| Photos (See all 26 | slideshow) | Videos (see all 2) |
| Val Kilmer | ... | Madmartigan | |
| Joanne Whalley | ... | Sorsha | |
| Warwick Davis | ... | Willow Ufgood | |
| Jean Marsh | ... | Queen Bavmorda | |
| Patricia Hayes | ... | Fin Raziel | |
| Billy Barty | ... | High Aldwin | |
| Pat Roach | ... | Gen. Kael | |
| Gavan O'Herlihy | ... | Airk Thaughbaer | |
| David Steinberg | ... | Meegosh | |
| Phil Fondacaro | ... | Vohnkar | |
| Tony Cox | ... | Vohnkar Warrior | |
| Robert Gillibrand | ... | Vohnkar Warrior | |
| Mark Northover | ... | Burglekutt | |
| Kevin Pollak | ... | Rool | |
| Rick Overton | ... | Franjean | |
| Maria Holvoe | ... | Cherlindrea (as Maria Holvöe) | |
| Julie Peters | ... | Kiaya Ufgood | |
| Mark Vande Brake | ... | Ranon Ufgood | |
| Dawn Downing | ... | Mims Ufgood | |
| Michael Cotterill | ... | Druid | |
| Zulema Dene | ... | Ethna | |
| Joanna Dickens | ... | Barmaid | |
| Jennifer Guy | ... | The Wench | |
| Ron Tarr | ... | Llug | |
| Sallyanne Law | ... | Mother | |
| Ruth Greenfield | ... | Elora Danan | |
| Kate Greenfield | ... | Elora Danan | |
| rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Edwin Alofs | ... | Villager (uncredited) | |
| Kenny Baker | ... | Nelwyn Band Member (uncredited) | |
| Peter Burroughs | ... | Nelwyn Villager (uncredited) | |
| Sadie Corre | ... | Nelwyn Villager (uncredited) | |
| Gerry Crampton | ... | Nockmaar Lieutenant (uncredited) | |
| Kim Davis | ... | Nelwyn Villager (uncredited) | |
| Samantha Davis | ... | Nelwyn Villager (uncredited) | |
| Malcolm Dixon | ... | Nelwyn Band Member (uncredited) | |
| Valerie Gale | ... | Nelwyn Villager (uncredited) | |
| Rusty Goffe | ... | Nelwyn Villager (uncredited) | |
| Cheryl Howard | ... | Nelwyn Villager (uncredited) | |
| Royston Munt | ... | Horse Stunts (uncredited) | |
| Greg Powell | ... | Nockmaar Lieutenant (uncredited) | |
| Nosher Powell | ... | Nelwyn Villager (uncredited) | |
| Jack Purvis | ... | Nelwyn Band Member (uncredited) | |
| Craig Salisbury | ... | Nelwyn Jester (uncredited) | |
| David Sibley | ... | Galladoorn Warrior (uncredited) | |
| Ashley C. Williams | ... | Nelwyn Villager (uncredited) | |
Directed by | |||
| Ron Howard | |||
Writing credits | ||
| George Lucas | (story) | |
| Bob Dolman | (screenplay) | |
Produced by | |||
| Joe Johnston | .... | associate producer | |
| George Lucas | .... | executive producer | |
| Nigel Wooll | .... | producer | |
Original Music by | |||
| James Horner | |||
Cinematography by | |||
| Adrian Biddle | (director of photography) | ||
Film Editing by | |||
| Daniel P. Hanley | (as Daniel Hanley) | ||
| Mike Hill | (as Michael Hill) | ||
| Richard Hiscott | |||
Casting by | |||
| Janet Hirshenson | |||
| Jane Jenkins | |||
Production Design by | |||
| Allan Cameron | |||
Art Direction by | |||
| Tim Hutchinson | |||
| Jim Pohl | |||
| Tony Reading | |||
| Kim Sinclair | |||
| Malcolm Stone | |||
Costume Design by | |||
| Barbara Lane | |||
Makeup Department | |||
| Steven E. Anderson | .... | makeup artist | |
| Robyn Austin | .... | makeup artist: New Zealand | |
| Alan Boyle | .... | chief makeup artist | |
| Joan Carpenter | .... | hair stylist | |
| Trish Cohen | .... | makeup artist: New Zealand | |
| Nick Dudman | .... | makeup designer | |
| Eithne Fennel | .... | hair stylist (as Eithne Fennell) | |
| Amanda Knight | .... | makeup artist | |
| Eddie Knight | .... | makeup artist | |
| Chris Lyons | .... | special effects teeth | |
| Tommie Manderson | .... | makeup artist | |
| Daphne Martin | .... | key hairdresser: second unit | |
