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Blade Runner & Legend DVD Updates (1 Viewer)

Ronald Epstein

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Ronald Epstein
You know, I saw Legend only once on VHS and I hardly remember it.
Which do you, the fans, feel is the better version?
The Jerry Goldsmith score or the Tangerine Dream
score?
The normal cut or the Director's cut?
The U.S. version or the European version?
There are so many versions out there and when
I finally do get the chance to do a review, I'd
like to know which one to pick.
 

Jeff

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If there is no narration track on Blade Runner, I'll be very disappointed and won't even think about buying the DVD. I'm not the only one who likes the original threatrical version. Check out what people are paying the VHS tapes of it!!
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Just think how much the demand will go even higher if the new DVD doesn't have it.
Jeff
 

Artur Meinild

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It's my impression that mr. Lauzirika and mr. Scott will do what they can to include the theatrical version on the Blade Runner DVD. Please correct me if I'm wrong... :)
 

David Hall

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Ron, here's my take on the whole Legend mess. I saw Legend originally in the theater and fell in love with it. I've always liked everything about it. I must have burned through 6 copies of the Tangerine Dream soundtrack on tape until they finally released it on CD. It wasn't until years later that I learned about the other cuts. I've never seen the European version, I've never heard the Goldsmith score. I am totally excited to experience this movie all over again, with more scenes, new music. But, the US cut is what I fell in love with. As much as I'm sure I will love the Director's cut, I need to have the US version. Obviously the people involved with the DVD understand this.

-dh
 

Mark-W

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While I firmly stand behind Ridley Scott's

revision/correction of the film as the priority,

I think that for this to be a truly special edition,

they had better include the original cut as well,

with the voice over, for the sake of film history,

if nothing else.

(And yes, many fans, me not included,

prefer the VO version.)

Mark
 

TheLongshot

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Well, I'm interested because of the whole story behind this film. It is kinda the opposite of Brazil, where the director let studio execs push him around and his film was hurt because of that. After hearing about scenes that were cut or edited differently from what they should have been, I'm really interested to see how the movie plays.

I'm a big fan of the Goldsmith score. I have it on CD and it is one of the better scores I've heard. I've been looking forward to seeing the score in context with the film, so yeah, I'm looking forward to the director's cut.

At the same time, I know people would be upset if the American cut with the TD score wasn't on there because that is what fans are most used to in this country.

Jason
 

Sam Hatch

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I do enjoy the Goldsmith score when watching the Euro cut, but the Tangerine Dream effort is an all time classic in my book. Things of beauty can sometimes be born out of mistakes, and the score from the weak US cut is just that.

Overall, I feel it builds an encompassing 'mood' (a la Vangelis' work on Blade Runner) as opposed to Goldsmith's score. During a scene with a young princess frolicking amidst fields while goblins lurk nearby, Tangerine Dream builds a single feel that works well with both good and evil. Whereas Goldsmith tends to hit you on the head and change feels with every cut -- happy princess, happy princess, SCARY BAD GUYS, happy princess, MORE SCARY BAD GUYS! etc... The dance number is one moment that is interesting in the Euro cut, but made so much better by TD's work in the US.

Jerry's is a nice score, though to me it feels a bit too similar to his other 80's works (bits of Poltergeist crop up here and there). It wasn't until Total Recall that he grabbed my imagination again and made me run to the CD racks. Tangerine Dream manages to take the onscreen magic and enhances it to a level Goldsmith frankly never reaches.

BUT -- Goldsmith's songs for Mia Sara are excellent, work well with the character/story, and should never have been cut out. It would have been nice at least to have seen what Tangerine Dream could have cooked up, but they would have had to reshoot entire sequences to accompany them. All in all, the loss of the songs greatly wounds the film.

I have not seen any of the director's cuts or workprints, so

can only judge between the US, Euro and TV cuts. The TV I can immediately write off, so it's -- Euro cut as the better film, and US cut as the lesser film with a better score.
 

Ken Stuart

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Ron -
From what I've read, the film has never really been shown. What made it to the theaters was heavily chopped up. The upcoming US SE release is the first time that the film will be released as it was intended to be seen.
From your review of the Almost Famous Director's Cut, I'm sure you have a firm grasp of the situation.
Since no one (outside of the people who worked on the DVD) has seen the director's cut, it is impossible for anyone here (other than Charlie) to answer your question.
Sam makes some good points, and I'd have to say that Tangerine Dream are candidates for all-time best soundtrack composers.
SO, we'll have to see when the DVD set is released....
Again, you can find every detail known about this film at:
The Legend FAQ
 
Joined
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Just read some very interesting info regarding Legend over at TheDigitalBits. Here's a cut and paste from their site:
You R2 fans of Ridley Scott's Legend should be happy next month. Word is that the film will be released on DVD in Region 2 on March 8th. However, this will NOT be the special edition version currently being readied for release by Universal in Region 1. Look for that long-delayed title to be released here in the States by the summer. One other Universal note (and consider this a rumor): we're now hearing that the studio's Back to the Future Trilogy on DVD has again been delayed from its tentative July release date, possibly out of a desire to re-release the films theatrically first. Hopefully, we'll hear more soon
...almost there... ;)
 

Beast

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Hopefully the May 21st Region 1 DVD release of Legend is true. Been waiting for this one a while. I wonder if they are going to do a cross premotion with McFarlane toys since they are doing a "Darkness" figure in the Movie Maniacs line this year. If the picture isn't showing up, try this URL
37765.jpg

MTFBWY and HH!!
Mike
 

Scott Weinberg

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May 21st....
It has such a lovely ring to it. Say it with me:
May 21st
This has been round 1 of the Legend DVD decompression.
Thanks for the scoop, Mark! I have a Tower Gift Card I've been saving for a loooooong time! :):):)
 

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