Willow is a
1988-Top grossing films :source: http://boxofficemojo.com/yearly/chart/?yr=1988&p=.htm- Awards :Academy Awards:* Alice * Alien Nation, starring James Caan and Mandy Patinkin* Amsterdamned...
fantasyFantasy films are films with fantastic themes, usually involving magic, supernatural events, make-believe creatures, or exotic fantasy worlds. The genre is considered to be distinct from science fiction film and horror film, although the genres do overlap....
adventure filmAdventure films are a genre of film.-History:The adventure film reached its peak of popularity in 1930s and 1940s Hollywood, when films such as Captain Blood, The Adventures of Robin Hood and The Mark of Zorro were regularly made with major stars, notably Errol Flynn and Tyrone Power, who were...
directed by
Ron HowardRonald William "Ron" Howard is an American film director and producer, as well as an actor. Howard came to prominence in the 1960s while playing Andy Griffith's TV son, Opie Taylor, on The Andy Griffith Show , and later in the 1970s as Howard Cunningham's son and Arthur Fonzarelli's best friend,...
and produced/co-written by
George LucasGeorge Walton Lucas, Jr. is an American film producer, screenwriter, director and chairman of Lucasfilm Ltd. He is best known for being the creator of the epic sci-fi franchise Star Wars and joint creator of the archaeologist-adventurer character Indiana Jones...
.
Warwick DavisWarwick Ashley Davis is a British actor. He is noted for his dwarfism, standing at tall. Davis is probably best known as the title characters in Willow and the Leprechaun series of films; other prominent roles include Wicket W...
stars in the film, as well as
Val KilmerVal Edward Kilmer is an American actor. Originally a stage actor, Kilmer became popular in the mid-1980s after a string of appearances in comedy films, starting with Top Secret! , then the cult classic Real Genius , as well as blockbuster action films, including a role in Top Gun and a lead role...
,
Joanne WhalleyJoanne Whalley Joanne Whalley Joanne Whalley (born 25 August 1964 in Stockport, then in Cheshire, now in Greater Manchester is an English actress.Brought up in Stockport, Whalley first appeared in How We Used To Live and bit parts in soap operas, especially Coronation Street and Emmerdale...
,
Jean MarshJean Lyndsey Torren Marsh is an English actress, occasional screenwriter, and co-creator of the television series Upstairs, Downstairs and The House of Eliott....
and
Patricia HayesPatricia Lawlor Hayes, OBE was an English comedy actress.Hayes was born in Wandsworth, London. As a child Hayes attended Sacred Heart School in Wandsworth....
. With a
sword and sorcerySword and sorcery is a fantasy subgenre generally characterized by swashbuckling heroes engaged in exciting and violent conflicts. An element of romance is often present, as is an element of magic and the supernatural...
setting, Davis stars as the eponymous lead character and hero Willow, a reluctant Nelwyn (
halflingHalfling is another name for J. R. R. Tolkien's Hobbit and is a fictional race sometimes found in fantasy novels and games. In many settings, they are similar to humans except about half the size...
) 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-productionPost-production is part of the filmmaking process. It occurs in the making of motion pictures, television programs, radio programs, videos, audio recordings, photography and digital art...
phase of
CocoonCocoon is a 1985 science fiction film directed by Ron Howard about a group of elderly people who are rejuvenated by aliens. The movie starred Don Ameche, Wilford Brimley, Hume Cronyn, Brian Dennehy, Jack Gilford, Steve Guttenberg, Maureen Stapleton, Jessica Tandy, Gwen Verdon, Herta Ware, Tahnee...
in 1985. Lucas believed he and Howard shared a relationship similar to the one Lucas enjoyed with
Steven SpielbergSteven Allan Spielberg KBE is an American film director, screenwriter, and film producer. In a career of over four decades, Spielberg's films have touched on many themes and genres. Spielberg's early sci-fi and adventure films, sometimes centering on children, were seen as an archetype of modern...
.
Bob DolmanBob Dolman is a Canadian screenwriter. He wrote the screenplay for the 1988 film Willow. He was formerly married to the actress Andrea Martin. His sister comic actress Nancy Dolman is married to actor/singer/comedian Martin Short....
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-MayerMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc., or MGM, is an American media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of films and television programs. MGM was founded in 1924 when the entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B...
and
principal photographythumb|300px|Film production on location in [[Newark, New Jersey]].Principal photography is the phase of film production in which the movie is actually shot, as distinct from pre-production and post-production....
began in April 1987, finishing the following October.
The majority of filming took place at
Elstree StudiosHistorically, the name "Elstree Studios" refers to any of several film studios that were based in the towns of Borehamwood and Elstree in Hertfordshire, England....
in
HertfordshireHertfordshire , abbreviated Herts, is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford....
,
EnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, as well as
WalesWales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom, bordered by England to its east, and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It is also an elective region of the European Union...
and
New ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses , and numerous smaller islands, most notably Stewart Island/Rakiura and the Chatham Islands. The indigenous Māori named New Zealand Aotearoa, commonly translated as The Land of the Long White Cloud...