| Richard Mills | .... | makeup artist: second unit (as Dickie Mills) | |
| Shayne Radford | .... | hairdresser: New Zealand | |
| Suzanne Reynolds | .... | prosthetic makeup supervisor | |
| Barbara Ritchie | .... | chief hair stylist | |
| Rita Lynch | .... | assistant hair stylist (uncredited) | |
| Rita Lynch | .... | assistant makeup artist (uncredited) | |
Production Management | |||
| Vicki Deason | .... | production manager (as Vicki Manning) | |
| Murray Newey | .... | production manager: New Zealand | |
| Paul Tivers | .... | production manager (uncredited) | |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director | |||
| Ken Baker | .... | assistant director | |
| Richard A. Barker | .... | first assistant director: New Zealand | |
| Mark Challenor | .... | trainee assistant director | |
| Lee Cleary | .... | second assistant director | |
| Deuel Droogan | .... | second assistant director: New Zealand | |
| Nikki Long | .... | third assistant director | |
| Michael D. Moore | .... | second unit director (as Micky Moore) | |
| Terry Pearce | .... | second assistant director | |
| Gareth Tandy | .... | assistant director: third unit | |
| Gerry Toomey | .... | second assistant director | |
| Michael Zimbrich | .... | first assistant director: second unit | |
| Nelson Cabrera | .... | second second assistant director (uncredited) | |
| Asad Qureshi | .... | third assistant director (uncredited) | |
Visual Effects by | |||
| Barbara Affonso | .... | model maker: ILM | |
| Peter Albrecht | .... | rotoscoper: ILM | |
| Jon Alexander | .... | optical camera operator: ILM | |
| David Allen | .... | chief puppeteer | |
| Rick Anderson | .... | model maker: ILM | |
| William L. Arance | .... | lip sync | |
| John Allan Armstrong | .... | animator: ILM (as John Armstrong) | |
| Gordon Baker | .... | animator: ILM | |
| Bill Barr | .... | stage technician (as William Barr) | |
| Craig Barron | .... | director of matte photography | |
| Tom Bertino | .... | rotoscope supervisor: ILM | |
| Timothy Björklund | .... | animator: ILM (as Tim Berglund) | |
| Patricia Blau | .... | post-production supervisor: ILM | |
| Jean Bolte | .... | model maker: ILM | |
| Barbara Brennan | .... | rotoscoper: ILM | |
| Kim Bromley | .... | visual effects coordinator: ILM | |
| Monique Brown | .... | animatronics technician | |
| Dave Carson | .... | visual effects art director: ILM | |
| Jo Carson | .... | visual effects camera assistant: ILM | |
| Sean M. Casey | .... | still photographer: ILM (as Sean Casey) | |
| Wade Childress | .... | matte painting photography: ILM | |
| Terry Chostner | .... | camera operator: visual effects, ILM | |
| Eric Christensen | .... | model maker: ILM | |
| Blair Clark | .... | stop-motion model maker | |
| Donald Clark | .... | optical camera operator: ILM | |
| Charlie Clavadetscher | .... | animation camera operator: ILM (as Charles Clavadetscher) | |
| Catherine Craig | .... | matte painting photography | |
| Peter Daulton | .... | camera operator: visual effects, ILM | |
| Craig Davies | .... | stop-motion model maker | |
| Les Dittert | .... | computer graphics | |
| Dick Dova | .... | stage technician (as Dick Dova Spah) | |
| Loring Doyle | .... | visual effects artist | |
| Sheila Duignan | .... | stop-motion model maker | |
| Randy Dutra | .... | stop-motion model maker | |
| Selwyn Eddy | .... | optical camera operator: ILM | |
| John Ellis | .... | optical supervisor: ILM | |
| Christopher Evans | .... | matte painting supervisor: ILM | |
| Scott Farrar | .... | camera operator: visual effects, ILM | |
