So my daughter is starting to like the same television shows and movies as me. She's always on the lookout for a new dark and creepy favorite which means sometimes we go back to older movies. While great in some ways, in others it makes me feel so old.
A perfect example would be Legend. She wanted something with unicorns that was live action and sort of dark. Well the only thing I could think of was Legend.
Well, she only made it through the first few minutes. Once Blix the goblin showed up she was done. She said that was not a goblin, that goblins are dark and evil, but still good looking. Well that definately isn't Blix. Damn David Bowie for corrupting the expectations for goblins everywhere.
Anyway, even without her, I watched it and it was a sad trip down memory lane to see how we had all aged over the years.
Plot Summary From Wikipedia:
"Once, long ago", Darkness (Tim Curry) laments his isolation. He senses the presence of two unicorns who safeguard the Power of Light, and bids his goblin servants to find and destroy them. They are to bring him the unicorns' horns, to create an eternal night of cold darkness, so he can roam the lands freely.
Meanwhile Princess Lili (Mia Sara) goes alone to the forest to meet her friend Jack (Tom Cruise), who is teaching her the languages of animals. He takes her to visit the unicorns when the hidden goblins attack with a poisoned blowpipe dart, hitting the stallion. The unicorns bolt, and Lili makes light of Jack's fears and sets him a challenge by throwing her ring into a pond, declaring she will marry whoever finds it. Jack dives in and the surface freezes, causing the world to turn to ice. Jack breaks through but Lili has gone. She hides from the rampaging goblins, but when she hears them crowing that her beauty "led the beasts to bay," she swears she will make it right and goes after them.
Jack cannot find Lili, but meets the elf Honeythorn Gump (David Bennent, voiced by Alice Playten), the fairy Oona (Annabelle Lanyon), and dwarves Brown Tom and Screwball (Cork Hubbert and Billy Barty). They believe Lili is to blame for the world turning to ice, but agree to search together for her. They find the fallen stallion instead and Jack tells them that its horn must be recovered for the world to return to normal. He is shocked when Gump tells him he must be their champion, and they leave Brown Tom to guard the unicorns while they get weapons for Jack.
Lili finds the unicorns, but the goblins attack again and she is captured along with the mare. When she awakens underground, Darkness is enchanted and begins to seduce her. He tells her that her sins make her a perfect match for him and she is disgusted. He tries to impress her with promises of immortality. Furious with herself and scornful of Darkness' arrogance, Lili pretends to be mesmerized by him. She is swept into a dance, transforming from innocent to wicked, as Darkness showers her with treasure. Darkness tells her there will never be another dawn because he will kill the unicorn by sunset as light harms him. She agrees to wed Darkness if only she can kill the mare. Darkness is thrilled by the prospect and agrees, unaware of Lili's true intention. Jack and his friends have found them and overhear, giving Jack the key to Darkness' demise. From the banquet preparations they take giant metal platters to design a heliotrope to reflect light before it sets, as Lili and Darkness prepare to sacrifice the mare. But Lili frees the unicorn instead (as she planned to do all along) and Jack attacks Darkness while the others relay the light of the setting sun. Darkness shouts as he is blasted away into space by light that he can never be destroyed because he is a part of all of them.
They emerge from the underworld under a starlit sky, but Lili is enchanted. Gump restores the horn to the stallion. As the world recovers, Jack dives once again into the pond. When he puts the ring on Lili's finger, she awakens and gives it back to him. Jack invites her to return and runs off into the sunrise as the others wave goodbye.
NOTE: The U.S. theatrical cut ends with Jack and Lili running off into the sunrise together. As Gump and his companions wave goodbye, the shot fades to Darkness laughing one last time.
A perfect example would be Legend. She wanted something with unicorns that was live action and sort of dark. Well the only thing I could think of was Legend.
Well, she only made it through the first few minutes. Once Blix the goblin showed up she was done. She said that was not a goblin, that goblins are dark and evil, but still good looking. Well that definately isn't Blix. Damn David Bowie for corrupting the expectations for goblins everywhere.
Anyway, even without her, I watched it and it was a sad trip down memory lane to see how we had all aged over the years.
Plot Summary From Wikipedia:
"Once, long ago", Darkness (Tim Curry) laments his isolation. He senses the presence of two unicorns who safeguard the Power of Light, and bids his goblin servants to find and destroy them. They are to bring him the unicorns' horns, to create an eternal night of cold darkness, so he can roam the lands freely.
