AverageJoesDriveInPodcast This is such a well crafted beautiful tale. The curse that separates our characters is heartbreaking. You feel for them. Love keeps them at one another's side even after it is the key factor in what tore them apart. The cast is fantastic and it's a very beautifully shot film. What really makes this film so great is the story. It's grounded in reality with just a touch of the fantastical to make it interesting. This is more of a reality-based fantasy, more so than a Dungeon & Dragons type fantasy. So don't expect Elves, Orcs, Dragons, Trolls or other fantasy creatures. Truthfully, this would be a great date movie. It has a little something for everyone. Even as great as this film is there are a few little things that keep it from a higher rating for me. They aren't major issues, but they are things that have always bugged me. The score is great at times but feels weirdly out of place in others. It's not very balanced. This film deserved a much more epic soundtrack. Secondly, it's just a smidge too long, there's maybe ten min or so that could be cut out and I don't think it would affect things very much. If you've never seen this one and love 80's fantasy with a great story, this one is for you. In many ways, I think it's a bit of a forgotten gem. Hopefully, more people will discover and enjoy this. It certainly deserves the attention. My Rating: 8/10

gonecuckoo Of course, it's been a while since I've seen it. I loved all of the characters, the plot, the scenery, the costumes, and what few special effects there were.The only jarring thing was Matthew Broderick's constantly shifting accent. They should have sat him down with an accent coach from the beginning, and pinned down how they wanted him to sound.John Wood was excellent as the evil Bishop. He was supposed to be the guardian of the city he was posted in, but he was rejected by Rome herself! He had a mistress on the side, lusted after Isabeau, and placed a curse on her and her honey because she didn't want him! Leo McKern was great as the flawed, grizzled looking monk; all unshaven and his hair flapping everywhere.Rutger Hauer and Michelle Pfeiffer were fantastic of course. He as the driven warrior desperate to regain his honor as well as his love, and she as the not so helpless woman that has been cursed to live as a hawk during the day.Matthew? Um.....Philippe was an excellent character, if a bit muggy at times. Desperate not to be caught up in the events, but right at the center anyway. Skilled at picking locks, pockets, and probably at stealing hearts as well. BUT, the accent was a major stumbling block, and kept me from really enjoying the performance.

bryn-middleton-BM You know, growing up in the 80's with a real thirst for fantasy adventure was pretty tough. There were plenty of books to scratch the itch for sure, but TV? Feature films? Hmm, not so much. Having watched more than enough sub-standard sword and sandals fare ("Ator the fighting eagle", anyone? "Prisoners of the Lost Universe"?) I can honestly say "Ladyhawke" is the only film I saw from that period that has remained a firm favourite ever since. And yes, that includes "Highlander"!! The reasons are pretty obvious. The film is directed by someone who at least knows how to set up the camera - I can't pretend that Richard Donner is one of my favourite directors but he does a top job telling this story. The cast is where this film really excels, though. I'm still convinced that Rutger Hauer is one of the great lost leading men in Hollywood history and in this he's awesome. Michelle Pfeiffer is ridiculously beautiful and handles herself very well and Matthew Broderick is excellent as the glue that holds the film together, ace at the comedy and really selling the drama. Also, John Wood is a brilliantly unsettling villain and Leo Mckern, Alfred Molina and Ken Hutchison do great character actor work. The overwhelming feeling is of a film properly made, with a decent budget, quality cast and great locations. The story itself is nicely streamlined, with no unnecessary longueurs and fine pacing. And Finally Hauer might just be riding the greatest horse in cinema history! That's not a spoiler, right? The only real problem with the film is the score, which I admit is...terrible. Why Donner went with a horrible synth and drum machine score for a medieval fantasy love story is beyond me. And probably him, now. That aside, this film is properly brilliant. Really.

ma-cortes This wonderful flick deals with marvelous adventures about star-crossed lovers caught in an nasty spell . The movie is set in the south of France and, based on certain astronomical events that occur, can be dated to 1239 . Philipe Gastone (Matthew Broderick , though he seem better suited to a teen film) , a wisecracking thief , nicknamed the ¨Mouse¨ escapes from the dungeon at Aquila, sparking a manhunt led by officer Marquet (Ken Hutchison) . As a crafty young pickpocket stole his way out of a tyrant's dungeon and plunged into an adventure beyond even his own wildest imaginings . He is nearly captured when Captain Navarre (Rutger Hauer , though Richard Donner originally wanted to cast Kurt Russell , when Russell dropped out a few days before began, the part was handed to Hauer) riding his horse named Goliath saves him . Stalwart Navarre is condemned by an evil curse in which he and a gorgeous maid (Michelle Pfeiffer is perfectly cast as a pretty heroine) are lovers but separated by night and day . No power on Earth can save them , no force in Heaven will release them . The young along with a priest (Leo McKern) help the protagonists in their quest to break the spell by destroying its creator , a villain bishop (John Wood) . As both of whom become their unlike allied . Imaginative as well as lush fantasy about a weird curse in which our heroes take on several adventures and dangers . This is an imaginative , glamorous , strange fantasy based on the wonderful adventures by a group of heroes against an evil bishop . Fantastic film contains sense of adventure , thrills , and lots of imagination . From start to finish fantasy , action , duels and delightful adventures are interminable . Exciting and interesting screenplay by Michael Thomas , Tom Mankiewicz and David Webb based on a story by Edward Khmara . Edward Khmara took the issue to the Writers Guild Association and was awarded a cash settlement from Warners, but the medieval legend claim wasn't dropped ; and Warner Brothers falsely marketed the movie as being based on a true medieval legend . As this is a mysterious as well as intriguing seven-hundred-year-old legend of horror and love . Starring a considerable cast of top-names performers such as Rutger Hauer , Michelle Pfeiffer and Matthew Broderick . Support cast is frankly enjoyable such as Leo McKern as Father Imperius the Monk , John Wood as Bishop of Aquila , Ken Hutchison as Marquet , and Alfred Molina as Cezar . Marvelous special effects are visually stunning , though a little dated , and magnificently realized with no computer generator . Several different hawks were used , one to sit on Rutger Hauer's arm and another for the flying scenes. Impressive production design by Wolf Kroeger , including luxurious scenarios , filmed on location in Italy , such as Campo Imperatore, L'Aquila, Abruzzo, Castell'Arquato, Piacenza, Emilia-Romagna, Rocca di Calascio, Calascio, L'Aquila , Soncino, Cremona, Lombardia,Torrechiara, Langhirano, Parma, Emilia-Romagna, Catatombe , Rome and three of the castles used for the film were owned by Italian film director Luchino Visconti . Colorful and glimmer cinematography shot in Technovision by Vittorio Storaro , Bernardo Bertolucci's usual cameraman . Anti-climatic though generally entertaining musical score composed by Andrew Powell by means of modern synthesizer ; however sometimes resulting to be effective and agreeable . This big-budgeted , overlong , appreciated film achieved hit at box office and today is very well considered and it will please the young and the young at heart . The movie was compelling and imaginatively directed by Richard Donner . The picture was nominated for two Academy Awards, for Best Sound Editing and Best Sound Mixing, but failed to win either Oscar . ¨Ladyhawke¨ might be described as an extraordinary fantasy full of imagination and color . It's a tale for teens and adults in which entertainment and amusement are guaranteed . Rating : Good , better than average . Worthwhile watching .