| Ellen Ferguson | .... | rotoscoper: ILM | |
| Bob Fernley | .... | optical lab technician | |
| Bob Finley III | .... | stage technician (as Robert Finley III) | |
| Robert Finley Jr. | .... | pyrotechnician | |
| Pat Fitzsimmons | .... | supervising stage technician: ILM | |
| Jammie Friday | .... | rotoscope: VCE, Inc. | |
| Tim Geideman | .... | optical lab technician: ILM | |
| Brian Gernand | .... | model maker: ILM | |
| Ray Gilberti | .... | assistant visual effects editor | |
| Michael Gleason | .... | chief visual effects editor: ILM | |
| Ralph Gordon | .... | optical line-up: ILM | |
| Ned Gorman | .... | visual effects coordinator | |
| Caroleen Green | .... | matte artist: ILM | |
| Margot Hale | .... | rotoscoper: ILM | |
| David Hanks | .... | visual effects camera assistant: ILM (as Dave Hanks) | |
| David R. Hardberger | .... | visual effects camera assistant: ILM (as David Hardberger) | |
| Craig Hayes | .... | stop-motion model maker | |
| Janet Healy | .... | visual effects producer | |
| Rebecca Heskes | .... | rotoscoper: ILM (as Rebecca Petrulli) | |
| Robert Hill | .... | visual effects camera assistant: ILM | |
| Edward Hirsh | .... | stage manager: ILM (as Ed Hirsh) | |
| Sandy Houston | .... | rotoscoper: ILM | |
| Lincoln Hu | .... | computer graphics | |
| Tony Hudson | .... | chief puppeteer: ILM | |
| Tony Hudson | .... | model maker: ILM | |
| Peg Hunter | .... | optical line-up: ILM | |
| Paul Huston | .... | chief model maker: ILM | |
| George H. Joblove | .... | computer graphics: ILM (as George Joblove) | |
| Keith Johnson | .... | optical camera operator: ILM | |
| Randy Jonsson | .... | matte painting photography: ILM (as Randy Johnson) | |
| Marti Julian | .... | lip sync animator: ILM | |
| David Karpman | .... | optical line-up: ILM | |
| Sandra Ford Karpman | .... | animation camera operator: ILM (as Sandy Ford) | |
| Douglas S. Kay | .... | computer graphics: ILM (as Douglas Scott Kay) | |
| Katherine Kean | .... | lip sync animator: ILM | |
| John Knoll | .... | animation camera operator: ILM | |
| Pete Kozachik | .... | camera operator: visual effects, ILM | |
| Paul Kraus | .... | model maker: ILM | |
| Tad Krzanowski | .... | chief model maker: ILM | |
| Brad Kuehn | .... | optical lineup | |
| Michael Lessa | .... | lip sync animator: ILM | |
| James Lim | .... | optical camera operator: ILM | |
| David Lowery | .... | storyboard artist: ILM | |
| Paula Lucchesi | .... | stop-motion model maker | |
| Jonathan Luskin | .... | computer graphics: ILM | |
| Jeff Mann | .... | model shop supervisor: ILM | |
| Tamia Marg | .... | stop-motion model maker | |
| Kim Marks | .... | visual effects camera: ILM | |
| Michael J. McAlister | .... | visual effects: ILM (as Michael McAlister) | |
| Michael McGovern | .... | assistant visual effects editor | |
| Roberto McGrath | .... | assistant visual effects editor | |
| Richard Miller | .... | sculptor | |
| Janet Mohler | .... | unit production supervisor: ILM | |
| Terry Molatore | .... | rotoscoper: ILM (as Terry Sittig) | |
| Michael Moore | .... | visual effects editor: ILM | |
| Steve R. Moore | .... | visual effects editor | |
| Tim Morgan | .... | stage technician (as Timothy Morgan) | |
| Claudia Mullaly | .... | model maker: ILM | |
| Dennis Muren | .... | visual effects: ILM | |
| Lori J. Nelson | .... | optical line-up: ILM (as Lori Nelson) | |
| Bruce Nicholson | .... | optical supervisor: ILM | |
| January Nordman | .... | animator: ILM | |
| Kerry Nordquist | .... | still photographer: ILM | |
