Movies-TV

It's About Time!

I can remember watching DRAGONSLAYER in the movie theatres during my high school years, and, as I understand it, the DVD transfer is going to be upgraded from what was released on Laser Disc not long after the film's theatrical run.

This has always been one of my favorite stories to come out of the Great (19)Eighties of film. The Go-Motion Effects by ILM were at the beginning of their use in feature films, but that doesn't stop this dragon from crawling around caves in search of the inadvertant hero sent to serve as slayer. Also, the flying sequences clearly influenced the effects of later films (DRAGONHEART, REIGN OF FIRE, etc.). As a matter of fact, among my circle of friends, I don't know of a "dragon" picture, per se, that doesn't warrant comparisons back to DRAGONSLAYER.

One great dragon. One great sorcerer. One great hero. And one great (surprise, surprise!) sidekick (of sorts).

DRAGONSLAYER is one great film.

Dignified precursor to Dragonheart...

Considering that one of the roles has been given to none other than Sir Ralph Richardson, should speak volumes about this tiny fantasy movie.

Despite the product of the early eighties, in which movies like "Conan the Barbarian" and other similar products very highly popular, this film has the merit to have a dignified treatment, with an original story and a solid cast of newcomers.

I will not spoil you the surprise of the story, but suffice it to say, that no, the Dragon does NOT speak, nor does he (or is it a she?) consider the meaning of life. He rather spits fire and kills people with ease, and therefore must be destroyed.

This is what this movie is all about. But more than that, it is also about the vanity, greed, prejudice and superstition that rules mankind and hence gives more importance to an otherwise harmless creature...

it is a multi-faceted movie. So much so, that nothing is truly what it seems to be and everything is revealed toward the grand finale, which inevitably comes.

The transfer by Paramount has been undertaken with accuracy and grace. Excellent image resolution, fantastic widescreen rendition of the landscapes, and a wonderful surround soundtrack make it the definitive version to own.

If you like Myths, Dragons and Dungeons, this movie is exceptionally for you.

Dragonslayer: Breathing Reel Fire and Magic

"Drangonslayer" is easily in the top five sword and sorcery movies ever made, if not the best next to "Excalibur," a film of similar poetic magic and action. The cinematography is filled with dark, mysterious landscapes of rising steam,fogs, mists, fire, and strange sounds, and it does what most great films do: transports one to a different world. Ralph Richardson, as the wizard, is wonderful, and it was unfortunately one of his last performances, which adds extra power to his quirky but great performance. The rest of the actors, save Peter MacNicol, are English, and for a bit, MacNicol sems a wee bit awkward, but as the movie progresses,his performance gains strength, as the plot calls for him to be strong.The pace is somewhat slow but all the better the savor the magic of the atmosphere; there is a scene in the quiet forest, when you can here the beat of drangonfly wings. The dragon is only partially glimsed at first and we want to see more and this is a superb way to build up suspense, for when we do see the dragon, diving with outstretched wings, burning a village, it is astonishing. Phil Tippet, master animator, did most the animation of the dragon and it is easy to see why he was chosen by Steven Spielberg to help out on "Jurassic Park." Take a close look at the T-Rex and he looks amazingly like the dragon in "Dragonslayer." This is the Dark Ages and many of the key scenes are properly shot in darkness and through mists. With the final battle with the dragon, as thrilling as you will ever see, we really appreciate the power and magesty of this dragon and in another wonderful scene, as Richardson is shown a dragon scale, he has pity on this dragon, an old and ancient foe, sad to see the last of its kind. There is also an appropriately soaring and magical mucic score by Alex North, one of his last, and one of his best. The movie is somewhat violent and has very modest nudity and might not set well with some younger viewers, but when I was younger I loved magical movies like "Drangonslayer," full of fear, magic, wonderful sights and sounds, and the belief that dragons are real, fearful presences yes, but dwelling in the hot mists of ancient caves."Dragonslayer" is a magical masterpiece that will last.

Not too bad, but showing its age

Compared to modern Fantasy and effects it doesn't really hold up so well, but for its time it was very impressive, and on certain levels a new standard.

The story is a little bit linear, and I'm not so sure the characters are very charismatic - the accents are kind of annoying, too - but despite the minimal humour, and the classic feel, the acting is far from bad or even as melodramatic as you might expect.

