or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
 
More Buying Choices
16 used & new from £3.25

Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
   
Willow [DVD] [1988]
 
See larger image
 

Willow [DVD] [1988]

DVD ~ Val Kilmer
4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
RRP: £12.99
Price: £4.98 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
You Save: £8.01 (62%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In stock.
Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk. Gift-wrap available.

Want guaranteed delivery by Thursday, February 11? Choose Express delivery at checkout. See Details
14 new from £4.98 2 used from £3.25
Learn about Lovefilm
Amazon's choice for DVD rental.
With a 14 day FREE trial. Learn more

Frequently Bought Together

Willow [DVD] [1988] + The Neverending Story [DVD] [1984] + The Princess Bride [DVD] [1987]
Total RRP: £42.97
Price For All Three: £13.44

Show availability and delivery details


What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?


Product details

  • Actors: Val Kilmer, Joanne Whalley, Warwick Davis, Jean Marsh, Patricia Hayes
  • Directors: Ron Howard
  • Format: Anamorphic, PAL, Special Edition, Widescreen
  • Language English, French, Italian
  • Subtitles: Danish, English, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish
  • Region: Region 2 (This DVD may not be viewable outside Europe. Read more about DVD formats.)
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Classification: PG
  • Studio: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
  • DVD Release Date: 5 Aug 2002
  • Run Time: 120 minutes
  • Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
  • ASIN: B0000695JP
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 1,927 in DVD (See Bestsellers in DVD)

    Popular in this category:

    #79 in  DVD > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy & Futuristic

Reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review

Billed as a fantasy to please kids and adults alike in 1988, Willow was revolutionary in its day. Not only did it have a vertically challenged actor (Warwick Davis) as its leading man, it also set new standards for special effects, using the first known "morfing" (sic) systems. To top it all off it combined the talents of two of Hollywood's biggest names, director Ron Howard and writer-producer George Lucas, and changed Val Kilmer's destiny, influencing both his career and love life. In theory all this should have added up to a rip-roaring success of a film.

Alas, the end result has been unkindly if accurately described as the bastard son of Lord of the Rings, with Star Wars as its doting mother. The plot line (plucky young man sent off on a quest to protect something which could change the reign of evil) has obvious links to Tolkien's classic; Kilmer's Madmartigan (the diamond in the rough) has distinct similarities to Hans Solo. And with the great advances in modern cinemas special effects, Willow's ferocious two-headed dragons now look like something out of 1963's Jason and the Argonauts. However, even though it marked the end of the road for fantasy films in the 1980s, Willow's combination of locations, set design and groundbreaking SFX set new standards and influenced much modern cinema, including Peter Jackson's epic Lord of the Rings. All in all, this is a movie with its heart, soul and magic in the right place.

On the DVD: Willow is brought up to date on DVD with this excellent special effects enhancing anamorphic transfer of the original 2.35:1 screen ratio; the Dolby 5.1 surround sound boosts the power behind Badmorda's roar as well as spotlighting James Horner's swashbuckling score. A lively commentary is offered by Warwick Davis, although he has a tendency to dwell on his own musings rather than the film as a whole. Other features include "The Making of the Adventure", which is a standard TV behind-the-scenes documentary/advert and a wealth of TV spots, trailers and photos. By far the most interesting feature is the "Morf to Morphing: The Dawn of Digital Film" documentary including interviews with George Lucas, Ron Howard and Dennis Muren (the renowned special effects guru) on the creation of morphing and its influence on later movies. –-Nikki Disney

DVD Description

DVD Special Features:

Language: English Subtitles: Hard of Hearing English, Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish Aspect Ratio; 2.35:1 (Widescreen 16x9) Sound; English 5.1

English 2.0 Surround Warwick Davis Audio Commentary Featurette Willow: Making of Adventure Featurette Morf to Morphing: The Dawn of Digital Filmmaking Stills Gallery (60 stills) Theatrical Trailer Two Theatrical Teaser Trailers Eight TV Spots


Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought


Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
 

Your tags: Add your first tag
 

 

Customer Reviews

26 Reviews
5 star:
 (16)
4 star:
 (7)
3 star:
 (2)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:
 (1)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.4 out of 5 stars (26 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars An Old Favourite, 26 April 2006
By Tara Gilmartin (Derry, NI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
I loved this film as a child and when I saw the DVD version I jumped at the chance to introduce it to my own daughters.

It's an excellent family movie for those long winter nights, with everything from dwarfish, heroic Willow determined to do the right thing as a family man to madcap Madmartigan, out for the main chance but a good guy really. When our fine heroes meet up with the seemingly evil but actually quite sweet Sorsha, daughter of the evil Queen Bavmorda, things start to get really complicated. Add a sorceress who (unwillingly) changes shape about twenty times over the course of the movie and you've got something the kids will go mad for.

For those adult eyes amongst us, it's sad to admit that this movie hasn't aged as well as we might have hoped. More than a little cheesy and peopled with every fantasy cliche character from inept magician to evil babykilling queen to swordmaster thief turned hero, the watching prompts as many winces as it does smiles.

