By James Whittington, 29th March 2025
Some of the our most iconic films will receive their Channel premieres on LEGEND this April, including John Carpenter's ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK, starring Kurt Russell, Micheal Winner's DEATH WISH, starring Charles Bronson, Paul Verhoeven's BASIC INSTINCT, starring Michael Douglas and Sharon Stone, and Neil Marshal's CENTURION, starring Michael Fassbender and Dominic West.
Other premieres include Brit revenge crime thriller VENDETTA, starring Danny Dyer, and John Badham's DROP ZONE, in which Wesley Snipes freefalls into new heights of crime-fighting.
Plus, LEGEND presents six classic afternoon 'matinee' premieres, including the celebrated 1976 version of KING KONG, starring Jeff Bridges and Jessica Lange, the 1972 rousing version of TREASURE ISLAND, in which Orson Wells is outstanding as Long John Silver and historical drama THE SCARLET BLADE, most notable for a stirring performance from the ever-menacing Oliver Reed.
Let's kick-off on the 5th with one of John Carpenter's most iconic movies, ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK. 1997 - and Manhattan has become a walled prison for three million criminals where they are left to run loose. The plane carrying the American President crashes there and he is taken prisoner by "the Duke". Sent in to rescue him from this land of hell is Snake Plissken (Kurt Russell), former war hero turned criminal. To ensure he does not abandon his mission, two devices are implanted in his arteries, primed to blow him to pieces if he fails to return on time. Fast-forward to the 11th where Danny Dyer has a VENDETTA. A former special-ops soldier (Dyer) must stay one step ahead of the police and his former military unit while he hunts down and kills the gang who slaughtered his parents. Directed by Stephen Reynolds and co-starring Roxanne McKee. The following night we take to the skies in DROP ZONE. Wesley Snipes free-falls into the daredevil world of sky-diving to track down a cadre of techno terrorists. John Badham directs this chute-to-thrill adventure, which co-stars Gary Busey, Yancy Butler and Michael Jeter.
One of the most controversial movies ever made arrives on LEGEND this month, DEATH WISH is on the 18th. In this explosive story of revenge and urban violence, directed by Michael Winner, a New York architect, with liberal views, (Charles Bronson) has a change of opinion after his wife and daughter are violently attacked by a gang of thugs in their apartment. The next night we travel back in time for CENTURION. A splinter group of Roman soldiers fight for their lives behind enemy lines after their legion is decimated in a devastating guerrilla attack. Directed by Neil Marshall (Descent) and starring Michael Fassbender and Dominic West. Our final prime time premiere needs no introduction, BASIC INSTINCT. The mysterious Catherine Tramell (Sharon Stone), a crime novelist, becomes a suspect when she is linked to the brutal death of a rock star. Investigated by homicide detective Nick Curran (Michael Douglas), Catherine seduces him into an intense relationship. Meanwhile, the murder case becomes increasingly complicated when more seemingly connected deaths occur.
Looking at our matinee premieres let's start on the 9th with ARIZONA BUSHWACKERS . During the American Civil War, a Confederate spy takes a job as the marshal of a small town as a cover for his espionage activities. However, he finds out that a local businessman is selling weapons to a band of rampaging Indians. This entertaining Western is directed by Lesley Selander and stars Howard Keel, Yvonne De Carlo, John Ireland and Marilyn Maxwell. APACHE RISING on the 16th, follows a reformed man who now wears a sheriff's badge named Jim Walker (Rory Calhoun) who faces Apache trouble as well as a cunning thief who is plotting to rob a stagecoach carrying gold. This Western, set in post-Civil War Arizona, also stars Lon Chaney Jr, and includes the last screen appearance of one-time cowboy star Johnny Mack Brown. A remake of a classic which itself gained a huge cult following has its premiere on the 18th, KING KONG. Produced by Dino De Laurentiis and directed by John Guillermin, this monster adventure, praised for its advanced special effects, is a remake of the 1933 film and stars Jeff Bridges, Charles Grodin, and Jessica Lange in her first film role.
TREASURE ISLAND on the 21st brings to life Robert Louis Stevenson's classic tale of pirates and hidden gold which begins in an inn when a mysterious sea captain, Billy Bones, collapses with terror and dies, but not before entrusting the inn owner’s son Jim with an oilskin bag, which contains a map of buried treasure. Jim shows it to Squire Trelawney and Doctor Livesy and they decide to set sail in search of it, engaging, as cook, a one-legged seaman known as Long John Silver (Orson Wells). The 23rd has more historical drama in THE SCARLET BLADE. Set in 17th century England amid the bloody, head-on clashes between Cromwell's Roundheads and the loyal Cavaliers of King Charles I, Royalists are determined to fight to the end. Set against this troubled background the drama surrounds two families, and the conflicts that they face against each other and themselves. Stars Lionel Jeffries and Oliver Reed. We end on the 30th with THE LAST COMMAND. Legendary Texan Jim Bowie (Sterling Hayden) attempts to come to a nonviolent compromise with Mexican President Santa Anna (J. Carrol Naish), but the negotiations soon turn sour. Consuelo de Quesada (Anna Maria Alberghetti), a Mexican girl with close ties to Jim, then warns him that Santa Ana's men are planning to invade. So Jim, Davy Crockett (Arthur Hunnicutt) and a tiny crew of courageous Texans hide out in an abandoned mission, awaiting the violent confrontation.
Related show tags: VENDETTA, ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK, DEATH WISH, BASIC INSTINCT, CENTURION, DROP ZONE, KING KONG, TREASURE ISLAND, THE SCARLET BLADE MORE FEATURES RAMBO, ZORRO and CONAN join LEGEND schedule for September Posted on 21st August 2025
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