Willow (1988) - IMDb IMDb There was an error trying to load your rating for this title. Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later. X Beta I'm Watching This! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Error A reluctant dwarf must play a critical role in protecting a special baby from an evil queen. Director: a list of 28 titles created 07 Mar 2011 a list of 21 titles created 19 Sep 2012 a list of 27 titles created 03 May 2013 a list of 38 titles created 27 Jul 2014 a list of 30 titles created 23 Dec 2015 Search for " Willow " on Amazon.com Connect with IMDb Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 1 win & 9 nominations. See more awards » Videos A young man must stop the Lord of Darkness from both destroying daylight and marrying the woman he loves.

Director: Ridley Scott A prince and a fellowship of companions set out to rescue his bride from a fortress of alien invaders who have arrived on their home planet. Director: Peter Yates Philipe Gastone, a thief, escapes from the dungeon at Aquila, sparking a manhunt. He is nearly captured when Captain Navarre befriends him. Navarre has been hunted by the Bishop's men for ... See full summary » Director: Richard Donner When a group of trespassing seniors swim in a pool containing alien cocoons, they find themselves energized with youthful vigour. Director: Ron Howard Merlin the magician helps Arthur Pendragon unite the Britons around the round table of Camelot even as forces conspire to tear it apart Director: John Boorman A soldier from Earth crash-lands on an alien world after sustaining battle damage. Eventually he encounters another survivor, but from the enemy species he was fighting; they band together ... See full summary » Director: Wolfgang Petersen A hapless store clerk must foil criminals to save the life of the man who, miniaturized in a secret experiment, was accidentally injected into him. Director: Joe Dante A sword-and-sorcery fantasy about a young man's search for revenge.

Armed with supernatural powers, the handsome hero and his animal allies wage war against marauding forces. Director: Don Coscarelli A video game expert finds himself transported to another planet after conquering the last starfighter video game only to find out it was a test Director: Nick Castle A barbarian warrior sets off to avenge his parents and his tribe whom were slain by an evil sorcerer and his henchmen when he was a boy. Director: John Milius A young wizarding apprentice is sent to kill a dragon which has been devouring girls from a nearby kingdom. Director: Matthew Robbins Edit Storyline A baby girl is discovered in a river by Ranon and Mims, the children of Willow Ufgood, a dwarf farmer and magician and the baby girl is taken into the care of Willow's family. But when a terrifying dog-like creature attacks Willow's village, whilst tracking down the baby. Willow consults the village council and the wizard The High Aldwin. The High Aldwin gives Willow a task and Willow leaves the village and embarks on the task to give the baby girl to a responsible person.

But Willow soon learns the baby is Elora Danan, the baby girl destined to bring about the downfall of the evil sorceress Queen Bavmorda. Joined by his allies: swordsman Madmartigan, sorceress Fin Raziel and the Brownies Franjean and Rool, Willow takes it upon himself to protect Elora from Queen Bavmorda, who intends to kill Elora and prevent Elora from fulfilling her destiny. And Willow and his allies are pursued by Queen Bavmorda's daughter Sorsha and the evil commander of Queen Bavmorda's army General Kael, whom ... Written by Dan Williams Beyond Good... Beyond Evil... Beyond your wildest imagination... See more » Genres: 20 May 1988 (USA) See more » Also Known As: Willow - Na Terra da Magia See more » Filming Locations: 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints)| Dolby (35 mm prints) Color: Blackroot is actually vanilla.

See more » Goofs When Willow gives Elora to Madmartigan, what is heard is, "Goodbye, little one," when originally, he said, "Goodbye, Elora." It was after the scene was shot that the people realized that Willow didn't know Elora's name at this point. See more » Quotes Franjean : Fine, good! Then we go that way, to the lake! Rool : [tapping Franjean's shoulder] *That* way. Franjean : You are drunk! And when you are drunk, you forget that I am in charge! Rool : [in unison] You are in charge. Fine, then which way do we go? Franjean , Rool : THAT WAY! Madmartigan : Oh, NO! That's the way I'm going! All right, all right, you can follow me as far as the lake. But that's it! [beat] (Salem, Oregon) – See all my reviews When Neil Armstrong set foot on the Moon in 1969, the whole world paused; now such things are second nature to everyone, veritably taken for granted as more and more science fiction becomes reality every day.

In 1977, when George Lucas made `Star Wars,' it turned the cinematic universe on it's ear with it's scope and vision, offering things neither seen nor experienced by anyone before; now his accomplishments are virtually taken for granted, his vision dismissed by many with a shrug. But in this original story by Lucas, that vision is captured once again and proffered to the world via the magic of the movies, in `Willow,' directed by Ron Howard. A long time ago, in a galaxy perhaps far, far away, a baby comes into the care of the elvish Willow Ufgood (Warwick Davis) and his wife, Kaiya (Julie Peters). The infant bears the birthmark of the one prophesied to come who will put an end to the tyrannical rule of the evil Queen Bavmorda (Jean Marsh). But the Queen, too, knows of the prophecy and is seeking the baby bearing the telltale mark. For the sake of his village, as well as the safety of the child, it falls to Willow to transport the baby to a safe haven beyond the boundaries of his land and the reach of Queen Bavmorda.

So Willow sets out upon his journey, and along the way finds an ally-- maybe-- in the person of the self-proclaimed `World's greatest swordsman,' Madmartigan (Val Kilmer), and together (sort of) they embark upon an adventure that will ultimately lead them to a final confrontation with the evil Queen herself. With some help from George Lucas, Ron Howard delivers this highly imaginative tale-- which bears that unmistakable Lucas touch-- with a touch of magic of his own. A showcase of special F/X-- it pioneered the `morphing' technique so vital to the success of films like `The Abyss' (filmed one year after this one) and `Terminator 2: Judgment Day' (1991)-- it is nevertheless decidedly not a `special F/X' movie. The F/X, though a big part of the film, to be sure, do not supersede the story. And because of that, it makes that necessary emotional connection with the characters possible, and takes the whole film to a higher level.

A big part of what has made Lucas and Howard so successful, in fact, is that innate ability of being able to tap into the humanity of any given story (With Lucas, for example, his `American Graffiti' and even `THX-1138,' and Howard's `Parenthood,' `Night Shift' and `Apollo 13') and knowing how to convey it to their audience. It's the difference between being a true filmmaker, and just someone to whom an opportunity is handed who simply hasn't the insight or sense of human nature to know what to do with it (Like Adam Shankman with `The Wedding Planner,' Jeff Franklin's `Love Stinks,' Nick Gomez with `Drowning Mona' or Peter Ho-sun Chan's `The Love Letter.' All movies that suffered greatly because of their director's inability to do what Lucas and Howard do so proficiently and seemingly with facility). In the title role, Warwick Davis does a good job of bringing Willow to life, as does Val Kilmer in the flashier role of Madmartigan.

Joanne Whalley does a decent turn as Sorsha, daughter of the evil Queen, but is overshadowed by the deliciously sinister rendering of Bavmorda by Jean Marsh, whose wickedness is shamefully delightful. In a supporting role, however-- and with extremely limited screen time-- it is Julie Peters who really captures the attention with a sincere and affecting performance as Kaiya. She has such a pure and natural manner that it's hard to believe this is an actor playing a part; the realism she achieves, in fact, can be compared to that of Harriet Andersson in any one of a number of Ingmar Bergman's films. Her ability is a true gift that endows her with a quality and a presence that would make her an asset to any film, as she certainly is here. And it's a shame she has apparently never been afforded the opportunity of plying her craft more-- `Willow' is her only feature film. It's a singular success, however, and one of which she can be proud. Her portrayal of Kaiya goes far in demonstrating the positive effect a supporting role can have on a film, especially when it's this well acted.

