Willow [1988] | ![Willow [1988]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51CRRK2X35L._SL160_.jpg)
 enlarge | Director: Ron Howard
Actors: Val Kilmer, Joanne Whalley, Warwick Davis, Jean Marsh, Patricia Hayes
Studio: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Category: DVD
List Price: £12.99
Buy New: £4.85
You Save: £8.14 (63%)
New (10) Used (2) Collectible (1) from £4.85
Rating:  22 reviews
Sales Rank: 1974
Format: Anamorphic, Pal, Special Edition, Widescreen
Languages: Danish (Subtitled), English (Subtitled), Finnish (Subtitled), Norwegian (Subtitled), Swedish (Subtitled), English (Original Language), French (Original Language), Italian (Original Language)
Rating: Parental Guidance
Region: 2
Discs: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 120 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
EAN: 5039036009652
ASIN: B0000695JP
Theatrical Release Date: May 20, 1988
Release Date: August 5, 2002
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.co.uk Review
Billed as a fantasy to please kids and adults alike in 1988, Willow was revolutionary in its day. Not only did it have a vertically challenged actor (Warwick Davis) as its leading man, it also set new standards for special effects, using the first known "morfing" (sic) systems. To top it all off it combined the talents of two of Hollywood's biggest names, director Ron Howard and writer-producer George Lucas, and changed Val Kilmer's destiny, influencing both his career and love life. In theory all this should have added up to a rip-roaring success of a film. Alas, the end result has been unkindly if accurately described as the bastard son of Lord of the Rings, with Star Wars as its doting mother. The plot line (plucky young man sent off on a quest to protect something which could change the reign of evil) has obvious links to Tolkien's classic; Kilmer's Madmartigan (the diamond in the rough) has distinct similarities to Hans Solo. And with the great advances in modern cinemas special effects, Willow's ferocious two-headed dragons now look like something out of 1963's Jason and the Argonauts. However, even though it marked the end of the road for fantasy films in the 1980s, Willow's combination of locations, set design and groundbreaking SFX set new standards and influenced much modern cinema, including Peter Jackson's epic Lord of the Rings. All in all, this is a movie with its heart, soul and magic in the right place. On the DVD: Willow is brought up to date on DVD with this excellent special effects enhancing anamorphic transfer of the original 2.35:1 screen ratio; the Dolby 5.1 surround sound boosts the power behind Badmorda's roar as well as spotlighting James Horner's swashbuckling score. A lively commentary is offered by Warwick Davis, although he has a tendency to dwell on his own musings rather than the film as a whole. Other features include "The Making of the Adventure", which is a standard TV behind-the-scenes documentary/advert and a wealth of TV spots, trailers and photos. By far the most interesting feature is the "Morf to Morphing: The Dawn of Digital Film" documentary including interviews with George Lucas, Ron Howard and Dennis Muren (the renowned special effects guru) on the creation of morphing and its influence on later movies. --Nikki Disney
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| Customer Reviews: Read 17 more reviews...
 Great timeless fantasy film but cheaply packaged September 16, 2008
A. B. (Dorset United Kingdom)
I recently bought the digitally mastered dvd of this lovely fantasy film. I haven't watched this film for a good 25 years but seeing it now was still as enjoyable than when I was 14 years old. This is a classic fantasy film that hasn't lost it's appeal as it doesn't rely on special effects which would look cheap nowadays. I am not going to write much about the content of the film itself as others before me have already done it justice.
The reason why I didn't give it the full 5 stars is that there are a few scenes at the end where the remastering actually decreased the picture quality.
I bought this dvd from bargainhunters who advertised it as a special edition which was supposed to come in a nice case but actually this version is packaged cheaply in a thin plastic cover that doesn't fit in with all my other dvds. It also had a note printed on the back that it wasn't supposed to be sold individually so it looks to me as if some sellers are breaking up some multi-dvd selection and are selling this dvd on it's own.
 Good for its time December 23, 2007
Jay (Mauritius)
Considering how few really good fantasy movies there are out there, this one has to rate pretty high. It is a rather good movie that is fast paced and fun, but it does contain flaws. The main one is Warwick Davis. In some scenes he is good, but in other scenes his character comes off as a bit too whiny. The story is kind of a take off of The Lord of the Rings books. A man, small in statute, has to keep a baby safe from an evil queen who wants to sacrifice it cause it may grow up to kill her. While protecting the child Willow (Davis' character) runs into a swordsman played by Val Kilmer. He does a great job playing this character and is my favorite character in the movie. Some of the effects are good, and some quite lame (the two little guys accompanying Willow), but considering this was 1987 you can overlook this. The battle scenes are ok (the one at the abandoned castle is the best), but they are just not on the scale of other movies of this type. This movie is worth a look though.
 So refreshingly rejuvenating ! October 9, 2007
Jacques COULARDEAU (OLLIERGUES France)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
An extremely simple story, nearly a skeleton of a story. A girl is born with a sign on her arm. She has been predicted as the one who will destroy the evil queen of the kingdom. Thus the queen decides to put under surveillance all pregnant women and to check all the babies for the sign. She is not as bad as that after all, and less bad than Herod, though we have here a rewriting of Biblical stories in the feminine mood and gender. But the midwife retrieves the baby and entrusts her to the river. Moses is thus revisited, though in the feminine mood and gender already mentioned. But far from being saved by Pharaoh's daughter she is saved by dwarves. And there the story starts: to escape the queen, then to save the baby from the queen, trolls and other monsters added into the story for good measure. The best part is that the queen's daughter is going to betray her mother and after all it is the queen's daughter who will recuperate the baby from her direst danger, more or less. The film is charming because of the dwarves. They definitely give some enticing flesh to that skeleton of a story and they help dangerous situations become nearly harmless, at least agreeably pleasant.
Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris Dauphine, University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne & University Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines
MONSTERS AND SWORDS - GREAT STUFF September 25, 2007
Nevs (uk)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I really enjoyed this film, which didn't take itself too seriously.
From the Lord of the rings/Conan the barbarian stable, we follow Willow, an elf, who is trying to return a sacred Human child to safe hands, whilst evading the usual black-clad baddies and a whole host of monsters in the process. Aided by Val Kilmer and his real-life wife-to-be, Joanne Whalley, the film has a nice blend of action, romance and humour.
GO FOR IT IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THIS ONE
Big and bold September 23, 2007
R. J. Harvey (UK)
What's astonishing is that the underrated Warwick Davis was only 17 when he starred in this fun fantasy romp. While Val Kilmer and Joanne Whalley (then with a single-barrelled surname) were hitting it off halfway up a mountain, it's Davis who carries the film: a small man with a big, big heart.
The quest put before our titular hero is simple: he must save a baby who, according to an ancient prophecy, will end the reign of the evil Queen Bavmorda (Jean Marsh, performing with great relish). The story is fashioned by a certain George Lucas; it could have been dismally generic were it not for Ron Howard's energetic direction and Allan "Highlander" Cameron's bold production design. Swords swing, arrows fly, and beasties roar; Industrial Light and Magic spice up proceedings with some positively charming special effects.
Perhaps it lacks that dreadful dark trim that Spielberg so skilfully weaves; but in terms of action, adventure, and romance, it's a near perfect family movie.
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