“Willow”

A wildly entertaining creative collaboration between TV’s “Opie Taylor” and Obi- Wan’s creator, “Willow” is the next big-screen offering at the historic 7th Street Theatre in downtown Hoquiam, on Friday and Saturday, September 18 and 19, at 7:30 pm.

The 1988 movie starts with a story by “Star Wars” godfather George Lucas about a baby destined to defeat an evil queen, and the rag-tag band of unlikely (and frequently hilarious) heroes — dwarf, swordsman, sorceress and bumbling brownies — who take up her quest. The tale comes to life through the directorial vision of Ron Howard, “Opie” from the 1960s “Andy Griffith Show” and eventual Best Director and Best Picture Oscar winner for “A Beautiful Mind” in 2002.

Val Kilmer and Joanne Whalley head the cast, with the dwarf Willow played by then 18-year-old Warwick Davis, who went on to appear in several “Harry Potter“ films as well as way too many “Leprechaun” horror flicks.