It's a good ride.

The score, however, is utterly awful. Cacophonic, badly paced, and uninspiring. It doesn't even have a theme.

As for the DVD itself, it has the absolute bare minimum - the film and some choices for sound quality. The menu isn't even animated or with music. This is a great shame, it deserves better.

Classic Medieval Wizard versus Dragon type movies

Way before there was The Lord of the Rings "Movies" or the Harry Potter, "Movies" there was The Dragonslayer. A few weeks ago I had rented The Fellowship, and took my 11-year-old twins to go see the Two Towers. After the movie was over, I was in sort of a nostalgic feeling. I told my daughters that in 1981 when their daddy was a boy, about their age. (11) Every one in the world was into Star Wars, or other Psy Fi films. I was hocked on Dragonslayer.

Dragonslayer is a classic in the Medieval Wizard versus Dragon type movies. The Dragon effects are awesome, even for the 80's and still look good today. And after my daughters watched it, they were hocked as well. So if you have that little Wizard or Sorceress in your life, ( or you are that Wizard or Sorceress) and they/you can not get enough of the Lord of the Rings, or Harry Potter Movies, well while they/you wait, for the next installments, this is one of those great movies that will fill their yearning heart. Excellent Movies, I love it, my kids love it. Also check out the movie Krull.

A rarity - a good fantasy film

I have long been a fan of fantasy writing, ever since I pored over my first copy of Tolkien's -The Fellowship of the Ring -. Unfortunately, the vast majority of fantasy novels on bookshelves today really aren't worth the time it takes to read them. Much the same can be said for fantasy films. Most are simply poorly conceived, wannabe epics.Not so with -Dragonslayer-. Serious fantasy must create a pervasive sense of mood and assist the viewer in suspending disbelief. Most fantasy flicks fail to do this, but -Dragonslayer- does not. Although the film is far from perfect, it does a fairly good job creating a believable, bleak, medieval setting and then populating it with interesting (if occasionally overdone) characters and an extremely well-crafted dragon to boot. Although it can be argued that the film lacks creativity to a certain degree (let's admit it--the hero vs. dragon concept goes back at least to -Beowulf-), it makes up for this with a sustained and believable mood. The result is an entertaining spectacle.All of which is to say, if you're up for a watchable fantasy film, you won't go wrong with -Dragonslayer-.

Among the best of the fantasy genre...

Sadly, "sword and sorcery" epics are a dying breed in Hollywood. Aside from the occasional weak attempt (e.g. Dungeons and Dragons), public demand for this kind of movie seems to have mostly faded (especially fantasy/sorcery epics). "Dragonslayer" is among the best of the genre -- "Conan the Barbarian" (the first film, and to a lesser degree the sequel) being another of my favorites. This particular film pays surprising attention to detail, both in plot and in visuals (note how the dragon uses its tail to balance while on the ground and in flight), and actually requires that the brain be in gear in order to follow the story (a welcome surprise). To see a film in the fantasy/adventure genre that ISN'T dumbed down is both unusual and gratifying. The acting is also very good, if occasionally a bit overblown.
Flaws are surprisingly few and far between.The movie is very much in the tradition of such great epic novels as Ursula K. LeGuin's "Earthsea" trilogy (within the confines of the 2-hour movie format). More of the dragon would have been welcome (although Vermithrax gets a decent amount of screen time), and DEFINITELY more of Sir Ralph Richardson (Ulrich) working some acts of great wizardry! But I'm not complaining too loudly, because "Dragonslayer" is a great film in its genre, a classic of high fantasy. Every time I see it I catch some new detail missed on a previous viewing. A DVD re-issue would be welcome (hint, hint!), especially now that this overlooked gem seems to be disappearing from video stores.9/10

widescreen

Great film. Lousy DVD. The original film has been cut att top and bottom to make it look more like cinema widescreen. Many details that the director meant to be seen are now gone.


The original idea with widescreen in cinema was to show more picture at the sides. But here you just get less picture at top and bottom, not more at the sides. The producers try to make money by tricking the buyers with this foul and superficial sales-trick.

