» Review Summary
Forgotten Fridays - Ladyhawke
Short Version: Right after WarGames and just before Ferris Beuller's Day Off, Matthew Broderick filmed this fantasy adventure romance directed by Richard Donner. One of his youngest and earliest roles we get to see him alongside Rutger Hauer and Michelle Pfieffer. Truly amazing film.
Genre: Adventure/Comedy/Drama/Fantasy/Romance
Director: Richard Donner
Staring: Matthew Broderick, Rutger Hauer, Michelle Pfeiffer
» Review
Forgotten Fridays - Ladyhawke
Thanks for checking out our Forgotten Fridays feature. This is something we want to try out to review some older films that maybe you have forgotten about or maybe never got around to seeing that we just want to share.
Today’s review is Ladyhawke
THE GENERAL IDEA
Phillipe “The Mouse” Gaston (Broderick) is a thief, and in the opening of the film he has just escaped the inescapable dungeons of Aquilla. While attempting to dodge the city guard he comes across a dark knight who saves him. Etienne Navarre (Hauer) is accompanied by a hawk and the grateful Phillipe chooses to travel with him for safety and service.
Phillipe discovers that at night Navarre disappears and a beautiful woman named Isabeau (Pfeiffer) comes around protected by a black wolf. Phillipe soon figures out that Navarre and Isabeau are cursed for their love by the secretly evil Bishop, who fell in love with Isabeau, who loved the captain of the guard Navarre. He cursed them to forever be together but eternally apart, and at night Navarre turns into a wolf while by day Isabeau is a Hawk.
Phillipe finds out there may be a way to break the curse, but he has to stop Navarre’s temper from getting in the way.
THE GOOD
It is a beautiful romantic film with plenty of action. Broderick’s dialogue is almost a character unto itself as he continually talks with God in moments when he is alone. Some of the best dialogue in film period. I just love his discussions with God.
The most amazing thing is how the film dedicates SO much time to the trio of travellers, that their very situation IS the enemy. Its always present, but so little time is actually spent on scenes with “the badguy”. He is just there in the background and is not developed much at all. The main players are dealing with the curse and he eventually will need to be confronted about it.
Pfeiffer is a staggering woman, but no matter how hot she is in any film I will always remember this role as her most beautiful. Even with less than flattering clothes and short boyish hair, you understand why Navarre is so taken with her.
There is a great balance of characters and story. Even Navarre and Isabeau seem to grow closer to each other through their interactions with Phillipe. Despite the obvious mystical elements found in the curse that transforms these two lovers into animals, there isn’t really a lot of magic. There are no mages or wizards. Aside from this curse, the world is as gritty real as you might imagine the medieval era to be. Nothing is candy coated, buildings are rough, action is believable real and people are dirty.
THE BAD
The movie itself is one of the few I would give a 10 out of 10 to - if it wasn’t for the soundtrack. The very painful 80s synth is just SO terrible and unfitting to the film. Even at the time when pop music was littered with synth keyboards this just didnt work at all for this film.
The fact that this movie likely has the WORST soundtrack in the history of film is a testament to just how amazing the story and actors were. I would tolerate that music again and again to watch this movie.
OVERALL
You were warned about the soundtrack, so watch the movie and try to ignore it. I really wish they would remaster the movie and add a new score for a 25th Anniversary release (which will be next year) It is inspiring drama, a love story and action. And a perfect mix of the three with some comedy and fantasy to boot!
Typically this is where we would write a “Out of 10″ rating, but since all of these Forgotten Friday reviews are going to be what I would already give a high rating to, I have made my own rating system.
TV - Make a point of watching it if you see it listed on TV.
Rent - Good enough to go out of your way to see it, but not enough to buy it.
Buy - So good. You will watch it again and again. Buy it!
So on a scale of TV, Rent or Buy I suggest BUY!
Have not watched this in forever, but I did notice it is now Netflix’s instant watch thingamajig so I might have to change that. Group watching this movie a lot.
(Is it bad that as much as I loved this movie growing up I’d love to see a remake done? Such a good story, I’d just like to see what a modern director would do with it.)
I wouldnt really want to see a remake. But a remastered version with a better score? Yessir!
Since I was tempted to re-watch this again last night and had caved in, I would have to agree with Rodney. While if next year’s Clash Of The Titans becomes an overwhelming cash whore, H’wood could look into remaking other mythological/medieval type films if not coming up with new ones.
While Ladyhawke is more than 20 years old, and although the FX are intentionally simple, it relies more on symbolism and a dreamlike quality, which is actually mentioned in the film. (”Is this a dream, or a nightmare”) Remade today stock footage of a hawk would be gone, and, you might actually “see” a CG transformation instead. Even if the beauty of the film is that we never actually “see” the transformations from man to wolf woman to bird etc. (and, no it would not be amusing if Phillipe actually turned into a mouse at the time of the eclipse, so let’s not go there)
It should be said that the score in the film’s third act isn’t that horrible. The rescue of Navarre (as the wolf) from the ice pond marks a turning point in the film, listen for it. It will remain that way until the end credits.
