Ladyhawke
Tags: fantasy, murder, dramatic, violence, tragedy, romantic

Plot synopsis:
Phillipe "The Mouse" Gaston (Matthew Broderick), a thief, has been thrown into the dungeons of Aquila in medieval France, which are reputed to be inescapable. Sentenced to death, he escapes through the prison sewers and away from the city. He frequently talks to God about his woes and concerns.The evil Bishop of Aquila (John Wood), the harsh ruler of the region, sends his captain of the guard, Marquet (Ken Hutchison), after Phillipe to kill him. Marquet and several guards soon find Phillipe. As they are about to kill him, a strange knight in black appears. Phillipe is rescued by the knight, Etienne Navarre (Rutger Hauer). When a guard recognizes Navarre, Marquet kills the guard. Navarre fights the guards and takes Phillipe away. Marquet reports back to the Bishop. During the interview, the bishop's crozier is seen to have a hidden spearpoint in the end.The enigmatic Navarre is accompanied only by a hawk. Because Phillipe escaped from Aquila, Navarre wants the thief to help him enter Aquila so he can kill the Bishop. Phillipe has no desire to return to his death sentence, but Navarre threatens to kill him if he will not help.Navarre and the hawk mysteriously vanish at night, and a beautiful woman (Michelle Pfeiffer) joins Philippe. Sheltering in a barn, they are attacked by a peasant but saved by a large black wolf. In the morning, Navarre and the hawk reappear, and at night, the lady and the wolf again accompany Phillipe.Phillipe is caught by Marquet's men as a conduit to Navarre. When Navarre turns up, he and the hawk are both hit by crossbow bolts. Navarre fights off the guards and has Phillipe rush the injured hawk to the nearby castle ruins of an old monk named Imperius (Leo McKern). The monk works to heal the hawk, but Phillipe later spies his nocturnal female traveling companion in the sickroom, sporting a crossbow wound. Imperius explains that Navarre was once the captain of the guard in Aquila, and the woman, Isabeau, loved him. She confessed her love to her priest, whom at the time was Imperius himself. Sadly, he got drunk and betrayed the couple one night to the Bishop, who coveted Isabeau for himself. The jealous Bishop cursed the lovers with black magic, making Navarre a wolf by night and Isabeau a hawk by day. In their human forms they do not remember anything about their activities as animals and can never touch each other as humans and are so forbidden to be together. The curse may only be broken if both Isabeau and Navarre can face the Bishop together in their human forms. The only possibility for this plan to succeed, according to Imperius, is during a solar eclipse, which will occur in a few days.Some of Aquila's guards attack Imperius' retreat, stranding Phillipe and Isabeau on the roof at daybreak. Isabeau nearly falls from the tower and hangs on as Phillipe desperately tries to pull her up. She falls and becomes a hawk and escapes, while Navarre regains his human form and kills the guard.Imperius reveals that the curse can be broken if the Bishop sees the couple together in their human forms. This seems impossible, but he says that within days there will be a solar event making this possible. Navarre is unwilling to trust Imperius, and intends to follow his own plan.In the city, the Bishop recruits a man named Cezar (Alfred Molina), to hunt black wolves in the countryside. The Bishop describes the wolf that Navarre becomes each night, and demands the pelt. Cezar's wolf pelt collection grows, and when Isabeau sees them she goes to attack Cezar. Navarre the wolf arrives, and Cezar ends up dying in one of his own wolf traps.Finding Navarre stubborn, Phillipe convinces Isabeau that the couple should try to break the curse. Phillipe, Isabeau and Imperius decide to show Navarre how Imperius' idea might work. The men dig a hole for the lovers to sit in and await the day. While crossing the river to reach the group, the wolf falls through the ice. As Phillipe tries to pull him out, the wolf's claws slash his chest in panic before they reach safety. In the morning, Isabeau is hidden from the sun on one side of a snowbank, so that she does not transform. On the other side, the wolf is struck by sunlight and transforms into Navarre. They are amazed to see each other, but in seconds Isabeau transforms