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Willow (1988 film)

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Willow
Poster shows the heads of film's three main characters, a man, a woman, and a boy. The film's title is below.
Directed byRon Howard
Screenplay byBob Dolman
Story byGeorge Lucas
Produced byGeorge Lucas
Joe Johnston
Nigel Wooll
StarringWarwick Davis
Val Kilmer
Joanne Whalley
Jean Marsh
Patricia Hayes
Billy Barty
Pat Roach
CinematographyAdrian Biddle
Edited byDaniel P. Hanley
Mike Hill
Richard Hiscott
Music byJames Horner
Production
companies
Distributed byMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date
  • May 20, 1988 (1988-05-20)
Running time
126 minutes
CountryTemplate:Film US
LanguageEnglish
Budget$35-50 million[1]
Box office$57,269,863 (USA)

Willow is a 1988 American fantasy film directed by Ron Howard and produced/co-written by George Lucas. Warwick Davis stars in the film, as well as Val Kilmer, Joanne Whalley, Jean Marsh, and Patricia Hayes. With a sword and sorcery setting, Davis stars as the eponymous lead character and hero Willow, a reluctant farmer who plays a critical role in protecting a special baby from a tyrannical queen.

Lucas conceived the idea for Willow in 1972, approaching Howard to direct during the post-production phase of Cocoon in 1985. Lucas believed he and Howard shared a relationship similar to the one Lucas enjoyed with Steven Spielberg. Bob Dolman was brought in to write the screenplay, coming up with seven drafts before finishing in late 1986. Willow was then set up at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and principal photography began in April 1987, finishing the following October.

The majority of filming took place at Elstree Studios in Hertfordshire, England, as well as Wales and New Zealand. Industrial Light & Magic created the visual effects sequences, which led to a revolutionary breakthrough with digital morphing technology. Willow was released in May 1988 to mixed reviews from critics, but was a modest financial success and received two Academy Award nominations.

Plot

The evil queen Bavmorda (Jean Marsh), a black sorceress who rules from her formidable stronghold of Nockmaar, is bent on conquering all lands around. She fears a prophecy stating that a newborn baby will eventually bring about her downfall; hence she imprisons all the pregnant mothers in her kingdom, and the child of the prophecy is born in her dungeons. But before Bavmorda has a chance to kill the infant via a nefarious ritual, the midwife escapes with the baby girl, and Bavmorda sends her daughter Sorsha (Joanne Whalley) and General Kael (Pat Roach), the commander of her army, after them. After a long pursuit, the Nockmaar hounds catch up with the midwife. Knowing she can't escape, she puts the baby on a raft and sends it downstream, trusting fate to run its course. The child washes up on shore near a village inhabited by a race of dwarf-like people called Nelwyns, called "Pecks" derisively by humans, and is found by the children of Willow Ufgood (Warwick Davis), a farmer and amateur conjurer (though he has actual, if latent, magical talent). Willow is at first loath to take in the child, but eventually he comes to care for it.

The next day, however, a Nockmaar hound tracking the baby attacks the village. Once the cause of the attack is found, Willow is chosen by the town council to return the child to the world of the "large people," or Daikini (humans). The first Daikini Willow comes upon is a boasting warrior named Madmartigan (Val Kilmer), being held captive in an iron maiden by the side of the road for an unspecified crime, who offers to take care of the baby. During their interaction, they meet the retreating army of the kingdom of Galladoorn, which was recently destroyed by Bavmorda. Madmartigan asks his old friend Airk Thaughbaer, an officer in the army, to free him, but Airk contempuously refuses. On his way home, Willow is attacked by a clan of Brownies, who stole the baby from Madmartigan. Willow is then told by the Brownie fairy queen of the forest, Cherlindrea, that the baby, Elora Danan, has chosen Willow to be her guardian. She gives Willow a magic wand and commissions him to find the sorceress Fin Raziel, with two of her brownies, Franjean and Rool, acting as his guides. Along the way, they bump into Madmartigan, who helps them escape from Sorsha.

