Willow is a 1988 fantasy adventure film directed by Ron Howard and produced and co written by George Lucas.   The film is now 21 years old the film begins in a time of dread the land ruled by the evil queen Bavmorda (Jean Marsh) who fears a prophecy that states a newborn baby will have a particular birth mark and will eventually bring about her downfall.  In fear of the prophecy queen Bavmorda imprisons all the pregnant mothers in her kingdom until one of them gives birth to the confirmed baby.  The infant is born and before queen Bavmorda has a chance to kill the infant the mid wife that delivered the baby girl hides the baby in her basket and leaves queen Bavmordas castle.   Hunted by queen Bavmordas soldiers the mid wife puts the child on a raft and sending it downstream, trusting fate to run its course.  A short time later the child washes up on shore near a village inhabited by a race of dwarf like people called Nelwyns the child is discovered by the children of Willow Ufgood (Warwick Davis) a farmer and amateur magician.   Willow takes the child to the towns council who decide that Willow must return the child to the world of the Daikini.  The first Daikini Willow comes upon is a warrior named Madmartigan (Val Kilmer) who offers to take care of the baby.  On his way home Willow is attacked by a clan of Brownies who stole the baby from Madmartigan the Brownies take Willow to there fairy queen of the forest Cherlindrea who tells Wilow that the baby, Elora Danan has chosen Willow to be her guardian.  Cherlindrea gives Willow a magic wand and tells him to find the sorceress Fin Raziel with the help of two of Cherlindreas brownies Franjean and Rool.  Along the way they bump into Madmartigan who helps them escape from Sorsha (Joanne Whalley) queen Bavmorda’s daughter, Willow, Madmartigan and the two brownies finally meet Fin Raziel (Patricia Hayes) only to find that the sorceress has been turned into a brushtail possum by queen Bavmorda.  Shortly after finding Raziel Sorsha captures Willow and the others and starts the long trek back to Nockmaar castle.  Along the way Willow attempts to use the magic wond Cherlindrea gave him to turn Fin Raziel back into her human form but transforms her into a raven instead.   Willow, Madmartigan and the two brownies manage to escape but Madmartigan under the influence of the Brownies love potion becomes infatuated with Sorsha.  The group eventually finds the castle of Tir Asleen which has been put under queen Bavmorda’s spell, she has frozen all its inhabitants. Madmartigan refuses to give up hope and prepares for Sorsha’s attack while Willow once again tries transforming Raziel into human form, this time turning her into a goat.  Sorsha and her men arrive and begin their attack but luckily the Army of Galladoorn led by Madmartigan’s old friend Airk Thaughbaer (Gavan O’Herlihy) comes to their aid and a battle ensues.   During the battle Sorsha falls in love with Madmartigan and changes sides, witnessed by General Kael (Pat Roach) he flees with Elora Danan and takes her to Nockmaar queen Bavmordas castle.  Willow, Madmartigan, Sorsha, the Brownies, Fin Raziel and what is left of Airk’s army set up camp outside Nockmaar castle preparing to storm the castle in a final attempt to rescue Elora.  Queen Bavmorda turns all the soldiers including the Brownies into pigs, all this happens while Willow returns Raziel to human form.  Raziel now human transforms everyone to their true forms and puts a spell on the camp to protect them from Bavmorda’s magic.   The battle to free Elora Danan begins the next day while Sorsha and Madmartigan battle queen Bavmorda´s forces, Willow battle queen Bavmorda herself magic against magic he manages to save Elora Danan at the last moment from Bavmorda’s murderous ritual and destroy queen Bavmorda herself.  Willow leaves Elora Danan in the care of Madmartigan and Sorsha and returns home to his beloved family with a new understanding of magic.

Warwick Davis as Willow Ufgood

Warwick Davis is a British actor he is noted for his dwarfism standing at 3 ft 6 inches tall, Davis is probably best known as the lead character Willow Ufgood in the 1987 film Willow.  His films include Time Bandits (1981), Star Wars Episode VI Return of the Jedi (1983), Labyrinth (1986), Willow (1988), The Princess and the Dwarf (1989), Leprechaun (1993), Leprechaun 2 (1994), Prince Valiant (1997), A Very Unlucky Leprechaun (1998), Star Wars Episode I The Phantom Menace (1999), The White Pony (1999), Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (2001), Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002), Skinned Deep (2004), Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004), Ray (2004), Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005), Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007), The Chronicles of Narnia Prince Caspian (2008) and Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (2009).  Warwick also appeared as a contestant on the 2007 series of Children in Need reality show Celebrity Scissorhands.

Val Kilmer as Madmartigan

Val Kilmer is an American actor his films include Top Secret! (1984), Top Gun (1986), Willow (1988), Kill Me Again (1989), The Doors (1991), Thunderheart (1992), The Real McCoy (1993), True Romance (1993), Tombstone (1993), Batman Forever (1995), Heat (1995), The Island of Dr Moreau (1996), The Ghost and the Darkness (1996), The Saint (1997), Red Planet (2000), The Missing (2003), Mindhunters (2004), Alexander (2004), Deja Vu (2006) and Conspiracy (2008).  He has appeared in TV series such as Entourage and Numb3rs and for the Knight Rider revival he was the voice of KITT for the 2008 Knight Rider TV pilot movie and the following television series.