Gritty fantasy with perfect pitch

The great strength of Dragonslayer is it's committment and belief in the subject matter. Never once does the director wink at the audience and throw in some campy humor. The ambience and drama is very serious and the great cast of characters are intensely caught up in the adventure.
Some reviewers have praised the special effects, which are a welcome relief from some of the sorry digital animation we have been seeing lately. But I want to comment on the wonderful score. Every time Vermithrax (the dragon) appears there is an awesome cacophany of horns that just nails you to your seat.
All told, this is an awesome old-school fantasy film if that's your bag. And it's far superior to the fantasy films to follow like Legend, Dark Crystal and Labyrinth.
I'm buying this for nostalgia's sake, but something tells me my eleven year old daughter will add it to her favorites list.

Praise and Honor!

Dragonslayer is probably the very best medival/dragon film of all time. The story is great, the acting is, at least, very good, the costumes and sets are top-notch, the special effects are incredible and the animation of the dragon is second to none! An incredible accomplishment considering the year it came out (1981). Every time I see the film, I find myself wishing that "Vermithrax" (the dragon) had received more on-screen time, yet the moderate exposure of the dragon actually added to its mystique, making it even more realistic. And I wonder if that was not the intent of the director - to make you want more of an already great thing. Well, I do want more... I want a sequel!!! But then again, on second thought, maybe not... because I'd hate to see the reputation of this fine film dragged through the mud by what would most likely be a lesser sequel.

I agree with John!

The horrific death of the princess really left a nasty taste in my mouth. I remember being a young kid and I thought that scene was disturbing and whoever directed the movie made a really bad mistake by including such a scene. Shame on them!

A grim classical fairy-tale with superb special effects.

"Dragonslayer" is like a grim fairy-tale with the classical scenario of the fight between the last magician and the last dragon. It has all the elements of a fairy-tale. Sacrifices of young maidens, an evil king, a magician and his apprentice, etc. The king forces the people to sacrifice young maidens to a dragon to keep it from attacking. But a group of people decides to seek out the last magician and ask him for help. The magician accepts the task of killing the fierce creature, but goes about his business in a very strange manner which turns out to be a real challenge for his apprentice. Besides from having a good plot "Dragonslayer" is a technical marvel. The dragon is grim, beautiful and very well made. It is created with a mixture of full scale models and stop-motion photage, and when you consider the fact that is was made in 1981 you can hardly believe your eyes. Even if films like "Dragonheart" get amazing results using computer animations I have yet to see a dragon portrayed as well and as dramatically as the one in "Dragonslayer". If you like dragons you have to see this film.

If you loved 'The Lord of the Rings'.........

LOTR fans will plug right in to this 1981 film!

Here we have sorcerers, dragons, rotten old kings, and VIRGINS (to be sacrificed!) *.*

A very Dark Ages village must periodically sacrifice one of its beautiful young virgins to a local trouble-making dragon. The King conducts a lottery, as needed, in the village to determine who the unlucky gal is to be for each sacrifice.


An assemblage of the locals gets damned tired of this process and so they travel to the castle of a renowned sorcerer to get him to resolve their dilemma; however, not everyone in the village agrees with this idea, knowing that if the plan goes awry, the dragon is going to REALLY be ticked off and the devastation is sure to be tremendous. So the King covertly sends his chief bad guy close behind the vigilante group to make sure that things go along as they always have.

The sorcerer (think "Gandalf") is killed in a test of his powers, prior to taking on the job, so it falls to his enthusiastic, but inept, apprentice to complete the task.

I'll stop here to avoid major spoilers but be aware that this superb film boasts excellent cinematography, shrewd casting, and is conveyed in letterbox format. The filmscore by the great Alex North, ("Cleopatra," "Spartacus," and other great high-end films), also adds a notable extra quality to this fine movie. The dragon is one of the best that you'll ever see in the vast world of film. I don't know that Peter Jackson will be able to top it in "The Hobbit" when that long-awaited film finally does premier!

The movie runs 109 minutes and is rated PG, probably due to one very quick flash of underwater nudity (from the side). This is one of the great films of all time -- a masterpiece!

A classic in Fantasy!

This movie is about the greatest one' I have seen, well you know what I am saying. IT's action packed, full of surprises, romance, humour. I'd suggest this to anyone. I have this movie, and have watched it many, many, many times, and it still hasn't bored me yet! It's just like the title, a Dragonslayer, goes off, to none the less Slay dragons. Wizards, and bad guys the whole works. The graphics are amazing, and the Dragon's look real. So check it out! You don't know what your missing!

