Rating: 
Summary: The Legendary Scott !
Review: Just as I suspected...Ridley Scott is a director whose work I have always admired. He's a director whose passion for the art of film making and story telling is dominated by his creative spirit and senses. Yet, there was always something restraining or constricting him from going through with what his visionary gut and artistic heart would tell him i.e. Harrison Ford's dead-cold narrative in Bladerunner and of course the U.S. chopped up release of Legend.It's always those who hold the pot of gold that tell the artist what he or she can and cannot do;unless of course the artist is another Lucas or Spielberg ! Then Scott directed Gladiator giving him the upperhand this time in deciding what to do with his film !I thoroughly enjoyed both versions with both alternate soundtrack scores. The Tangerine Dream version adds a mythical and almost spiritual new-age mystical feel (though the soundtrack by today's standards does sound a little dated due to the synth-new wave pop music of the 80's).The Bryan Ferry (Roxy Music)music video brings back memories of my teen years during the 80's! The video will probably make some viewers giggle remembering the funny styles the early and mid 80's MTV pop stars would wear.Yet, the song Is Your Love Strong Enough is anything but laughable; it's very memorable with it's serious melancholy soft rock sound. However, the Jerry Goldsmith version gives the film a more John Williams or even a Disney epic-like nuance which replaces the new age mysticism with something more organic and robust! The dvd transfer is spectacular without any major characteristics of artificial color saturation or macro blocking mpeg digital artifacts that a lot of releases of older films suffer from. Colors are vibrant yet not bleeding. The dvd version has an overall genuine film quality about it.In addition, it does not look outdated. No one can look at this and say, "Oh yeah, it looks like an 80's fantasy film".It's visually timeless. The DTS and Dolby (though only in 2.0 stereo)tracks will thrill the aural senses with the rich bass (listen to Darkness like never before)and realistic dispersion of special effects ! The acting abilities by a much younger Cruise, beautuiful Sara, and ego-maniacal Curry are superb and truly feel genuine...Ditto for the actors behind the painstakingly detailed make up effects. Once viewers see the director's full length version it will definitley over shadow the cut up and choppy edited U.S. 90 minute release. After years of waiting for this dvd Ridley Scott has truly given us a legend !
Rating: 
Summary: Still flawed, but Director's cut is better!
Review: I have been always intrigued by this movie, on one hand it still remains one of the most visually bold fantasy films ever made, the director's cut is about 30 minutes longer than the US theatrical release, there is more character development, not much though. The problem with this movie is one that keeps it from being greatis that it isnt really endearing, the characters are cold and we really don't feel for them. I have always thought that Tom Cruise was misscast as Jack, and I still feel that way, this type of role does not suit him, he doesn't look right in the role. He doesn't ruin the movie in any way but, he offers nothing to it either. I wish that the tone would have been a little lighter and fun, it is a dark movie, which is fine but it would have been nice if the movie would have been more all around fun. Of course Tim Curry as Darkness is the best part of the movie!(though I STILL think that the horns could have been smaller!)In the director's cut, we do not actually see him until the movie's final 40 minutes, earlier we see only his hand and we hear his voice. When he finally appears it has a greater impact than in the US version where we see him right away. So I find that Legend is improved in the director's cut, but even though I admire the film I find it hard to really love it!
Rating: 
Summary: Good DVD, but I still think the TD score is much better
Review: This DVD is a must have for people who likes LOTR and Willow. I honestly think that the Tangerine Dream score was much better because it has better melodies and gave the movie a different feeling. The only thing I'm dissapointed is that the U.S. version didn't come with 5.1 channels. I like the other version as well, but it seems like the Jerry Goldsmith score seem out of place in some scenes. They should've added the cutted scenes to the U.S. version with the Tangerine Dream score.
Rating:
Summary: Two Movies for the Price of One! Darkness and Light!
Review: LEGEND never really found an audience in theatres despite Ridley Scott and Universal's constant tinkering with the final cut. Seems many movies of this era were victims of audience test screenings, and the desire to give people a commercial product that went down easy -- see BRAZIL for a prime example of how studios think (the "love conquers all" version). So LEGEND was severely edited and rescored with a hasty (but often effective score by TANGERINE DREAM). It was short on plot and long on art direction, but sumptuous visuals and an all-out acting job by Tim Curry and make-up artist Rick Bottin made the movie an easy favorite of many fantasy fans. The movie looks stunning, and the story is a universal plunge into archetypes. Nothing wrong with that, it certainly worked for STAR WARS! This DVD collection gives you two versions of LEGEND -- the original director's cut with over twenty minutes of added footage and the original Goldsmith score; and in addition, you get the original US release. In essence you get two different movies! The moods vary, the characters seem a little different, with whole new speeches and images to enjoy. If you are a fan of the movie or Ridley Scott it's a MUST-HAVE! This is what DVD dreams are made of. While many bemoan the fact BLADE RUNNER does not come with its 2 versions -- the fact is other than the narration and the happy ending, there is not MUCH different. But here we have a case where you can see what happens to a movie as it goes through development HELL. Fascinating stuff, and it comes LOADED with extras. The only downside is the director's cut gets the royal treatment of a 5.1 sound mix while the other version gets a 2 channel Dolby mix, and even the video quality seems different with again the director's cut looking better than the theatrical release. But at last we can see a widescreen version of either cut, and we get a lot of extras that explain some of why the movie is the way it ended up. Beautiful images, two good soundtracks (I like both though the mood changes), and basically strong performances. LEGEND is a waking dream!
