El hechizo de Aquila

After hearing of his death yesterday, I bought "Blade Runner" on Amazon and rented "Ladyhawke" to re-watch two terrific performances by Mr. Hauer. His death scene in Blade Runner is the most wrenching and haunting scene I've ever seen on film. His performance in the fairy tale Ladyhawke was enchanting and charismatic. Nobody quite like him.

His gift to us was to convey the essence of humanity through his art.

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 .

This movie, except for the "over-orchestration," deserves critical acclaim, as most of the comments have illustrated. However, no one seems to have addressed another element par excellence....the horses and equestrianship. Only one commentator made a cursory observation that Navarre's mount was a "farm horse." ... not so! That was a Fresian, one of the oldest breed of horse known and the one which the knights of old used for battle....try to train a "farm horse" to prance! Other breeds included the Lipizans, and it was the antagonists who rode them.

If one were to overlook the fine acting, the excellent storyline, the Romance (literary sense), and the romantic which tugs our heart strings in understatement, the appropriate comedy, the breath-taking camera work utilizing almost no special effects (but surpassing just about everything thrust upon us today), a horse-lover would revel in the production.

However, whoever (not the composers) was in charge of allowing the musical score, should have been barbecued at the stake for ruining an almost flawless classic. Never the less, this movie should not be missed...It will leave you in awe and wonder.

Marvin Cohn

As a former video store employee, I am proud to say of all the films I ever recommended, LADYHAWKE came back with all favorable reviews, and not once did anyone I rented it to take me up on my "money-back" guarantee.

No surprises there. Despite the production's troubled history between two studios (Fox and Warner's) and endless rewrites by an army of scribes, it still finds everyone involved at the top of their game, and early into most of their careers!

Rutger Hauer's bad guys were always more interesting and charismatic than his good ones, but his role as Captain Etienne Navarre was the noteable exception. In the best shape of his career both physically and artistically (with the exception of BLADE RUNNER'S Roy Batty), he painted the perfect portrait of noble hubris, tinged with the ache of unfulfilled love for his fair maiden, and the sorrow of an eternal curse that could never be lifted. Even Errol Flynn would've been envious.

Michelle Pfeiffer has been many things in her career: earthy, sensual, campy, courageous, but she would never achieve the combination of radiant strength and vulnerability that she did as Isabeau D'Anjou. There have been other actresses who have looked better and given deeper, more nuanced performances since hers...but it's a REAL short list.

When I saw the previews, I was pretty sure that the main thing I would like the least about this movie was Matthew Broderick, whose Philippe "The Mouse" Gaston was a character I was pretty sure would grate on my nerves. And for the first part of the film, he definitely does. Credit it to Matthew's likeability and talent that before the film's end, though, you're rooting for him as much as for the two leads.

And let's not forget an extremely impressive supporting cast: John Wood (WAR GAMES and JUMPING JACK FLASH), Leo McKern (the OMEN films and PBS' "Rumpole of the Bailey"), Alfred Molina (PRICK UP YOUR EARS, RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK and the TV series THE LADIES' MAN) and a wicked turn by Ken Hutchison as Navarre's nemesis.

For the couple, the friends or the family who want action AND romance, too, you can't do better, (and can always do worse.) And as far as the "music" controversy is concerned, I am a longtime fan of Andrew Powell's work back from his early days with Alan Parsons, and later with The Project, and I thought that the juxtaposition of the contemporary music with the medieval setting worked perfectly. This is, after all, a fantasy, not a historical record of true events! Enjoy it for what it is!

Let me start with the bad, the score it doesn't fit the time but I'm sure some studio head thought we need this to appeal to younger audiences of the time. Vittorio Storraro Cinematography is stunning, lush colors, locations, no CGI here my friends. The castles and mountains to the costumes and villages just take you back in time adding to this fine, fun, fantasy. Michelle Pfeiffer youth and beauty, Matthew Brodericks awkwardness are all well played throughout,to be honest he's quite funny. Rutger Hauer has always had mixed success be here his presence is fitting, rent it online or watch it in rerun you won't be disappointed they don't make films like this anymore and when they try so filled with CGI they don't have the organic immersive feeling this Romantic Fantasy Adventure delivers.