Ladyhawke, despite some problems – an overlong middle and a jarringly anachronistic modern rock score produced by 1970s progressive rock producer Alan Parsons – is beautifully made. It is one of Richard Donner’s best films, although was only a modest success when it came out. Donner directs with elan. There is a dizzyingly choreographed chase sequence at an inn with Matthew Broderick scurrying across trellises, under tables, between soldier’s legs, even disguising himself as an old woman, which is a joy to behold. Cinematographer Vittorio Storraro’s photography of the natural Italian locations is beautifully luminous – the entire film has the quality of mist-limned early morning-rise to it. Donner sweeps through the emotions without a misstep. The singly most beautiful scene is one with the wolf trapped in the ice and Michelle Pfeiffer coming to his aid with the two lovers touching in human form for a fleeting moment as the dawn rises. It is an exquisitely beautiful moment that remains in the memory long time after the film finishes.

The two romantic leads were Rutger Hauer, then fresh from his dynamic English-language debut in Blade Runner (1982), and a 27 year-old Michelle Pfeiffer in her first leading role. However, both seem somewhat mismatched in together. Rutger Hauer never ended up being the leading man he seemed eminently capable of being back in 1982. Here he brings merely stolidity to the role and lacks the necessary brooding qualities the part needs. Cinematographer Vittorio Storraro conducts a seeming love affair with the pale porcelain beauty of Michelle Pfeiffer’s features but she never becomes animated. The bland Pfeiffer is probably one of the more overrated actresses in Hollywood and here she never seems anything more than exquisite window dressing. On the other hand, Matthew Broderick, fresh from his successful debut in WarGames (1983), is a considerable delight, delivering a witty and engaging performance as an appealingly artful dodger.

Richard Donner’s other genre films are:– the classic anti-Christ film The Omen (1976); Superman (1978) and uncredited parts of Superman II (1980) (of which he released his own cut of the film in 2006); the modernized Dickens tale Scrooged (1988); Radio Flyer (1992), an interestingly Spielbergian film about child abuse; the lame conspiracy/paranoia comedy Conspiracy Theory (1997); and the time travel film Timeline (2003). In recent years, Donner has less interestingly preoccupied himself with the bland Lethal Weapon films. Donner also acts as producer on The Lost Boys (1987), the horror anthology tv series Tales from the Crypt (1989-96) and its two film spinoffs Tales from the Crypt Presents Demon Knight (1995) and Tales from the Crypt Presents Bordello of Blood (1996), Delirious (1991) about a writer trapped inside his own soap opera, the monster hunter film Matthew Blackheart (2002), and the comic-book adaptations X-Men (2000), Constantine (2005), X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009) and X: First Class (2011).