Great film.

With Disney at the helm, they spared no expense for this fantasy epic.The special effects are mind blowing for their time. The dragon in Dragonslayer is probably the most realistic dragon ever to be put on celluloid, far better than any CGI dragon in my opinion. I have no idea in fact how they could have made this dragon so realistic in 1981. Unfortunately you don't get to see too much of her throughout the film, but when you do see her for the first time, your jaw will drop.The acting is great if not a bit campy at times. However the camp in this film adds to the entertainment value, not subtracts from it. There is a dark quality to Dragonslayer, but not so much as to deter the less hearty film enthusiast, just enough to tip the scale from a typical Disney fluff film to a quality fantasy epic. There is also some welcomed dry British humor in this film that offsets Dragonslayer's darker tones.Even if you don't like the genre, see this film for the effects alone. It makes me wonder if we've taken the wrong path in film making by employing CGI over more visceral stimuli such as animatronics, puppetry and stop motion.

Good dark ages romantic fantasy tale of magic and dragons

A great cast of character actors, actors and actresses. The story line could have contained a little more dialog, but it was adequate to tell the tale. The only criticism I might make would be regarding the music, it was a little abstract in the sense of warmth and harmony, although well structured it seemed thin and terse. The scenic environment was perfect, the dress and artifacts beautifully done, the graphics superb, and the continuity left never a dull moment.

The purest dragon film out there........

I saw this movie with my father soon after it came out. I was blown away by the dragon above all other things. It wasn't very long ago, that I started watching this movie again. I noticed the story was very good, the acting was favorable, and yes....the dragon is the best on screen dragon that has ever been. Perfect size, perfect action, perfect balance of malevolent beast and real animal. I actually kind of rooted for Vermithrax (the dragon's name) toward the end of the movie. It is your classic struggle between good and evil, right and wrong, and choices across all facets of life. I enjoyed it thoroughly and it is a must for any father/son movie adventure!

Pleasantly sinister for a Disney movie

Unlike most Disney movies (the film was released by Disney and Paramount), this is a very gritty fairy tale indeed. The characters teeter in vague areas of morality, and the dragon is not only seen as the villain, but also as a bit of a victim. I like the sinister atmosphere of this film. Disney tried to market it as a childrens movie, but quite obviously this isn't one.As an interesting side note, this film stars the early Peter "Biscuit / Ally McBeal" MacNicol in the lead role.

Entertaining film.

Dragonslayer kind of crept into and out of theaters and has been little seen since; which is a shame, as it is actually a very entertaining film. It features a great cast of solid actors, doing what actors are supposed to do. It essentially lacked a "star" to give the film attention, but doesn't really need one. The film more faithfully adapts the themes and conventions of fantasy literature than most attempts. The wizard is wise, but secretive; the hero unassuming. The motivations of characters are shrouded and shifting. All of the characters, right down to the dragon, are given shades of grey, making them that much more realistic. This is not some pulp-inspired mayhem, like Conan; but, rather, a throwback to medieval tales and folklore.Ralph Richardson steals the movie, but Peter MacNicol and Caitlin Clarke more than hold their own. the dragon was quite well done, and wisely kept an unseen horror through the early parts of the film. The cave sequences are filled with tension and there is a bit of horror to add weight.If you are a fan of fantasy film or literature, you would do well to view this film. It is a solid piece of film-making and has all of the trappings of a classic fantasy story. What's more, the DVD can be obtained at a bargain price.

Galen: The Dragon Slayer is the only one who can stop the reign of fire.

That's right, our survival rests in the hands of Peter MacNicol. He is not entirely believable in the role, but the movie is OK, even though it feels like the writers were "inspired" by Tolkien. The effects must have been impressive in their day and do hold up well and the unexpected gore adds some realism. The whole production, cheap as it may look, is better than you would expect from the man who would direct Bingo. Ralph Richardson makes a fine wizard, John Hallam is a decent baddie, and the emperor himself, Ian McDiarmid, has a small role as a quickly dying holy man. The most memorable actor may be Cailin Clarke, whom everyone believes to be just one of the guys. If you are in the need for a quick fantasy fix, this will get you where you want to go.