave scene is followed by the goblin scene in its entirety.
The scene with Meg is very short in the American version, whereas in the longer sequence from the European version, Jack uses flattery to distract her before killing her.
When we see Lili in the dungeon for the first time, there is a shot of Darkness that appears to be taken from the goblins fire sequence in the European version. In the American version, the camera explores the walls of the dungeon where we see to "eyes" light up.
After Lili enters Darkness' hall, the American version cuts to a scene not in the European version of an attack on Gump and Jack by what the script refers to as Pygmies.
The Dress Waltz scene is shorter in the American version and contains a flash cut to Lili suddenly wearing the dress. No flash in the European version.
The American version contains some added footage showing wine filling up a cup magically and is missing a scene where Darkness attempts to get Lili to sit on his throne (he does this twice in the European version vs. once in the American).
There are some added lines to the American version just before Darkness falls into the abyss having been defeated by Jack: "You think you have won. What is light without dark? I am a part of you all. You can never defeat me. We are brothers eternal."
When Darkness falls into the abyss it causes five shooting stars to be generated in the American version.
The scene of Jack diving into the pond for Lili's ring is intercut with the unicorn's horn being restored and his subsequent revival in the American version. These shots are missing in the European version.
One last shot of Darkness laughing can be seen in the American version.
The American version does not contain any of the songs sung by Lili in the European version, or the Goldsmith score.
American print has Brown Tom and Screwball finding the unicorn in Darkness's lair. In the European print, this is not shown.
Some TV prints have the full Meg scene, which runs even longer than in the European edition. (Jack has trouble getting his sword out.)
American edit has re-sequenced footage from the kiss at the end, used near the beginning, to imply a sexual relationship between Jack and Lili.
The shortened American version also includes temp-track library music from Jerry Goldsmith's score for Planet Of The Apes, The (q.v.) and James Horner's Humanoids From The Deep (q.v.).
Rewind Archive
Also in the UK TV version (which is basically the same as the US version as seen on the NTSC Laserdisc), the scene at the beginning when we see the Chef hacking up a man on his chopping board, has been omitted.Rewind Archive
Ridley Scott's preferred 113-minute "director's cut" was finally released to the U.S. on DVD in 2002 with Jerry Goldsmith's original score reinstated. See our search device to locate a copy.Rewind Archive
The DVD also includes an alternate "Four Goblins" opening where the villains find a strand of hair from a unicorn, then confront Darkness with the news and then being sent to find Lily (this alternate opening is presented in rough cut form as taken from a VHS UK workprint) and the edited "Fairie Dance" scene (which would have taken place before Jack answers Gump's riddle); this is presented in an audio-only format playing against publicity photos and storyboards, as the original footage was destroyed.Rewind Archive
Ridley Scott's first cut ran 125 minutes and had a music score by composer Jerry Goldsmith; after an unsuccessful test, the film was re-edited twice and shortened to 113 minutes and finally to 94-minutes. This version removed part of Goldsmith's score, substituting new music by composer Tim Souster and a few cues from Jerry Goldsmith's score for "Psycho II".Jump To: Filming Locations
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