At least the kids will love it. And, in theory, they're the ones we're buying it for.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


 
16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Forget all you know,,,and all you think you know, 16 Jan 2004
By M. Barrett (UK) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   
"Willow" has been an easy target for the critics. Perhaps it's true that George Lucas wished he had written Lord of the Rings, or at least had secured the movie rights to it, but that doesn't take anything away from the magical adventure that is Willow.

There are some films which are timeless. You see them as a child and enjoy them equally as an adult. The adventure never pales, the wonder never ceases, and despite their clear existence in a world very different to your own, you care deeply about the characters and what becomes of them. No matter how many times you watch it. Willow is one such film.

Looking for something for the kids? Willow is perfect, and they'll wonder at your good taste. Want something to curl up to on the sofa with your other half? Willow's guaranteed to make 'em smile, laugh, and (when they think you're not looking) mist up a bit.

Warwick Davis is excellent in the title role, and his performance is even more remarkable given that he was only 17 when it was made. But Val Kilmer steals the show as the swordsman who finally finds something to believe in, wisecracking his way through various feats of heroism. The actor improvised much of his dialogue, which really makes it crackle. And watch out for the smoldering scenes with Joanne Whalley, parelleling their burgeoning off-screen romance during the filming, which ended in their marriage.

If you have never seen it, buy it now. If you have already experienced its magic, you already know you're going to!

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


 
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Magic stuff, 14 Dec 2002
I first saw Willow when I was very young, and now, a decade later, it has lost none of its magic for me!

The film tells the story of young Willow Ufgood, the reluctant hero of his Nelwyn village as he is chosen to return a very important Daikini (the Nelwyn word for humans!) baby to her own kind. However, Willow gets a lot more than he bargained for along the way, joining forces with a great (and often silly) swordsman, Madmartigan, two bossy and very short brownies, and the mysterious Fin Raziel, in his quest.

I loved everything about this film ... the music is beautiful, as are the settings (filmed in a variety of locations from Wales to New Zealand), the special effects are good, and the story is the classic and timeless tale of good versus evil, narrating the lives of many memorable characters. The film combines humour, action, fantasy and romance in a very satisfactory and watchable two hours. What more could you ask for?

And a note about the special DVD features as well ... crystal clear sound and vision, added extras such as interviews, trailers (some of which made me laugh) and stills from the making of the film, and a feature on the way the special effects were produced. I enjoyed seeing all of these - this classic is definitely worth the money!

Top marks for a film that I'll always enjoy.

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic
Fantastic movie, that I never get tired of watching over and over again.

I loved this movie as a child, and when it was released on dvd, I purchased it straight away... Read more
Published 2 months ago by diamondgeezer1

4.0 out of 5 stars A fondly remembered classic
I saw this film a thousand times when I was a child. This is a great fantasy world full of easily recognisable bad guys (or queens, as it were) and the small, courageous Willow... Read more
Published 3 months ago by A Reader's Voice

1.0 out of 5 stars Waste of money
The DVDs arrived 3 weeks too late. To my utter frustration, I had bought 2, one being for myself and the other being a gift. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Omar Khalil

5.0 out of 5 stars Willow
Official title - Willow, our family title - our unicorns. Watched countless times, the video tape has given up, we haven't, so happy to have it on DVD now
Published 8 months ago by Mrs. L. Redpath-Bergman

5.0 out of 5 stars Love it, love it, love it!!
This is nothing but brilliant. I was a huige fan as a kid and the decase plus it has taken me to see it again has done nothing but make me love it more. Love it!
Published 8 months ago by Smashon

4.0 out of 5 stars Great timeless fantasy film but cheaply packaged
I recently bought the digitally mastered dvd of this lovely fantasy film. I haven't watched this film for a good 25 years but seeing it now was still as enjoyable than when I was... Read more
Published 17 months ago by A. B.

3.0 out of 5 stars Good for its time
Considering how few really good fantasy movies there are out there, this one has to rate pretty high. Read more
Published on 23 Dec 2007 by Jay

5.0 out of 5 stars So refreshingly rejuvenating !
An extremely simple story, nearly a skeleton of a story. A girl is born with a sign on her arm. She has been predicted as the one who will destroy the evil queen of the kingdom... Read more
Published on 9 Oct 2007 by Jacques COULARDEAU

5.0 out of 5 stars MONSTERS AND SWORDS - GREAT STUFF
I really enjoyed this film, which didn't take itself too seriously.

From the Lord of the rings/Conan the barbarian stable, we follow Willow, an elf, who is trying to... Read more
Published on 25 Sep 2007 by Nevs

4.0 out of 5 stars Big and bold
What's astonishing is that the underrated Warwick Davis was only 17 when he starred in this fun fantasy romp. Read more
Published on 23 Sep 2007 by R. J. Harvey

Only search this product's reviews



Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
   
Related forums



Look for similar items by category


Look for similar items by subject





i.e., each product must be in subject 1 AND subject 2 AND ...

Feedback


Your Recent History

 (What's this?)

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.