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Legend: The Return of Darkness
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Updated
Faneditor Name:
Original Movie Title:
Fanedit Type:
Original Release Date:
1985
Original Running Time:
113
Fanedit Release Date:
Fanedit Running Time:
108
Time Cut:
5
Subtitles Available?
Available in HD?
Additional Links:
Brief Synopsis:
I was always intrigued by Legend, but it wasn’t until the lost Director’s Cut was released on Blu-ray in 2011 that I decided to finally sit down and watch it. After watching the different versions of the film, I thought the Director's Cut was the best of the bunch, but felt like it was hampered by some of the pacing/editing and childish humor. With that in mind, I set out to make an edit that used addressed some of those issues, while including specific scenes from each version to hopefully create a more tonally consistent, polished film.
Intention:
I really wanted to make an edit that removed some of the childish jokes as well as create a more "polished" version of Legend. I tried to accomplish these goals by focusing on the following areas:
1. Remove the bathroom humor and childish jokes that really take away from the darker fantasy vibe. For example: When Brown Tom farts sitting down in the snow, that just makes an otherwise lighthearted scene a little too childish for me. I did keep humor in the film that is featured between the Goblins/Jack and company, but I did try to remove the jokes I thought were distracting or out of place such as "Big D".
2. Tighten the editing on certain scenes as some of the DC sequences run a tad too long in certain areas that kill the flow. For example, when Gump throws a tantrum after Jack answers his riddle, it seems to go on forever and it is definitely over the top. So that has been trimmed down to a more manageable level among other scenes.
3. Remove the Goblin theme from most of the score. I love the Jerry Goldsmith score, but the "Goblin Theme" really disrupts the flow of almost every scene it’s included and definitely dates an otherwise timeless score. For me, for example, the worst offending use of the Goblin theme is featured during the Unicorn scene. Right in the middle of a beautiful sequence, the music is swelling and bam, it cuts to the Goblin theme...and then cuts back to the beautiful music again. Not only is it jarring, it just kills the whole vibe and really distracts from one of the most pivotal moments of the entire film.
4. Remove some distracting visual mistakes. I tried to remove some wire shadows, random crew members hanging out in the background, and visible cracks that can be seen on the Lord of Darkness in some action sequences to hopefully create a more polished viewing experience.
5. Keep Lili’s arc from the US/UK version. I think the DC makes Lili, in my opinion, too unlikeable and less innocent in the beginning of the film and some of her actions/dialogue at times seem really out of character.
6. Keep the “happily ever after” ending. What can I say, I'm a romantic at heart and I prefer Jack and Lili running off into the sunset together. Plus I feel like it makes the whole journey more rewarding as they have basically gone through hell and back to be together.
1. Remove the bathroom humor and childish jokes that really take away from the darker fantasy vibe. For example: When Brown Tom farts sitting down in the snow, that just makes an otherwise lighthearted scene a little too childish for me. I did keep humor in the film that is featured between the Goblins/Jack and company, but I did try to remove the jokes I thought were distracting or out of place such as "Big D".
2. Tighten the editing on certain scenes as some of the DC sequences run a tad too long in certain areas that kill the flow. For example, when Gump throws a tantrum after Jack answers his riddle, it seems to go on forever and it is definitely over the top. So that has been trimmed down to a more manageable level among other scenes.
3. Remove the Goblin theme from most of the score. I love the Jerry Goldsmith score, but the "Goblin Theme" really disrupts the flow of almost every scene it’s included and definitely dates an otherwise timeless score. For me, for example, the worst offending use of the Goblin theme is featured during the Unicorn scene. Right in the middle of a beautiful sequence, the music is swelling and bam, it cuts to the Goblin theme...and then cuts back to the beautiful music again. Not only is it jarring, it just kills the whole vibe and really distracts from one of the most pivotal moments of the entire film.
4. Remove some distracting visual mistakes. I tried to remove some wire shadows, random crew members hanging out in the background, and visible cracks that can be seen on the Lord of Darkness in some action sequences to hopefully create a more polished viewing experience.
5. Keep Lili’s arc from the US/UK version. I think the DC makes Lili, in my opinion, too unlikeable and less innocent in the beginning of the film and some of her actions/dialogue at times seem really out of character.