The supporting cast includes Patricia Hayes (Fin Raziel), Billy Barty (High Aldwin), Pat Roach (General Kael), Gavan O'Herlihy (Airk), David Steinberg (Meegosh), Mark Northover (Burglekutt), Kevin Pollak (Rool), Rick Overton (Franjean) and Maria Holvoe (Cherlindrea). With an intelligent screenplay by Bob Dolman and original music by James Horner, `Willow' is an entertaining, enlightening film, rich in characterization and metaphor, with a subtle message and a moral that unobtrusively makes a statement about diversity and the value of an individual's contributions to the society of which he is a part; as well as the fact that one person can, indeed, make a difference. Visually stunning, too, it's a transporting experience truly filled with magic, and a journey definitely worth taking. I rate this one 9/10. 54 of 71 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you?

Yes Warwick Davis | Wookieepedia | Fandom powered by Wikia ― Tom Smith (producer of Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure ) [src] Warwick Ashley Davis (born February 3 , 1970 , Epsom, Surrey, England, UK) is an actor noted for being short—he is three feet six inches (about one meter) tall. He is probably best known as the title character in Willow , Professor Flitwick in the Harry Potter films, and a murderous leprechaun in the long-running series of horror films of the same name . Warwick Davis also played the body of Marvin the Paranoid Android in the 2005 film version of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy . Young Davis, during the filming of Return of the Jedi. Other notable roles include his first film role as Wicket the Ewok , who was befriended by Princess Leia in Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi . He also made a movie of his own about Wicket, a mockumentary made with help from Return of the Jedi's first assistant director, David Tomblin .

The unreleased film was a fictional look at his decision to become an actor and act in the film and his transformation into an Ewok. He continued the role as Wicket in the made-for-TV movies Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure and Ewoks: The Battle for Endor . He had four brief uncredited appearances in The Phantom Menace —one as W. Wald , the young Rodian friend of Anakin Skywalker ; the other as Weazel , one of the gamblers at the podrace . Davis also had a cameo as a "Tatooine street trader", and doubled Yoda in some of his "walking" scenes in Episode I (although Yoda still was voiced by Frank Oz ). In addition to his acting career, Davis is the co-founder of the talent agency Willow Management, founded in 1995. It specializes in representing actors under five feet tall. In 2004, his agency also began representing actors over seven feet tall.

Several of the actors in his agency had performed in Star Wars films, such as Kenny Baker ( R2-D2 ), Mike Edmonds ( Logray and co-puppetteer for Jabba the Hutt ), Michaela Cottrell ( Even Piell ), Sarah Bennett , Danny Blackner , Peter Burroughs (who is also Davis's father-in-law), Paul Grant , Andrew Herd , Trevor Jones , Nicholas Read , Kiran Shah , Brian Wheeler (Unidentified Ewoks ) and, although uncredited in the movies, Rusty Goffe ( Kabe , Gonk droid and a Jawa in A New Hope) and Raymond Griffiths (Gonk droid in The Phantom Menace). [1] Contents See the Cast of ‘Willow’ Then and Now See the Cast of ‘Willow’ Then and Now By Kristy Puchko February 5, 2013 4:35 PM REDDIT Lucasfilm Following the success of his ‘Star Wars’ trilogy, George Lucas chose to collaborate with Ron Howard on a family-friendly fantasy film about a little but brave man forced by fate into a grand adventure.

The result was 1988’s ‘Willow.’ Ultimately the film earned mixed reviews and was deemed only a moderate box office success, yet it became a beloved touchstone of countless childhoods. With Fox Home Entertainment on the verge of releasing the film on Blu-ray to celebrate it’s 25th anniversary, we wanted to take a look back at the stars who made this movie magic, and catch up on where they are now. Warwick Davis, Willow Ufgood Lucasfilm/HBO Then: It was actually Warwick’s debut film role that led the way to ‘Willow.’ Cast as an Ewok in ‘Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi,’ he caught the notice of George Lucas. This first led to achieving an on-set promotion from Ewok extra to principal character Wicket, and then a humorous doc short titled ‘Return of the Ewok.’ Lucas was so taken by the young actor, who was only 13 when ‘Return of the Jedi’ premiered, that he conceived ‘Willow’ as a vehicle just for him. Notably, Willow was the first role Davis played where his face wasn’t hidden beneath masks or prosthetic makeup.

Now: While many little people performers have had little opportunity in film and television, Warwick has found plenty of roles, most often in fantasy, sci-fi and horror movies. Aside from playing the title character in six features in the ‘Leprechaun’ horror franchise, he also landed roles in the ‘Star Wars’ prequels and the ‘Harry Potter’ films. Then in 2011, he took his career to new, er, heights as the star of the Ricky Gervais-produced mockumentary series ‘Life’s Too Short.’ Kate Greenfield, Elora Danan Lucasfilm/Myspace Then: Though the movie is named for its pint-sized hero, ‘Willow’ is all about what will become of this adorable red-headed baby. Destined for greatness, Elora was a major threat to the Evil Bavmorda. To keep her out of the queen’s cruel clutches, Willow and his crew had to leap from balconies, engage in rollicking cart chases and do battle against vicious villains all while carefully cradling this important infant.

Because Elora is in almost every scene of the film, a bunch of baby actors were cast to play her, along with an animatronic infant, the very thought of which is pure nightmare fuel. However, most commonly twins Kate and Ruth Greenfield get credit. Now: ‘Willow’ marked the Greenfield girls’ first and last movie role. Both have since retreated into private lives, though we did find the above photo on what appears to be Kate’s still in-use Myspace page. Alternately, Laura Hopkirk, who played Elora for portions of the production’s New Zealand shoot, recently ran into Warwick Davis. Check out that photo on Davis’ blog. David Steinberg, Meegosh Lucasfilm/Wikipedia Then: Barty’s film career began at three-years-old in 1927, when he appeared in the Mickey Rooney short ‘Mickey’s Eleven.’ It was the first of many productions the two would work on together. Aside from performing in plenty of comedies, Barty was often cast in fantasy features.

Before playing Willow’s magical mentor, he’d appeared as Screwball in ‘Legend’ and Gwildor in ‘Masters of The Universe.’ Now: Barty went on to perform in films from the Weird Al Yankovic comedy ‘UHF’ to the Disney animated adventure ‘The Rescuers Down Under.’ He died in 2000 at the age of 76, leaving behind a film and television legacy that included a whopping 177 titles. Val Kilmer, Madmartigan Lucasfilm/Jennifer Graylock, Getty Images Then: Kilmer made his film debut in the 1984 spy spoof ‘Top Secret!’ Shortly thereafter he appeared in his first action movie, playing the antagonizing and air-biting Iceman in ‘Top Gun.’ Then in ‘Willow,’ he had the chance to mix a bit of humor with sheer brawn as this surly warrior with a heart of gold. Now: Kilmer has gone on to have an incredible and prolific career.