Willow and the rest of the group finally meet Fin Raziel (Patricia Hayes), only to find that the sorceress has been turned into a rodent by Bavmorda. Soon afterwards Sorsha captures Willow and the others, and they start the long trek to Nockmaar castle. In a mountain camp, Willow attempts to use magic to turn Fin Raziel back into her human form, but transforms her into a raven instead. Franjean and Rool cause further mayhem when they accidentally expose Madmartigan to a fairy love dust they are carrying, which makes him become infatuated with Sorsha, but eventually they manage to escape, with Madmartigan proving his earlier boasts of being a fine swordsman.

The group eventually finds the castle of Tir Asleen, which has been put under Bavmorda's spell; all its inhabitants are frozen in ice. Madmartigan, refusing to give up hope, prepares for Sorsha's attack while Willow once again fails transforming Raziel into human form, this time turning her into a goat. Sorsha, Kael and their army arrive and give battle. Willow also has to handle a few trolls, and after a botched magic spell, transforms one into a horrific two-headed dragon. Luckily, the remnants of the Army of Galladoorn, led by Madmartigan's friend Airk, ally with Willow. A battle ensues, and Sorsha finally discovers her love for Madmartigan. Kael, however, captures Elora and takes her to Nockmaar.

Willow, Madmartigan, Sorsha, the Brownies, the goat-sorceress Fin Raziel, and Airk's army set up camp, preparing to storm Nockmaar castle in a final attempt to rescue Elora. Bavmorda turns all the soldiers into pigs, but Raziel quickly teaches Willow how to protect himself from the spell. Willow finally returns Raziel to human form, and the sorceress is able to transform the soldiers back to their true forms as well. But since Nockmaar seems impenetrable, all despair until Willow proposes an ingenious trick which gets them inside the walls. Thus begins the battle of Nockmaar, in which Kael kills Airk and is in turn killed by Madmartigan, and Willow manages to save Elora at the last moment from Bavmorda's murderous ritual, whose victim the evil queen herself becomes, with one of his sleight-of-hand tricks. Willow leaves the baby in caring arms of Madmartigan and Sorsha and returns to his Nelwyn village and his beloved family with a special reward: a spellbook from Raziel, which helps him develop his own magical abilities.

Cast

  • Warwick Davis as Willow Ufgood: A reluctant Nelwyn dwarf who plays a critical role in protecting infant Elora Danan from the evil queen Bavmorda.
  • Val Kilmer as Madmartigan: A boasting mercenary swordsman who helps Willow on his quest. In the film (further explained in the film's novelization) it is partly revealed that he is a disgraced knight from the kingdom of Galladoorn.
  • Kate and Ruth Greenfield as Elora Danan: An infant princess that prophecy says will bring about Queen Bavmorda's downfall.
  • Joanne Whalley as Sorsha: Warrior daughter of Bavmorda.
  • Jean Marsh as Queen Bavmorda: Villainous ruler of Nockmaar and mother of Sorsha.
  • Patricia Hayes as Fin Raziel: Aging sorceress who is turned into a rodent due to a curse by Bavmorda.
  • Billy Barty as High Aldwin: Nelwyn wizard who commissions Willow to go on his journey.
  • Pat Roach as General Kael: Villainous associate to Queen Bavmorda and high commander of her army.
  • Gavan O'Herlihy as Airk Thaughbaer: Military commander of the (destroyed) kingdom of Galladoorn who shares a mixed friendship with Madmartigan.
  • Kevin Pollak and Rick Overton as Rool and Franjean: Brownie duo who also serve as comic reliefs in Willow's journey.
  • David J. Steinberg as Meegosh: Willow's closest friend. Meegosh accompanies Willow partway on his journey.
  • Mark Northover as Burglekutt: Leader of the Nelwyn village council. Burglekutt and Willow despise each other.
  • Phil Fondacaro as Vohnkar: Nelwyn warrior who also accompanies Willow on his journey.
  • Julie Peters as Kaiya Ufgood: Wife of Willow. Kaiya is a loving mother and enthusiastic in caring for Elora.
  • Tony Cox as a Nelwyn warrior.

