Wednesday 16 November 2011

Legend Review



Legend is a 1985 fantasy film directed by Ridley Scott, though the film wasn’t a notable success when it was first realised it later won an award for best makeup and has a cult following. The story is set "once, long ago" in a world of unicorns, fairies, goblins, and demons. Hidden in a dark lair, the antagonist, the Lord of Darkness (Tim Curry) instructs his goblin servant, Blix, to locate the two unicorns that roam the nearby forest and remove their horns. If the unicorns die and their horns are removed, the Lord of Darkness can ensure that dawn never again breaks and sunshine never returns.
“Tim Curry, from "Rocky Horror Picture Show," makes an effective Darkness; I liked his style. But, once again, the makeup people have done such a good job with his blazing eyes and gigantic horns that, in a way, almost any actor could be lurking inside there (only Curry's sensuous lips give him away).”(Ebert, 1986) The makeup in the film is very well done, one of the films strongest points, Ridley Scott contacted Rob Bottin who has designed the special makeup effects for “The Howling”, Bottin read the script and saw the opportunity to create characters in a starring roles.  Each actor spent every morning having makeup applied, each having 7-13 prosthetics pieces applied accept Tom Cruise and Mia Sara.

“The cool costumes and set designs almost make it worthwhile, so long as the sounds turned down and you don't have to hear the witless dialogue.” (Thompson, 2003) even though the poor sound effects which is mainly down to being filmed in a sound stage and dialog was bad and unappealing, the scenery of the film is beautiful to look at, making up for the sound effects.

“On the one hand, Legend is essentially a movie for children. After all, it features a lot of children with fairy wings stuck to their backs. (Often it feels as if one is stuck in a primary school pantomime!) In addition, the plot is simplistic and some of the dialogue and characters quite juvenile. On the other hand, Legend is so heavy-handed in its approach that it isn’t a whole lot of fun at all. Its depiction of evil is so intense and scary, that the little ones would probably be begging their parents to please switch off the TV!” (O’Ehley, 2007) Whether the film was intended for children or adults is unsure, the fairy, unicorns and other mythical creatures suggest its aimed at children but looking at Darkness and his evil companions would give children nightmares due to the makeup being so well done. Maybe it’s aimed at family by having such fairytale story with such dark characters within the story.   

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