6. Keep the “happily ever after” ending. What can I say, I'm a romantic at heart and I prefer Jack and Lili running off into the sunset together. Plus I feel like it makes the whole journey more rewarding as they have basically gone through hell and back to be together.
Additional Notes:
The Director's Cut was used as the main source for this edit. This edit does include small scenes and audio sourced from the US and UK version of the film as well as bonus features.
Other Sources:
Legend Expanded Soundtrack by Music Box Records
Special Thanks:
A big, heartfelt thank you to INIGHTMARES and ArtisDead! They were so gracious with their time and talents in helping me get this to where it needs to be. They were incredibly supportive in offering their ideas and expertise, and making me feel part of the community. To quote The Man From Snowy River, "You're welcome at my fire anytime."
Release Information:
Digital
Editing Details:
Editing was done using the Adobe Premiere Pro. Visual edits were done using a combination of Adobe After Effects and Adobe Photoshop.
Cuts and Additions:
I used the Director's Cut as my foundation:
- Inserted a modified version of the crawl used in the US Version. The new crawl contains the original first 4 paragraphs (the fourth paragraph has been slightly modified and combined with the original third paragraph). The second to last paragraph has been rewritten. I have changed one word in the final paragraph, "Legends" to all caps "LEGEND". The crawl also includes the corrected spelling of Lily to Lili.
- Removed the opening credits and edited a condensed opening of Blix approaching the Great Tree using some of the opening clips with the credits removed accompanied by the “Darkness Arises” track.
- Trimmed door opening and Blix entrance to be quicker
- Trimmed Blix, Darkness conversation to be a little quicker
- Removed Darkness line “A force I had mercifully almost forgotten”
- Removed Blix line “I get the point Lord”
- Removed Blix bowing down. The Lord of Darkness now states "Innocence! Innocence!" over newly inserted shots of the Great Tree window, the Great Tree exterior, and shots of the Goblins riding through the forest accompanied by a portion of the Goblins track. Cut to black, the title “Legend” fades in and out over a black screen. Fade in to Lili in the meadow.
- Trimmed a small portion of Lili in the meadow to accommodate new title transition
- Removed second appearance of Goblins and “Goblins theme” when Lili is walking through the meadow
- Trimmed the conversation between Lili and Nell
- Trimmed and reordered some scenes when Lili is walking through the forest to quicken the pace
- Added US Version of Jack jumping down from tree
- Removed Jack interacting with the bird on his shoulder
- Trimmed down Lili and Jack conversation
- Removed the double cut of Jack’s summersault
- Inserted a cut of Lili smiling/laughing after Jack says “I know someone sweeter”
- Removed Blix line “Maybe innocent, maybe sweet, ain’t half as nice as rotting meat”
- Added US Version of Jack and Lili crossing the stream, standing in field
- Added US Version close up of Jack’s reacting to Lili speaking finch
- Rearranged cuts during the Unicorn sequence, and removed Goblins theme from the score
- Removed line “…ugly one horned mule”
- Cut Lili’s defiance when Jack tells her “Please” not to go to the Unicorns
- Removed Jack’s line “Lili no. Please.”
- Added pig squeal sound effects when Pox is spinning in circles
- Removed Blix line “This shot be just as sweet as pie”
- Rearranged Lili talking to Jack after Unicorn scene
- Removed Lili’s line “I don’t care”
- Removed Lili’s line “Thank you”
- Recut the sequence where Lili sings “Bumps and Hollows” to include the US scenes of Lili waking up to Jack while he is sitting.
- Removed the horse trainer that can been seen peeking around the bush
- Replaced the DC scene when Lili kisses Jack on the cheek with the US version kiss on the lips as I feel it transitions better and fits the dialogue better.
- Rearranged scenes when Lili screams for Jack. She now sees the storm first, then screams for Jack only once.
- Shortened the Jack swimming sequence and removed some of Lili’s screams that can be heard underwater
- Used the US Version shot of the sword lining up with alicorn
- Added US Version of alicorn being removed
- Reordered a few scenes when the weather is changing. Now the world doesn’t turn to ice until after the alicorn has been severed.
