Maps of Movies
Willow (1988)
Where Willow says it takes place, and where it was really shot.
A fantasy kingdom assembled from a Welsh slate quarry, an English studio, a Californian waterfall and a New Zealand lake
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Scenes and places
Bavmorda's castle at Nockmaar
Queen Bavmorda hears of a prophecy that a child with a special birthmark will bring about her downfall, and imprisons all pregnant women in her realm. The midwife Ethna smuggles the newborn out of the castle while Bavmorda's hounds close in.
Set in Nockmaar Castle — The fortress of the sorceress queen Bavmorda, where pregnant women are imprisoned.
A fantasy fortress; the film's production notes say the castle exteriors combine a Welsh quarry with a New Zealand national park setting.
Filmed at Dinorwic quarry, Wales — Location shooting for the castle took place in Dinorwic quarry. New Zealand's Tongariro National Park was chosen as the setting for Bavmorda's castle in the wider landscape. Google Maps · Apple Maps
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Willow's village of Nelwyn
Downriver, the Nelwyn village prepares for a festival. Willow Ufgood's children find the abandoned baby, and his family takes her in. When a Nockmaar hound attacks the cradles at the festival, Willow presents the baby to the village leader High Aldwin as the possible reason.
Set in Nelwyn village — The farming village of the Nelwyn, a race of dwarves, downriver from Nockmaar.
A village set built for the film; the location sources name the grounds of an English country house.
Filmed at Brocket Hall grounds, Hertfordshire — Two film-location pages place the village scenes on the Brocket Hall estate; the Wikipedia article does not name this location. Google Maps · Apple Maps
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Leaving the village
High Aldwin orders that the baby be returned to a Daikini family, so Willow and other volunteers set out with her. Willow carries a bag of acorns that the village elder says will turn anything to stone.
Set in Road out of the Nelwyn village — The way from the village through woodland toward the Daikini crossroads.
A woodland road; the film does not name it.
Filmed at Epping Forest, Essex — Two film-location pages say the woodland scenes were shot in Epping Forest (one hedges with 'supposedly'). The point is the forest's area center, not a specific spot. Google Maps · Apple Maps
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A waterfall on the journey
The journey takes Willow far from home with the baby. The film's rivers and falls come from real waterfalls shot in northern California.
Set in A waterfall along the road — A falls the travellers pass; the film does not name the place.
A forest waterfall, shot at a real state park.
Filmed at McArthur-Burney Falls, California — Some of the waterfall scenes were shot here, near Mount Shasta. Google Maps · Apple Maps
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The crossroads and the crow's cage
At the crossroads, Willow's party finds Madmartigan, a mercenary trapped in a crow's cage, who offers to take the baby in exchange for his freedom. Willow and Meegosh refuse to hand her over, and most of the party leave for home.
Set in The Daikini crossroads — A crossroads where the tall people pass, and where Madmartigan hangs in a crow's cage.
A crossroads on the border between the two peoples.
Filmed at Snowdonia, Wales — One location page puts the crossroads and crow's cage scene in a Snowdonia valley; the American Film Institute catalog lists Snowdonia as a filming location without naming this scene. The point is the park's area center. Google Maps · Apple Maps
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The brownies steal the baby
On the way home, Willow and Meegosh discover that brownies have stolen the baby, and they chase them. The brownies capture them, but Fairy Queen Cherlindrea frees them and explains the baby is Elora Danan, the foretold Princess of Tir Asleen.
Set in The brownies' glade — A woodland where the brownies, a small fairy folk, carry off the baby.
A fairy glade composited with visual effects.
The tavern brawl
At a tavern, Willow re-encounters Madmartigan, who is disguising himself as a woman to hide from his lover's husband Llug. Sorsha's soldiers arrive, but Madmartigan is revealed as a man, and the brawl that follows helps Willow and Madmartigan escape with the baby.
Set in A roadside tavern — A tavern where Willow meets Madmartigan again.
A tavern built as a studio set.
Filmed at Elstree Studios, Hertfordshire — The tavern interior is a set built at Elstree. Google Maps · Apple Maps
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The chase through the woods
After the tavern, Willow and Madmartigan escape with Elora while Sorsha and Kael's soldiers pursue them. The chase moves by cart and horse through woodland.
Set in A woodland chase — Where the heroes flee Sorsha's soldiers.
An English country park that doubled for the roads of the fantasy kingdom.
Filmed at Black Park Country Park, Buckinghamshire — Two film-location pages place the cart chase in Black Park. Google Maps · Apple Maps
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The falls on the way to Raziel
Madmartigan allows Willow to follow him to the lake where Raziel lives. The route passes a waterfall on the way.
Set in The waterfall on the way to Fin Raziel's lake — The path toward the lake where the enchantress Fin Raziel lives.
A waterfall on the route to the lake.
Filmed at Powerscourt Waterfall, County Wicklow, Ireland — The encyclopedia says Powerscourt Waterfall was used for other scenes; it does not say which. One location page names a different waterfall for this scene (see conflicts). Google Maps · Apple Maps
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The lake island of Fin Raziel
Willow and Madmartigan are captured soon after reaching the lake, along with Raziel, who had been turned into a possum. Willow tries to restore her but turns her into a rook instead.
Set in Fin Raziel's lake — A lake where the enchantress Fin Raziel lives, turned into a possum by Bavmorda.
A lake island in the film's world.
Filmed at Hidden Island, Lake Wakatipu, near Queenstown, New Zealand — Two location pages say the lake island scenes were shot on Lake Wakatipu; the coordinate is the lake's center, not the island. Google Maps · Apple Maps
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The snowy mountain village
Fleeing from the Nockmaar army, Willow's party finds Airk and the remnants of his army. When the army pursues, Madmartigan takes Sorsha hostage and the party flees once more.
Set in A snowbound mountain village — A hilltop village in snow, where the party flees on sleds.
A set built on a New Zealand ski field.
Filmed at Cardrona Alpine Resort, Otago, New Zealand — Film-location page says the snow village set was built at Cardrona ski field. Only one page names the place. Google Maps · Apple Maps
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Tir Asleen, the cursed city
Willow's party arrives at Tir Asleen, only to find it cursed and overrun with trolls. Kael's army arrives, and Madmartigan and Willow fight to hold them off while Willow's spells go wrong.
Set in Tir Asleen — The castle city of Elora Danan's people, cursed and overrun with trolls.
A large castle set with painted backgrounds.
Filmed at Elstree Studios backlot, Hertfordshire — The large castle set for Tir Asleen was built at Elstree, with painted backgrounds for the landscape. Google Maps · Apple Maps
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The assault on Nockmaar
Willow's party and Airk's army travel to Nockmaar Castle, but on their arrival Bavmorda casts a spell turning them all into pigs. Willow, having used the wand to protect himself, tries to turn things around.
Set in Nockmaar Castle (the battle) — Bavmorda's castle, the film's final location.
The same fantasy fortress seen at the beginning.
Filmed at Dinorwic quarry, Wales — The large Nockmaar set was built in the quarry; the village scenes at the end return to Brocket Hall. Google Maps · Apple Maps
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Characters
- Willow Ufgood — A Nelwyn farmer and aspiring sorcerer who takes the baby on a journey far from home.
- Madmartigan — A mercenary swordsman first met locked in a crow's cage at a crossroads.
- Sorsha — Queen Bavmorda's daughter, sent with an army to hunt the baby.
- Queen Bavmorda — The sorceress queen of Nockmaar who fears the prophecy about the child.
Questions answered on the map
- Where was Bavmorda's castle in Willow really filmed?
- Where is Willow's village in the film actually?