Not only has he had the chance to play such iconic roles as Batman, Jim Morrison and Doc Holliday, he’s also worked with a wide array of acclaimed filmmakers, including Francis Ford Coppola (‘Twixt’), Michael Mann (‘Heat’), Werner Herzog (‘The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call – New Orleans’) and Terrence Malick (2013’s ‘Untitled Terrence Malick Project’). He also rivals Nic Cage for pure weirdness. Joanne Whalley, Sorsha Lucasfilm/Showtime Then: This English ingenue began her career in British television in the mid-1970s. Before being cast in ‘Willow’ as the fiery warrior princess, she won acclaim and earned a BAFTA nomination for her performance in the miniseries ‘Edge of Darkness.’ Fun fact: her onscreen romance with Val Kilmer led to real-life love, and the two were married in 1988. Less fun fact: they divorced in 1996. Now: Whalley continues to work in film and television.

In 2011, she reunited with Kilmer on the horror-thriller ‘Twixt,’ and currently stars in the Showtime historical drama ‘The Borgias,’ Jean Marsh, Queen Bavmorda Lucasfilm/Larry Busacca, Getty Images Then: A professional stand-up comic for more than a decade, Pollak was the perfect pick to play the lustful, beer-loving brownie who served as comic relief in ‘Willow.’ Though he had a handful of television appearances to his credit, this was only Pollak’s second film role, following the little known comedy ‘Million Dollar Mystery.’ Now: This funny fantasy adventure proved Pollak’s breakthrough in movies.

He went on score roles in ‘A Few Good Men,’ ‘Grumpy Old Men,’ and ‘The Usual Suspects.’ More recently, he’s appeared in Kevin Smith’s buddy comedy ‘Cop Out’ and horror thriller ‘Red State.’ He also hosts the online series ‘ The Kevin Pollak Chat Show .” Rick Overton, Franjean Lucasfilm/IMDB Then: Playing Pollak’s comically stern partner in crime, Overton had previously worked with the stand-up comedian in ‘Million Dollar Mystery.’ Before that he’d scored roles in comedies like ‘Airplane II: The Sequel,’ ‘Beverly Hills Cop’ and ‘Gung Ho.’ Now: Overton went on to snag parts in a string of kooky comedies, including ‘Groundhog Day,’ ‘Mrs.

Doubtfire,’ and ‘Edtv.’ In the past few years, he’s gone for raunchier fare, like the Cameron Diaz vehicle ‘Bad Teacher,’ and the wacky sex-comedy ‘The Babymakers.’ Gavan O’Herlihy, Airk Thaughbaer Lucasfilm/IMDB Then: O’Herlihy’s first major role came in 1974, when he was cast as Chuck Cunningham on the popular sitcom ‘Happy Days.’ A slew of one-off roles on television followed. Then, he made his film debut in Robert Altman’s 1978 comedy ‘A Wedding.’ More film roles soon followed, including his part as the noble but unforgiving knight Airk. Now: He’s gone on to make appearances on such popular television shows as ‘Twin Peaks,’ ‘Star Trek: Voyager’ and ‘Midsomer Murders.’ Most recently, he co-starred in the horror-thriller ‘The Descent: Part 2.’ Willow (Film) - TV Tropes Finn Raziel has fallen victim to this. She changes shape several times over the course of the film. This is pulled on the good guys' entire army near the climax.

Bavmorda: You're all pigs! Battle in the Rain : The Final Battle between the forces of Galadoorn and Nockmaar takes place during a thunderstorm. Berserk Button : Played for laughs when Llug discovers Madmartigan's true gender. Madmartigan: Gentlemen, meet Llug. *ducks Llug's drunken swing, brawl ensues* Llug then spends the entire barfight continuing his rant. Hilarious. Be Careful What You Wish For : When Airk leaves Madmartigan behind, presumably to die in his cage, after Madmartigan offers to help him with his war against Bavmorda, probably figuring the wily swordsman would just run off on his own again as he is implied to have done before, Madmartian angrily yells "I'll be around long after you're dead!" During the climax, Madmartigan can only watch in horror as Airk dies fighting General Kael - leading him on a brief but violent Roaring Rampage of Revenge . Big Damn Heroes : When Rool & Fanjean return with Airk and his army to even the odds.

Big Damn Kiss : Madmartigan and Sorsha share two positively epic ones: The first in Sorsha's tent as it collapses around them with Madmartigan being the instigator. Later at Tir Asleen Sorsha returns the favor after Madmartigan single-handedly slays the giant two-headed dragon. Body Horror : We are treated to simply delightful shots of the army's hands morphing into pig hooves. Bond Villain Stupidity : Justified. Elora is just a baby, and is born in captivity. They don't just kill her because she'll be reborn elsewhere. Instead, Bavmorda plans to use the Ritual of Obliteration to banish her soul from the world permanently . Additionally, Bavmorda left a loose end untied when she merely subjected Fin Raziel to a cruel Baleful Polymorph instead of killing her outright, thus providing the forces of good a powerful and angry wizard ally when they freed her from the curse. Chekhov's Gun : Subverted in the magic acorns; although Willow tries to use them in several situations, and they work, he is unlucky and misses against everything but the Big Bad , who is powerful enough to shake off the effect.

In a Deleted Scene known as the "Fish Boy" sequence (which was included in both the Novelization and Marvel Comics adapation), Willow successfully used one of the acorns to petrify a shape-shifting lake creature set by Bavmorda to guard the island where Fin Raziel was banished. Chekhov's Skill : The pig trick. Willow actually screws it up when he tries to perform it for his fellow Nelwyn at a festival, but later succeeds when it's a matter of life and death. (To be fair, his first attempt did work, but the pig itself gives the trick away .) The Chosen One : Elora Danan is prophesied to bring about Bavmorda's end. However, see the Prophecy Twist entry below. Contemptible Cover : The DVD release doesn't use the well-made movie poster for its artwork, but rather a rushed clip job featuring Willow doing an extremely cheesy "Ta-da!" flourish. Cool Old Lady : Raziel, at least when finally restored to true form. Darth Vader Clone : General Kael. Don't think you can miss the Death's Head mask.

Defecting for Love : Sorsha falls in love with Madmartigan, partially because he comes on to her (under influence of a Love Potion ) and partially because she admires his fighting skills. Eventually, she defects to the heroes' side to be with him. Determinator : Willow of all people. He continues to push on throughout the entire film despite insurmountable odds placed in his way. This is never better illustrated during the battle at the castle, where he defends Elora from three trolls, a dragon, two soldiers, and only loses her when KAEL rides in on his horse. And not only did Willow SURVIVE his fight with Kael, he's dragging his wounded body after Kael, weapon in hand, ready to try and get Elora back. DAMN. Fin Raziel. During the film, she harps on about how young and beautiful she is, and when she discovers she's an old woman, she has the briefest of Heroic B.S.O.D. , but then shakes it off and shows a look of determination on her face that leaves no doubt that she also embodies the trope. Madmartigan becomes one as the film progresses.