into a hawk and flies away. Navarre is crushed, and then angry. However, when he learns that Phillipe rescued him from the deadly river during the night, he apologizes, and agrees to try to break the curse.They decide to openly bring Navarre into the city in his wolf form as a present for the bishop. Imperius and Isabeau enter the city in a wagon, carrying the wolf Navarre in a cage. Since Phillipe is a wanted criminal, he hides under the cart.As the eclipse begins on the following day, it is time for Navarre to see the Bishop to break the curse. The Bishop will be conducting mass in the cathedral, and the main doors will be bolted shut. Phillipe is charged with sneaking into the cathedral through the sewers to unlock the doors. Worrying that the whole enterprise may fail, Navarre tells Imperius to kill the hawk when the bells ring at the end of mass, if Navarre has not returned. After Phillipe unlocks the doors, Navarre rides his horse right into the cathedral.While fighting the guards, a window breaks and the solar eclipse shows through. Someone rings the bell, which was to be the signal to Imperius to kill Isabeau. Marquet attacks Navarre and furious fight ensues. Navarre is eventually able to kill Marquet. Devastated because he believes Isabeau dead, Navarre resolves to kill the Bishop. Suddenly, Isabeau appears in human form, holding the leather strapping used to bind her as a hawk. She drops it victoriously at the Bishop's feet. All activity in the room stops, and everyone stares at the couple, including the Bishop, whom is forced to look at Isabeau by Navarre. The curse is broken.The Bishop sees his plan foiled, and resolves to use his crozier-spear on Isabeau to keep the lovers apart. To stop him, Navarre hurls his sword, impaling the Bishop against his throne. The lovers are finally together in their human form, and Phillipe and Imperius look on in approval.

Review: 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.
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.
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.
(I saw it with my best friend, who had a crush on Matthew Broderick.) Anyway, it's a very stirring, timeless (except for the music) story of love, heartache, hope and redemption.
Richard Donner's 'Ladyhawke' tells a fascinating tale of cursed love that separates two lovers like day and night (quite literally).
'Ladyhawke' is a fine example of movies that can look great and sometimes even better and more effective without CGI (other examples being the Star Wars trilogy (80's version), Indiana Jones etc).The performances are topnotch.
And since I grew up in the days before Lord of the Rings came along, my favourites were always mid-to-late-eighties fantasy epics like The Princess Bride, Willow, and Ladyhawke.It's all about an outcast knight and his lover, who have been cursed by an evil bishop to become animals during night and day, so they're never together in human form.
There's no magic other than the curse, and no trolls or giants or anything, which was partly the reason I enjoyed it so much.I've also always loved this movie for it's great storyline and interesting characters.
A lot of eighties fantasy movies went with the same idea, but it works with Ladyhawke better than it works with most others, although I would of course prefer a more conventional and less intrusive score.
On the whole, the sets and the props are pretty convincing, although some of the fight sequences aren't particularly great.Here we have an early Matthew Broderick performance which shows how little his acting skills have developed since.
Cult icon Rutger Hauer, of whom I have always been a huge fan (Blade Runner, The Hitcher, The 10th Kingdom) gives a fantastic performance as the outcast knight, and as we all know it's never a bad idea to have Michelle Pfeiffer in a movie.You should definitely see this movie if you're a fan of the genre, or of any of the actors involved.
Rutegar Hauer shines as Captain Etienne Navarre, a medieval knight and his petite l'amour Michelle Pfeiffer as Isabeau his wonderful Lady Hawk.
This movie stands out for music score, knights and fair ladies in distress, and characters that you can fall in love with.
A love like this is almost impossible today.I adored this film so much that I have three copies of the movie and two of the soundtrack by Alan Parsons Project.
