Willow

Willow is a 1988 American fantasy film directed by Ron Howard and produced/co-written by George Lucas. Warwick Davis stars in the film, as well as Val Kilmer, Joanne Whalley, Jean Marsh and Patricia Hayes. With a sword and sorcery setting, Davis stars as the eponymous lead character and hero Willow, a reluctant Nelwyn (halfling) farmer who plays a critical role in protecting a special baby from a tyrannical queen.

Lucas conceived the idea for Willow in 1972, approaching Howard to direct during the post-production phase of Cocoon in 1985. Lucas believed he and Howard shared a relationship similar to the one Lucas enjoyed with Steven Spielberg. Bob Dolman was brought in to write the screenplay, coming up with seven drafts before finishing in late 1986. Willow was then set up at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and principal photography began in April 1987, finishing the following October.

The majority of filming took place at Elstree Studios in Hertfordshire, England, as well as Wales and New Zealand. Industrial Light & Magic created the visual effects sequences, which led to a revolutionary breakthrough with digital morphing technology. Willow was released in May 1988 to box office disappointment and mixed reviews from critics, but received two Academy Award nominations and cult film recognition.

Trivia:

As Val Kilmer was getting out of his crow cage between takes, the chain snapped and the cage came down on his foot. His resulting limp is evident during the scene in which Madmartigan and Willow arrive opposite Fin Raziel’s island.

The six-month-old twins playing Elora Danan were too young to have a full head of hair. They wear a wig, which was applied using syrup, as normal wig adhesive would be too harsh for the babies’ skin.

 

The earlier drafts of the screenplay contained more background information on the characters Madmartigan and Sorsha. Madmartigan was originally a knight of the kingdom of Galladorn (the kingdom that General Kael mentions having destroyed to Queen Bavmorda) and that the character Airk was the only real friend he had, but Madmartigan’s recklessness got him into trouble, as did his love affair with an Eastern beauty that tainted the family name. Madmartigan had a chance to regain his honor in battle, but he ruined the chance by deserting; this explained some of the bitter antagonism between Madmartigan and Airk. Sorsha was originally the daughter of the king of Tir Asleen, who was a good man (he is in fact the regal old man seen at the end after the fall of Bavmorda and Tir Asleen is restored, and can be briefly seen in stone), which suggested that Sorsha had the capability to be good; during the battle at Tir Asleen between Bavmorda’s troops, Madmartigan, and the monster, Sorsha encountered her father and he struggled through the stone to ask her for help, which prompted Sorsha to switch alliances from her evil mother to the good side. All of this was lost in the final film but does appear in the novelization as well as the comic book mini-series by Marvel.

 

The character of the evil general Kael is said to have been named after film critic Pauline Kael.

 

The devil dogs were actually Rottweilers in rubber masks and suits.

 

Warwick Davis wore a wig for the movie – the long hair is not his own.

 

Willow originally said, “Goodbye, Elora Danan” when handing her over to Madmartigan. During editing, it was realized Willow wouldn’t have known her name yet, and so it was redubbed, “Goodbye, little one.”

 

David Steinberg, the actor playing Meegosh, slammed into the side of an ice rink while ice-skating during production and cut his eyebrow open. The stitches were concealed with makeup for the scene where Meegosh makes his departure for home.

 

Joanne Whalley accidentally stuck her sword in a stuntman’s foot while sticking the sword into the ground at the tavern.

 

During the close-up shots of the scene where Madmartigan and the soldier are being dragged behind the wagon, Val Kilmer was kneeling on a pedestal behind the wagon, while his stunt double was dragged behind letting the stunt man’s legs take the beating.

 

The original wand was a real piece of wood. Eventually they feared it could break and replaced it with several fiberglass props.

 

A 13lb animatronics baby capable of moving its head and opening its mouth was used for the action scenes. This baby weighed more then the actual baby. And a more flexible prop baby was used in scenes where Willow falls with it.

 

The large group of pigs outside the castle continuously tried mating. Buckets of cold water were used to separate them.

 

Blackroot is actually vanilla.

 

According to the press kits and subsequent novels, the two-headed dragon was named “Eborsisk”, a reference to the movie critics Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert. The word does not occur in the film but made it into some reviews.

 

After meeting on the set of this film, Val Kilmer and Joanne Whalley were married (but later divorced).

 

Kenny Baker (of R2-D2 fame) played a Nelwyn.

 

This was the first feature film to use the “morphing” process developed by Industrial Light & Magic (ILM).

 

The box office receipts were less than expected, so writer George Lucas continued Willow’s story in books rather than in movie sequels.

 

In preparation for the movie, Warwick Davis had to learn a modified accent, how to take care of a baby, how to ride a horse, how to sword fight, and how to perform magic.

 

Val Kilmer improvised a lot of dialogue.

 

Rick Overton and Kevin Pollak’s scenes were done against blue screens and sound stages and added into the scenes with full-size characters in post production editing.

 

Warwick Davis’s future father-in-law and wife appear as Nelwyns.

 

WILHELM SCREAM: It is heard three times: 1, during the chase scene after the escape from the tavern as the soldier’s chariot crashes and he is sent flying, 2, At Tir Asleen, when the Brownies trigger the large spear shooter that hits several soldiers, and 3, In front of Nockmaar Castle as a horseman is cut down by the Army of Galladoorn, three seconds after the Brownies emerge from under a helmet.

 

Word from Ron Howard is that part of the two-headed dragon “Eborsisk” was modeled after Clint Howard, his brother. He stated that since Clint has had many cameo appearances in his films, and Ron couldn’t find a part for him in this one, he modeled the dragon after him.

 

Ron Howard’s wife and Warwick Davis’ sister both appear as extras atop the snowy mountaintop village.

 

John Cusack tested for the role of Madmartigan, but lost to Val Kilmer