Ladyhawke (1985)

Director:

Richard Donner

Writers:

Edward Khmara (story)
Edward Khmara (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

12 April 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | Fantasy

Tagline:

CURSED FOR ETERNITY...No force in Heaven will release them. No power on Earth can save them. [UK Theatrical]

Plot:

Philipe Gastone, a thief, escapes from the dungeon at Aquila, sparking a manhunt. He is nearly captured when Captain Navarre befriends him...

Plot Keywords:

Bishop | Hawk | Escape | Lady | Thief

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 4 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Matthew Broderick	...	Phillipe Gaston
Rutger Hauer	...	Captain Etienne Navarre
Michelle Pfeiffer	...	Isabeau d'Anjou
Leo McKern	...	Father Imperius the Monk
John Wood	...	Bishop of Aquila
Ken Hutchison	...	Marquet
Alfred Molina	...	Cezar
Giancarlo Prete	...	Fornac
Loris Loddi	...	Jehan
Alessandro Serra	...	Mr. Pitou
Charles Borromel	...	Insane Prisoner
Massimo Sarchielli	...	Innkeeper
Nicolina Papetti	...	Mrs. Pitou
Russel Case	...	Lieutenant (as Russell Kase)
Donald Hodson	...	Guard on Cart (as Don Hudson)
Gregory Snegoff	...	Cart Driver
Gaetano Russo	...	Guard in the Cell
Rod Dana	...	Guard at the City Gate
Stefano Horowitzo	...	Bishop's Bodyguard
Paul Tuerpe	...	Guard
Venantino Venantini	...	Bishop's Secretary
Marcus Beresford	...	Acolyte (as Marcus Berensford)
Valerie O'Brian	...	Peasant Girl (as Valerie O'Brien)
Nanà Cecchi	...	Bishop's Woman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Elettra Baldassarri	...	(uncredited)
Omero Capanna	...	Francesco (uncredited)
Giovanni Cianfriglia	...	One of Fornac's Men (uncredited)
Giuseppe Marrocco	...	Prete (uncredited)
Paolo Merosi	...	Acolyte (uncredited)
Jurgen Morhofer	...	(uncredited)
Benito Stefanelli	...	Bishop's Guard (uncredited)

Directed by
Richard Donner

Writing credits
Edward Khmara		(story)
Edward Khmara		(screenplay) and
Michael Thomas		(screenplay) and
Tom Mankiewicz		(screenplay) and
David Webb Peoples		(screenplay) (as David Peoples)

Produced by
Harvey Bernhard	....	executive producer
Richard Donner	....	producer
Lauren Shuler Donner	....	producer (as Lauren Shuler)

Original Music by
Andrew Powell

Cinematography by
Vittorio Storaro

Film Editing by
Stuart Baird

Casting by
Marion Dougherty

Production Design by
Wolf Kroeger

Art Direction by
Ken Court
Giovanni Natalucci

Costume Design by
Nanà Cecchi

Makeup Department
Iole Cecchini	....	hair stylist
Gilda De Guilmi	....	hair stylist (as Ida De Guilmi)
Giancarlo Del Brocco	....	key makeup artist
Rita Innocenzi	....	assistant hair stylist
Gilberto Provenghi	....	makeup artist
Alfredo Tiberi	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Gerald Morin	....	unit manager
Mario Pisani	....	production manager: Italy
Anthony Waye	....	production manager: UK

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Stuart Baird	....	second unit director
Peter Bennett	....	second assistant director (as Peter Bennet)
Terry Madden	....	second assistant director
Ken Rudnick	....	assistant director: second unit, New York
Luciano Sacripanti	....	first assistant director: Italy
Mauro Sacripanti	....	second assistant director
Anthony Waye	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Elio Altamura	....	property master
Stephen Altman	....	set dresser (as Steve Altman)
Maria-Teresa Barbasso	....	draftswoman (as Maria Teresa Barbasso)
Nello Cappelli	....	propman
Mariangela Capuano	....	draftswoman
Roy Carnon	....	visual concepts artist
Lucio Di Domenico	....	draftsman
Giuseppe Fatale	....	production prop buyer
Ennio Meloni	....	construction labor
Bernadino Nardoni	....	construction coordinator
Angelo Santucci	....	set dresser
Romolo Siani	....	stand-by painter
Francesco Valento	....	carpenter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Rick Alexander	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Dick Alexander)
Bud Alper	....	sound
Brydon Baker III	....	boom operator
Neil Burrow	....	sound editor (as Neil Burrows)
Gordon Davidson	....	sound editor
Les Fresholtz	....	sound re-recording mixer
Robert G. Henderson	....	supervising sound editor (as Bob Henderson)
Matthew C. May	....	assistant sound editor (as Matthew May)
Alan Robert Murray	....	supervising sound editor (as Alan Murray)
Vern Poore	....	sound re-recording mixer
Rod Rogers	....	assistant sound editor
Larry Singer	....	adr editor
Chester Slomka	....	sound editor (as Chet Slomka)
Brooke Henderson Ward	....	assistant sound editor (as Brooke Henderson)

