While Legend was released in a deluxe edition a few years back and certainly has a devoted following (including a fan whose affectionate website beckons you to “touch a unicorn to enter”), I still feel this Ridley Scott classic is overlooked and too often forgotten. It's one of the most excellent examples of fantasy filmmaking; a magical and sometimes darkly frightening fairytale. I guess it was a real battle to get this film to the screen: not only did the sets burn down in the middle of shooting but the results of “test audiences” (the worst two words ever) led to a score change and severe cuts. Both this cut and the uncut versions are available on the special set. This is one of those rare treats that's as easy to watch now as it was when I was mesmerized by it as a kid. Tim Curry dominates in his role as Darkness; Tom Cruise isn't crazy yet and Sloane Peterson is beautiful.

Bonus Pick: The Last Unicorn (1982)
When it comes to sentimental favorites from our childhood, it's hard to know if they'll stand the test of time and still enchant us as adults. I was curious whether The Last Unicorn would fair well, and the answer is both yes and no. I'm sure there is an elegant, charming story in the novel by Peter Beagle, but here it's told clumsily, marred by far too many really cheesy songs (“Look at her sparkle, she's the last uuu – neee – cooorn!” or “Now that I'm a woman, everything's changed“) and a host of annoying minor characters including an unbearable butterfly voiced by Robert Klein which rivals anything Robin Williams could throw at you. Still, with all that said, there's some surprisingly stunning artwork on display, especially in the backgrounds and introduction scene and for sentimental value, it's worth another look–but don't expect it to feel quiet as special as you remember. Stick with this week's pick, Legend, for a stirring unicorn based tale.

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Posted on August 27, 2007