. Industrial Light & Magic created the visual effects sequences, which led to a revolutionary breakthrough with digital
morphingMorphing is a special effect in motion pictures and animations that changes one image into another through a seamless transition. Most often it is used to depict one person turning into another through technological means or as part of a fantasy or surreal sequence. Traditionally such a depiction...
technology.
Willow was released in May 1988 to
box officeA box office is a place where tickets are sold to the public for admission to a venue. Patrons may perform the transaction at a countertop, through an unblocked hole through a wall, or at a wicket...
disappointment and mixed reviews from critics, but received two Academy Award nominations and
cult filmA cult film is a film that has acquired a highly devoted but specific group of fans. Often, cult movies have failed to achieve fame outside of the small fanbases; however, there have been exceptions that have managed to gain fame among mainstream audiences...
recognition.
Plot
It is a time of dread and the evil queen Bavmorda (
Jean MarshJean Lyndsey Torren Marsh is an English actress, occasional screenwriter, and co-creator of the television series Upstairs, Downstairs and The House of Eliott....
) fears a prophecy stating that a newborn baby will eventually bring about her downfall. Bavmorda imprisons all the pregnant mothers in her kingdom; one of them gives birth to the confirmed baby. However, before Bavmorda has a chance to kill the infant, the midwife escapes with the baby girl, putting her on a raft and sending 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. The baby is found by the children of Willow Ufgood (
Warwick DavisWarwick Ashley Davis is a British actor. He is noted for his dwarfism, standing at tall. Davis is probably best known as the title characters in Willow and the Leprechaun series of films; other prominent roles include Wicket W...
), a farmer and amateur magician. Willow is then chosen by the town council to return the child to the world of the "large people," or Daikini. The first Daikini Willow comes upon is a boasting warrior named Madmartigan (
Val KilmerVal Edward Kilmer is an American actor. Originally a stage actor, Kilmer became popular in the mid-1980s after a string of appearances in comedy films, starting with Top Secret! , then the cult classic Real Genius , as well as blockbuster action films, including a role in Top Gun and a lead role...
), who offers to take care of the baby.
On his way home, Willow is attacked by a clan of
BrownieA brownie/brounie or urisk or brùnaidh, ùruisg, or gruagach is a legendary kind of creature popular in folklore around Scotland and England...
s, who steal 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. Cherlindrea sends along two brownies, Franjean and Rool. Along the way, they bump into Madmartigan, who helps them escape from Sorsha (
Joanne WhalleyJoanne Whalley Joanne Whalley Joanne Whalley (born 25 August 1964 in Stockport, then in Cheshire, now in Greater Manchester is an English actress.Brought up in Stockport, Whalley first appeared in How We Used To Live and bit parts in soap operas, especially Coronation Street and Emmerdale...
), Bavmorda's daughter. Willow and the rest of the group finally meet Fin Raziel (
Patricia HayesPatricia Lawlor Hayes, OBE was an English comedy actress.Hayes was born in Wandsworth, London. As a child Hayes attended Sacred Heart School in Wandsworth....
), only to find that the sorceress has been turned into a
brushtail possumThe brushtail possums are the members of the genus, Trichosurus, a genus of marsupial in the Phalangeridae family.It contains the following species:*Northern Brushtail Possum, Trichosurus arnhemensis...
by Bavmorda.
After Sorsha captures Willow and the others, they start the long trek to Nockmaar castle. Willow attempts to use magic to turn Fin Raziel back into her human form, but transforms her into a raven instead. They manage to escape, but Madmartigan, under the influence of the Brownies' love potion, becomes infatuated with Sorsha. 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 and her army arrive, but luckily, the Army of Galladoorn, led by Madmartigan's old friend Airk Thaughbaer, ally with Willow. A battle ensues, and Sorsha falls in love with Madmartigan. The Nockmaar General Kael, however, captures Elora and takes her to Nockmaar. Willow, Madmartigan, Sorsha, the Brownies, the goat-sorceress Fin Raziel, and what is left of 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 when Willow finally returns Raziel to human form, the sorceress is able to transform the soldiers back to their true forms as well. The battle at Nockmaar begins the next day, in which Willow manages to save Elora at the last moment from Bavmorda's murderous ritual, and leaves the baby in caring arms of Madmartigan and Sorsha. Willow then returns home to his beloved family, with a new understanding of magic.
Cast
- Warwick Davis
Warwick Ashley Davis is a British actor. He is noted for his dwarfism, standing at tall. Davis is probably best known as the title characters in Willow and the Leprechaun series of films; other prominent roles include Wicket W...
as Willow Ufgood: A reluctant Nelwyn dwarf who plays a critical role in protecting infant Elora Danan from the evil queen Bavmorda.