Joanne Whalley as Sorsha

Joanne Whalley is an English actress her films include Dance with a Stranger (1985), No Surrender (1985), Willow (1988), To Kill a Priest (1988, Scandal (1989), Kill Me Again (1989), Navy Seals (1990), Shattered (1991), Storyville (1992), The Secret Rapture (1993), Mother’s Boys (1994), A Good Man in Africa (1994), Trial by Jury (1994), The Man Who Knew Too Little (1997), The Guilty (2000), Virginia’s Run (2002), The Californians (2005), Played (2006) and 44 Inch Chest (2009).   She has appeared in TV series such as Coronation Street, Emmerdale Farm, Bergerac, The Singing Detective and Criminal Minds.

Jean Marsh as Queen Bavmorda

Jean Marsh is an English actress her films include Unearthly Stranger (1963), Cleopatra (1963), The Limbo Line (1968), Frenzy (1972), Dark Places (1973), The Eagle Has Landed (1976), Jack a boy (1980), The Changeling (1980), Return to Oz (1985), Willow (1988), Monarch (2000) and The Heavy (2009).  She has appeared in TV series such as The Twilight Zone, The Saint, Upstairs Downstairs, The Waltons, Hawaii Five O, Doctor Who, Murder She Wrote, Kavanagh QC, Holby City and Doctors.

Patricia Hayes as Fin Raziel

Patricia Hayes was an English actress her films include Went the Day Well? (1942), When We Are Married (1943), Candles at Nine (1944), Great Day (1945), Nicholas Nickleby (1947), To the Public Danger (1948), The Love Match (1955), The Battle of the Sexes (1959), Kill or Cure (1962) , The Sicilians (1963) Saturday Night Out (1964), The Terrornauts (1967), Carry on Again Doctor (1969), Fragment of Fear (1970), Raising the Roof (1972), The NeverEnding Story (1984), Willow (1988), A Fish Called Wanda (1988), The Last Island (1990), Blue Ice (1992) and The Steal (1995).   She has appeared in TV series such as Hancock’s Half Hour, Juliet Bravo, Boon, Casualty, The Bill, Lovejoy, Ruth Rendell Mysteries and Heartbeat. Patricia Hayes died in September 1998 in Surrey England.

Billy Barty as High Aldwin

Billy Barty is an American film actor and one of the most famous 20th century people with dwarfism. His films include WC Fields and Me (1976), Foul Play (1978), Under the Rainbow (1981), Night Patrol (1984), Legend (1985), Tough Guys (1986), Masters of the Universe (1987), Willow (1988), UHF (1989), Life Stinks and Radioland Murders (1994).   He has appeared in TV series such as Charlie’s Angels, CHiPs, Little House on the Prairie, Hart to Hart, The Golden Girls and Frasier.

Phil Fondacaro as Vohnkar

Phil Fondacaro is an American actor he is noted for his dwarfism standing at 3 feet 6 inches tall.  His films include Under the Rainbow (1981), Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi (1983), Ragewar (1984), American Drive In (1985), Hard Rock Zombies (1985), Troll (1986), Steele Justice (1987), The Garbage Pail Kids Movie (1987), Ghoulies II (1987), Willow (1988), Monster High (1989), Night Angel (1990, The Nature of the Beast (1995), Tales from the Crypt Presents Bordello of Blood (1996), The Creeps (1997), Sweet Jane (1998), Blood Dolls (1999), Sideshow (2000), The Theory of the Leisure Class (2001), Land of the Dead (2005) and Immortally Yours (2009).  He has appeared in TV series such as Star Trek The Next Generation, Quantum Leap, Married with Children, Renegade, Northern Exposure, Sliders, Walker Texas Ranger and CSI Crime Scene Investigation.

Kevin Pollak as Rool the Brownie

Kevin Pollak is an American actor his films include Million Dollar Mystery (1987), Willow (1988), L.A Story (1991), Ricochet (1991), A Few Good Men (1992), Wayne’s World 2 (1993, Grumpy Old Men (1993), Clean Slate (1994), The Usual Suspects (1995), Canadian Bacon (1995), Casino (1995), Grumpier Old Men (1995), That Thing You Do! (1996), Buffalo ‘66 (1998), End of Days (1999), The Whole Nine Yards (2000), The Wedding Planner (2001), 3000 Miles to Graceland (2001), Dr. Dolittle 2 (2001), The Santa Clause 2 (2002), The Whole Ten Yards (2004), Hostage (2005) and The Santa Clause 3 The Escape Clause (2006).   He has appeared in TV series such as thirtysomething,  The Drew Carey Show,  Ed,  Shark and Entourage.

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