- A shot of the clock turning to ice along with additional sound effects have been inserted right after the alicorn has been cut.
- Added US Version scene of Jack searching for Lili in the snow
- Removed some of Oona's shadow that can be seen on the snow when approaching sleeping Jack
- Trimmed down the sequence with Gump talking to Jack, throwing a tantrum
- Removed Jack’s line “…and pray God my answer pleases you”
- Removed Jack’s line “Riddle without an answer is like an empty cup when you’re thirsty for wine”
- Removed Gump’s line “Well spoken. And if it’s wine you want, it’s wine we shall have.”
- Removed farting sound when Brown Tom sits down
- Replaced some DC cuts with the US Version of Jack reacting when meeting Oona
- Removed Pox’s line “Big D!”
- Removed Blunder’s line “Adios Amigos”
- Removed Blix’s line “Wow”
- Changed the transition when Lili is captured in the net.
- Removed Screwball’s line “Foreigner”
- After Jack slays Meg Mucklebones, removed the extended breathing that is heard as the scene transitions to the Great Tree
- Added some additional light around Oona in the dungeon cell to make the wiring/bulbs a little less noticeable when the bulbs brightness is very low
- Removed Oona’s line “You’ve got to help us Jack” when Jack is looking through the door
- Tightened editing around conversation where Jack has a plan in Lord of Darkness layer
- Removed Alice Playten’s vocal performance during the Darkness conversation with the alternate vocal performance.
- Removed Alice Playten’s Dress Waltz vocal lines “Win her” and “Make her one of us” and replaced it with the alternate vocal performance of “Charm her” and “Change her spirit.”
- Added Lili approaching the dining table, seeing the apple, and seeing the wine glass fill up from US Version
- Removed Screwball’s line “I can’t let that happen” while climbing chimney
- Removed some dust scratches when Oona is flying through the corridors of the Great Tree.
- Changed the order of a few cuts in the unicorn sacrifice sequence. It now shows Jack firing his arrow first followed by Lili setting the unicorn free. This order more closely follows the second draft of the Legend shooting script which emphasizes Jack’s trust in Lili.
- Added arrows to Darkness shoulder/neck when he strikes Lili to reflect that he has already been shot by Jack
- Removed the arrow that Jack is holding since he has already shot the arrow into Darkness
- Inserted a cut of Gump readying his bow before Jack swings across the pit
- Removed the visible cracks around the head/neck area when Darkness rams into the column trapping Jack and when Jack punches Darkness
- Removed some dust scratches when Oona is trying to wake Screwball.
- Removed Jack’s double jump out of the water after he finds Lili’s ring
- Recut the end of the Directors Cut to have a “happily ever after” ending.
- Added the US Version scene where they return the alicorn
- Added a shot of Lili asleep from US Version
- Removed some of the dialogue when Lili awakens
- Added UK Version of Jack and Lili holding hands through forest
- Added US Version of Jack and Lili waving/holding hands into the sunset
- Created/added credits to account for the credits which were removed from the beginning of the film
- Inserted a modified version of the crawl used in the US Version. The new crawl contains the original first 4 paragraphs (the fourth paragraph has been slightly modified and combined with the original third paragraph). The second to last paragraph has been rewritten. I have changed one word in the final paragraph, "Legends" to all caps "LEGEND". The crawl also includes the corrected spelling of Lily to Lili.
- Removed the opening credits and edited a condensed opening of Blix approaching the Great Tree using some of the opening clips with the credits removed accompanied by the “Darkness Arises” track.
- Trimmed door opening and Blix entrance to be quicker
- Trimmed Blix, Darkness conversation to be a little quicker
- Removed Darkness line “A force I had mercifully almost forgotten”
- Removed Blix line “I get the point Lord”
- Removed Blix bowing down. The Lord of Darkness now states "Innocence! Innocence!" over newly inserted shots of the Great Tree window, the Great Tree exterior, and shots of the Goblins riding through the forest accompanied by a portion of the Goblins track. Cut to black, the title “Legend” fades in and out over a black screen. Fade in to Lili in the meadow.
