Ladyhawke Rescored

Filesize = 11.3 GB, Video = 1920 X 1090p AVC, Audio = 221 kbps 2-Channel Stereo AAC, No subs.

A substantial edit, removing the 80’s soundtrack, replacing it with Jerry Goldsmith’s score for “Lionheart.”

Do not let the audio specs fool you. The music is robust and dynamic throughout, often swelling dramatically.

The audio editing is fabulous. Small scene removals, I never noticed.

This improves this film quite a bit, though I have always had reservations about it.

For one thing, the film still looks cheap to me. There are simply not enough extras. From pursuing soldiers to castle inhabitants, where is everyone?

Also, it is way too clean. Costumes always appear straight from EZ Sudz Washland.

For Rurgar Hauer fans, he is top flight in this! Glorious.

Aside from Michelle Pfieffer, every other actor borders on ham.

Mouse (and Mathew Broderick himself) remains excruciatingly annoying.

Wow... this was great!
I've always been a fan of this genre and I have watched Ladyhawke a few times over the years but it's always left me feeling a little cold, never creating the emotional engagement a film like this needs. Well this amazing edit from MusicEd921 changes that, the film was greatly improved and I enjoyed it far more than I have ever done before. It would never have occurred to me that changing the score could make a film feel so different, but this edit really shows how much the score matters.
I must commend the editor on all the hard work that clearly went into this. MusicEd921 has clearly taken a lot of time to match the music to the beats of the film, as much as possible, and it works extremely well. Thank you!

Brilliant. So many times I tried to watch this movie and that 80s synth just threw me out, but this rescore allows you to settle in and enjoy the story. It was cathartic after so many years. Thanks !

Ladyhawke itself is not a movie I have a ton of nostalgia for and I can't say it impressed me that greatly as a film on this rewatch. That said, this version definitely works better than the original. The Eliot Goldenthal score works quite well with the vision here presented by Richard Donner. There are parts where personally I felt the score was too jaunty over the action, or borderline sappy over the drama, but honestly that's totally in-keeping with Donner's tone and vision. It matches his directorial style here well, where he never fully goes for gripping action or sweeping drama, but tries to create a childlike sense of joy and wonder that pervades the story.

This film is honestly probably best viewed by someone around 12 years old, so any parents out there might want to seek this out. Personally I want my fantasy bigger and bolder and probably more exploitative, but there is a niche for this. A/V editing is top notch, fitting perfectly into the film. A 5.1 mix would be the natural direction to take this sweeping score, but I can give it a pass. For those with nostalgia for this, it may scratch an itch; for those with no real memories, this would be the preferred way to watch.

I don't get the hate for the Laydhawke score. Does every movie in this genre have to sound the same? I love it. Ladyhawke wouldn't be Ladyhawke without it. The score is what makes this movie unique and sets it apart from the rest of the cookie cutter medieval sword and sorcery type movies. That said... it's about time someone made this edit! We've all been hearing complaints about the Ladyhawke score for decades and it's very refreshing to see it finally come to light. Next time someone complains about the score, just point them here - they'll love it.

This is a great edit. I can't imagine the amount of work that went into this, and at the end of the day, the new score just sits there seamlessly, like it was meant to be there all along. And that's the biggest compliment I can give to this edit- that if you didn't know it was edited, you wouldn't think anything was amiss. Technically, there are a couple of issues. The opening credits are, for some reason, a different AR than the rest of the film, with black bars on the left and right sides. And a film like this really benefits from a proper 5.1 mix. Presenting it in stereo is fine, and likely makes the audio editing easier, but ultimately makes for a lesser experience. However, these do not greatly detract from the edit. I wouldn't consider this a superior version, but a much-needed alternative version of Ladyhawke. Highly recommended, especially if you didn't like the original.