By James Whittington, 23rd May 2023
Female avengers, waring brothers and a coffin-bound Ryan Reynolds spearheads and dangerously heart-racing May line-up on LEGEND, highlighted by the UK TV premieres of Howard J. Ford's award-winning child-abduction horror drama NEVER LET GO, revenge Western ANY BULLET WILL DO, action thriller ACTS OF VENGEANCE, starring Antonio Banderas and British action-adventure war film MERCENARIES.
Plus, there are Channel premieres for English-language Spanish survival thriller BURIED, starring Ryan Reynolds, and INTERVIEW WITH A HIT MAN, starring Luke Goss as a deadly hitman with a secret past.
THE VINTAGE VAULT continues to chill Sunday nights with its popular classic genre double-bills, which, this month, include the channel premieres of Robert Young's erotic masterpiece VAMPIRE CIRCUS and THE UNCANNY, a gruesome, blood-curdling collection of horror short stories, starring Peter Cushing, Ray Milland, Joan Greenwood, Susan Penhaligon and Donald Pleasence.
Here's the LEGEND LOWDOWN for June:
We kick-off with the UK TV premiere of ANY BULLET WILL DO. During the great American Civil War, two brothers find themselves on opposing sides. Ten years later, Hollis Ransom, now a ruthless head hunter, sets out on a bloody path through Montana and Wyoming, fighting outlaws, evading Indians, and finally meeting his brother in an epic battle that will seal both men's fates once and for all. Moving to the 3rd and another UK TV premiere, Howard Ford's NEVER LET GO. Lisa Brennan (Angela Dixon), a single mother on vacation in a foreign land, takes the law into her own hands when her child is abducted. Trusting no one, and stopping at nothing, she weaves her way through the murky backstreets and barren landscapes in an epic journey to find her daughter against incredible odds.
THE HOUSE THAT DRIPPED BLOOD on the 4th is part of THE VINTAGE VAULT. Adapted by Psycho author Robert Bloch from his own short stories, this Amicus horror anthology is set in an English country home where. Inspector Holloway (John Bennett) is called on to investigate the bloody deaths of four tenants. Directed by Peter Duffell, this superior anthology stars Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Denholm Elliott, Ingrid Pitt and Jon Pertwee. The as part of the same strand don't miss BLOOD ON SATAN'S CLAW. When a mysterious corpse is accidentally dug in a small town, a group of local teens starts acting very strangely. The adolescents, led by a girl named Angel (Linda Hayden), are convinced the corpse was once possessed. They start to act out a series of demonic rituals, with devastating consequences. This 17th century British supernatural horror film is directed by Piers Haggard and stars Patrick Wymark, Linda Hayden, and Barry Andrews.
Another UK TV Premiere comes to Legend on the 10th, ACTS OF VENGEANCE. Action speaks louder than words when a fast-talking criminal lawyer, Frank Valera (Antonio Banderas) takes a vow of silence - transforming his body and his mind to embark on a quest to avenge the murder of his wife and daughter. We're back in THE VINTAGE VAULT on the 11th where we have a tickert booked for VAMPIRE CIRCUS. A circus arrives at a Serbian village to perform a show for the local inhabitants. Many of them believe that the plague that has gripped their village is the result of a curse inflicted on them years before by Count Mitterhouse, a vampire. Unbeknown to them, the leader of the circus is the Count's cousin intent on reviving his relative and having his revenge. Keep hold of those tickets for after we've been to the circus we're taking a trip on the DEATH LINE. Set on the London Underground, this moody shocker features brilliant horror icon Donald Pleasance in the lead role as a cockney copper. Hammer Horror star Christopher Lee also shows up in a small cameo. Directed by Gary Sherman this is one of Guillermo del Toro's all-time favourites.
How about yet another UK TV premiere? On the 15th we meet the MERCENARIES. When the Serbian Prime Minister is assassinated, an elite special ops team, led by ex-British S.A.S serviceman turned mercenary Andy Marlow (Robert Fucilla) is called in to pull Europe back from the brink of war. Also stars Billy Zane. More action on the 17th as we conduct an INTERVIEW WITH A HITMAN. Ater his final mission goes wrong, an elite hitman known as Viktor (Luke Goss), travels to London in an attempt to erase his past, and being a new life. But he encounters a deadly threat and is forced to confront buried secrets.