Disguised in Drag : Madmartigan, in a hasty attempt to avoid the wrath of his paramour's husband. The trope is furthered by the husband's sudden lust for Madmartigan. Llug: Wanna BREED? Madmartigan: Tempting, but... no. Dissonant Laughter : When Finn Raziel gets the better of Bavmorda during their fight at the end, she gives a laugh that's downright creepy, suggesting that, even if she was a good person, maybe her motives here weren't so noble. Even without the novel's added backstory of the bad blood between them (Bavmorda seduced Raziel's lover, among other things), what is explained in the movie is enough to give her a pass. Sometimes you can do things for noble reasons and still enjoy the vengeance it brings in the process. Madmartigan. In his defense he was under the effects of a powerful love spell. And Sorsha was looking very hot at the time... Later the roles are reversed when Sorsha is very much taken by Madmartigan's battle prowess. The husband of one of Madmartigan's paramours who becomes smitten by him in drags, until he found out otherwise...

Evil Overlord : Bavmorda is a rare female example. Evil Sorcerer : Bavmorda has a few in her service, helping her with evil rituals and the like. Evil Wears Black : Bavmorda and her minions wear black. Also, evil armies only use black horses, whereas the good guys have a mix of brown and white ones. Expanded Universe : Three novels by Lucas and Chris Claremont. Expy : The movie is clearly influenced by The Lord of the Rings (and released 13 years before the film series ). Willow is a little person protagonist who has Frodo's Chosen One status and Sam's courage, Madmartigan is a darker version of Strider/Aragon, and Razel is a female Gandalf. Arguably, the film has an even closer influence: Lucas's own Star Wars series.

Virtually all the major characters in Willow have a clear counterpart in the first Star Wars trilogy: Willow is Luke, Madmartigan is Han, Sorsha is Leia (a bit of Vader too), Airk is Lando, High Aldwin is Obi-Wan Kenobi, Fin Raziel is Yoda, Bavmorda is Palpatine, Kael is Vader, and the brownies are the droids. Face Palm : Madmartigan, under influence of the love spell, tries to get Sorsha to wake up for the second time rather than fetch the baby. When this happens, Willow, Rool and Franjean all facepalms. Fiery Redhead : Sorsha The novelization notes that this trait was inherited from Sorsha's father, the rightful king of Tir Asleen, and, in her mother's eyes, a constant reminder of the man she used to gain power and then abandoned (Bavmorda's claim to royalty was only via marriage).

Bavmorda was said to have constantly tried to change Sorsha's hair via magic to any color other than red, only for Sorsha's natural color to grow back in; it took Sorsha standing up to her mother for the first (and, prior to the films, possibly the only) time and refusing a change to get Bavmorda to stop. One of the queen's druids predicted that her daughter would betray her , but she wouldn't believe it. Interestingly, both the novelization and Marvel Comics adaptation include a scene where Sorsha comes across her long lost father, who had been cursed by Bavmorda years ago. This causes enchanted blocks Bavmorda had placed on her daughter's memories to melt away, justifying her defection further beyond her experiences with Madmartigan. Heroic Sacrifice : Ethna, the midwife who saved Elora from certain execution after she was born and who eventually lost her life protecting the child. All this despite owing neither her mother nor the child any loyalty at all. Heroes Want Redheads : Madmartigan to Sorsha.

Hobbits : The Nelwyn are basically halflings with the serial numbers filed off, being a collection of homebodies who live in burrows and tend to be shorter than humans. Not that this is necessarily a bad thing, mind you. The novels, perhaps actually inspired by the look of the actors, actually describes them with traits more often used in association with fantasy dwarves than hobbits/halflings: stocky, broad, and with impressive upper-body strength. Hoist by Her Own Petard : Bavmorda. When Willow successfully tricks her, she's so alarmed and distraught that she accidentally walks into the middle of her own ritual, which promptly banishes her body and soul into the same nether-realm she was plotting to send Elora into. Home Sweet Home : Willow gains a hero's welcome when he returns to his village and runs straight into his loving family's arms. Human Snowball : A rare live-action example. Hypocritical Humor : Lug is jealous when it comes to his wife, but has no problem with adultery, as Madmartigan finds. Also Burglekutt, when Vonkar volunteers to go on the quest with Willow. Burglekutt: Not Vonkar!

He's the best warrior in our village! We need him here. Vonkar, step back! Alwyn: All the quest needs is a leader. And the bones show it should be...you, Burglekutt! Burglekutt: (looking terrified) Vonkar! Inept Mage : In a fashion, the High Aldwin. He admits to Willow that the bones he uses for prediction purposes are really useless except for tricking his superstitious village members into following his judgements. However, he does supply Willow with genuine magical artifacts. Indy Ploy : Right at the climax, Bavmorda has Willow and Elora cornered. The only thing Willow can think of is to try and protect Elora using the same sleight-of-hand trick that he failed at in the beginning of the film. And it works. I Work Alone : Madmartigan states "I serve no one". He gets better at being a team player later in the story. Jerk with a Heart of Gold : Madmartigan. Though he could easily have run off on his own once Willow freed him from his cage, he willingly takes Elora Danan with him as he promised.

And then later, after escaping Bavmorda's soldiers, he chooses to drag Willow and the infant along with him and keeps them under his protection, despite the danger to himself. For a man supposedly only loyal to himself, Madmartigan seems extremely faithful to his word and honor. The Lancer : Madmartigan could be seen as this. Master Swordsman : Madmartigan Meaningful Echo : A clever one. Madmartigan claims he serves "no one". Later, he says he serves "the Nelwyn", which is very similar to "no one". Mï¿½lï¿½e ï¿½ Trois : The Battle at Tir Asleen becomes this, as Willow and Madmartigan are trying to protect Elora and take out the Eborsisk , the Nockmaar army (led by General Kael) is trying to capture Elora and kill the Eborsisk, and the Eborsisk just wants to eat Anything That Moves . Mistaken Age : We are told that Fin Raziel is a young beautiful woman after Madmartigan asks her what she actually looks like. However it seems exile in her animal form has made her grasp of the years gone by tragically wrong.

Fin Raziel: (shocked at her own age) Has it been so long? Either that or, because she was in an animal form, she may have aged like an animal. They should have picked up on it instantly - Bavmorda and Fin Raziel were contemporaries. Moses in the Bulrushes : Elora Danan very literal— she is sent down the river in a basket and found in the rushes. Mr. Fanservice : Madmartigan. He runs around with his shirt open. Nice Job Breaking It, Hero! : when Willow tries to fight off a troll using the magic wand, he accidently turns it into a gigantic, two headed dragon. Maybe he only turned it into a small alien-like two-headed dragon . But then he kicked it into water and water made it huge . Nice Job Breaking It Twice, Willow . Then again, to be fair to Willow, it was likely only the sudden appearance of the Eborsisk that prevented him and Madmartigan from being overrun by the bad guys sooner, letting them hold out until Airk showed up with his men. No Ontological Inertia : The spell on Tir Asleen is broken by Bavmorda's death.

Skeletons in the Coat Closet : General Kaelï¿½s helmet. Spell My Name with an "S" : One could be forgiven if, when you were young, you thought his name was Martigan and everyone was just really conscientious of using his nickname. Airk's name is basically pronounced as "Eric", or close enough to mistake for it. Spikes of Villainy : General Kael sometimes has a few on his helmet to show how evil he is (as if the skeleton mask was not enough). Some random mooks have spiked/horned helmets too. Bavmorda has a few twisted spikes on her crowns. Also, much of the bad guys weaponry (from Sorsha's sword to crossbows) has plenty of unnecessary barbs and spikes. Even Bavmorda's fortress has some kind of small pyramidal spikes everywhere on it. Stock Scream : The Wilhelm, twice in ten minutes. Supporting Leader : Madmartigan. Take That, Critics! : George Lucas named General Kael after Pauline Kael, the New Yorker film critic who famously gave Star Wars a bad review.

