Let's eat unicorns 4/9

I know that asking you to watch Legend with Tom Cruise might be only slightly easier than asking you to drink jet fuel, but I implore you to do so. Not for the Cruise-man, though. No, no! Watch it for Tim Curry as Darkness.

Here he is, pretty impressive, eh? Considering the age of this film, the make-up done for him is stunning. Curry’s expressive maw is the only thing visible from his real face while massive, black horns reach up and out from his red, pointy eared, double chinned devil face. The only thing that might have made this costume, pardon the pun, legendary would be if it had come complete with wings. Again, considering the age of the film I am glad they didn’t do them, but still…

As a devil and Lord of Darkness, he seeks to kill the last unicorns and put the lights out forever on the rest of the world. I like my daylight but I’m all for fewer unicorns in the world so already he has my vote. This character, even with his tiny screen time, made a huge impression on me. From the first teases of his form seen on screen to his eventual unveiling we are in awe of him.

I don’t feel one way or the other about devils and demons, but I know that some are supposed to frighten you all the time and some are supposed to tempt you. Darkness appears and scares the bejesus out of the maiden in the film (name not really important) and then he gives her dinner and a new dress. He, dare I say it, seduces her over dinner. No mind tricks, no false appearances, just Darkness, his horns, claws, and red skin. That’s a devil with some balls.

I think that more than a few people were impressed by this make up effect. Notice the Dreadlord from World of Warcraft:


Aside from the wings and very not red skin, they are very similar.

I really admire film makers that are ready to push the envelope a bit in terms of imagery and effects. Ridley Scott did not go for the cheesy animation or, worse yet, the “demon is Al Pacino” device. You know what I mean, it’s when someone at the studio thinks “let’s have the devil but make him Gabriel Byrne and let Arnold punch him.”

You know what, the Devil, demons, arch-fiends of hell; they are supposed to be powerful and completely frightening. Keating from Usual Suspects does not scare me. I suppose you could argue that Kaiser Soze was the devil there, but that’s not my point.

Why ruin a great monster by saying that he has assumed a human form? Give me horns! Give me a forked tongue and black talons! Then have that thing give me dinner and lure me in with temptations beyond my wildest dreams. Devils are more than mindless imps with spears and ill tempers.

Watch Legend, it’s ok if you fast forward through the Tom stuff, I forgive you.