| Buck O'Hare | .... | stage technician | |
| Michael Olague | .... | stage technician | |
| Jeff Olson | .... | chief model maker: ILM | |
| Randy Ottenberg | .... | model maker: ILM | |
| Ease Owyeung | .... | model maker: ILM | |
| Michael Pangrazio | .... | matte artist | |
| Terrence Peck | .... | assistant visual effects editor (as Terry Peck) | |
| Krist-Ann Pehrson | .... | rotoscoper: ILM | |
| Lorne Peterson | .... | chief model maker: ILM | |
| Anne Polland | .... | model maker: ILM | |
| John Reed | .... | stop-motion model maker (as John Reed III) | |
| Carolyn Ensle Rendu | .... | rotoscoper: ILM (as Carolyn Rendu) | |
| Pat Repola | .... | optical camera operator: ILM (as Patrick Repola) | |
| Kevin Richardson | .... | rotoscoper: ILM | |
| Louis Rivera | .... | assistant visual effects editor | |
| Martin Rosenberg | .... | camera operator: visual effects, ILM (as Marty Rosenberg) | |
| Thomas Rosseter | .... | optical line-up: ILM (as Tom Rosseter) | |
| Wesley Seeds | .... | model maker: ILM | |
| Kenneth Smith | .... | optical supervisor: ILM | |
| Thomas J. Smith | .... | optical lab technician: ILM | |
| Douglas Smythe | .... | computer graphics: ILM (as Doug Smythe) | |
| Scott Squires | .... | visual effects tech director | |
| Tom St. Amand | .... | stop-motion animator: ILM | |
| Nick Stern | .... | animator: ILM | |
| Sean Stolz | .... | pyrotechnician | |
| Michael Sweeney | .... | optical line-up: ILM | |
| Pat Sweeney | .... | camera operator: visual effects, ILM | |
| Paul Swendsen | .... | matte artist: ILM | |
| Wes Takahashi | .... | animation supervisor: ILM | |
| Larry Tan | .... | model maker: ILM | |
| Joseph Thomas | .... | lip sync animator: ILM | |
| Phil Tippett | .... | visual effects: ILM | |
| Sean Turner | .... | animator: ILM | |
| John T. Van Vliet | .... | lip sync animator: ILM | |
| Bruce Vecchitto | .... | optical line-up: ILM | |
| Mary E. Walter | .... | optical line-up: ILM (as Mary Walter) | |
| Bruce Walters | .... | animation camera operator: ILM | |
| Harry Walton | .... | visual effects camera: ILM | |
| Byron Werner | .... | lip sync animator: ILM | |
| Jeffrey Wilkins | .... | model maker: ILM (as Jeff Wilkins) | |
| Timothy Eaton | .... | assistant visual effects editor (uncredited) | |
| Demetre Lagios | .... | optical processing: ILM (uncredited) | |
| Julian Parry | .... | process unit: ILM (uncredited) | |
| Jay Patterson | .... | visual effects video assist: ILM (uncredited) | |
| Kathleen Quaife-Hodge | .... | special effects animator (uncredited) | |
| Kevin Richardson | .... | animator: ILM (uncredited) | |
| Scott Ross | .... | general manager: ILM (uncredited) | |
Casting Department | |||
| Beverley Keogh | .... | crowd casting | |
Costume and Wardrobe Department | |||
| Rosemary Burrows | .... | costume supervisor | |
| Barbara Darragh | .... | wardrobe mistress: New Zealand | |
| Amelia Davies | .... | wardrobe assistant | |
| Norman Dickens | .... | wardrobe assistant | |
| Cynthea Dowling | .... | wardrobe assistant (as Cynthia Dowling) | |
| Peter Edmonds | .... | costume assistant | |
| Andrés Fernández | .... | wardrobe supervisor: New Zealand (as Andres Fernandez) | |
| Aggie Guerard Rodgers | .... | costumer | |
| Margaret Lewin | .... | wardrobe assistant | |
| Julia Mansford | .... | wardrobe mistress: New Zealand | |
| Patrick Sharkey | .... | wardrobe master | |
| James Smith | .... | wardrobe assistant (as Jimmy Smith) | |
| Terry Smith | .... | wardrobe assistant | |
| Colin Wilson | .... | wardrobe assistant | |
Music Department | |||