- Val Kilmer
Val Edward Kilmer is an American actor. Originally a stage actor, Kilmer became popular in the mid-1980s after a string of appearances in comedy films, starting with Top Secret! , then the cult classic Real Genius , as well as blockbuster action films, including a role in Top Gun and a lead role...
as Madmartigan: A boasting mercenaryA mercenary is a professional soldier hired by a foreign army, as opposed to a soldier enlisted in the armed forces of a sovereign state. He or she takes part in armed conflict on many different scales, and is "motivated to take part in the hostilities essentially by the desire for private gain...
swordA sword is a long, edged piece of metal, used in many civilizations throughout the world, primarily as a cutting or thrusting weapon and occasionally for clubbing...
sman who helps Willow on his quest.
- Joanne Whalley
Joanne Whalley Joanne Whalley Joanne Whalley (born 25 August 1964 in Stockport, then in Cheshire, now in Greater Manchester is an English actress.Brought up in Stockport, Whalley first appeared in How We Used To Live and bit parts in soap operas, especially Coronation Street and Emmerdale...
as Sorsha: Warrior daughter of Bavmorda, who begins the film as an antagonist, but eventually shares a romantic relationship with Madmartigan.
- Jean Marsh
Jean Lyndsey Torren Marsh is an English actress, occasional screenwriter, and co-creator of the television series Upstairs, Downstairs and The House of Eliott....
as Queen Bavmorda: Villainous ruler of Nockmaar and mother of Sorsha.
- Patricia Hayes
Patricia Lawlor Hayes, OBE was an English comedy actress.Hayes was born in Wandsworth, London. As a child Hayes attended Sacred Heart School in Wandsworth....
as Fin Raziel: Aging sorceress who is turned into a rodent due to a curse from Bavmorda. Willow, able to use the appropriate spell, restores Raziel into her original human form.
- Billy Barty
Billy Barty , born William John Bertanzetti, was an American film actor, and one of the most famous 20th century people with dwarfism.- Biography :Barty, an Italian American, was born in Millsboro, Pennsylvania...
as High Aldwin: Nelwyn wizard who commissions Willow to go on his journey.
- Pat Roach
Francis Patrick "Pat" Roach was an English actor and wrestler from Birmingham. His most famous role is that of West Country bricklayer Brian "Bomber" Busbridge in Auf Wiedersehen, Pet...
as General Kael: Villainous associate to Queen Bavmorda and high commander of her army. He is killed by Madmartigan in the Battle of Nockmaar.
- Gavan O'Herlihy
Gavan O'Herlihy is an American actor.O'Herlihy was born in Dublin, the son of Elsa Bennett and Irish actor Dan O'Herlihy. In his youth, he was an avid tennis player, and even became Irish National Tennis Champion...
as Airk Thaughbaer: Military commander of the (destroyed) kingdom of Galladorn who shares a mixed friendship with Madmartigan. Airk is killed by General Kael.
- Kevin Pollak
Kevin Elliot Pollak is an American actor, impressionist and comedian. He started performing stand-up comedy at the age of ten and touring professionally at age twenty...
and Rick OvertonRichard "Rick" Overton is an American screenwriter, actor, and comedian. His writing credits include Dennis Miller Live, and his acting credits include Willow and The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne.-Biography:...
as Rool and Franjean: BrownieA brownie/brounie or urisk or brùnaidh, ùruisg, or gruagach is a legendary kind of creature popular in folklore around Scotland and England...
duo who also serve as comic reliefComic relief is the inclusion of a humorous character, scene or witty dialogue in an otherwise serious work, often to relieve tension.-Definition:...
s in Willow's journey.
- David J. Steinberg as Meegosh: Willow's closest friend. Meegosh accompanies Willow on his journey.
- Mark Northover
Mark Northover was a British actor, with the distinctive characteristic of dwarfism, whose best-known screen character was Burglekutt in the 1988 film Willow. Another memorable role was that of Alvy in Hardware...
as Burglekutt: Leader of the Nelwyn village council. Burglekutt and Willow despise each other.
- Phil Fondacaro
Phil Fondacaro is an American actor. A dwarf actor at , Fondacaro began acting in 1981, with the film Under the Rainbow....
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
Joseph Anthony "Tiny" Cox is an American actor, best known for his comedic performances in Bad Santa, Me, Myself and Irene, Date Movie and Disaster Movie...
as a Nelwyn warrior.
Development
George LucasGeorge Walton Lucas, Jr. is an American film producer, screenwriter, director and chairman of Lucasfilm Ltd. He is best known for being the creator of the epic sci-fi franchise Star Wars and joint creator of the archaeologist-adventurer character Indiana Jones...
conceived the idea for
Willow (originally titled
MunchkinMunchkins are the natives of the fictional Munchkin Country in the Oz books by L. Frank Baum. They first appeared in the 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, in which they are described as being somewhat short of stature, and wear only blue....
s) in 1972. Lucas' desire for
Willow was similar to
Star WarsStar Wars is an epic space opera franchise initially conceived by George Lucas. The first film in the franchise was originally released on May 25, 1977, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, spawning two immediate sequels, released at three-year intervals...