Production

Development

George Lucas conceived the idea for Willow (originally titled Munchkins) in 1972. Lucas' desire for Willow was similar to Star Wars, and created "a number of well-known mythological situations for a young audience".[2][3] During the production of Return of the Jedi in 1982, Lucas approached Warwick Davis, who was portraying Wicket the Ewok, about playing Willow Ufgood. Five years passed before he was actually cast in the role. Lucas "thought it would be great to use a little person in a lead role. A lot of my movies are about a little guy against the system, and this was just a more literal interpretation of that idea."[2]

Lucas explained that he had to wait until the mid-1980s to make Willow because visual effects technology was finally advanced enough to execute his vision.[3] Meanwhile, actor-turned-director Ron Howard was looking to do a fantasy film. Howard was at Industrial Light & Magic during the post-production phase of Cocoon, when he was first approached by Lucas to direct Willow. Howard had previously starred in Lucas' American Graffiti,[4] and Lucas felt that he and Howard shared a simpatico relationship similar to the one Lucas enjoyed with Steven Spielberg. Howard nominated Bob Dolman to write the screenplay based on Lucas' story. Dolman worked with Howard on an unsold television pilot called Little Shots, and Lucas admired Dolman's work on the sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati.[5]

Dolman joined Howard and Lucas at Skywalker Ranch for a series of lengthy story conferences, and wrote seven drafts of his script between the spring and fall of 1986.[5] Pre-production began in late-1986. Various major film studios turned down the chance to distribute and co-finance Willow with Lucasfilm because they believed the fantasy genre was unsuccessful. This was largely due to films such as Krull, Legend, Dragonslayer and Labyrinth.[6] Lucas took Willow to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), which was headed by Alan Ladd, Jr. Ladd and Lucas shared a relationship as far back as the mid-1970s, when Ladd, running 20th Century Fox, greenlighted Lucas' idea for Star Wars.[7] However, in 1986, MGM was facing financial troubles and its major investment of a fantasy film was perceived as a risk. Ladd advanced half the $36,000,000 budget for Willow in return for theatrical and television rights, leaving Lucasfilm with home video and pay television rights to offer in exchange for the other half.[7]

Lucas based the character of General Kael (Pat Roach) on the famous film critic Pauline Kael.[8] On a similar route, the two-headed dragon was named "Eborsisk" after film critics Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel.[1]

Filming

Principal photography began on April 2, 1987 and ended that following October. Interior footage took place at Elstree Studios in Hertfordshire, England, while location shooting took place in Wales and New Zealand.[7] Lucas initially visualized shooting Willow similar to Return of the Jedi, with studio scenes at Elstree and locations in Northern California, but the idea eventually faded. However, some exteriors were done around Skywalker Ranch and on location at Burney Falls, near Mount Shasta.[9] The Chinese government refused Lucas the chance for a brief location shoot. He then sent a group of photographers to South China to photograph specific scenery, which was then used for background blue screen footage. Tongariro National Park in New Zealand was chosen to house Bavmorda's castle.[9]

Visual effects

A woman in a hooded cloak with her back to the camera holds a lightening wand toward a two-legged animal that appears to be part goat and part ostrich.
Willow attempts to restore Fin Raziel into human form.

Lucas' Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) created the visual effects sequences. The script called for Willow to restore Fin Raziel (Patricia Hayes) from a goat to her original human form. Willow recites what he thinks is the appropriate spell, but turns the goat into an ostrich, and then a tortoise, and finally a tiger, before returning Raziel to her human body. ILM supervisor Dennis Muren considered using stop motion animation for the scene.[10] He also explained that another traditional and practical way in the late-1980s to execute this sequence would have been through the use of an optical dissolve with cutaways at various stages.[7]

Muren found both stop motion and optical effects to be too technically challenging and decided that the transformation scene would be a perfect opportunity for ILM to create advances with digital morphing technology. Muren proposed filming each animal, and the actress doubling for Patricia Hayes, and then feeding the images into a computer program developed by Doug Smythe (Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Iron Man).[7] The program would then create a smooth transition from one stage to another before outputting the result back onto film. Smythe began development of the necessary software in September 1987. By March 1988, the impressive result Muren and fellow designer David Allen (Young Sherlock Holmes, Ghostbusters II) achieved what would represent a breakthrough for computer-generated imagery (CGI).[7]