| Jim Henrikson | .... | music editor | |
| Tony Hinnigan | .... | musician: ethnic woodwinds | |
| Kazu Matsui | .... | musician: shakuhachi | |
| Greig McRitchie | .... | orchestrator | |
| Shawn Murphy | .... | score mixer | |
| Mike Taylor | .... | musician: ethnic woodwinds | |
| Ian Underwood | .... | musician: Fairlight synthesizer | |
| James Horner | .... | conductor (uncredited) | |
Transportation Department | |||
| Roy Clarke | .... | driver: Joanne Walley Kilmer | |
| Paul Keily | .... | transportation coordinator: New Zealand | |
| Full cast and crew | Company credits | External reviews |
| News articles | IMDb Action section | IMDb USA section |
I attended a screen writing class once, and the teacher said that the worst movie ever made was "Willow" ... he also defended "White Chicks" (in the same class) as being some sort of underrated theatrical gem.
What an idiot. Obviously, this man has no soul.
Anyway, it must have been this sort of "I'm too good for that" attitude that killed "Willow" in the theaters. I remember seeing previews for it when I was a kid, and there was nothing more in the world that I had wanted to watch. I was raised on "The Neverending Story," "Legend," "Krull," "The Beastmaster," and "The Dark Crystal." So, sure, I loved fantasy. It was my favorite genre. And even though many will say that "Lord of the Rings" is better, I have to disagree. "The Lord of the Rings" is a good melding of drama, real-life struggle and fantasy, but's it not fun to watch. "Willow," on the other hand, is a blast to watch.
The music from Horner's great ... I can still whistle the adventure theme song, and often do sometimes. Val Kilmer as Madmartigan was a great rogue hero, who had plenty of great lines, laughs. Sorcia was by Joanne Whalley, was hot as hell ... a fiery redhead who just refused to be ordered or commanded. General Kael (who was supposedly based on one of Lucas' critics) is awesome. His look spawned an entire decade of me thinking that people with skull masks were horribly cool. The woman who played Fin Razel (sp?) was great. The Brownies were hysterical. And last but not least, give it up for Billy Barty and Warwick Davis, little people with big roles. I think little people probably thank Mr. Lucas and Ron Howard for making them stars for once, for giving them a showcase piece. Davis really had no better role in his life than this one. And he shined in it.
Well, if that particular teacher is reading this by any chance, I hope you go back and re-watch this as a kid. For me, and obviously many others on this website, the movie was more than a fun, little escape ... it was almost a genre-leading film. If there's one thing that pre-prequel George Lucas was good at, it was at giving the audience a good time ... Indiana Jones, Willow, Star Wars ... the best adventure/fantasy films ever to come out. Each of them with charming heroes, obvious bad guys, magic, swords, and humor.
"Pirates of the Carribbean" resurrected this sort of cinema, I think, and the American public responded to it with verve. I still remember hard-nosed critic Lisa Schwarzbaum giving "Pirates" a D rating in Entertainment Weekly. I bet she about choked on her own vomit when she saw how much fun everyone had with the film.
And "Willow" is the same thing. It's pure magic. Pure escape. Especially good for children, but good for the adults, too. If you can't have fun with this one, than you better go get your laughs from movies like "White Chicks" ... just don't be surprised when the kids come out making jokes about d*cks and p*ssies afterward.