- Trimmed a small portion of Lili in the meadow to accommodate new title transition
- Removed second appearance of Goblins and “Goblins theme” when Lili is walking through the meadow
- Trimmed the conversation between Lili and Nell
- Trimmed and reordered some scenes when Lili is walking through the forest to quicken the pace
- Added US Version of Jack jumping down from tree
- Removed Jack interacting with the bird on his shoulder
- Trimmed down Lili and Jack conversation
- Removed the double cut of Jack’s summersault
- Inserted a cut of Lili smiling/laughing after Jack says “I know someone sweeter”
- Removed Blix line “Maybe innocent, maybe sweet, ain’t half as nice as rotting meat”
- Added US Version of Jack and Lili crossing the stream, standing in field
- Added US Version close up of Jack’s reacting to Lili speaking finch
- Rearranged cuts during the Unicorn sequence, and removed Goblins theme from the score
- Removed line “…ugly one horned mule”
- Cut Lili’s defiance when Jack tells her “Please” not to go to the Unicorns
- Removed Jack’s line “Lili no. Please.”
- Added pig squeal sound effects when Pox is spinning in circles
- Removed Blix line “This shot be just as sweet as pie”
- Rearranged Lili talking to Jack after Unicorn scene
- Removed Lili’s line “I don’t care”
- Removed Lili’s line “Thank you”
- Recut the sequence where Lili sings “Bumps and Hollows” to include the US scenes of Lili waking up to Jack while he is sitting.
- Removed the horse trainer that can been seen peeking around the bush
- Replaced the DC scene when Lili kisses Jack on the cheek with the US version kiss on the lips as I feel it transitions better and fits the dialogue better.
- Rearranged scenes when Lili screams for Jack. She now sees the storm first, then screams for Jack only once.
- Shortened the Jack swimming sequence and removed some of Lili’s screams that can be heard underwater
- Used the US Version shot of the sword lining up with alicorn
- Added US Version of alicorn being removed
- Reordered a few scenes when the weather is changing. Now the world doesn’t turn to ice until after the alicorn has been severed.
- A shot of the clock turning to ice along with additional sound effects have been inserted right after the alicorn has been cut.
- Added US Version scene of Jack searching for Lili in the snow
- Removed some of Oona's shadow that can be seen on the snow when approaching sleeping Jack
- Trimmed down the sequence with Gump talking to Jack, throwing a tantrum
- Removed Jack’s line “…and pray God my answer pleases you”
- Removed Jack’s line “Riddle without an answer is like an empty cup when you’re thirsty for wine”
- Removed Gump’s line “Well spoken. And if it’s wine you want, it’s wine we shall have.”
- Removed farting sound when Brown Tom sits down
- Replaced some DC cuts with the US Version of Jack reacting when meeting Oona
- Removed Pox’s line “Big D!”
- Removed Blunder’s line “Adios Amigos”
- Removed Blix’s line “Wow”
- Changed the transition when Lili is captured in the net.
- Removed Screwball’s line “Foreigner”
- After Jack slays Meg Mucklebones, removed the extended breathing that is heard as the scene transitions to the Great Tree
- Added some additional light around Oona in the dungeon cell to make the wiring/bulbs a little less noticeable when the bulbs brightness is very low
- Removed Oona’s line “You’ve got to help us Jack” when Jack is looking through the door
- Tightened editing around conversation where Jack has a plan in Lord of Darkness layer
- Removed Alice Playten’s vocal performance during the Darkness conversation with the alternate vocal performance.
- Removed Alice Playten’s Dress Waltz vocal lines “Win her” and “Make her one of us” and replaced it with the alternate vocal performance of “Charm her” and “Change her spirit.”
- Added Lili approaching the dining table, seeing the apple, and seeing the wine glass fill up from US Version
- Removed Screwball’s line “I can’t let that happen” while climbing chimney
- Removed some dust scratches when Oona is flying through the corridors of the Great Tree.
- Changed the order of a few cuts in the unicorn sacrifice sequence. It now shows Jack firing his arrow first followed by Lili setting the unicorn free. This order more closely follows the second draft of the Legend shooting script which emphasizes Jack’s trust in Lili.