The two-headed dragon goes unnamed in the film, but is referred to as the "Eborsisk," after film critics Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert . Taken for Granite : Willow's magic acorns can turn whoever touches them to stone. Also, Willow and Madmartigan are instructed by Fin Raziel to take Elora Danan to Tir Asleen to be cared for. Unfortunately, Bavmorda got there first, and encased all the residents in translucent crystal long ago. There Is No Kill Like Overkill : Not content with simply killing baby Elora to ensure she cannot bring about her end, Bavmorda intends to banish her very soul into oblivion in the process. Apparently just in case her soul is reborn in a new body. Actually, according to the novelization, that's exactly what would happen, and is why Bavmorda has to go to such lengths to prevent the prophecy from coming to pass—or so she thinks (see Prophecy Twist above). After Madmartigan runs Kael through with Airk's pata, he props up Kael's own sword by his foot on the hilt, and skewers him again with it! Although, considering how tough Kael is, this may not be overkill.

This Cannot Be! : After Willow pulls off his sleight-of-hand with Elora , Bavmorda gasps in astonishment, yells out " Immmm...POSS-I-BULLLLLLL!!!! ", trips over her ritual paraphernalia and ends up triggering her own banishment spell on herself . Those Two Guys : Rool and Franjean, played by comedians Kevin Pollack and Rick Overton. Ultimate Evil : Bavmorda seems to follow orders from an unknown entity. Bavmorda and Raziel were both servants of the spirits, Bavmorda just let her power go to her head. The Unfettered : Villainous General Kael is utterly unfazed in the face of not only facing an arriving enemy army but a monstrous two headed dragon. They are simply obstacles to destroy. General Kael: Destroy the beast! Find the baby! Unholy Nuke : Bavmorda wants to use a ritual whose end is to wipe the victim away from existence. Unstoppable Rage : Madmartigan after Airk is killed by Kael. He casually kills several men with barely a glance and without hardly breaking his stride on the way to his target.

"Well Done, My Daughter" Girl : Sorsha often seems desperate to impress her mother, who constantly insults and berates her. What the Hell, Hero? : Madmartigan calls this on Airk after the latter greets him eagerly when they find him in a tough situation, after Airk rather smirkingly left Madmartigan to die horribly in a cage. It's implied that Airk knew or at least figured Madmartigan would most likely just run off on his own first chance he got, as it's implied that Madmartigan has a history of being an unreliable troublemaker. Also as Airk points out later on, his decision to leave Madmartigan behind probably saved the wily swordsman's life. Dissecting Actor Warwick Davis! - Horror Movie News | Arrow in the Head Dissecting Actor Warwick Davis! Comments ACTOR WARWICK DAVIS! Happy St. Patrick's Day my fair friends, here's to flying three sheets to the wind on this glorious morn! So listen, in honor of all things Irish on this fine day, we thought who better to splay out under the scope and blade than Mr. Leprechaun himself, Warwick Davis! Okay, so Davis is English, not Irish.

But think about it, since making his screen debut in the early 80s, Davis has appeared in such high and low genre joints as RETURN OF THE JEDI, LABYRINTH, WILLOW, LEPRECHAUN, LEPRECHAUN 2, LEPRECHAUN 3, LEPRECHAUN 4: IN SPACE, LEPRECHAUN IN THE HOOD, LEPRECHAUN: BACK 2 DA HOOD, CHRONICLES OF NARNIA, the entire HARRY POTTER series, HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY, SKINNED DEEP, THE UNBROKEN, JACK THE GIANT SLAYER, SAINT BERNARD, and now onward. Outside the family fare he does so well, Warwick's a hardened horror and sci-fi lifer! With no further adieu needed, let's get going. Crack a cool one, pour a tall one, shoot a stiff one...it's time for our Saint Patty's Day Dissection of one Warwick Davis. Cheers!

BEST WORK Get LEPRECHAUN Here Granted, as an overall movie experience, you'd likely be hard-pressed to call anything other than WILLOW Davis' finest. But come the f*ck on, when you play a mean green iconic titular horror villain SIX times over...yup, winner winner sickened sinner! And so it goes friends, LEPRECHAUN must be considered, at least in these quarters, as Davis' most extensive and lasting endeavor to date. Six films over the course of a calendar decade (1993-2003), perhaps what is most interesting about Davis work as LEPRECHAUN is, in many ways like Freddy Krueger in the ELM STREET series, his the comedic evolution of the character. Think about it. The first LEPRECHAUN flick actually projects a menacing and sinister tone. The horror is primary, the humor secondary. But as the series progressed, the paradigm inverted, the horror regressed in favor of the funny...to the point where the last entry in Davis' LEP canon (BACK 2 DA HOOD) can be construed as little more than laughably cartoonish self-parody.

Perhaps that is why Davis chose not to partake in the odious LEPRECHAUN: ORIGINS just last year, 11 years after last playing the part. At least, let's hope that is was Davis who turned it down and not the decision of director Zach Lipovsky. Talk about heresy! Get LEPRECHAUN'S POT OF GORE COLLECTION Here Whoa, speaking of blasphemy, you ever get a load of Warwick's rap game when he took to the streets in part 5? "Lep in the hood, up to no good"??? You f*cking kidding me? I can't tell which is more cringingly entertaining, that or Ice-T playing the slick Daddy Mack. What I can tell? How much in the minority I personally am for liking the hood as a better setting than the countryside, Las Vegas and outer-space...as seen in the original and parts 3 and 4. BACK TO DA HOOD however, whoa daddy, a bigger jinx than Bobby f*cking Durst! WORST WORK Get SKINNED DEEP Here Yikes!

With movies like THE PRINCESS AND THE DWARF (1989) and A VERY UNLUCKY LEPRECHAUN (1998) under your belt (the latter currently rocking a 1.7 IMDB rating), the only direction to go is up! Hey, they can't all be George Lucas enterprises! So instead, I want to briefly call attention to a pair of supremely dubious horror movie choices of Davis' from the past decade or so. The first is called SKINNED DEEP (2004) and the other is THE UNBROKEN (2012). Jesus, would you just cop a peek at Warwick's god-awful hairpiece in SKINNED DEEP? Yeah well that's the least egregious thing about the flick. This is straight-up Z-level trash-cinema at its worst, with not even Warwick able to elevate its overall appeal. How could he with that Ice-Ice-Baby hair?! Then there's THE UNBROKEN, a cheaply made, banal, by the numbers horror-thriller with about as much originality as its title.

Warwick plays a psychic in the flick, owning an odd soothsayer shop of sorts. His shop is the only respite from an otherwise single-set apartment complex, where all kinds of sinister shite goes down. All you really need to know here is Daniel Baldwin takes top billing. enough said! TRADEMARKS Get WILLOW Here We could travel the obvious, even reductionist route, and label LEPRECHAUN as Warwick's most winning trademark. But let's not go there, and instead focus on the unique physical stature that Davis has not only overcome as a perceived crutch, but used as an absolute asset in his work over the decades. Because, let's face it, Hollywood discriminates like a mofo. It's hard enough to be an actor at all, and there is little doubt the obstacles for achieving such were doubly difficult for sir Warwick. How could it not be? But did dude give up? Oh hell no. Dude not only persisted, but wisely found a calling and learned to use his size and stature to play a wide spate of non-human, fantastical roles in everything from family fare to hardened horror.