Rutger Hauer is great, Michele Pfeiffer is gorgeous, John Wood is truly evil, Leo McKern, Matthew Broderick and all the villains are good.
Rutger Hauer and Michelle Pfieffer stunned me with their beauty when I first saw "Ladyhawke", a poignant vision of medieval love and longing.
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.
Starring a considerable cast of top-names performers such as Rutger Hauer , Michelle Pfeiffer and Matthew Broderick .
I saw "LadyHawke" when I was much younger and fell in love with Friesian horses because of Goliath, Navarre's mount in the movie.
Leo McKern breaks our heart when he tells us Navarre and Isabeau's story of doomed love, as does the pain etched into every line of Rutger Hauer's face.
And the emotion between Isabeau and Navarre, and the sad old drunk, the desperate, lovesick young pickpocket make us feel, is human and real.The funny thing about the music is that it never bothered me when I watched the movie when I was younger, now it's so cheesy it's almost unbearable.
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..
Rutger Hauer turns in a wonderfully nuanced performance as the knight: mysterious and menacing, or kind and noble--yet not quite sane: obsessing about his lost love, and becoming irrationally jealous of Mouse's friendship with her.Michelle Pfeiffer is breathtakingly beautiful here as the "face of love", vivacious and merry and queenly, just as she should be--neither anachronistically feminist nor totally lacking in gumption, but a very authentic-feeling heroine in the vein of Galadriel or Luthien from Tolkien's tales.Matthew Broderick is likewise excellent in his role as the story's grubby, cheerful protagonist--again, a very authentic-feeling character, the kind of guy you just know could be found scrounging his way through life in the Middle Ages somewhere.
Action scenes are likewise shot with economy and and grace, and the whole production--dialogue, costumes, sets, fights, and effects--is very low-key, exposing a very simple, very effective, and very touching story.It is, in fact, a pretty much perfect movie..
This was the first movie that I ever saw Michelle Pfiefer in or Rutger Hauer and I thought that she was one of the most beautiful women that I'd ever seen.
We get to see the prowess of Rutger Hauer in his prime,  the beauty of Michelle Pfeiffer (who hasn't aged since 'Grease 2'), and an engaging Matthew Broderick.
It also clashes with the swept away feeling of being in another place and time as the frankly dull synthesiser music sounds like somebody switched the radio on while you were watching the movie.
Oh, and I also loved Leo McKern as someone who knows the history between Hauer and Pfeiffer and tells it to Broderick's character.
Richard Donner directs a masterpiece with actors Matthew Broderick, Rutger Hauer and Michelle Pfeiffer.Captain Etienne Navarre (Rutger Hauer) has been cursed to room the nights as a wolf while the woman he loves, Lady Isabeau (Michelle Pfeiffer), is cursed to roam the sky as a Hawk in the day.
Mix in the young thief, Philippe Gaston (Matthew Broderick), and you have a story of love and romance, of curses and revenge, set in medieval times.There are some spectacular visual images and sometimes the musical score just fits.
It's a beautiful fantasy with a lovely story and just the right amount of self-awareness to know not to take itself too seriously.Pfeiffer plays one half of a cursed couple who are never allowed to interact with each other as humans; she turns into a hawk at daylight while her lover, played by Rutger Hauer, turns into a wolf during the night.
(Why the filmmakers decided Broderick needed an accent I don't know, since Hauer and Pfeiffer make no effort to sound anything other than American.) The story has the delicate grace of a fairy tale, and the movie is beautiful to look at, which is not surprising given that acclaimed cinematographer Vittorio Storaro is behind the camera.
My wife and I have been having fun with a little movie project lately, watching a bunch of 1980s films that one or the other (or many times both) of us missed originally.
Also, as the fight scenes in the film are noticeably very strange and at times gawky, I began to feel that Hauer was not being given the liberally proportioned "epic" moments his character deserves.
