BAMcinématek Presents: Legend

Part of the BAMcinématek series Tangerine Dreams

Sat, Jun 2, 2012 at 6:50pm

Directed by Ridley Scott
With Tom Cruise, Mia Sara, Tim Curry

(1985) 89min, 35mm

Ridley Scott’s years-in-the-making special-effects extravaganza transformed a huge soundstage into a living forest complete with foliage and wildlife: a hermetic and gorgeously photographed world of elves, fairies, and a demon known only as Darkness (Curry). Having hired Tangerine Dream only after the original Elizabethan-flavored score (by renowned composer Jerry Goldsmith) didn’t test well with preview audiences, Scott seemed to still prefer the original and retained it for the film’s European release (though both scores were released as soundtrack albums). Tangerine Dream’s version was wholly different and more modern—which triggered an unusually public controversy—adding notes of wonder to the gorgeous slow-motion and special-effects sequences and an element of danger to a film that verged on being, in the director’s own words, “too sweet.” Starring a young Tom Cruise as the “forest child” hero Jack and Mia Sara (before playing Ferris Bueller’s Sloane) as Princess Lily.