An original Darkness puppet from Ridley Scott’s 1985 dark fantasy classic Legend, starring Tom Cruise, Mia Sara, and Tim Curry in one of the most celebrated villain performances in fantasy cinema.
In the film, the Lord of Darkness schemes to cast the world into eternal night by destroying the last of the unicorns, drawing the forest-dweller Jack and Princess Lili into a battle between light and shadow. Tim Curry’s Darkness, realized through Rob Bottin’s Academy Award-nominated makeup, remains one of the greatest depictions of the devil ever put on film and this puppet was used to bring the character to life in the film’s final sequences, as Darkness is banished back to his dimension. The shot, lasting approximately five seconds, was absent from the initial European release but restored for the U.S. theatrical version and the director’s cut, making this puppet part of one of the most discussed endings in the film’s famously tangled release history.
Standing around 12 inches tall, the puppet is made of resin with leather joints allowing for ease of movement and flexibility. Its costume is black cotton with an elaborate lace belt and cuffs, and the hooves are weighted to lend the figure more realistic motion. Miniature craftsmanship worthy of the film’s legendary practical effects and likeness of an iconic actor lost too soon.