To us, Warwick's everlasting trademark is being comfortable in his own skin, fully in-tune with his own instrument, and the ability to know how to use his unique characteristics to essay a large gulf of different parts. Not quite AITH material I realize, but this self-awareness has never been demonstrated better by Davis than in his short-lived HBO series Life's Too Short, in which he totally took the piss out of his own career and self image. Sounds like the same goes for a show that has yet to, as of my knowledge, be released called Dwarves Assemble, which Davis co-wrote and made his directorial debut with. He also starred in the series as Oberon Ufgood, which is a pastiche of the characters he played in both RAY and WILLOW. Again, knowing his strength! HIDDEN GEMS Get LABYRINTH Here How's this for getting lost in the weeds. Warwick's first three credits, spanning from 1983-85, included STAR WARS: RETURN OF THE JEDI and two made for TV follow-ups, THE EWOK ADVENTURE and EWOKS: THE BATTLE FOR ENDOR.

Then in 1988, Davis reunited with God himself, George Lucas, to play the title hero in WILLOW. That's a hell of a five year run on its own. But in the interim, made in 1986? That's right y'all, a sick and twisted little track called LABYRINTH was constructed! Surely divided into two polarized, love-it or hate-it camps (much like Jim Henson's DARK CRYSTAL as well), LABYRINTH falls into that weird amalgam of movie Davis proved to gravitate towards throughout his career. It has that family/fantasy/adventure vibe, but one with a certain darkness and sinister undercurrent. Thing is, Davis, who plays Goblin Corps in the film, doesn't feature very prominently. He plays a ghoulish foil for Jennifer Connelly's character, who must conquer the labyrinth in a half-day or so or else her baby brother will be turned into a heinous goblin. But still, it's a fun 80s flick that established the kind of work Warwick would do for decades.

For instance, CHRONICLES OF NARNIA, HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY, HARRY POTTER and the like. Get THE HARRY POTTER BOX SET Here But what about the horror, you ask? Well I've got an even deeper Warwick Davis cut for you stitch up. How many of you are familiar with Steve Coogan's short-lived 2001 horror-comedy anthology show DR. TERRIBLE'S HOUSE OF HORRIBLE? Yeah well, Davis lent a key role the series finale (only the 6th episode altogether), playing Tygon in the episode "Scream Satan Scream!" The show pokes fun old 70s horror conventions, spoofing almost every subgenre: witch-hunting, vampirism, the occult, mutation, possession and sorcery. And Davis devilishly partakes in the later! I really urge you to check it out if you haven't already... HERE'S a little snippet to whet your whistle! NEXT PROJECT Since we've taken an oath and sworn a vow of silence regarding all things STAR WARS here at AITH, we'll keep this one brief.

But there's no way around the fact that Sir Warwick's acting career has come full f*cking circle. After earning his very first screen credit as Wicket in STAR WARS: RETURN OF THE JEDI in 1983, for his newest project Warwick looks poised to reprise that very role in J.J. Abrams' STAR WARS VII: THE FORCE AWAKENS. Pretty cool shite. 32 years and 68 credits apart, back where it all began in galaxy far, far... But then again, Davis did play a different role altogether, Wald, in PHANTOM MENACE back in '99 (that hairdo though!) So perhaps he'll be taking on yet another new par when the FORCE AWAKENS this Christmas. We shall see... As per usual with an Abrams flick, or any STAR WARS plotline for that matter, mystery shrouds THE FORCE AWAKENS. However, we do know that series originals Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford are all set for a geriatric reunion in the cosmos.

The droopy OGs will be joined by newcomers Lupita N'Yongo, Oscar Isaac, Domnhall Gleeson, Andy Serkis, Max Von Sydow, Adam Driver, Gwendoline Christie and others. THE FORCE AWAKENS December 18, 2015. OVERALL Warwick Davis is an undisputed G! Despite the diminutive stature, the dude has stood mighty tall in the horror and sci-fi genre for more than three decades. I have a sneaking suspicion the lot of us around here will remember the most fondly for his 10-year reign as the lecherous LEPRECHAUN, and rightly so. But let's not forget the contributions made to everything from RETURN OF THE JEDI, LABYRINTH, WILLOW, HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY, SKINNED DEEP, THE UNBROKEN, JACK THE GIANT SLAYER, SAINT BERNARD to all seven chapters in the HARRY POTTER franchise.

Even under scores of makeup and elaborate costuming, Davis seems to deliver one memorable turn after another, emoting largely with his eyes and expressing with body language rather than conventional dialogue and/or a full range of facial features. Like most of you out there, I grew up watching Warwick's flicks, and damn sure hope to wind down watching them as well. Props to you, Mr. Davis! Extra Tidbit: 50 Greatest Fantasy Movie Characters | GamesRadar+ 50 Greatest Fantasy Movie Characters The things of dreams and nightmares Shares Engywook & Urgl - The NeverEnding Story (1984) The Characters: Husband-and-wife gnomes whom Atreyu (Noah Hathaway) encounters on his quest through Fantasia. Engywook is the scientist who's dedicated his life to studying the Southern Oracle, while Urgl is a healer whose brews don't look like they taste very nice. Their banter's brilliant.

Fantastic Dialogue: "To the winch, wench!" Prev Next Hushpuppy - Beasts Of The Southern Wild (2012) The Character: Wise beyond her years, but probably because she's faced more hell than most six year olds, Hushpuppy (Quvenzhané Wallis) is a feisty resident of the Bathtub. As a storm threatens to destroy her Louisiana bayou home, she sets off to look for her mother, hoping to save her ailing father. Now that's resourceful. Fantastic Dialogue: "I hope you die and after you die I'll go to your grave and eat birthday cake all by myself." Prev Next Ravenna - Snow White & The Huntsman (2012) The Character: Plucking the hearts out of dead birds and devouring them, sucking the life out of innocent young things, burying blades in the chests of unsuspecting men… Ravenna (Charlize Theron) is one fearsome fantasy femme, slicing and dicing her way to the top - and then slicing and dicing some more in order to stay there. Fantastic Dialogue: "Do you hear that? It's the sound of battles fought and lives lost.

It once pained me to know that I am the cause of such despair, but now their cries give me strength. Beauty is my power." Prev Next Carol - Where The Wild Things Are (2009) The Character: For lack of a better term, Carol's a Wild Thing - a big hairy monster that lives in isolation with other big hairy monsters. That's until nine-year-old Max (Max Records) stumbles across the Wild Things and convinces them that he's their king - but only to stop them eating him. Fantastic Dialogue: "If I was stranded on a desert island and could only take one thing, it'd be Douglas. We can share him if you want." Prev Next Cowardly Lion - The Wizard Of Oz (1939) The Character: His descriptive name pretty much sums up the Cowardly Lion, a giant pussycat who's, yep, a giant pussy. Searching the land of Oz for his courage, he befriends Dorothy (Judy Garland) and ends up realising that he had courage all along. Ah, bless. Fantastic Dialogue: "Put 'em up, put 'em up! Which one of you first? I'll fight you both together if you want.