, and create "a number of well-known mythological situations for a young audience". During the production of
Return of the JediStar Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi is a 1983 space opera film directed by Richard Marquand and written by George Lucas and Lawrence Kasdan. It is the third film released in the Star Wars saga, and the sixth and final in terms of internal chronology...
in 1982, Lucas approached
Warwick DavisWarwick Ashley Davis is a British actor. He is noted for his dwarfism, standing at tall. Davis is probably best known as the title characters in Willow and the Leprechaun series of films; other prominent roles include Wicket W...
, who was portraying Wicket the
EwokEwoks are a fictional species of teddy-bear-like hunter-gatherers that inhabit the forest moon of Endor. They first appeared in the film Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi...
, 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 the that idea."
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. Meanwhile, actor-turned-director
Ron HowardRonald William "Ron" Howard is an American film director and producer, as well as an actor. Howard came to prominence in the 1960s while playing Andy Griffith's TV son, Opie Taylor, on The Andy Griffith Show , and later in the 1970s as Howard Cunningham's son and Arthur Fonzarelli's best friend,...
was looking to do a
fantasy filmFantasy films are films with fantastic themes, usually involving magic, supernatural events, make-believe creatures, or exotic fantasy worlds. The genre is considered to be distinct from science fiction film and horror film, although the genres do overlap....
. Howard was at Industrial Light & Magic during the
post-productionPost-production is part of the filmmaking process. It occurs in the making of motion pictures, television programs, radio programs, videos, audio recordings, photography and digital art...
phase of
CocoonCocoon is a 1985 science fiction film directed by Ron Howard about a group of elderly people who are rejuvenated by aliens. The movie starred Don Ameche, Wilford Brimley, Hume Cronyn, Brian Dennehy, Jack Gilford, Steve Guttenberg, Maureen Stapleton, Jessica Tandy, Gwen Verdon, Herta Ware, Tahnee...
, when he was first approached by Lucas to direct
Willow. Howard had previously starred in Lucas'
American GraffitiAmerican Graffiti is a 1973 coming of age comedy-drama film co-written/directed by George Lucas, and starring Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Paul Le Mat, Charles Martin Smith, Cindy Williams, Candy Clark, Mackenzie Phillips and Harrison Ford...
, and Lucas felt that he and Howard shared a simpatico relationship similar to the one Lucas enjoyed with
Steven SpielbergSteven Allan Spielberg KBE is an American film director, screenwriter, and film producer. In a career of over four decades, Spielberg's films have touched on many themes and genres. Spielberg's early sci-fi and adventure films, sometimes centering on children, were seen as an archetype of modern...
. Howard nominated
Bob DolmanBob Dolman is a Canadian screenwriter. He wrote the screenplay for the 1988 film Willow. He was formerly married to the actress Andrea Martin. His sister comic actress Nancy Dolman is married to actor/singer/comedian Martin Short....
to write the screenplay based on Lucas' story. Dolman worked with Howard on an unsold
television pilotA television pilot is a test episode of an intended television series. It is an early step in the development of a television series, much like pilot lights or pilot studies serve as precursors to the start of larger activity, or pilot holes prepare the way for larger holes. Networks use pilots to...
called
Little Shots, and Lucas admired Dolman's work on the
sitcomA situation comedy, usually referred to as a sitcom, is a genre of comedy programs which originated in radio. Today, sitcoms are found almost exclusively on television as one of its dominant narrative forms...
WKRP in CincinnatiWKRP in Cincinnati is an American situation comedy that featured the misadventures of the staff of a struggling fictional radio station in Cincinnati, Ohio. The show was created by Hugh Wilson and was based upon his experiences working in advertising as a client of a classic album-oriented rock...
.
Dolman joined Howard and Lucas at
Skywalker RanchSkywalker Ranch is the name of the workplace of film director and producer George Lucas in secluded but open country near Nicasio, California in Marin County. The ranch is located on Lucas Valley Road, although Lucas is not related to the road's namesake, a turn-of-the-century landowner in the area...
for a series of lengthy story conferences, and wrote seven drafts of his script between the spring and fall of 1986.
Pre-productionPre-production is the process of preparing all the elements involved in a film, play, or other performance.- Information :In the film industry, pre-production usually only commences once a project has been developed and is greenlit...
began in late-1986. Various major film studios turned down the chance to distribute and co-finance
Willow with
LucasfilmLucasfilm Limited is an American film production company founded by George Lucas in 1971, based in San Francisco, California. Lucas is the company's current chairman, and Micheline Chau is the president and COO....
because they believed the fantasy genre was unsuccessful. This was largely due to films such as
KrullKrull is a 1983 heroic fantasy film directed by Peter Yates and produced by Ron Silverman. Released by Columbia Pictures, it stars Ken Marshall as Prince Colwyn and Lysette Anthony as Princess Lyssa....
