Willow is an American film carried out by Ron Howard, left in 1988.

Synopsis

A prophet announces that a princess will be born, which will put an end to the tyrannical reign Bavmorda , the malefic queen of the Daïkinis (people of the " géants" , in fact of human). Learning the birth from Elora, elected, Bavmorda hastens to give the order to its warriors to kill the baby to prevent that achieves prophecy. Nevertheless the nurse of Elora succeeds in escaping with the child, whom it delivers to the river. The baby was collected by Willow , a Nelwyn (dwarf), at the edge of a river. The presence of the baby endangering all the village, Willow decides to leave with the child to the country Daïkinis to return it to his. Willow has from now on the fate of all its people wrapped in his arms… On the way, it will meet a magician who will inform it on the destiny of Elora, and courageous Madmartigan, mercenary who will accompany it in his many adventures…

Data sheet

• Title: Willow
• Realization: Ron Howard
• Scenario: Bob Dolman, according to a history of George Lucas
• Production: Nigel Wooll, Joe Johnston and George Lucas
• Production companies: Imagines Entertainment, Lucasfilm Ltd. and Subway-Goldwyn-Mayer
• Budget: 35 million dollars
• Music: James Horner
• Photography: Adrian Biddle
• Assembly: Daniel P. Hanley, Mike Hill and Richard Hiscott
• Decorations: Allan Cameron
• Costumes: Barbara Lane
• Country of origin: the United States
• Format: Colors - 2,35:1 - Dolby Surround - 35 mm
• Kind: Fantastic,
• Durée ventures: 126 minutes
• Comings out date: May 20th 1988 (the United States), November 2nd 1988 (France)

Distribution

• Val Kilmer: Madmartigan
• Warwick Davis: Willow Ufgood
• Jean Marsh: the queen Bavmorda
• Billy Barty: large Aldwin
• Joanne Whalley: Sorsha
• Patricia Beam: End Raziel

Around film

• turning was held April 27th until the month of October 1987 with Gwynedd (external of the castle of Nockmaar), Queenstown (lake and mountains) and Welwyn Garden City (the valley of Nelwyn).
• Ron Howard, up to now accustomed to the comedies, said to have felt the need to immerse itself in a fairy-like history in order to widen its pallet of scenario writer. If he feared at the time of Cocoon , its preceding film, to confront itself with work with the special effects, the experiment of Willow seems to have been sufficiently positive so that he proceeds in this way (with Apollo 13 in particular).
• Gavan O' Herlihy played more than ten years before at the sides of Ron Howard in the first season of the series TV Happy Days . Ron Howard interpreted the redhead Ritchie Cunningham and Gavan, his/her Chuck older brother. It incarnates here the character of Airk Thaughbaer.
• the air of New Zealand seems to have been particularly favourable with the bringings together, since with the favor of turning Val Kilmer and Joanne Whalley become husband and woman, just like the actor of small size Warwick Davis meets to him also his future wife among the observers of the Nelwyn villagers.
• Kenny Baker, actor veteran of the saga Star Wars (since it plays there R2-D2 in all the episodes), interprets here the role of Nelwyn.
• the exit of Willow on the screens was followed by the publication of a trilogy of books published between 1995 and 1999 under the name of the Chronicles off the Shadow War . This cycle proceeds 12 years after the events depicted in Willow . He is written by Chris Claremont, according to an original history of George Lucas.

External bonds

• Willow on Internet Movie Database
• Willow on AlloCiné