A Mouse, the Wolf, the Hawk and they are lovers: Ladyhawke (1985)

We are living in a golden age of geek content right now: movies, TV shows, animated series, video games, and actual plays that cater to every corner of our fandoms. As I was growing up, there was simply less of it. The quality was still there, but you really had to look for the gems.

That's why I want to start talking about the movies that inspired my gaming. For this first one, I'm going with a film near and dear to my heart: Ladyhawke.

Released in 1985, it featured an amazing cast including Matthew Broderick, Rutger Hauer, and Michelle Pfeiffer. It was directed by Richard Donner, who also gave us The Omen, Superman (1978), and later the Lethal Weapon series.

What is it about? (Spoilers for a 41-year-old film!) It's the story of a thief, a knight, and a lady. The knight and lady are in love but cursed never to actually touch. By day, she turns into a hawk, and by night, he transforms into a wolf. Their only hope of breaking the spell is a young thief who eventually helps them sneak back into a heavily guarded city. Together, the trio takes down the evil, jealous Bishop who cursed them, using a solar eclipse to finally break the magic so they can be human at the same time.

If you would like to read more you can check out the Ladyhawke Wikipedia entry.

This movie had absolutely everything my gaming brain wanted: classic fantasy archetypes (a knight, a thief, a monk, an evil cleric), a damsel, curses, and a form of lycanthropy. I loved the story and the world. It honestly felt like a perfect D&D adventure playing out on the screen!

You can watch the original trailer right here:

I use a lot of movie soundtracks as ambient background music at the table. Funny enough, I have never considered using the Ladyhawke soundtrack! It has a synth-heavy 80s prog-rock vibe that seems popular with some gamers now.