,
LegendLegend is a 1985 fantasy film released by 20th Century Fox and Universal Pictures , directed by Ridley Scott and starring Tom Cruise, Mia Sara, Tim Curry, Alice Playten, David Bennent, and Billy Barty...
,
DragonslayerDragonslayer is a 1981 live action fantasy movie set in a fictional medieval kingdom. It follows a young wizard who experiences danger and opposition as he attempts to defeat a dragon....
and
LabyrinthLabyrinth is a 1986 fantasy film, directed by Jim Henson, produced by George Lucas, and designed by Brian Froud. Henson collaborated on the screenwriting with children's author Dennis Lee and Monty Python alumnus Terry Jones. The leads are David Bowie as Jareth the Goblin King, and Jennifer...
. Lucas took
Willow to
Metro-Goldwyn-MayerMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc., or MGM, is an American media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of films and television programs. MGM was founded in 1924 when the entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B...
(MGM), which was headed by
Alan Ladd, Jr.Alan Ladd, Jr. is an American film industry executive and producer. He is famous for giving George Lucas the go-ahead to make Star Wars. He is the son of actor Alan Ladd....
Ladd and Lucas shared a relationship as far back as the mid-1970s, when Ladd, running
20th Century FoxTwentieth Century Fox Film Corporation , also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox, is one of the six major American film studios...
,
greenlightTo greenlight a project is to give permission or a go ahead to move forward with a project. In the context of the movie and TV businesses, to greenlight something is to formally approve its production finance, thereby allowing the project to move forward from the development phase to pre-production...
ed Lucas' idea for
Star Wars. 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 million 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.
Filming
Principal photographythumb|300px|Film production on location in [[Newark, New Jersey]].Principal photography is the phase of film production in which the movie is actually shot, as distinct from pre-production and post-production....
began on April 27, 1987 and ended that following October. Interior footage took place at
Elstree StudiosHistorically, the name "Elstree Studios" refers to any of several film studios that were based in the towns of Borehamwood and Elstree in Hertfordshire, England....
in
HertfordshireHertfordshire , abbreviated Herts, is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford....
, England, while
location shootingLocation shooting is the practice of filming in an actual setting rather than on a sound stage or back lot. In filmmaking a location is any place where a film crew will be filming actors and recording their dialog. A location where dialog is not recorded may be considered as a second unit...
took place in Wales and New Zealand. Lucas initially visualized shooting
Willow similar to
Return of the JediStar Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi is a 1983 space opera film directed by Richard Marquand and written by George Lucas and Lawrence Kasdan. It is the third film released in the Star Wars saga, and the sixth and final in terms of internal chronology...
, with studio scenes at Elstree and locations in
Northern CaliforniaNorthern California is the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. The region contains the San Francisco Bay Area, San Jose , Sacramento , as well as the substantial natural beauty of the redwood forests, the northern California coast, the Big Sur coastline area, the Sierra Nevada...
, but the idea eventually faded. However, some exteriors were done around
Skywalker RanchSkywalker Ranch is the name of the workplace of film director and producer George Lucas in secluded but open country near Nicasio, California in Marin County. The ranch is located on Lucas Valley Road, although Lucas is not related to the road's namesake, a turn-of-the-century landowner in the area...
and on location at
Burney FallsBurney Falls is a waterfall on Burney Creek, in McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park, Shasta County, California.The water comes from underground springs above and at the falls, which are 129 feet high, and provides an almost constant flow rate of 100 million US gallons per day , even during...
, near
Mount ShastaMount Shasta is located in Siskiyou County and at is second highest peak in the Cascades and the fifth highest in California. Mount Shasta has an estimated volume of which makes it the most voluminous stratovolcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc.The mountain and its surrounding area are managed by...
. 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 screenChroma key is a technique for mixing two images or frames together, in which a color from one image is removed , revealing another image behind it. This technique is also referred to as color keying, colour-separation overlay , greenscreen, and bluescreen...
footage.
Tongariro National ParkTongariro National Park is the oldest national park in New Zealand, located in the central North Island. It has been acknowledged by UNESCO as one of the 25 mixed cultural and natural World Heritage Sites....
in New Zealand was chosen to house Bavmorda's castle.
Visual effects
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 MurenDennis Muren, A.S.C. is an American film special effects artist, most notable for his work on the films of Steven Spielberg, James Cameron and George Lucas. He has won six Oscars for Best Visual Effects.-Early life & career:...
considered using
stop motionStop motion is an animation technique to make a physically manipulated object appear to move on its own. The object is moved in small increments between individually photographed frames, creating the illusion of movement when the series of frames is played as a continuous sequence...
animation for the scene. 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 dissolveAn optical printer is a device consisting of one or more film projectors mechanically linked to a movie camera. It allows filmmakers to re-photograph one or more strips of film...
with cutaways at various stages.
