This month’s film is Richard Donner’s ‘Ladyhawke’ (1985).
It infuriated sword ‘n sorcery fans with the heresy of a soft-rock soundtrack by Andrew Powell when it first came out, but since I was a huge Alan Parson’s Project fan already, it only made me even more determined to go see it.
I liked its fight scenes too - no chivalrous, formalised combat here, the hero (brilliantly played by Rutger Hauer) was more than happy to wallop his adversary with whatever came to hand. The obligatory 80s young sidekick wasn't too irritating, for once, and Leo McKern does a great turn as an irascible old priest who jolds the key to reversing the curse.
Unashamedly romantic without veering too far into sloppiness, it's still a firm favourite of mine for an evening's viewing.
It was on TV Last Sunday.
ReplyDeleteHawk the Slayer was better.
Yeah,great film,
ReplyDeleteThe horse is a beauty,and old Rutty spot on.
He was great in Bladerunner too,brill final speech.
"I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched c-beams ... glitter in the dark near Tannhauser Gate. All those ... moments will be lost ... in time, like tears ... in rain. Time ... to die."
He wrote that himself you know ;)
Rumpole of the Priesthood?
ReplyDeleteFlesh And Blood made me a Hauer fan, many years ago.
ReplyDelete"Hawk the Slayer was better."
ReplyDeleteDidn't have a very memorable soundtrack, though. Or anyone I fancied in it. ;)
"He was great in Bladerunner too,brill final speech."
That might well be on the list. Wait & see... :)