I felt it was more odd. Why couldn’t the rest of the film be more like that? Was it because the Broderick character was more “youthful” and thus need a synth track for his themes, but when it came to Navarre breaking into the cathedral (with help from Phillipe) his themes take over?
So I’m thinking either
1- keep the last third of the score
2- put in more of the music of the time period (between 1239 and 1348, the first due to the eclipse, the second being The Black Plague, which is referenced) Is that difficult? No. Just more of…well,,what Phillipe and Isabeau danced to.
3- Mute the score for the first 45 minutes of the film at least. If nothing else, the first 20. The end credits are now what Phillpe and Isabeau were dancing to.
Great movie and Michelle Pfieffer was a real hottie in this one! Loved Hauer too…great hero! He would have been a great Magneto!
Have to agree on the soundtrack with John. What was Donner thinking! Hated it back then as a kid let alone as an adult!
John didnt write this! lol
I actually love the soundtrack. The Main Title rocks!
I remember watching this badboy on laser disc. I thought it was so cool we had to turn it over halfway through.
For such a Gem of a film….you really see early talents perfecting the craft. Donner,little Matthew. They really shine and you have to forgive the strk due to the time period. It was the early 80’s for christ sake. This allowed the new and young MTV generation to relate and go see the film. But your right, it does not work today. The ending still is really well done, and wonderfully acted. Plus Michelle is a Goddess . Good pick! ( is Dragonslayer next?)
Why not? Rodney is on a roll. If not Dragonslayer, then perhaps… Flesh +Blood the “other” medieval pic with Rutger Hauer from 1985!
Krull would be another good one from that era!
Out of curiosity, how did you feel about Tangerine Dream’s soundtrack for Legend? Out of place for that fantasy movie as well? Or more appropriate for the fantasy style that the story covered?
That’s a great question, Jeremy. Strangely enough, I personally liked both scores from Jerry Goldsmith and Tangerine Dream. I felt neither score was inappropriate for the film.
In fact, as far as scores are concerned, it is the best one from Tangerine Dream, with Thief and Miracle Mile coming in second and third for me. BTW, I really got into the Dream Mixes v1 about ten years ago.
I feel the same. Granted I don’t remember the score for Lady Hawk all that well, but I would think I would remember if it was that bad. I only remember Legend’s soundtrack because I liked it so much. Tangerine Dream was quite amazing back in the day and I would not be surprised if they were influential in the music I listen to today.
john you are great at these forgotten fridays…keep it up, i wish rodney would do more stuff like this
John didn’t write these. This is Rodney’s feature.
I would love to see a remake of this movie. But with alot of love and hate and tears and really get down and dirty and even with the bad and evils that f—- with you in life. That don’t won’t you to have any kind of sweat life? Peace out :)
Great Choice, Rodney. This was a family fave when I was younger, and now a must have for the growing home movie collection.
Another great pick John, I still have a VHS tape of this somewhere that I recorded years ago.
Ok, now you are doing this on purpose (kidding!)
My name is Rodney, and I write the Forgotten Fridays feature here.
Hey Rodney, do you ever get tired of people automatically crediting John with virtually every post? Haha
Yeah pretty much. I am invisible here.
Some even theorize that John writes all my posts and pretends “Rodney” does it.
But honestly I know people associate this site with John (rightly so) and I don’t really get upset about people jumping to that conclusion.
Most sites as popular as this one have 3-5 writers, so John gets a lot of credit.
I heard a deep dark secret that John suffers from multiple personalities and that Rodney is actually one of those brought to life on judymoodymovie.com. So when Rogney is called John they are one in the same. But that could be just hearsay.
I don’t recall ever seeing a videoblog from Rodney. How do we know you are real?
Have owned this movie on DVD for years now, it’s pure gold.
By the way Rodney, you should review Ghost Chase in your Forgotten Fridays. Great little flick by Roland Emmerich.
I haven’t seen this movie since I was a kid. Back then I didn’t like it much, but I don’t remember why. Thanks to your great review,I plan on netflixxing it. Thanks Rodney! By the way,Tangerine Dream’s greatest was for Sorcerer. (I think I’m the only person that loves that movie)
I always liked this movie, the pace of the film tends to move a bit slowly for me at times, other than that one small quibble I agree with everything said about this great film. Probably Matthew Broderick’s finest performance ever.
Thanks for the reminder.
Oops, sorry Rodney!
For some reason all this time I was spacing and thought it was John…LOL! For some reason I thought I saw John’s name under the first one, and just never looked again.
You wasn’t kidding about the soundtrack, 30 seconds in and I’m like wtf is this music?
well for what its worst i think you do a great job rodneyy
I second that…a great feature.
Didn’t he mention a Knight’s Tale a few weeks ago? I’d never seen it, and just watched it…great flick!
Real dutch talent in this movie - Rutger Hauer is and stays the bomb !