Soundtrack

Untitled

The film score was written by James Horner and performed by the London Symphony Orchestra.[11]

Track listing[11]
  1. "Elora Danan" – 9:45
  2. "Escape from the Tavern" – 5:04
  3. "Willow's Journey Begins" – 5:26
  4. "Canyon of Mazes" – 7:52
  5. "Tir Asleen" – 10:47
  6. "Willow's Theme" – 3:54
  7. "Bavmorda's Spell is Cast" – 18:11
  8. "Willow the Sorcerer" – 11:55

Reception

Commercial analysis

Willow was shown and promoted at the 1988 Cannes Film Festival.[12][13] The film was released on May 20, 1988 in 1,209 theaters, earning $8,300,169 in its opening weekend opening at #1. Despite making over $57 million at the North American box office,[14] Willow was not the blockbuster hit insiders had anticipated.[15] Lucas had hoped Willow would earn as much money as E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,[13] but the film faced early competition with Crocodile Dundee II, Big and Rambo III.[16] However, the film was not a financial flop; with strong foreign, home video, and television sales, Willow did make a profit.[17]

Critical analysis

Willow was released to mixed reviews from critics.[13] Based on 23 reviews collected by Rotten Tomatoes, 43% of the critics enjoyed Willow with an average score of 5.4/10.[18]

Roger Ebert admitted he thought Willow was entertaining, but nonetheless gave a largely negative review. Ebert wrote that the film is "too dark for children" and that he was "largely disappointed" with the story structure.[19] Richard Corliss of Time magazine believed the sword and sorcery themes presented in Willow were overtly clichéd.[20] Janet Maslin from The New York Times praised Lucas' storytelling, but was critical of Ron Howard's direction. "Howard appears to have had his hands full in simply harnessing the special effects," Maslin said.[21]

Desson Thomson, writing in The Washington Post, explained "Rob Reiner's similar fairytale adventure The Princess Bride (which Willow cinematographer Adrian Biddle also shot) managed to evoke volumes more without razzle-dazzle. It's a sad thing to be faulting Lucas, maker of the Star Wars trilogy and Raiders of the Lost Ark, for forgetting the tricks of entertainment."[22] Mike Clark in USA Today wrote that "the rainstorm wrap-up, in which Good edges Evil is like Led Zeppelin Meets The Wild Bunch. Willow is probably too much for young children and possibly too much of the same for cynics. But any 6–13-year-old who sees this may be bitten by the "movie bug" for life."[7]

Awards

Sound designers Ben Burtt and Richard Hymns of Skywalker Sound were nominated the Academy Award for Sound Editing, but lost to Who Framed Roger Rabbit. The visual effects supervisors also lost the Academy Award for Visual Effects to Roger Rabbit, which was similarly done by Industrial Light & Magic.[23] Costume designer Barbara Lane won the Saturn Award for Best Costume Design. Warwick Davis (Performance by a Younger Actor) and Jean Marsh (Supporting Actress) also received nominations. Willow also lost the Saturn Award for Best Fantasy Film[24] and Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation to Roger Rabbit.[25] George Lucas and Bob Dolman (Worst Screenplay) and Billy Barty (Worst Supporting Actor) were given Golden Raspberry Award nominations.[26]

Legacy

The film was released on DVD as a "special edition" in November 2001 by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment. The release included an audio commentary by Warwick Davis and two "making of" featurettes. In the commentary, Davis confirms that there were a number of "lost scenes" previously rumored to have been deleted from the film including a battle in the valley, Willow battling a shark monster in a lake, and an extended sorceress duel at the climax.[27] (Though removed from the theatrical version, the battle with the lake monster was retained for both Marvel Comics' adaptation and Wayland Drew's novelization of the film.)[citation needed]

Novels

Lucas outlined the Chronicles of the Shadow War trilogy to follow the film and hired comic book writer/novelist Chris Claremont to adapt them into a series of books. They take place about fifteen years after the original film and feature the now teenage Elora Danan as the central character.