BEWARE MY BRETHREN on the 18th kicks off another VINTAGE VAULT double. Led by a sinister minister (Patrick Magee), zealous religious sect The Brethren have taken control of widow Birdy Wemys, sending her unstable son, Kenny, into a descent of madness and murder. No woman is safe when Kenny's religious mania overpowers him and leads to a rampage of carnage and chaos. This gritty story of lust, murder and terror, now a favourite cult horror, is directed by Robert Hartford-Davies. Following on from this we've an appointment at HORROR HOSPITAL. Jason Jones (Robin Askwith), a disillusioned songwriter, checks into Brittlehouse Manor, a 'health resort' where people are supposedly cured of all their hang-ups. It is run by the sinister Dr Storm (Michael Gough). who performs lobotomies on his young patients, and it isn't long before Jones realises that his life is in danger.
A claustrophobic contemporary hit on the 24th, take a deep breath for BURIED. Imagine waking up in the dark and realising that you've been buried alive with nothing but a lighter, a mobile phone and only 90 minutes of oxygen left. Ryan Reynolds delivers a compelling performance as everyman, Paul Conroy who has to that his fears, frustrations and dark emotion in order to remain focused on staying alive. Our final VINATGE VAULT on the 25th is a multi-story masterpiece, THE UNCANNY Author Wilbur Gray (Peter Cushing), who is convinced that cats are conspiring to replace the human race as masters of the earth, narrates three bizarre tales of feline terror. This blood-curdling collection of horror short stories also stars Ray Milland, Joan Greenwood, Susan Penhaligon and Donald Pleasence. Then it's Hammer time with TO THE DEVIL A DAUGHTER. Henry Beddows (Denholm Elliott) asks occult novelist John Verney (Richard Widmark) to protect his young daughter, Catherine (Natasha Kinski), who, although in the sanctuary of the Order of the Children of the Lord. has attracted the attention of ex-communicated priest Father Michael Rayner (Christopher Lee), who wants Catherine to become the incarnation of one of the crowned princes of Hell, Astaroth. Pitted against black magic, ancient rituals and a clan of Satanists, Verney battles to save the young girl from a diabolical fate.
Related show tags: TO THE DEVIL A DAUGHTER, BEWARE MY BRETHREN, HORROR HOSPITAL, NEVER LET GO, ANY BULLET WILL DO, ACTS OF VENGEANCE, MERCENARIES, VAMPIRE CIRCUS, THE UNCANNY, BLOOD ON SATAN'S CLAW, DEATH LINE, BURIED MORE FEATURES James Cameron’s stunning sci-fi thriller THE ABYSS leads LEGEND’s channel premiere line-up for May 2025 Posted on 29th April 2025
James Cameron's stunning underwater sci-fi thriller THE ABYSS gets a rare UK TV showing leading LEGEND's channel premiere line-up for May 2025. And for those who like their sci-fi adventures subterranean, LEGEND also presents three classic 'matinee' premieres – JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH (1959), VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA (1961) and THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE (1972), starring Gene Hackman. Hackman also stars in action thriller BEHIND ENEMY LINES.
Other sci-fi / fantasy picks this month include IMPOSTER (2001), from the author of Total Recall and Blade Runner, and HIGHLANDER III: THE SORCERER, where, once again, Connor MacLeod (Christoper Lambert) is forced to face a new,...
Carpenter, Verhoeven, Winner and Neil Marshall lead LEGEND charge of Channel premieres in April Posted on 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,...
LEGEND will take you on an exhilarating ride in March with ten channel premieres Posted on 27th February 2025
It's starry thrills all the way on LEGEND this March with ten channel premieres - from Terence Young's THE JIGSAW MAN, starring Michael Caine and Lawrence Olivier, Nick Love's THE SWEENEY, starring Ray Winstone and Damian Lewis, to Taylor Hackford's PARKER, starring Jennifer Lopez and Jason Statham.
Statham also pops up as a cage-fighting ex-cop in Boaz Yakim's high-octane SAFE, whilst Jean-Claude Van Damme kickboxes his way out of trouble in LIONHEART and Denzil Washington and Mark Wahlberg are all guns blazing in buddy cop action comedy 2 GUNS.
Other adrenaline-fuelled premieres include action Western THE KID, starring Eithan Hawke, undersea drama STEEL SHARK...
LEGEND reveals action-packed line-up of Channel premieres for February 2025 Posted on 28th January 2025
From Stephen Soderbergh's revenge-tinged actioner HAYWIRE, starring a kick-ass Gina Carano, to Michael Apted's London-set spy-thriller UNLOCKED, starring a gun-toting Noomi Rapace, and Tony Maylam's futuristic sci-fi horror gem SPLIT SECOND, starring serial killer hunter Rutger Hauer, LEGEND has scheduled ten nail-biting Channel premieres for a full-on February schedule.