I remember a trailer for 'Spiderman 2' with an ominous chorus and while it was impressive, I realised that orchestra+chorus is as common in recent movie scores as the 'deplorable' synth was in the 80s.I loved the score to Ladyhawke when I first heard it -- 1985, BTW -- and to this day associate certain themes with certain scenes and characters.
All they were missing was some sort of intermediary (Matthew Broderick) to help them end their curse.If you like movies that entertain you, but at the same time stimulate your imagination, I recommend Ladyhawke..
A cruel curse of Hawk and Wolf became nights and days in never-ending suffering and pain...but have a thief boy who can help even he don't want for....Matthew Broderick in one's best performance...Rutger Hauer was a convincing black knight and Michelle Pfeiffer is gorgeous than never, but who stolen the movie is Leo Mckern as remorseful priest exiled on a crumbling old castle and your redemption in the end...without forgetting Alfredo Molina as fantastic hunter...
This is a pretty good medieval fantasy film concerning humans that are cursed to be shape-shifters - One a hawk by day, the other a wolf by night.
A film's score is highly important to bringing about a feel or ambiance to the scene.Outside of some of the film's soundtrack - the great costuming and sets will definitely have you feeling like you are watching something play out in front of you that is from the 12th century.If you like this movie, you might like other similar films: "Willow", "Labyrinth", "Legend" or "The Neverending Story".8/10.
A thief (Matthew Broderick) joins a knight (Rutger Hauer) on a quest to break a curse that separates him from his true love (Michelle Pfeiffer).
It is a well-handled, stylized, spectacular romance about a beautiful lady (Michelle Pfeiffer) and a courageous knight (Rutger Hauer) who, for reasons you may already know or will discover for certain when you see the movie, are cursed.
I have seen this movie more times than i can remember.Both the leads do an excellent job and M Broddrick , well is him self .Fantastic score from Andrew Powell gives this film a new edge .Though there's nothing in the way of surprises , its never the less a very easy film to watch .Leo McKern is a valued part of the film and should have had more scenes.Filmed in Italy , there's a definite depth to the scenery .Every thing works very well , although i think the sound is at times unclear but to be fair its now a clearly an old film .
Not sure why so many reviewers are down on Broderick's performance because I thought his character was integral and well done.For whatever reason I never viewed this movie as a romance, but more of a fantasy adventure that had romance in it.
Not to be confused with the many "sword and sorcery" spectacles of the eighties, this film stands alone as a love story and...for lack of a better term...a "fairy tale."  Gorgeous cinematography, clever dialogue, a solidly-plotted story, and characters that leap off the screen make this tale one that still stands tall, as long as the viewer is willing to forgive the disastrous soundtrack.Matthew Broderick may steal the show as a condemned pickpocket who regularly converses with God, but the film is filled with small touches that dazzle; watch how lovingly director Richard Donner parades his medieval warhorses through the nave of a cathedral in the climax!.
A truly fine story and the wonderful pairing of Hauer and Pfeiffer is lost to an annoying score, an equally annoying Matthew Broderick, and some sloppy direction.
Rutger Hauer and Michelle Pfeiffer are perfectly matched, Matthew Broderick is the perfect thief and Leo McKern is just made for the part of the priest.Some people would say that this film is 'cheesy' but if they took the trouble to read beneath the 80's production technique they would find a plot full of sensitivity and romance.Phillipe Navarre and Isabeau, his lover, are destined to live lives apart, he a wolf by night and she a hawk by day.
Set in medieval times, this film has Matthew Broderick as a pickpocket who befriends a knight who is on a mysterious quest of revenge against a bishop who cursed him and his love, played by a glowing Michelle PFeiffer, so that while always together they would always be apart.
That's the way it is with riddles in stories like this.`Ladyhawk' is fine work of fantasy that I defy you not to love..
Rutger, Matthew and Michelle work wonderfully together to create a magical romantic drama.It saddens me that the only time this film is shown on terrestial television channels is in the wee small hours.
