by Frank Calvillo
The Legacy is new on Blu from Shout! Factory.
As a self-proclaimed horror fiend, I’m greatly ashamed to say that I was unaware of The Legacy’s existence. It’s a horrible admission that’s also a bit mindboggling. How could I have gone so long without knowing about this gem of late ’70s horror?!
I thought I had covered the majority of ground the decade had to offer in terms of horror, from The Exorcist to Burnt Offerings. Turns out, this undeservedly little-seen film offers the best from those films, as well as shades of Hitchcock and Argento, for a truly worthwhile terror-filled experience.
Los Angeles architect Maggie (Katharine Ross) has been hired by an unknown employer to take on a job in England. Shortly after her arrival with boyfriend Pete (Sam Elliott), the two are involved in a close accident at the hands of a wealthy man named Jason, who invites the two back to his secluded estate in the country to recuperate while their motorcycle is repeared.
Soon after, the couple notices a number of rich, powerful guests appear in order to pay homage to their host, whom they claim is responsible for all their success. As the guests begin dying as the result of unexplainable accidents, however, Maggie and Pete find themselves afraid for their lives in a mansion from which they are unable to escape.
To put it simply, The Legacy has all of the main ingredients needed for a truly great horror film. There’s the creepy setting in the British countryside, the sprawling mansion with its many rooms and hallways, an assortment of side characters, including one determined evil-doer and a reclusive old man, who remains virtually unseen yet still manages to pull all the strings. Beyond that, though, there’s the film’s core story which draws inspiration from Lovecraft with its theme of spiritual captivity. And The Legacy’s spectacular death scenes rival some of the methods used by today’s entries, making horrifying use out of a swimming pool and a bedroom mirror.
If there’s one area where The Legacy makes a misstep, however, it’s in the choice of music. While the film’s main theme, “Another Side of Me,” is lovely and wonderfully performed by Kikki Dee, the track and the accompanying score seem to be more at home in a campy teen movie, rather than in a horror film.
While the music misses the mark altogether, the chemistry between the two leads hits the target straight on. Ross and Elliott have such a natural, sexy rapport that you instantly believe you are seeing a real couple. There’s a genuine tenderness between the two that raises both their performances and, in turn, gives The Legacy a surprising poignancy and credibility most films of the genre lack. Ironically, after meeting on the set of The Legacy, the pair fell in love, got married, and are still together to this day.
A bevy of side characters populate The Legacy, but without question, it’s Margaret Tyzack as a stoic, unsettling nurse and The Who’s Roger Daltery as a music playboy who meets a rather terrifying end, who are the most enjoyable to watch.
What makes The Legacy a cut above the rest, though, is the subtle approach director Richard Marquand takes with the film. One of the reasons most people detest horror films is because of the seemingly endless amounts of gore and guts thrown at them through the screen. And while The Legacy does indulge in some gruesomeness a bit here and there, it isn’t a film that’s too dependent on it. Small touches including a look in a character’s eyes, the turning onto a street, the passing of a shadow along a wall, and even the look in a cat’s eyes all provide enough terror throughout The Legacy to make it a first-class chillfest. Anybody who has ever been scared will agree that its the build up in suspense where real terror lies, not in how much blood a character is able to bleed.
The Package
I recommend not watching the spoiler-heavy trailer and TV spot if you haven’t seen the film. However, they are worth checking out post-viewing along with two new interviews featuring The Legacy’s editor Anne V. Coates (a legend among film editors) and makeup effects supervisor Robin Grantham.
The Lowdown
The Legacy is an unsung, yet worthwhile entry in the canon of ’70s horror featuring enough of the genre’s elements to satisfy most fans.