Other adrenaline-fuelled premieres include action thrillers THE COLD LIGHT OF DAY, starring Bruce Willis and Sigourney Weaver, BLACK EAGLE, starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, BORN TO RAISE HELL, starring Steven Seagal and ROGUE, starring Megan Fox. British crime thrillers this month include the Channel premieres for WELCOME TO ...
LEGEND kicks off the New Year with thrilling round of premieres! Posted on 17th December 2024
From cult classics like Roy Ward Baker's LEGEND OF THE SEVEN GOLDEN VAMPIRES to legendary director Walter Hill's BULLET TO THE HEAD and Sacha Bennett's WE STILL STEAL THE OLD WAY, LEGEND has scheduled eleven channel premieres in January to kick off the New Year in thrilling fashion.
Other premieres include the classic mercenary thriller THE WILD GEESE, starring screen legends Richard Burton, Roger Moore and Richard Harris, sci-fi actioner LOOPER, starring Bruce Willis and Emily Blunt, sniper thriller DEADLY TARGET, crime drama EMPIRE STATE, starring Liam Hemsworth and Dwayne, biographical disaster movie DEEPWATER HORIZON, high-octane action thriller WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE, British ...
LEGEND unwraps sixteen premieres for December Posted on 26th November 2024
LEGEND unwraps sixteen channel premieres for December, filling the festive season with top-class thrillers, chillers and action-hitters, including Fred Zinnemann's 1973 classic THE DAY OF THE JACKAL, Robert Rodrigues' star-packed Machete sequel MACHETE KILLS (Lady Gaga, Mel Gibson), Michael Noer's gripping remake of PAPILLON (2017), the deadly diamond heist MOMENTUM, starring Oleg Kurylenko and the superb techno-thriller LIMITLESS, starring Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro. De Niro also stars in RIGHTEOUS KILL, alongside Al Pacino.
During the month, Hollywood's most-celebrated muscle men are in crime-thrilling action, including Steven Seagal in DRIVEN TO KILL and BEYOND THE LAW, Dolph Lundgren a...
LEGEND reveals a bumper sixteen premieres for November Posted on 27th October 2024
Sixteen action-packed Channel premieres light up LEGEND this November, including a double-dose of weird, stylish and depraved action with CRANK, starring Jason Statham and Any Smart, who both team up again for the sequel CRANK: HIGH VOLTAGE. There are also two of legendary director Sidney Lumet's films - the intense crime saga FAMILY BUSINESS, starring Sean Connery, Dustin Hoffman and Matthew Broderick and his critically acclaimed crime-legal drama Q & A, starring Nick Nolte and Timothy Hutton.
Plus, there are first showings for John Irvin's underrated Vietnam war drama HAMBURGER HILL, Peter Berg's PATRIOTS DAY, based on the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings, Brad Furman's slick Hollywood thriller RUNNER RUNNER,...
LEGEND reveals ten action-packed premieres for October Posted on 24th September 2024
Ten action-packed Channel premieres blast onto LEGEND this October, including Michael Mann's virtuoso cat-and-mouse thriller HEAT, starring Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, Steven Soderbergh's cult crime comedy OUT OF SIGHT, starring George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez, Adrian Lyne's erotic thriller UNFAITHFUL, starring Richard Gere and Diane Lane, David Fincher's dangerous mystery thriller THE GAME, starring Michael Douglas and Sean Penn and John Badham's cop action comedy THE HARD WAY, starring Michael J. Fox and James Woods.
Other primetime channel premieres are action thrillers DAYLIGHT, starring Sylvester Stallone, THE ENFORCER, starring Antonio Banderas and Kate Bosworth, Western THE VIRGINIAN, starring Ron Perlman, da...
LEGEND reveals ten epic premieres for September Posted on 29th August 2024
Ten epic adventures have their Channel Premieres this September, including the star-studded neo-noir thriller L.A. CONFIDENTIAL, Jim Mickle's twisty crime thriller COLD IN JULY, John G. Avidsen's powerful South African drama THE POWER OF ONE, John Amiel's masterful psychological mystery ENTRAPMENT, starring Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Robert Aldrich's classic violent Western ULZANA'S RAID starring Burt Lancaster.
Other primetime channel premieres are action thrillers CROSS THE LINE, starring Michelle Barton and Luke Goss, ASSAULT ON STATION 33, starring Weston Cage Coppola (Nicolas Cage's son), THE HUNTED, starring Christopher Lambert, THE NEGIOT...
PICK OF THE WEEK