Special Effects by
Eros Bacciucchi	....	special effects assistant
Norman Baille	....	special effects technician
John Brown	....	special effects technician
Jerry Ciantar	....	special effects technician (as Gerry Ciantar)
Daniel Dark	....	special effects technician
Tony Dunsterville	....	special effects technician (as Anthony Dunsterville)
John Morris	....	special effects senior technician
John Richardson	....	special effects supervisor

Visual Effects by
Rich Champa	....	optical camera operator
Peter Donen	....	additional visual effects supervisor
Mimi Everett	....	optical layout
Vincent Giordano	....	animation cameraman
Richard Greenberg	....	visual effects designer (as Richard A. Greenberg)
Joel Hynek	....	optical photography supervisor
Bill Lattanzi	....	visual effects assistant editor
Eugene Mamut	....	optical camera operator (as Yevgeny Mamut)
Robert Mrozowski	....	animation supervisor
Scott Nicholas	....	optical camera operator
Stuart Robertson	....	optical effects supervisor
James Szalapski	....	chief visual effects cameraman
Joseph Wallikas	....	optical camera operator (as Joe Wallikas)

Stunts
Monica Ciprari	....	stunts
Ottaviano Dell'Acqua	....	stunts
Richard Graydon	....	stunt coordinator
Sergio Mioni	....	stunt coordinator: Italy
Stefano Maria Mioni	....	stunts (as Stefano Mioni)
Angelo Ragusa	....	stunts
Marco Stefanelli	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Giuseppe Alberti	....	first assistant camera
Paola Barbaglia	....	clapper loader
Federico Bruno	....	second camera operator
Filippo Cafolla	....	gaffer
Roberto Gengarelli	....	second camera assistant operator
Emilio Lari	....	still photographer
Alfredo Marchetti	....	key grip
Enrico Umetelli	....	camera operator
Riccardo Umetelli	....	clapper loader
Alberico Novelli	....	electrician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Francesco Cinieri	....	casting: Italy
Mary Selway	....	casting: London

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Adriana Mattiozzi	....	wardrobe seamstress
Elisabetta Montaldo	....	wardrobe assistant (as Elizabeth Bocciardo Montaldo)
Gloria Musetta	....	wardrobe coordinator
Pasqualino Sindici	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Giorgio De Vincenzo	....	assistant editor: Italy
Geno Escarrega	....	second assistant editor (as Eugene T. Escarrega)
Seth Flaum	....	assistant editor
Mark Pierce	....	editor trainee
Dallas Puett	....	assistant editor
Michael Thau	....	second assistant editor
Russ Woolnough	....	first assistant editor (as Russ Woolenough)

Music Department
Ian Bairnson	....	musician: guitars
Richard Cottle	....	musician: keyboards
Stuart Elliott	....	musician: drums
Donald Harris	....	music editor
Alan Parsons	....	music recording engineer
Alan Parsons	....	music score producer
David Paton	....	musician: bass guitar
Andrew Powell	....	conductor
Andrew Powell	....	musician: keyboards
Andrew Powell	....	orchestrator
Eric Prince	....	music copyist
Tony Richards	....	music recording engineer
Alan Snelling	....	music recording engineer
Eric Tomlinson	....	music recording engineer
Tom Boyd	....	musician: oboe soloist (uncredited)
Robert Fernandez	....	scoring mixer (uncredited)
Christopher Flick	....	assistant music editor (uncredited)
James Thatcher	....	musician: french horn (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Nando Cartucci	....	transportation
Antonio Condello	....	unit driver (as Antonio Oondello)
Franco di Tivoli	....	unit driver
Aldo Proietti	....	unit driver
Antonio Savini	....	transportation manager
Remo Ubertini	....	unit driver

Other crew
Manuela Estrella Beeloo	....	horse trainer
Roberto Bessi	....	assistant to executive producer: Italy
Pino Butti	....	production assistant (as Giuseppe Butti)
Sergio Casadei	....	horse wrangler: Italy
Luisa Cutri	....	production secretary
Alberto De Stefani	....	cashier
Carlo Del Marro	....	assistant accountant
Bruna Percecchi di Spirito	....	caterer
Hunt Downs	....	unit publicist
Walter Fiordelmondo	....	production assistant
Maria Fiorito	....	payroll clerk
Gary Gero	....	hawks & wolves trainer
Judith Goodman	....	executive assistant to Richard Donner: Italy
Richard Graydon	....	horse master
William Hobbs	....	fight arranger
Lynne Bell Kelser	....	executive assistant to Harvey Bernhard: USA
Karen Kovacevich	....	executive assistant: Lauren Shuler
Jennie Lew Tugend	....	executive assistant: Richard Donner, USA (as Jennie Lew)
Manolo Luppichini	....	video system technician
Tom Mankiewicz	....	consultant
Aroldo Mogiani	....	crowd marshall
Ron Oxley	....	animal trainer
Larry Payne	....	hawks & wolves trainer
Gina Pietralunga	....	production secretary
Adriano Pischiutta	....	blacksmith foreman
David Price	....	assistant to producers
Giuliano Principato	....	production assistant
Stefano Priori	....	assistant accountant
Marco Valerio Pugini	....	unit runner: Italy (as Marco Pugini)
Elaine Schreyeck	....	script supervisor
Cheryl Shawver	....	hawks & wolves trainer
Enzo Sisti	....	accountant
Catherine Smith	....	assistant to producers: Italy
Aldo Spina	....	assistant to producers: Italy
Melanie Tanz	....	assistant to producers
Arthur Tarry	....	production accountant
Jenny Wykes	....	unit nurse
Giovanni Lovatelli	....	production runner (uncredited)
Anselmo Parrinello	....	location manager (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
• Warner Bros