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
morphingMorphing is a special effect in motion pictures and animations that changes one image into another through a seamless transition. Most often it is used to depict one person turning into another through technological means or as part of a fantasy or surreal sequence. Traditionally such a depiction...
technology. Muren proposed filming each animal, and the actress
doublingA body double is a general term for someone who substitutes for the credited actor of a character in any recorded visual medium, whether videotape or film. The term is most commonly used in the context of head-to-toe shots involving nudity. More specific terms are often used in special cases; a...
for Patricia Hayes, and then feeding the images into a computer program developed by Doug Smythe (
Terminator 2: Judgment DayTerminator 2: Judgment Day, commonly abbreviated as T2, is a 1991 science fiction action film directed, co-written and co-produced by James Cameron and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Edward Furlong, and Robert Patrick...
,
Iron ManIron Man is a American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. Directed by Jon Favreau, the film stars Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark, a billionaire industrialist and master engineer who builds a powered exoskeleton and becomes the technologically advanced superhero,...
). 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 HolmesYoung Sherlock Holmes is a 1985 film directed by Barry Levinson and written by Chris Columbus. The movie depicts a young Sherlock Holmes and John Watson meeting and solving a mystery together at a boarding school.-Plot Synopsis:...
,
Ghostbusters IIGhostbusters II is a 1989 sci-fi comedy film and sequel to Ghostbusters. Produced and directed by Ivan Reitman, Ghostbusters II follows the further adventures of a group of parapsychologists and their organization which combats paranormal activities . The sequel was originally to be called...
) achieved what would represent a breakthrough for
computer-generated imageryComputer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
(CGI).
Soundtrack
The
film scoreA film score is an alternative word used for the background music of a film . The term soundtrack is often confused with film score, though a soundtrack may also include songs featured in the film as well as previously released music by other artists, while the score does not...
was written by
James HornerJames Roy Horner is an American composer, orchestrator and conductor of orchestral and film music. He is noted for the integration of choral and electronic elements in many of his film scores, and for frequent use of Celtic musical elements...
and performed by the
London Symphony OrchestraThe London Symphony Orchestra is a major orchestra of the United Kingdom, as well as one of the best-known orchestras in the world. Since 1982, the LSO has been based in London's Barbican Centre.-History:...
.
Track listing
- "Elora Danan" – 9:45
- "Escape from the Tavern" – 5:04
- "Willow's Journey Begins" – 5:26
- "Canyon of Mazes" – 7:52
- "Tir Asleen" – 10:47
- "Willow's Theme" – 3:54
- "Bavmorda's Spell is Cast" – 18:11
- "Willow the Sorcerer" – 11:55
Box office
Willow was shown and promoted at the
1988 Cannes Film Festival- Jury :*Ettore Scola*Claude Berri*David Robinson*Yelena Safonova*George Miller*Hector Olivera*Nastassja Kinski*Philippe Sarde*Robby Muller*William Goldman-Feature film competition:* A World Apart by Chris Menges...
. The film was released on May 20, 1988 in 1,209 theaters, earning $8.3 million in its opening weekend.
Willow eventually grossed $57.27 million in the United States, which Lucas considered a
box officeA box office is a place where tickets are sold to the public for admission to a venue. Patrons may perform the transaction at a countertop, through an unblocked hole through a wall, or at a wicket...
disappointment. He had hoped
Willow would earn as much money as
E.T. the Extra-TerrestrialE.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is a 1982 American science fiction film co-produced and directed by Steven Spielberg, written by Melissa Mathison and starring Henry Thomas, Robert MacNaughton, Drew Barrymore, and Dee Wallace. It tells the story of Elliott , a lonely boy who befriends a friendly...
, but the film faced early competition with
Crocodile Dundee II"Crocodile" Dundee II is a 1988 Australian adventure and comedy film. It is the sequel to the 1986 film "Crocodile" Dundee, and was followed by 2001's Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles. Actors Paul Hogan and Linda Kozlowski reprise their roles as Mick Dundee and Sue Charlton, respectively...
,
BigBig is an 1988 comedy-drama film about a boy who makes a wish "to be big" to a magical fortune-telling machine, and is then aged to adulthood overnight. It stars Tom Hanks...
and
Rambo IIIRambo III is a 1988 American action film released on May 25, 1988. It is the third film in the Rambo series following First Blood and Rambo: First Blood Part II...
.
Critical analysis
Willow was released with mixed reviews from critics. Based on 23 reviews collected by
Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films. The name derives from the historical cliché of throwing tomatoes and other produce at stage performers if a performance was particularly bad.- History :...
, 43% of the critics enjoyed
Willow with an average score of 5.4/10.
Roger EbertRoger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter.He is known for his film review column and for two television programs Sneak Previews and Siskel & Ebert at the Movies, which he co-hosted for a combined 23 years with Gene Siskel...
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.