I'll fight you with one paw tied behind my back. I'll fight you standing on one foot. I'll fight you with my eyes closed..." Prev Next Giselle - Enchanted (2007) The Character: A Disney princess who topples out of her animated world right into present day New York, Giselle (Amy Adams) gets quite a shock when she discovers the real world is a grubby, unfriendly place. By the time Narissa (Susan Sarandon) closes in on her, Giselle's transformed into a kick-ass heroine, taking down Narissa almost single-handedly. Fantastic Dialogue: "Now if only I can find a place to rest my head for the night… Maybe a nearby meadow or a hollow tree. Or a house full of dwarves. I hear they're very hospitable." Prev Next Jack Burton - Big Trouble In Little China (1986) The Character: Though Wang Chi (Dennis Dun) is meant to be the hero of the film, Jack Burton (Kurt Russell) steals just about every scene in this martial arts fantasy.

Wearing a vest and jeans, he's every bit the eighties fantasy hero, with some of the best one-liners this side of Snake Plissken. Fantastic Dialogue: "I'm a reasonable guy. But, I've just experienced some very unreasonable things." Prev Next Willow - Willow (1988) The Character: The best heroes are often the unexpected ones, and that's certainly true of Willow Ufgood (Warwick Davis). A Nelwyn (think 'Hobbit' only minus the hairy feet), he's a wannabe magician who ends up saddled with a child of prophecy who has the power to bring down the evil Bavmorda. Fantastic Dialogue: "Madmartigan, you never, ever drive that fast with an infant!" Prev Next Red Queen - Alice In Wonderland (2010) The Character: Talk about having a temper. The Red Queen (Helena Bonham-Carter) is so full of hot air that her head has swelled to almost double its size and threatens to explode at any second. Small wonder the inhabitants of Underland live in fear of her - she's basically a human volcano.

Fantastic Dialogue: "I love a warm pig belly for my aching feet." Prev Next Conan - Conan The Barbarian (1982) The Character: Inspired by the tales of John Milius, Conan (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is the weirdly-accented brute of the title, who swears vengeance against Thulsa Doom (James Earl Jones), the dark sorcerer who massacred his tribe. He has a big sword and likes talking nonsense. Fantastic Dialogue: " [What is best in life? ] To crush your enemies, to see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women." Prev Next Bilbo Baggins - The Hobbit (2012-2014) The Character: Hobbits may not like adventures, but that doesn't stop Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) from accompany a brood of axe-swinging dwarves on a quest to save their Lonely Mountain from the dragon Smaug. Developing from resolute homebody to nifty sword-wielder, Bilbo becomes the unlikeliest of heroes, which are often the best kind. Fantastic Dialogue: "In a hole in a ground, there lived a hobbit.

Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole full of worms and oozy smells…" Prev Next Olaf - Frozen (2013) The Character: A snowman created by ice queen Elsa (Idina Menzel, or Adele Dazeem), Olaf (voiced by Josh Gad) is an eternal optimist. His only problem? He wants to know what summer's like. Which is a bit of a problem when you're made out of frozen water. Fantastic Dialogue: "Winter's a good time to stay in and cuddle, but put me in summer and I'll be a... happy snowman!" Prev Next Bavmorda - Willow (1988) The Character: One of the best ever fantasy villains, Bavmorda (Jean Mash) is an evil queen who lives in fear that a prophecy will come true - that a child will be born who will have the power to destroy her. Living in Nockmaar, she'll stop at nothing to find the child.

Also, she's got scary magical powers - at one point she turns Madmartigan's army into pigs… Fantastic Dialogue : "You're all PIGS!" Prev Next Thor - Thor (2011) The Character: He of fulsome golden locks and bulging shoulders. The son of Odin (Anthony Hopkins), Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is cast out of Asgard when his arrogance threatens to destroy the entire kingdom. It's on Earth that he rediscovers his humility - and what it takes to become a true hero. Ah, bless. Fantastic Dialogue: "This drink, I like it. ANOTHER!" Prev Next The Child Catcher - Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) The Character: With his lengthy, protruding nose (all the better to smell you with), ruffles and his spider-like way of crawling all over the place, the Child Catcher (Robert Helpmann) is the thing of kiddie nightmares. Dreamed up by Ian Fleming and adapted for the screen by Roald Dahl (aka the king of kiddie nightmares), he couldn't be any scarier if he tried.

Sweet dreams… Fantastic Dialogue : "Come along, kiddie-winkies!" Prev Next Iorek Byrnison - The Golden Compass (2007) The Character: The film may have been a disappointment, but one of the main things it got right was Iorek Byrnison (voiced by Ian McKellen). A hulking polar bear who's fallen into disrepute, he becomes allies with Lyra in her quest to find her missing friend. Iorek's fight with other bears in the North is nothing short of awe-inspiring (or should that be jaw-inspiring?). Fantastic Dialogue : "Do you wish to ride me?" Prev The Skeksis - The Dark Crystal (1982) The Character: Skeletal and bird-like, the Skeksis are the epitome of evil. They rule the planet Thra and are pretty much a horror movie version of the upper class, decked out in finery and stuffing their beaks with the finest food.

Fantastic Dialogue: "Trial by stone!" Prev Next Westley - The Princess Bride (1987) The Character: A farm boy in love with the beautiful Buttercup (Robin Wright), Westley (Cary Elwes) is presumed dead when his ship is attacked by the Dread Pirate Roberts. He survived, though, and returns as the masked Man In Black to rescue Buttercup from the evil Prince Humperdinck (Chris Sarandon). Fantastic Dialogue: "Life is pain, Highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something." Prev Fairy Godmother - Shrek 2 (2004) The Character: "Don't you point those dirty green sausages at me!" Now, HERE'S a diva. Plotting to install her son, Prince Charming (Rupert Everett), as the king of Far Far Away, the Fairy Godmother's (Jennifer Saunders) as wicked as they come, casting a spell here, manipulating there - and singing a killer version of Bonnie Tyler's 'I Need A Hero'. Fantastic Dialogue: "We have to go. I have to do Charming's hair. You know, he's all high in the front and he can't reach the back.

He always needs someone to take care of the back." Prev Next Sir Didymus - Labyrinth (1986) The Character: If you were going to describe Sir Didymus, you might use the word 'pompous', but Didymus' guard-dog like sense of duty belies his true soft-hearted nature. His inability to understand the real danger of a situation is his most endearing quality. Even when surrounded and staring death in the face, he advises his captors to lay down their weapons. Alright, we'll go with 'brave'. Fantastic Dialogue: "I say, does anyone want to play a game of Scrabble?" Prev Next Maleficent - Sleeping Beauty (1959) The Character: With her high cackle and even higher sense of self-importance, Maleficent is the bad fairy we all just love to hate. Horned, served by a scraggy old crow and a legion of pigs, she's the one responsible for turning Princess Aurora into a sleeping beauty - and then turning herself into a terrifying nightmare of a dragon. Cower you may… Fantastic Dialogue: "A forest of thorns shall be his tomb! Borne through the skies on a fog of doom!