  1. Shadow Moon (1995) ISBN 0-553-57285-7
  2. Shadow Dawn (1996) ISBN 0-553-57289-X
  3. Shadow Star (2000) ISBN 0-553-57288-1

Sequel

Since the film's release in 1988, Lucas and Davis commented in April 2005 that a television series acting as a sequel was under consideration.[28] In June 2008, Davis reiterated his hopes to return for a theatrically released second installment of Willow.[29] Davis also mentioned on his Twitter account on November 2, 2009, that he would be interested in doing a sequel.

References

  1. ^ a b Gray, Beverly. Ron Howard: from Mayberry to the moon-and beyond, page 134. Rutledge Hill Press, Nashville, Tennessee (2003). ISBN 1-55853-970-0.
  2. ^ a b Marcus Hearn (2005). The Cinema of George Lucas. New York City: Harry N. Abrams, Inc. p. 153. ISBN 0-8109-4968-7.
  3. ^ a b Aljean Harmetz (1987-05-21). "'Star Wars' Is 10, And Lucas Reflects". The New York Times. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  4. ^ Ron Howard (2005). "Forward". The Cinema of George Lucas. New York City: Harry N. Abrams, Inc. ISBN 0-8109-4968-7.
  5. ^ a b Hearn, p.154-155
  6. ^ Aljean Harmetz (1988-06-09). "A Pained Lucas Ponders Attacks on 'Willow'". The New York Times. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  7. ^ a b c d e f g Hearn, p.156-157
  8. ^ Lawrence Van Gelder (September 4, 2001). "Pauline Kael, Provocative and Widely Imitated New Yorker Film Critic, Dies at 82". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-07-13. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  9. ^ a b John Baxter (1999). Mythmaker: The Life and Work of George Lucas. New York City: Avon. pp. 365–366. ISBN 0-380-97833-4. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  10. ^ Baxter, p.367
  11. ^ a b Hobart, Tavia. "Willow [Original Score]". Allmusic. Retrieved 2009-01-20.
  12. ^ "Festival de Cannes: Willow". festival-cannes.com. Retrieved 2009-07-31.
  13. ^ a b c Baxter, p.372
  14. ^ "Willow". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2008-12-23.
  15. ^ Wasko, Janet. Hollywood in the information age: beyond the silver screen, page 198. Polity Press/Blackwell Publishers, UK (1994). ISBN 0-292-79093-7.
  16. ^ Staff (1988-06-09). "'Crocodile Dundee II' Top Film at Box Office". The New York Times. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  17. ^ Maltby, Richard. Hollywood cinema: second edition, page 198. Blackwell Publishing, UK (1994). ISBN 0-631-21614-6.
  18. ^ "Willow". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2008-12-23.
  19. ^ Roger Ebert (1988-05-20). "Willow". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 2008-12-23.
  20. ^ Richard Corliss (1988-05-23). "The Empire Strikes Out WILLOW". Time. Retrieved 2008-12-23.
  21. ^ Janet Maslin (1988-05-20). "'Willow,' a George Lucas Production". The New York Times. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  22. ^ Desson Thomson (1988-05-20). "Willow". The Washington Post. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  23. ^ "Willow". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 2008-12-23.
  24. ^ "Past Saturn Awards". Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films. Retrieved 2008-12-23.
  25. ^ "1989 Hugo Awards". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 2008-12-23.
  26. ^ "Ninth Annual RAZZIE Awards (for 1988)". Golden Raspberry Award Foundation. Retrieved 2008-12-23.
  27. ^ "Willow (Special Edition) (1988)". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2008-12-23.
  28. ^ Eric "Quint" Vespe (2005-04-24). "CELEBRATION is had by many a STAR WARS geek! Lucas talks! Footage shown! Details here!". Ain't It Cool News. Retrieved 2008-12-23.
  29. ^ Shawn Adler (2008-06-13). "Warwick Davis Enthusiastic About Possibility For 'Willow 2′". MTV News. Retrieved 2008-12-23.

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