Rating: 
Summary: How Embarassing
Review: Not only do Ridley Scott and Tom Cruise want nothing to do with this film, but they are totally embarassed by the results. It is a horrible film from start to finish and I NEVER give movies a bad name...but this is one of them. Don't waste the precious minutes of your busy life on this one. The filmmakers didn't so why should you?
Rating:
Summary: Good news, Bad news
Review: Good news is that it is finally on dvd and you finally get to see the whole movie in the Director's cut, but the bad news is Goldsmith's score. To me it doesn't compare with Tangerine Dreams score which I think brings the movie to life. I don't know if it was the theater or when the movie came out on VHS that I saw legend for the first time, but I remember a lot of the parts that are in the Director's cut. When I seen the movie again years later I noticed the missing scenes, it is great to have them back. I just wish the full length cut had Tangerine Dreams Score, but o'well it is still a great DVD.
Rating:
Summary: The Director's Cut disc is a real improvement
Review: I saw "Legend," during my first spring in NYC in 1986. Coincidentally, at the same time, I was working as a production assistant on another film, "Angel Heart," written by the same author William Hjortsberg. Despite the phenomenal production design and trademark Ridley Scott visuals, the film always left me a little cold. The Tangerine Dream score seemed a tad out of place for a fantasy film such as this. The Director's Cut is a much more satisfying experience. It offers the chance to finally hear the Jerry (Star Trek the Movie) Goldmith's original music, which seems better suited to the film. The scene when Lilly first encounters the unicorn, now feels a bit more like Eve in the Garden of Eden instead of a spoiled girl misbehaving and causing a movie's worth of trouble. In short, motivations in several scenes seem clearer. Tom Cruise's "Jack of the Green" character feels largely the same. In addition, the restoration and transfer is phenomenal. The layered clear packaging is also very clever and a welcome change from the black boxes and universally hated snapper cases. No wonder Ridley Scott signed his name on the case :)
Rating:
Summary: Still my favorite movie
Review: Legend has been my favorite movie for as long as I can remember. I have had the video since I was six and loved every aspect of the movie. I have been looking forward to its release on dvd for the past year as well and then I get it yesterday. I never thought that I would give it a 4. The director's cut adds great scenes all the way through the movie explaining a lot of loose end but the ending...what happened!!! The ending does not belong in the movie that I know and love and it is for that reason alone that the US version will be the dvd that I watch. I love Goldsmith's score and the added scenes, and I respect what Scott is trying to accomplish in the director's cut ending but after seeing and believing the US ending for 16 year, it makes my heart hurt to see the director's ending. The US ending is the one that I will be watching from now on.
Rating:
Summary: Finally!
Review: This is what DVD is all about! A movie I have dreamt of seeing for five years has finally arrived. Before, Legend was good but there was something missing. Now, I have to say that it is one of my favorites. I love the fact that the beginning and ending are different from the US release, especially the ending. I love that Lily and Jack's relationship is a lot more innocent. The kiss that had been stuck in the beginning that was actually from the end is now where it should be. But, really, I don't think that I can catalogue all of the differences but I will name a few that I can think of:
1) When Jack teaches Lily how to speak to the bird there are some differences in the way it is played out.
2) Lily is more haughty and plays as kind of spoiled and bratty, which she was supposed to be. Also, she is referred to as the princess instead of lady.
3) Lily's songs. She sings to the unicorn to get it to come to her and she sings to Jack more than once.
4) Longer dance sequence.
5) Darkness tries to get Lily to sit in a chair that has a life of its own instead of trying to get her to eat the food.
6) The entire Meg Mucklebones scene, which some may remember seeing in the US TV version, is all there. Of course, there are more and some subtle differences, but you'll just have to watch for them yourself. Jerry's score is, in my opinion, better than the TD score because it is a more classical fairytale score. No more Loved By the Sun playing over the ending, which I kind of missed at first. The DVD itself is great! The documentary is very cool to watch, and doesn't suffer at all without Tom Cruise. The two 'lost scenes' are great fun, and it's amazing that they would take that much care to piece together the Faerie Dance the way they did. Ridley's commentary is fun and engaging, and I find myself wondering how Gump would have sounded with a German accent. All in all, one of the best DVDs I've ever purchased!
Rating:
Summary: At last...the true vision of LEGEND has finally come home
Review: When "Legend" was released in the U.S. in a severely butchered 89-minute version, already having been stripped of Jerry Goldsmith's original score and about a fourth of the footage, no one accepted it. It was just one of those 'here today, gone tomorrow' films. Ridley Scott's true vision was lost. With the new DVD, this vision has been found. Although a much different film than the previous versions, it is exactly what Ridley should have put out in 1985 but did not. And even though the production is a bit cheezy (compared to "Lord Of The Rings"), it is nonetheless spectacular...right down to Jerry Goldsmith's restored orchestral score. Forget the U.S. Tangerine Dream-scored version...the director's cut is the only version for me, and I hope you too. By all means, get this DVD, and "Sing The Wee" with your own "True Love's Eyes"! Wingo-wango!
| 