Now go with the curse, and serve me well! 'Round Stefan's Castle, CAST MY SPELL!" Prev Next Toothless - How To Train Your Dragon (2010) The Character: The most fearsome of all dragons, Toothless is a Night Fury who becomes the best bud of young Viking Hiccup. "[We] built within him a design where he could become a big, cuddly pussycat. In fact, we referenced panthers when we designed him," says co-director Dean DeBlois. "A black panther is very sleek and powerful with those piercing eyes. Those were all things we put in there." Fantastic Dialogue: [insert your own adorable growling-purr-noise here] Prev Next Edward - Edward Scissorhands (1990) The Character: A tragic figure created by The Inventor (Vincent Price), Edward (Johnny Depp) was left unfinished when the Inventor died. The result? He has scissors for hands. When he's discovered by an Avon saleswoman (Dianne Wiest), he attempts to fit into the real world (or at least as 'real' as Tim Burton can imagine).

Fantastic Dialogue: "And then she showed me the back room where she took all of her clothes off." Prev Shrek - Shrek (2001) The Character: "I am an ogre!" bellows Shrek (Mike Myers) in DreamWorks' stand-out animated fantasy. He's not lying. A stinky, green-skinned, ugly-looking, vaguely Scottish beast, Shrek's not the obvious choice for a princess-saving quest, which makes his disgust at the quest all the more hilarious. We love a bit of fairytale piss-taking… Fantastic Dialogue: "For your information, there's a lot more to ogres than people think. Example? Uh, ogres like onions." Prev Next Jareth - Labyrinth (1986) The Character: Ignore the obvious crotch-ety nature of the character and there's no doubt that Goblin King Jareth is one of the coolest characters ever created. Not only can he hold a damn fine tune (thanks, Davie Bowie), he's also one of the biggest fantasy divas ever. Examples? He knows how to make an entrance and he isn't half a drama queen.

Fantastic Dialogue: "You remind me of the babe…" Prev Pan The Faun - Pan's Labyrinth (2006) The Character : Move over Mr Tumnus, there's another goat-footed good guy in town. Though he's formidable in appearance, Pan the Faun (Doug Jones) is actually an ally to Ofelia (Ivana Baquero), the 10-year-old Spanish girl who dreams that she's the reincarnation of a fairy princess. Fantastic Dialogue: "And it is said that the Princess returned to her father's kingdom. That she reigned there with justice and a kind heart for many centuries. "That she was loved by her people. And that she left behind small traces of her time on Earth, visible only to those who know where to look." Prev Willow - Steelbook Edition Blu-ray | Zavvi.com Total : 3 I must admit I manly ordered this as it had great cover art on the steenbok. It is a film I have been meaning to watch again if the price became right and it finally did.

It is actually quite refreshing to see actors playing characters there actual size rather than taller actors being shrunk with todays technology like Lord of the Rings, or Snow White and the Huntsmen. Warwick Davis as Willow Ufgood gives the title character a lot of spirit and heart, and Val Kilmer as his not so bright swordsmen companion make a fun double act. The locations in Wales, and New Zealand are lovely and this transfer does them justice on this Blu-ray version. An enjoyable 80's adventure film. 13 April 2015 by Curiousbear Was this helpful? Total : 5 My 8 year old daughter loves this movie. She owns the dvd. I told her Zavvi has Willow on steelbook. She told me to order it, so I did. Once it arrived. My daughter and I were very impressed. The picture is clear and crisp. The sound is awesome. The steelbook itself is very impressive. Comes in a gloss finish. A must for any steelbook collector. Love the artwork on the inside and outside. Thanks Zavvi. You made my daughters year. She wanted me to ask Zavvi. Can you do Small Soldiers on steelbook.

26 March 2015 by Wastedtalent Was this helpful? Total : 3 Willow - Steelbook Edition is a mixed bag of different movie venues and audience reactions, ranging from originality to predictability, from exciting to downright weird. It lacks the ingenuity and spirit of such child-oriented movies as "The Neverending Story" and "The Goonies," but for the most part, it pays off, and you may be surprised to find yourself enjoying different sections of the film. The beginning is wonderful, a highly suspenseful opening in which an evil queen brings all pregnant mothers in her kingdom before her in hopes of locating and destroying the one chosen to bring her reign of terror to an end. A midwife smuggles the child out of the castle, and before she is set upon by wildebeests, she sends the child floating down the river, where it comes to the attention of the Nelywn community. In the world of Willow, there are two sets of people: the Nelwyns, a community of short, midget people, and the Daikinis, who are regular-sized humans.

The baby is a Daikini, and so Willow Ufgood (Warwick Davis) is called upon to return the baby to its original habitat. Setting out on the dangerous journey, he soon meets adventurous Madmartigan (Val Kilmer), and the two pair up to take the baby to its destination, which changes almost every minute as they encounter such beings as a forest fairy, and a sorceress who comes in the form of a rat, a bird, a goat, etc. The movie isn't really interested in setting a straight course for itself. The constant changing of setting, pace, and destination are all a reminder that a movie such as this is more of a device for action and humor rather than logical plot. Because this movie is aimed at children, and has a childlike quality of its own, it gets away with such a tactic. Having said that, the film is exceptionally entertaining. It's full of humor and yes, even a little bit of suspense. It has likeable characters, who are sometimes so goofy and cumbersome that you'll laugh until you cry, and a story that is the stuff dreams are made of.

Kilmer's character is a throwback of sorts to the swashbuckling heroes of yesteryear, while Davis is a hero as well, and the one we all come out rooting for. The action sequences are mindless good fun, ranging from a high-speed horse chase to some showdowns at various castles throughout the land. These scenes all give Lucas and director Ron Howard a chance to showcase some of the finer set pieces in a children's movie, from knights in armor and beautiful yet foreboding vistas, to dark, gothic castles and otherworldly creatures conjured out of magical powers. Watching the movie as an adult proves to be far different than from seeing it in my childhood. As a child, I remembered the excitement of such scenes, and looking back on them, I find that it is unfair to dismiss the movie on its logic. I do find that some scenes are somewhat disturbing for younger children, at whom the movie is aimed, such as the sequence in which a two-headed dragon rises out of a river; they seem a bit too daring for a children's movie. The fantasy land created in Willow lives up to the expectations of the genre, and even goes a bit further.

The story is a bit befuddled, but paying attention to its flaws takes away from the fun and excitement it has in spinning its tale. The special effects are dazzling without being jaw-dropping, and the action is intense without being gratuitous. As a children's movie, Willow is pure, nonsensical satisfaction. 1 April 2013 by MoMo Was this helpful? Total : 5 First off Willow was a childhood favourite of mine having watched it on its original release in the cinema in the late 80's. It's full of adventure, magic, action and the special effects hold up well even though the movie is now 25 years old. The case print is amazing and the photo does not do it justice in my mind. Now the transfer on this is exceptional, it's like watching a movie that was made today. It's very clear detail and the sound is amazing, and I play my movies through a sound bar. The only drawback for me was the special features , in that respect for some reason the sound kept breaking up all the way through it.

At first I thought was my settings on player ( Panasonic DMP 320) but it's not as it doesn't happen with any of my other movies, so I can only put it down to that as it's the original untouched audio resulting in sound that is just very worn. You will not be disappointed with this movie whether your an adult who is re watching this from childhood or you're a kid who has never seen it, it's a true epic family movie that sadly don't get made all that often these days. 18 March 2013 by padge7777 Was this helpful?

Question: In which 1988 film did Davis play the title character with the surname Ufgood?
Answer: Willow