But without a doubt, the worst blemish on this well conceived, not-as-well-executed fantasy flick was the dreadful music, which practically screams "Early to mid 80's!"  If any good came from the music it was that the sonic disaster which is the Ladyhawk soundtrack probably destroyed the movie careers of John Dowland and Andrew Powell.
Alan Parsons Project is one of my all time favorites groups and the music just drives the story forward and up, and does it at a relentless pace.Its a perfect match to this movie.
Super Movie; Fantasy, Love Story, and more..
Ladyhawke is a very good fantasy film with a good cast and some great cinematography.
LadyHawke is a wonderful story with a great cast, but the horrid Alan Parson's soundtrack makes the film virtually unwatchable.
This movie is worth a watch.I loved every minute of it and every character.But I felt like it should have been bolder in it's rating, and allowed for a bit of nudity to fill the boredom in places.But still, another fantasy movie I find fantastic in it's direction and acting alone..
It concerns wandering knight Navarre (Rutger Hauer), and his true love Isabeau (Michelle Pfeiffer) who have been cursed by an evil bishop, and are kept eternally close, yet apart.
Richard Donner's "Ladyhawke" succeeds where most sword-and-sorcery movies fail- it manages to create a grim atmosphere that accurately represents the Medieval era while telling a convincing story of wizards, evil spells, and blue-eyed, long-blond-haired men who casually walk around with big swords.The characters are interesting to watch.
Hauer is an actor who has, alas, become better known for his straight-to-video junk than the strong roles he had with movies like this, "Soldier of Orange," and "The Legend of the Holy Drinker." The warrior, it turns out, had a curse placed on him and his lover, played by Michelle Pfeiffer, whereas she is a hawk by day and he is a wolf by night.
The story is intriguing, the characters are memorable and interesting, the film looks great (though a bit experimental in certain parts) and I'd honestly love to learn more about this world.Another thing the film is notorious for is the soundtrack.
Yes, the cast was marvelous - Rutger Hauer, Michelle Pfeiffer and Matthew Broderick performed at the prime of their artistic potential.
Both are carried by their story and action.The only thing I didn't like about this film was the music (particularly the intro credits---bear with it because it's worth it.
I liked Mathew Broderick and Michelle Pfeiffer in this film but I adore Rutger Hauer.
However, the curse can only be broken id Navarre and Isabeau can be seen in human form, at the same time, in the eyes of the Bishop...Ladyhawke is a timeless story acted out by brilliant performances from the entire cast.
Meanwhile, the movie is set in France.It just goes on, and on, and on.I would have given it a '1', except for a few tolerable things: Rutger Hauer is fine, and Michelle Pfieffer has one good scene at the end, when she confronts the Bishop.On balance: don't even rent it; it's not worth the two hours..
Ladyhawke is a very nice fantasy love story with pretty cool stars.
Michelle Pfeiffer is young and beautiful, Rutger Hauer looks much better as a replicant than a fantasy knight, and Matthew Broderick is sometimes funny.
This is a very good film with good acting,love,magic,fighting scenes and Michelle Pfeiffer.
The good:This has a great premise of two lovers (Hauer & Pfeiffer) doomed to never meet each other, placed upon the both of them by the Bishop of Aquila's curse.
And I must also give appropriate kudos to Richard Donner for directing this fictional medieval fantasy love story in all aspects EXCEPT his choice for the movie's soundtrack which at many times is so awful and is, suited to the action or mood, I mute the audio.
Ladyhawke could have been a good movie if the music had not been as awful as it was.
Mr. Hauer, and have been a fan of his ever since, some movies I liked better than others, some I watched on t.v. I have often wondered what the fate was of the beautiful black horse that was Navarres' in the film.
A very young Matthew Broderick, and a very young and unknown Michelle Pfieffer teamed with Rutger Hauer do acting as good as anything I've seen in an "A" movie.
I am a girl which like very much love stories and also very much movies which takes place in medieval time .