- Added arrows to Darkness shoulder/neck when he strikes Lili to reflect that he has already been shot by Jack
- Removed the arrow that Jack is holding since he has already shot the arrow into Darkness
- Inserted a cut of Gump readying his bow before Jack swings across the pit
- Removed the visible cracks around the head/neck area when Darkness rams into the column trapping Jack and when Jack punches Darkness
- Removed some dust scratches when Oona is trying to wake Screwball.
- Removed Jack’s double jump out of the water after he finds Lili’s ring
- Recut the end of the Directors Cut to have a “happily ever after” ending.
- Added the US Version scene where they return the alicorn
- Added a shot of Lili asleep from US Version
- Removed some of the dialogue when Lili awakens
- Added UK Version of Jack and Lili holding hands through forest
- Added US Version of Jack and Lili waving/holding hands into the sunset
- Created/added credits to account for the credits which were removed from the beginning of the film
Trailer
User reviews
5 reviews
Overall rating
9.8
Audio/Video Quality
10.0(5)
Audio Editing
10.0(5)
Visual Editing
10.0(5)
Narrative
9.2(5)
Enjoyment
10.0(5)
Overall rating
10.0
Audio/Video Quality
10.0
Audio Editing
10.0
Visual Editing
10.0
Narrative
10.0
Enjoyment
10.0
This edit is listed as a "FanFix", which assumes it is correcting problems with either the Theatrical Cut of the film or the Director's Cut. To be honest, you could easily just label it a "FanMix", as it largely is simply picking and choosing the best elements of both. The biggest difference will be for those who are nostalgic for '80s synth scores in their Fantasy films: in that case, this is an alternative viewing experience.
Personally, I always thought Tangerine Dream (and the other '80s rock ballads) were an odd fit for this movie, and Goldsmith's score is wonderful, so this is a non-issue. However, you already have that in the DC and European versions of the movie. What this edit does though is to trim out some of the humor and adjust the pacing while giving you the most satisfying ending of the 3 filmed.
My thoughts on the film in general are here- https://boxd.it/50J2gF but I have to say that I think for almost everyone this edit will be a shelf replacer. There are a couple little bits I miss, like the dinner scene between Lili and Darkness or the shot of Darkness drifting into space, but overall I can see why they are not included in this edit. On the technical side, all the replacements are incredibly smooth, with potentially just one or two noticeable cuts early in the film (which is already kind of a narrative mess anyway.)
I'll echo a previous reviewer and say that the opening crawl bugs me and is totally unnecessary, but really that gets into a different realm, in terms of what further improvements could be made to the movie. I do wonder if the beginning couldn't be helped through some more creative rearrangement and re-editing of the various footage, as there's no version where it's not jarring and a bit hard to follow. But that's another question, and not what this edit seeks to do. This already is superior to any available cut of the film, so I have to thank zrfarnsworth for that!
Personally, I always thought Tangerine Dream (and the other '80s rock ballads) were an odd fit for this movie, and Goldsmith's score is wonderful, so this is a non-issue. However, you already have that in the DC and European versions of the movie. What this edit does though is to trim out some of the humor and adjust the pacing while giving you the most satisfying ending of the 3 filmed.
My thoughts on the film in general are here- https://boxd.it/50J2gF but I have to say that I think for almost everyone this edit will be a shelf replacer. There are a couple little bits I miss, like the dinner scene between Lili and Darkness or the shot of Darkness drifting into space, but overall I can see why they are not included in this edit. On the technical side, all the replacements are incredibly smooth, with potentially just one or two noticeable cuts early in the film (which is already kind of a narrative mess anyway.)
I'll echo a previous reviewer and say that the opening crawl bugs me and is totally unnecessary, but really that gets into a different realm, in terms of what further improvements could be made to the movie. I do wonder if the beginning couldn't be helped through some more creative rearrangement and re-editing of the various footage, as there's no version where it's not jarring and a bit hard to follow. But that's another question, and not what this edit seeks to do. This already is superior to any available cut of the film, so I have to thank zrfarnsworth for that!
User Review
Do you recommend this edit?
Yes
Format Watched?
Digital
M
Overall rating
9.2
Audio/Video Quality
10.0
Audio Editing
10.0
Visual Editing
10.0
Narrative
6.0
Enjoyment
10.0
Everything edited here is very well done and gives the best possible presentation of this film. I find the narrative to still be lacking but thats the writer and directors issue not the editor.
