| | | | Ladyhawke
(1985) |
first saw this on video around '88 / '89 when my mom brought home a video she'd hired. Now to the average 13 year old guy, 'Ladyhawke' didn't exactly inspire me as a title - I was going to sulk through this one... or was I?
At the start of the film, petty thief Phillipe Gaston, "The Mouse" (Broderick) is on the run, having sprung himself from the allegedly inescapable "Dungeons of Aquila." An attempt to recapture him on the orders of the Bishop (John Wood) is halted by the entrance of a black knight bearing a hawk, Etien Nevarre.
Navarre (Hauer) is the ex-captain of the Aquilan guards, has been a fugitive for two years, and is the general thorn in the Bishop's side. He needs to find a way back into Aquila and has chosen escapee Gaston to lead him there. Needless to say, "Mouse" is a tad reluctant.
Having both escaped the guards the unlikely pair flee into the forests. While gathering wood for a fire, Gaston suddenly hears the cracking of twigs as a wolf slowly stalks him. He takes to his heels, running back to the camp, only to find Navarre gone.
In his panic, Gaston takes Nevarre's crossbow and prepares to fire, but he's suddenly stopped by a beautiful woman. She tells him he's dreaming then walks away with the wolf. Now poor Mouse is spooked as well as reluctant.
The following day sees another run in with their pursuers, resulting in the hawk being wounded by a crossbow. Gaston is forced to take the bird to an old priest named Imperius (McKern), who consequently tries to lock him out of the hawk's infirmary. Gaston sneaks in nevertheless, and instead finds the woman he saw before, but with the same wound in her shoulder.
Imperius decides to tell Mouse the sorry tale of the damned couple, of how the Bishop's obsession with Isabeau grew into madness, and how she rejected his advances due to her secret betrothal to Navarre. When the Bishop learnt of their eloping, he made a pact with hell, which imbued a terrible curse on the lovers. By day Isabeau is the hawk, and by night Nevarre is the wolf.
Imperius has also learnt of a way to beat the curse, by way of a forthcoming eclipse. The curse will be broken as soon as the Bishop sees Navarre and Isabeau standing together, assuming they can get there in time.
As the story unfolds, the three have to contend with the ever pursuing Aquilan guards led by Marquet (Hutchinson), and a fur trapper named Cezar (Melina) who is hired by the Bishop to kill Nevarre in his animal form.
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There's no doubt, it's a good yarn, and I still watch it at least once or twice a year.
It's balance of fantasy and adventure, with romance and light humour following close behind. Broderick isn't up to the par he is in "Wargames" or "Ferris Bueller"... but he does have some funny lines, as does McKern. Hauer is a good lead as the downbeat fugitive, and Pfeiffer is in her Hawk form more than she is human, so she doesn't have that many scenes.
The story wanes a little in the middle when Cezar is hunting the wolf, but that's really only a minor point. On the plus side there is a great scene where Pfeiffer and Hauer end up facing one another as the sun comes up. For just a second they are given a glimpse of each other in their human form.
The fight scenes are done well, particularly when Navarre's battling his way towards the Bishop within the cathedral (he and Marquet are definelty wielding heavy broadswords).
Another thing that's worth mentioning are the sunsets and sunrises which are arguably some of the most beautiful on celluloid.
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You can now correct/update any item of trivia by clicking the "Update" button next to it...
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As well as appearing together in 'Ladyhawke'...actors Matthew Broderick and John Wood (the Bishop of Aquila) starred together in the John Badham film "Wargames".  -Thanks to Phatpants
The director, Richard Donner, of course directed many other classics like "The Omen" and "Superman: The Movie".
Matthew Broderick (who played Mouse) has an allergy to horses. -Thanks to Carl
The plot for the movie was pretty much totally copied by an episode of tv series "Charmed", episode 46, season 3. -Thanks to Mike
In the movie "Conspiracy Theory", also directed by Richard Donner, there is a scene where Mel Gibson's character runs into a movie theater in an attempt to get away from his pursuers. The movie that is is playing on the screen is "Ladyhawke". -Thanks to Audra And Peter
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Rutger Hauer lost several pounds from doing the Cathedral battle scene, due to the weight of his armour and broadsword.
Kurt Russell was initially cast as Navarre. Richard Donner wanted Rutger Hauer to play the role of Marquet. Hauer loved the script but wanted the lead. Just before principal filming began, Russell left the project (it was said he and Donner had creative differences.) and Donner was in desperate need of a leading man. Hauer thankfully accepted it, actually driving 2000 miles in two days to take the part. -Thanks to A. Paul Melin
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|  |  |  | | Ladyhawke
Locations |
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The film was shot on location around the Dolomite mountain range in Italy.
The Torrechiara Castle near Palma in the Emilia Romagna region was used for interior scenes as well as woods in the Abruzzo area. [Thanks to Ely]
The Rocca Sforzesca in Soncino (Cremona) It's a typical Middle Ages Fortress of Sforza's family in a historic little town. [Thanks to Maurizio]
Soncino castle near Cremona with water around, for the initial escape from the dungeon.
Castell'Arquato near Piacenza, medieval village with medieval cathedral and castle for the final scene.
Rocca di Calascio near L'Aquila, ruined castle in the mountains.
Abruzzo region, for the scenes in the forest
The interior of the cathedral was built in Rome Cinecitta because it was not permitted to film a scene in a real cathedral [Thanks to james]
Can you help? Do you know any of the Italy filming locations used for Ladyhawke? [Please send them in]
|  | | | | ![[Letterbox -NOT 16:9 Enhanced]](lbx.gif) | ![[STEREO or SURROUND]](dd2.gif) | Trailer, Notes |
| | | | Trailer, Notes |
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The soundtrack should be mentioned as a warning. I may have liked it at the time, but when I watched it recently I found myself biting my bottom lip. It's a mixture of orchestral and pop-synth. Half the time the two styles meet in the middle giving way to several pieces that sound like Chariots of Fire 'lite'.
The much maligned soundtrack was written by Andrew Powell and arranged/produced by Alan Parsons. Alan Parsons was an engineer on The Beatles 'Abbey Road' album and later went on to work on 'The Dark Side of The Moon' by Pink Floyd, 'Come Up and See Me Make Me Smile' by Steve Harley and 'Music' by John Miles. He's also had major album success with his own band, The Alan Parsons Project, through the 70s and 80s and also under the guise of Pilot ('Howat'). [Thanks to Rob Morris]
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