Distributors

• Warner Bros (1985) (USA) (theatrical)
• Hachette-Fox Distribution (1985) (France) (theatrical)
• CBS/Fox Video (1986) (Belgium) (VHS)
• Encore Entertainment (1996) (UK) (video) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (1997) (USA) (DVD)
• Fox Films (1985) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Spentzos Films (1985) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1985) (Canada) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (????) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Abril Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• CBS / Fox Video (1988) (Greece) (VHS)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1988) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• FS Film Oy (2002) (Finland) (DVD)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (2001) (2005) (Finland) (TV)
• Showtime (198?) (Finland) (video)
• TV3 (1989) (Finland) (TV)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2000) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)

Special Effects

• R/Greenberg Associates (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Abbey Road Studios  music recorded at
• Cinema Research  additional optical effects
• Cinema Research  end titles
• Costumi d'Arte  wardrobe
• Fratelli Cartocci S.r.l.  transportation
• Giuseppe Peruzzi, Rome  wardrobe
• R/Greenberg Associates  main titles
• Atlantic Records  soundtrack

Also Known As:

Runtime:

121 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Chile:TE | Finland:K-12 | Peru:PT | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:PG-13 (No. 27654) | West Germany:12 (bw) | Netherlands:AL | Iceland:14 | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Canada:PG (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Campo Imperatore, L'Aquila, Abruzzo, Italy

Company:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

In the Bishop's garden, he is seen hand-feeding a dancing woman (played by Constume Designer Nanà Cecchi). The pattern on the sleeves of her gown is drawn from the plumage of a hawk, and she employs bird-like motions in her dancing.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: Bubbles from the divers can be seen as Phillipe escapes from the sewer.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Phillipe:Impossible. Impossible. Nothing is impossible. Come on, Mouse. Dig! Dig, Mouse. Come on.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Big Fish (2003)

One of my favorites of all time.

I am not a person who takes the word "favorite" lightly. This is a beautiful movie! It is funny, full of action and Romantic (yes, with a capital 'R'.)

I saw this movie the first time when I was eleven, back in '86. It then took about four years before I saw it again, but I never forgot the feeling it left me with: This is heart-wrenching romance. I only recently bought the video. For some reason I have been unable to track it down sooner. Anyway, I pulled the video tape out of the box and, with mixed feelings, I slid it into the video. Would it be the same? Would it still move me? (Would the music still suck? *grin*) YES!!! It WAS the same! It DID move me! And: NO! The music felt strangely "right."

Yes, I would like to see this movie with a classical score, just to find out... But the "awfulness" of the score (btw, it's not bad all the way) only furthered the porcelain beauty of the visuals (watch the scene with the hawk flying over a still lake -- it's wings dipping into the water -- I get goosebumps), and the pure genius of the characters and dialogue.

Now, the main actors/actress:

Rutger Hauer: This, along with Blade Runner, is your finest work ever! Mr. Hauer delivers a top-notch performance as the brooding, cursed one-man army called Navarre.

Matthew Broderick: This WAS your finest hour. Yes, Mr. Broderick has given us suspense and laughter after Ladyhawke, but nowhere near his performance as Phillipe.

Michelle Pfeiffer: Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't this the most beautiful woman in the world? I do not mean "perfect", because that would be predictable. No, Mrs. Pfeiffer (Kelley?)is simply beautiful in an ancient sense. She is sprung out of a myriad of romance stories. There couldn't have been a better choice for this part. That innocence, that beauty. Isabeau comes to life in the incredible acting. Too little screen time makes you appreciate it even MORE when she enters the plot.

The rest of the cast is too good to be true. John Wood's Bishop, who only comes to "life" after he realises what is about to happen in the end. Before that he is only a shell of a man. And a big BRAVO! and a huge round of applause for the wonderful performance of Leo McKern as the massive, drunkard priest Imperius. Also watch for Alfred Molina in an, even for him, nasty role as the hunter Cezàr which he pulls off with his usual finesse. Bravo Mr. Molina.

Finishing up, I would like to mention, in brief, the equestrianship. It is wonderful. I know only a little about horses, but I know that those used in the movie are not your average show jumping ponies. *grin* The riders are incredible. I have not yet seen riding of that kind. They make it look effortless. They are one with the horse.

The comment to tip the scale (which is already tipped almost over to "What-are-you-nuts?-Haven't-you-already-seen-this?": ALL of it is made without computers!!!

Happy viewing!