- Title: Ladyhawke
- IMDb: link
My favorite Richard Donner film is neither Superman nor Lethal Weapon; it’s 1985’s Ladyhawke which starred a pre-Ferris Bueller Matthew Broderick as a thief named Gaston who becomes entangled in a tragic love story between the former Captain of the Guard Navarre (Rutger Hauer) and the beautiful Isabeau (Michelle Pfeiffer). With the help of a drunken priest (Leo McKern), Gaston will be charged with helping to break the curse laid on the two lovers by the jealous Bishop of Aquila (John Wood) which keeps them together but forever apart.
Set to an electronic score by Andrew Powell and the stunning cinematography of Oscar-winner Vittorio Storaro the medieval fairy tale about love, faith, hawks, wolves, dark magic, and a thief becoming a hero, remains one of the most unique films of its time. Pfeiffer has never looked better on film and she and Hauer sell the tortured nature of their existence while Broderick’s wisecracks provide just the right counterbalance to their tragic tale.
The only extra included on the new Blu-ray is the film’s trailer but effort has been taken to remaster both the picture and sound from previous DVD releases helping to restore it closer to the film’s original theatrical look and feel. If you have an itch for fantasy films and have never seen Ladyhawke I heartily recommend giving the new Blu-ray a try.
[Warner Archive Collection, $21.99]