Richard CorlissRichard Nelson Corliss is a writer for Time magazine who focuses on movies, with the occasional article on music or sports. Corliss is the former editor-in-chief of Film Comment...
of
Time magazineTime is an American newsmagazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong. As of 2009, Time no longer publishes a Canadian advertiser edition...
believed the
sword and sorcerySword and sorcery is a fantasy subgenre generally characterized by swashbuckling heroes engaged in exciting and violent conflicts. An element of romance is often present, as is an element of magic and the supernatural...
themes presented in
Willow were overtly
clichéA cliché , is a saying, expression, idea, or element of an artistic work which has been overused to the point of losing its original meaning or effect, rendering it a stereotype, especially when at some earlier time it was considered meaningful or novel...
.
Janet MaslinJanet Maslin is an American journalist. She is best known as a film and literary critic for The New York Times.-Personal:Maslin graduated from the University of Rochester in 1970, with a B.A. degree and a major in mathematics . She was once married to record producer Jon Landau...
from
The New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded in 1851 and published in New York City. The largest metropolitan newspaper in the United States, "The Gray Lady"—named for its staid appearance and style—is regarded as a national newspaper of record...
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.
Desson ThomsonDesson Patrick Thomson is a speaker, movie reviewer and cultural commentator who wrote film reviews for 21 years as a critic for The Washington Post. Based in Washington DC, he speaks professionally at conventions, seminars, Sunday movie chats, and other events. He also blogs and reviews movies on...
, writing in
The Washington PostThe Washington Post is the newspaper with the largest circulation in Washington, D.C. and is the city's oldest paper, founded in 1877. Being located in the nation's capital, it has a particular emphasis on national politics and international affairs...
, explained "
Rob ReinerRobert Norman "Rob" Reiner is an American director, producer, writer, and political activist. As an actor, Reiner first came to national prominence as Archie and Edith Bunker's son-in-law, Michael "Meathead" Stivic, on All in the Family. That role earned him two Emmy Awards during the 1970s...
's similar fairytale adventure
The Princess BrideThe Princess Bride is an American 1987 film, based on the 1973 novel of the same name by William Goldman, combining comedy, adventure, romance and fantasy.The movie was directed by Rob Reiner from a screenplay by Goldman...
(which
Willow cinematographerA cinematographer is one photographing with a motion picture camera . The title is generally equivalent to director of photography , used to designate a chief over the camera and lighting crews working on a film, responsible for achieving artistic and technical decisions related to the image...
Adrian BiddleAdrian Biddle, B.S.C. , was an English cinematographer.-Early years:...
also shot) managed to evoke volumes more without razzle-dazzle. It's a sad thing to be faulting Lucas, maker of the
Star WarsStar Wars is an epic space opera franchise initially conceived by George Lucas. The first film in the franchise was originally released on May 25, 1977, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, spawning two immediate sequels, released at three-year intervals...
trilogy and
Raiders of the Lost ArkRaiders of the Lost Ark is a action-adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg, produced by George Lucas, and starring Harrison Ford...
, for forgetting the tricks of entertainment." Mike Clark in
USA TodayUSA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth...
wrote that "the rainstorm wrap-up, in which Good edges Evil is like
Led ZeppelinLed Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in 1968 by Jimmy Page , Robert Plant , John Paul Jones and John Bonham . With their heavy, guitar-driven sound, Led Zeppelin are regarded as one of the first heavy metal bands, helping to pioneer the genre...
Meets The Wild BunchThe Wild Bunch directed by Sam Peckinpah, is a Western film about an aging outlaw gang at the Texas-Mexico border trying to exist in the modern world of supposedly 1913...
.
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."
Awards
Sound designSound design is a conceptually creative/technical field. It covers all non-compositional elements of a film, a play, a music performance or recording, computer game software or any other multimedia project...
ers
Ben BurttBenjamin "Ben" Burtt, Jr. is a four-time Academy Award-winning American sound designer for many famous and noteworthy films, including Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and WALL-E, as well as a film director, screenwriter, editor and voice actor...
and Richard Hymns of
Skywalker SoundSkywalker Sound is the sound effects, sound editing, sound design and music recording division of George Lucas' Lucas Digital motion picture group. Its main facilities are located in Lucas Valley, near Nicasio, California...
were nominated the
Academy Award for Sound EditingThe Academy Award of Merit for Best Sound Editing is an Academy Award granted yearly to a film exhibiting the finest or most aesthetic sound editing or sound design...
, but lost to
Who Framed Roger RabbitWho Framed Roger Rabbit is a 1988 fantasy comedy film directed by Robert Zemeckis, produced by Steven Spielberg and based on Gary K. Wolf's novel Who Censored Roger Rabbit?. It was released by Walt Disney Pictures, under the Touchstone banner and co-produced by Amblin Entertainment...
. The visual effects supervisors also lost the
Academy Award for Visual EffectsThe Academy Award for Visual Effects is an Oscar given to one film each year that shows highest achievement in visual effects.The category was called Best Special Effects when it was created in 1939. In 1963, the category was split into two: Best Special Visual Effects and Best Sound Effects...
to
Roger Rabbit, which was similarly done by Industrial Light & Magic.
