Ladyhawke

last night, i was finally able to watch Ladyhawke – possibly the most memorable fantasy picture i've seen — again.

i saw this film years ago, and i remember diligently searching for a copy of it (vcd or dvd) afterwards in local video stores, including trips to tiangge stalls that specialize in pirated goodies, with zero results. fortunately, my younger sister sent a batch of DVDs last week — and what do you know, Ladyhawke was actually in that pile.

starring michelle pfeiffer, rutger hauer and matthew broderick, this 1985 film combines an irresistible mix of fantasy, romance, action (swords and stuff), with a dash of humor thrown in for good measure. what made this movie click for me was its note-perfect cast, beautiful storyline and gorgeous locations.

consider the premise: isabeau (pfeiffer) and navarre (hauer) are the star-crossed lovers cursed by the cruel and evil bishop of Aquila, who wanted isabeau for himself, to be…

always together, eternally apart.
as long as the sun rises and sets.
as long as there is day and night.
and for as long as they both shall live…

by day isabeau turns into a hawk, and by night navarre becomes a wolf. to escape the bishop's vengeful clutches, the fugitive pair travels together, but never simultaneously in their human form — never able to communicate or even catch a glimpse of the other. along the way, they encounter mouse, a thief who had escaped from the dungeons of Aquila…

michelle pfeiffer never looked so enchanting and hauntingly ethereal (it darn near breaks your heart), and rutger hauer — one of the most underrated actors around — is dashing and entirely believable as a romantic lead. for once, matthew broderick looks appropriately young and irreverent in his pivotal role as a comic relief and reluctant conduit to the doomed pair. his cheeky remarks to God, as he squirms and cons his way out of trouble, serve as a droll commentary throughout the film; it saves Ladyhawke from becoming too serious for its own good.

altogether a great movie. this one stays in my "permanent favorite" archives.