Meanwhile Princess Lili (Mia Sara) goes alone to the forest to meet her friend Jack (Tom Cruise), who is teaching her the languages of animals. He takes her to visit the unicorns when the hidden goblins attack with a poisoned blowpipe dart, hitting the stallion. The unicorns bolt, and Lili makes light of Jack's fears and sets him a challenge by throwing her ring into a pond, declaring she will marry whoever finds it. Jack dives in and the surface freezes, causing the world to turn to ice. Jack breaks through but Lili has gone. She hides from the rampaging goblins, but when she hears them crowing that her beauty "led the beasts to bay," she swears she will make it right and goes after them.
Jack cannot find Lili, but meets the elf Honeythorn Gump (David Bennent, voiced by Alice Playten), the fairy Oona (Annabelle Lanyon), and dwarves Brown Tom and Screwball (Cork Hubbert and Billy Barty). They believe Lili is to blame for the world turning to ice, but agree to search together for her. They find the fallen stallion instead and Jack tells them that its horn must be recovered for the world to return to normal. He is shocked when Gump tells him he must be their champion, and they leave Brown Tom to guard the unicorns while they get weapons for Jack.
Lili finds the unicorns, but the goblins attack again and she is captured along with the mare. When she awakens underground, Darkness is enchanted and begins to seduce her. He tells her that her sins make her a perfect match for him and she is disgusted. He tries to impress her with promises of immortality. Furious with herself and scornful of Darkness' arrogance, Lili pretends to be mesmerized by him. She is swept into a dance, transforming from innocent to wicked, as Darkness showers her with treasure. Darkness tells her there will never be another dawn because he will kill the unicorn by sunset as light harms him. She agrees to wed Darkness if only she can kill the mare. Darkness is thrilled by the prospect and agrees, unaware of Lili's true intention. Jack and his friends have found them and overhear, giving Jack the key to Darkness' demise. From the banquet preparations they take giant metal platters to design a heliotrope to reflect light before it sets, as Lili and Darkness prepare to sacrifice the mare. But Lili frees the unicorn instead (as she planned to do all along) and Jack attacks Darkness while the others relay the light of the setting sun. Darkness shouts as he is blasted away into space by light that he can never be destroyed because he is a part of all of them.
They emerge from the underworld under a starlit sky, but Lili is enchanted. Gump restores the horn to the stallion. As the world recovers, Jack dives once again into the pond. When he puts the ring on Lili's finger, she awakens and gives it back to him. Jack invites her to return and runs off into the sunrise as the others wave goodbye.
NOTE: The U.S. theatrical cut ends with Jack and Lili running off into the sunrise together. As Gump and his companions wave goodbye, the shot fades to Darkness laughing one last time.
So Tom Cruise plays Jack the hero....I don't think I really need to say anything. The picture sums it up. Seeing this it's hard to imagine him as an A list actor and much easier to see him as the out of control-Scientology spewing-couch jumping-crazy person the tabloids paint him to be.
Looking at this picture it makes me sort of wonder about the eighties...I mean he's supposed to be the hero of the story, but he's sort of...Well... without pants and crouching in a forest. It doesn't really fit when you think about it.
Looking at this picture it makes me sort of wonder about the eighties...I mean he's supposed to be the hero of the story, but he's sort of...Well... without pants and crouching in a forest. It doesn't really fit when you think about it.
I think the best part of the movie is Tim curry. I mean for the eighties, this is some pretty amazing make-up. I used to always wonder how long it took him to get in make-up and how much those horns weighed. Also...do you think that's his real body?
I mean WOW!
For fans of the special effects show Face Off, to see something like this done just with make-up and prosthetics should be impressive.
I mean WOW!
For fans of the special effects show Face Off, to see something like this done just with make-up and prosthetics should be impressive.
For a real make up treat, check out Blix (the reason my daughter quit watching). I so wanted to do this for Halloween one year, but back then it was just impossible. Sort of makes me think this might be a great idea for next year....
Anyway, all in all Legend is what it is. A fantasy fairy tale that lacks the fluffy bunnies and good cheer that usually makes up a fairy tale. It was a nice little creepy treat to visit again.
Anyway, all in all Legend is what it is. A fantasy fairy tale that lacks the fluffy bunnies and good cheer that usually makes up a fairy tale. It was a nice little creepy treat to visit again.
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