Costume designCostume design is the fabrication of apparel for the overall appearance of a character or performer. This usually involves researching, designing and building the actual items from conception. Costumes may be for a theater or cinema performance but may not be limited to such...
er Barbara Lane won the
Saturn Award for Best CostumeThe following are a list of Saturn Award winners for Best Costume:...
Design. Warwick Davis (
Performance by a Younger ActorThe following are a list of Saturn Award winners for Best Performance by a Younger Actor:...
) and Jean Marsh (Supporting Actress) also received nominations.
Willow also lost the
Saturn Award for Best Fantasy FilmThe following are a list of Saturn Award winners for Best Fantasy Film:...
and
Hugo Award for Best Dramatic PresentationThe Hugo Awards are given annually by members of the World Science Fiction Convention for the best science fiction or fantasy works. The awards are named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and given in various categories.Winners for the...
to
Roger Rabbit. George Lucas and Bob Dolman (Worst Screenplay) and
Billy BartyBilly Barty , born William John Bertanzetti, was an American film actor, and one of the most famous 20th century people with dwarfism.- Biography :Barty, an Italian American, was born in Millsboro, Pennsylvania...
(
Worst Supporting ActorThe Razzie Award for Worst Supporting Actor is an award presented at the annual Golden Raspberry Awards to the worst supporting actor of the previous year. The following is a list of nominees and recipients of that award, along with the film for which they were nominated. Brooke Shields is the...
) were given Golden Raspberry Award nominations.
Legacy
The film was released on DVD as a "
special editionThe terms special edition, limited edition and variants such as deluxe edition, collector's edition and others, are used as a marketing incentive for various kinds of products, originally published products related to the arts, such as books, prints or recorded music and films, but now including...
" in November 2001 by
20th Century Fox Home Entertainment20th Century Fox Home Entertainment is the home video distribution arm of the 20th Century Fox film studio. It was established in 1976 as Magnetic Video Corporation, and later as 20th Century Fox Video, CBS/Fox Video and Fox Video. The company also is best known for distributing the world's...
. The release included
audio commentaryOn disc-based video formats, an audio commentary is an additional audio track consisting of a lecture or comments by one or more speakers, that plays in real time with video...
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, as well as an extended sorceress duel at the climax among others. (Though removed from the theatrical version, the battle with the lake monster was retained for both
Marvel ComicsMarvel Publishing, Inc., a company doing business as Marvel Comics, produces American comic books and related media. It forms a subsidiary of Marvel Entertainment, Inc....
' adaptation and
Wayland DrewWayland Drew was a writer born in Oshawa, Ontario. He earned a BA in English Language and Literature from Victoria College at the University of Toronto in 1957, and began a teaching career in 1961 at the high school in Port Perry, Ontario...
's
novelizationA novelization is a novel that is written based on some other media story form rather than as an original work.Novelizations of films usually add background material not found in the original work to flesh out the story, because novels are generally longer than screenplays...
of the film.)
Novels
Lucas outlined the
Chronicles of the Shadow WarThe Chronicles of the Shadow War is a series of fantasy novels written by Chris Claremont and George Lucas. Published in late 1990s, it was the continuation of the 1988 motion picture Willow. The first book, Shadow Moon, was followed by Shadow Dawn and Shadow Star....
trilogy to follow the film and hired comic book writer/novelist
Chris ClaremontChris Claremont is an award-winning American comic book writer and novelist, known for his 17-year stint on Uncanny X-Men, far longer than any other writer...
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.
-
- Shadow Moon
Shadow Moon is a fantasy novel written by Chris Claremont and George Lucas. Published in 1995, it was the continuation of the 1988 motion picture Willow...
(1995) ISBN 0553572857
- Shadow Dawn
Shadow Dawn is a fantasy novel written by Chris Claremont and George Lucas. Published in 1996, it was the second book in the continuation of events from the 1988 motion picture Willow. Preceded by Shadow Moon in 1995, and followed by Shadow Star. This is the second book in the Chronicles of the...
(1996) ISBN 055357289X
- Shadow Star
Shadow Star is the third and final book in the Chronicles of the Shadow War trilogy. Shadow Star is preceded by Shadow Moon in 1995, and Shadow Dawn in 1996. It was written by Chris Claremont in collaboration with George Lucas. Published in 2000, it was the third book in the continuation of events...
(2000) ISBN 0553572881
Film/TV sequel
Due to the
cult filmA cult film is a film that has acquired a highly devoted but specific group of fans. Often, cult movies have failed to achieve fame outside of the small fanbases; however, there have been exceptions that have managed to gain fame among mainstream audiences...
recognition
Willow received since its release in 1988, Lucas and Warwick Davis commented in April 2005 that a television series acting as a sequel was under consideration. In June 2008, Davis reiterated his hopes to return for a theatrically released second installment of
Willow.
External links
FanzineA fanzine is a nonprofessional and nonofficial publication produced by fans of a particular cultural phenomenon for the pleasure of others who share their interest...
s: