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From: reiher@ucla-cs.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.movies
Subject: Re: LadyHawke
Message-ID: <4326@ucla-cs.ARPA>
Date: Thu, 14-Mar-85 19:16:52 EST
Article-I.D.: ucla-cs.4326
Posted: Thu Mar 14 19:16:52 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 18-Mar-85 07:34:52 EST
References: <817@sdcsla.UUCP>
Reply-To: reiher@ucla-cs.UUCP (Peter Reiher)
Distribution: net
Organization: UCLA Computer Science Department
Lines: 35
Summary: 

I, too, have seen "Ladyhawke" at a preview, and I am also lukewarm on the
film.  (That's why I haven't posted a review.  I don't have time at the moment
to review any film I don't really want people to see.)  I wasn't satisfied 
with either script or direction.  The latter is by Richard Donner, best known
for "Superman".  I liked the premise, but not the execution.  I wasn't 
overwhelmingly thrilled by Matthew Broderick, particularly his delivery of
some of his soliloquies directed to God.  They didn't seem right for him, and
it sort of fell into place when I heard that the role was originally intended
for Dustin Hoffman: these speeches would be right up his alley.  I can 
practically hear him saying some of the lines.

The cinematography was by Vittorio Storaro, one of the finest of European
cinematographers, so it's no surprise "Ladyhawke" looks good.  Of particular
interest, to me at least, was John Wood as the evil bishop.  I've seen him
on stage three times (in "Sherlock Holmes", "Travesties", and "Amadeus"), on
the basis of which he is one of my favorite actors.  His biggest film role
was the scientist in "War Games".  It might have been old times week on
"Ladyhawke", except Wood and Broderick don't share any scenes. (They're both
in the final scenes, but never in the frame together, so these shots could
have been filmed months apart.)  Wood is OK, but the part isn't that good.

As a final note, I was disappointed with the special effects, specifically
the recurring one (those who have seen the film know which one I mean).  It
was done with unconvincing tricks of focus, small amounts of double
exposures, and cuts to different perspectives, in a manner so perfunctory that 
I think they'd have been better off doing it entirely off camera.

"Ladyhawke" has some good points, but it's mostly for fantasy fans.  General
audiences probably won't be especially thrilled.  Let's hope Ridley Scott's
"Legend" works out better.
-- 

        			Peter Reiher
        			reiher@ucla-cs.arpa
        			{...ihnp4,ucbvax,sdcrdcf}!ucla-cs!reiher