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Legend: The Return of Darkness

zrfarnsworth

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Legend_The-Return-of-Darkness_Poster.jpg



I’ve have always had a soft spot for movies that takes risks, especially fantasy films from the 80s. Slipstream, Tron, Dune, and of course Legend come to mind. I didn’t see Legend until I was in my mid-twenties. I had always been intrigued with Legend because of the movie posters and the people involved in making the film, 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.

Since I did not grow up with the film, I didn’t have any nostalgia or preference for which cut/score of the film going in. I watched the Director’s Cut first, followed by the US Version and UK Version. I thought the Director's Cut was the best of the bunch, but felt like it was hampered by some of the editing and childish humor. So a few months ago I decided to set out to do my first fan edit to make the version of Legend that I have always wanted to see.

Goals:
  • Use the Director's Cut as the foundation, including the Jerry Goldsmith score
  • Remove most of the overly childish humor such as “Adios Amigos” etc.
  • Tighten the editing on certain scenes, even out the volume levels, and include additional sound effects that are missing from the DC
  • Keep Lili’s arc, but remove some scenes/dialogue in the DC that makes her, in my opinion, too unlikeable and less innocent
  • Remove the Goblin theme from the score, as it really disrupts the flow of almost every scene it’s included
  • Combine elements from different versions I thought served the story and help viewers understand the world of Legend better
  • Keep the “happily ever after” ending
  • Added sound effects/visual effects to clean up certain transitions/scenes
Changes:
  • 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 with “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 signs “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 there is more leads up to that moment and it 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 Father Night and replaced it 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
  • 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
The films runtime is 108 mins, about 5 minutes shorter than the Director’s Cut
 
Last edited:

zrfarnsworth

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Here is a reworked clip of when the Unicorn is set free.

Clip shows Jack shooting the bow and arrow first, some added arrows in the shoulder/neck of Darkness after he's been shot, and the removed cracks in the head/neck area when Darkness pins Jack against a column.

 

kidjupiter92

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This is exciting to read about! I am a major fan of Legend, and I'm always looking for more love given to this film. I'd love to take a look at this.
 

INIGHTMARES

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I love that poster. So clean. And the extensive changes look promising. Look forward to helping get this where it needs to be 🙏
 

ArtisDead

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I absolutely loved this edit. Talk about bringing back childhood memories. Tom Cruise really is young in it. Thank you for making such an awesome edit! Welcome to the community!
 

DigModiFicaTion

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ArtisDead

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That's it! I knew It! All of these years I've been trying to figure out why I get this feeling that I know you. You are that darn unicorn! That explains sooooo much! From now on you will be known to me as "The Unicorn".
 
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