User Review
Do you recommend this edit?
Yes
Format Watched?
Digital
H
Overall rating
10.0
Audio/Video Quality
10.0
Audio Editing
10.0
Visual Editing
10.0
Narrative
10.0
Enjoyment
10.0
I love this edit. And the trailer the editor made is what sold me. Watch the trailer.
The edit is in a crisp 1080p with 5,1 audio.
The visuals of Ridley Scott's films pretty much always blow me away, and they get to really shine here. The childish humor is gone. A dreamlike, but also very intense and dark fairy tale remains. The editor made seamless edits and cuts. If it has been a long time since you've watched your copy of Legend or the Director's Cut version of it, this edit is easily the shelf-replacer. The story is streamlined with plenty of cuts that would otherwise slow things down, but the core throughline of the plot remains intact. The pacing is seamless. This edit really is amazing. The visuals from both versions of the film are edited together and used to superb effect, and so is the music and score replacement. If you weren't really a fan of the official versions, or just want to see a really, really good alternative cut that feels sinister in tone throughout, you need to see this version.
The edit is in a crisp 1080p with 5,1 audio.
The visuals of Ridley Scott's films pretty much always blow me away, and they get to really shine here. The childish humor is gone. A dreamlike, but also very intense and dark fairy tale remains. The editor made seamless edits and cuts. If it has been a long time since you've watched your copy of Legend or the Director's Cut version of it, this edit is easily the shelf-replacer. The story is streamlined with plenty of cuts that would otherwise slow things down, but the core throughline of the plot remains intact. The pacing is seamless. This edit really is amazing. The visuals from both versions of the film are edited together and used to superb effect, and so is the music and score replacement. If you weren't really a fan of the official versions, or just want to see a really, really good alternative cut that feels sinister in tone throughout, you need to see this version.
User Review
Do you recommend this edit?
Yes
Format Watched?
Digital
I
Overall rating
10.0
Audio/Video Quality
10.0
Audio Editing
10.0
Visual Editing
10.0
Narrative
10.0
Enjoyment
10.0
loved this edit. very EntertaIning and magical. family loved it. had to see it again. keep up the great work and keep the edits coming.!!!!!!
User Review
Do you recommend this edit?
Yes
Format Watched?
Digital
T
(Updated: March 20, 2023)
Overall rating
10.0
Audio/Video Quality
10.0
Audio Editing
10.0
Visual Editing
10.0
Narrative
10.0
Enjoyment
10.0
Had only seen one version of this film before, the 94-minute UK/European/International Cut, and that was on TV a few years ago. Didn't particularly enjoy it then, felt somewhat fragmented with a few bits feeling "off", but learning of this revisit sparked my interest me think to give it another chance.
This time I was drawn into the world Ridley Scott brought to life, and it feels worthy of standing alongside other fantasy films of the era that I am fond of. The one tiny gripe I have is the opening crawl, bits of information in which are clearly spoken minutes later by the Lord of Darkness, but this is quickly forgotten and not worthy of deducting points for enjoyment. The technical presentation was great and led me to wonder if the poor quality of the TV broadcast I watched originally contributed to my lack of engagement with it, being how dependent the experience of this story is on the visuals.
Looking forward to seeing the other versions now, will be particularly interested to see how much the extra five minutes in the Director's Cut stand out, thanks zrfarnsworth for prompting me to give this film another go!
This time I was drawn into the world Ridley Scott brought to life, and it feels worthy of standing alongside other fantasy films of the era that I am fond of. The one tiny gripe I have is the opening crawl, bits of information in which are clearly spoken minutes later by the Lord of Darkness, but this is quickly forgotten and not worthy of deducting points for enjoyment. The technical presentation was great and led me to wonder if the poor quality of the TV broadcast I watched originally contributed to my lack of engagement with it, being how dependent the experience of this story is on the visuals.
Looking forward to seeing the other versions now, will be particularly interested to see how much the extra five minutes in the Director's Cut stand out, thanks zrfarnsworth for prompting me to give this film another go!
User Review
Do you recommend this edit?
Yes
Format Watched?
Digital
P