willow film willow american british high fantasy film directed produced story starring davis plays eponymous lead character hero reluctant farmer plays critical role protecting special baby queen vows destroy world high fantasy setting lucas conceived idea film approaching howard direct post production phase brought write screenplay coming seven drafts finishing late set metro mayer principal photography began april finishing following october majority filming took place england wales new_zealand created visual effects sequences led revolutionary breakthrough digital technology film released mixed reviews critics modest financial success received academy_award nominations developed cult following fantasy fans plot prophecy states female child special herald downfall evil pregnant women realm prevent prophecy child born mother begs safety reluctantly accepts leaves castle unnoticed mother executed eventually found knowing escape sets baby makeshift grass sends river hoping fate run course killed sends daughter general find baby baby village comes care kind farmer hopes wife children fall love baby immediately willow soon grows love town festival village attacked quickly killed village warriors village learns baby willow devotion child accompany party volunteers returning baby human people crossroads find human warrior named trapped crow cage rest party want baby home immediately willow friend refuse leave spending night crossroads meeting army led old friend marching willow reluctantly decides free care baby later baby stolen group chasing willow trapped rescued identifies baby future princess assigns willow task helping baby destiny willow sends home instructed guide willow later encounter tavern disguised woman hide husband disguised arrives reveals identity ensuing brawl started furious woman willow escape guides lake lives departs cross transformed willow party return shore captured custody taken mountain camp army willow tries restore turns instead love dust declares love prisoners escape reach village foot mountain encounter remains army recently defeated forces loyalty promises protect willow temporary hostage escape castle discover inhabitants frozen castle overrun castle surrounded army assault castle realizes loves decides join willow opposing mother army willow accidentally turns massive fire breathing headed monster turns tide battle arrives army assist captures returns reports betrayal army willow arrive lay siege turns soldiers pigs instructed willow protects spell avoids transformation succeeds turning human original forms willow group tricks way castle start battle killed turn slain lengthy sword duel leads willow ritual chamber sacrifice magical duel course willow uses disappearing pig trick performed fool thinking sent reach willow accidentally ritual final send soul soul instead willow rewarded magic book aid remain raise willow returns home hero welcome happily reunited family cast dwarf aspiring plays critical role protecting infant evil queen mercenary helps willow quest film explained film novelization partly revealed knight kingdom kate infant princess prophecy says bring downfall warrior daughter falls love film novelization father revealed king factor turn mother villainous ruler powerful black mother aging turned curse wizard commissions willow journey realizing potential willow possesses magic general villainous associate high commander army military commander destroyed kingdom shares mixed friendship fairy queen resides forest updates willow importance quest duo serve comic relief willow journey willow closest friend accompanies willow journey leader village council maintains running willow warrior accompanies willow journey film novelization portrayed far travelled willow wife loving mother enthusiastic caring warrior production development conceived idea film originally titled similar intent star wars created number known mythological situations young audience production return lucas approached portraying wicket playing years passed actually cast role lucas thought great use little person lead role lot movies little guy system literal interpretation idea lucas explained wait mid-1980s film visual effects technology finally advanced execute vision actor turned director looking fantasy film post production phase approached lucas direct willow previously starred lucas american graffiti lucas felt howard shared relationship similar enjoyed steven_spielberg write screenplay based lucas story worked television pilot called resulted series lucas admired work sitcom cincinnati joined series lengthy story conferences wrote seven drafts script spring fall pre production began late major film studios turned chance distribute finance believed fantasy genre unsuccessful largely films labyrinth lucas took metro mayer mgm headed lucas shared relationship far mid-1970s running 20th lucas idea star wars mgm facing financial troubles major investment fantasy film perceived risk advanced half million budget return theatrical television rights leaving home video pay television rights offer exchange half lucas based character general film critic fact lost printed review film referred general homage similarly headed dragon named novelization film critics roger_ebert gene filming principal photography began april ended following october interior footage took place england location shooting took place wales new_zealand lucas initially shooting film similar return studio scenes locations idea eventually faded location near chinese government refused lucas chance brief location shoot sent group photographers photograph specific scenery background blue screen footage new_zealand chosen house castle visual effects created visual effects sequences script called willow restore fin goat human form willow thinks appropriate spell turns goat finally tiger returning normal supervisor considered stop motion animation scene explained traditional practical way execute sequence use optical dissolve stages found stop motion optical effects technically challenging decided transformation scene perfect opportunity create advances digital technology proposed filming animal actress doubling feeding images computer program developed program create smooth transition stage result film began development necessary software september march impressive result fellow designer achieved represent breakthrough computer generated imagery cgi head animation department supervised film animation sequences soundtrack film score written performed doctor music listened studied analysed lot music enjoy metaphors art quoting cycles draft willow score particularly spiritual came cycle mythology music history taught convey emotions compositions eclectic influences score include mass requiem splendid arabian dance theater play compositions willow theme quote contains reworking alteration theme movement symphony referencing theme shows reference bulgarian folk song known harvest song track listing escape tavern willow canyon willow theme spell cast willow reception box office film shown promoted cannes film festival released theaters earning opening weekend placing number weekend box office lucas hoped earn money film faced early competition big iii making million north american box office blockbuster hit anticipated financial flop profit strong international home video television sales critical response film released mixed reviews critics based reviews collected rotten_tomatoes critics gave film positive review average score new_york_times praised lucas storytelling critical direction howard appears hands simply special effects said writing washington_post explained similar adventure princess bride cinematographer shot managed evoke volumes sad thing lucas maker star wars trilogy raiders lost tricks entertainment usa today wrote wrap good edges evil like meets film probably young children possibly year old sees movie bug life accolades academy_awards film nominated sound editing visual effects lost framed similarly won best costume design saturn awards nominated best performance younger actor lost fred savage vice versa best supporting actress lost lost hugo award best dramatic presentation framed nominated golden awards including lost cocktail worst supporting actor lost home media film released dvd special edition november 20th century release included audio commentary making commentary davis confirms number lost scenes previously rumored deleted including battle valley willow battling boy transforms shark lake extended duel climax removed theatrical version battle lake monster retained marvel comics adaptation drew novelization film 20th century released film blu ray disc march new transfer supervised media board game books released willow game player adventure board game based film designed video games video games based film released published action game commodore dos published different games platform game arcades role playing game nintendo_entertainment_system novels drew adapted lucas story film novel providing additional background information major characters additional scenes including encounter lake monster near island filmed ultimately movie segment scene filmed material found dvd making willow documentary lucas outlined chronicles shadow war trilogy follow film hired comic book writer novelist adapt series books place years original film feature teenage central character shadow moon isbn shadow dawn isbn shadow star isbn sequel april lucas davis commented television series acting sequel consideration june davis reiterated hopes return theatrically released second installment film february posted photo twitter implying right corner coincided featuring davis likely hoax march davis indicated interest seeing sequel series gave indication development ongoing
Willow (film)