Dragonslayer (1981) User Reviews (141)

Now THAT'S what I call a dragon!!!

[HaemovoreRex · 8/10 · 30 June 2005]

With the name Disney attached to a sword and sorcery/fantasy romp, many genre purists might be filled with immediate consternation as they visualise in horror the possible 'cute' connotations.

Fortuitously, the understandable apprehension that this may well induce actually proves to be entirely unfounded however, as this movie is about as far from Pete's Dragon or any other Disney fare as is humanly imaginable!

What we do have here, is an excellent movie with top notch production values, awesome special effects, a fine cast, and a very dark story.

The dragon itself is without doubt the best ever committed to celluloid (a much better design than the CGI one in Dragonheart) and proves to be hugely menacing and destructive as it incinerates everything in it's path.

The actors to, all put in excellent performances and it's particularly great to see such a fine piece of casting in the form of the late great Sir Ralph Richardson as the wizard Ulrich. In fact for such a role there has surely never been a more appropriate choice of actor other than of course, Peter Jackson casting Sir Ian McKellen to play Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

For fans of sword & sorcery and fantasy movies in general, this really is an absolute must see!

One of the better fantasy films out there

[TheLittleSongbird · 8/10 · 7 November 2009]

Dragonslayer was in my opinion a very good movie. Without being too camp, it manages to be very entertaining, and along with NeverEnding Story, Princess Bride and Legend this is one of the better fantasy films I have seen. The film benefits from some very stylish costumes and sets, and the breathtaking scenery helps as well. The music score is highly atmospheric, and filled with beautiful and haunting themes. The film has a good plot with some nice twists, themes and turns, a decent script and good characters. I will admit one or two of the supporting characters are thinly sketched compared to the wizard Ulrich, and there are parts when the film suffered from pacing problems. But overall I really enjoyed Dragonslayer. I forgot to mention the acting. Peter MacNicol is a likable enough lead with his spontaneous boyish charm, Caitlin Clarke and Chloe Salamon are stunning as the female leads, and Ralph Richardson without a doubt steals the movie as Ulrich. Also, how can I forget the dragon? Plain and simple, best designed dragon in any fantasy film, the movements, the design, the creepiness everything, flawless. Even better than Draco in Dragonheart, despite Sean Connery's majestic voicing. All in all, a couple of minor flaws, but it is most enjoyable, and one of the better fantasy films out there. 8/10 Bethany Cox

The best dragon flick yet!

[rosscinema · 7/10 · 24 May 2004]

I was also one of those who saw this in the theaters more than once when it came out and I urged all of my friends to see it and some of them did take my advice. Story is about a village that sacrifices young maidens to a dragon that has been marauding the countryside. A group from the village travel to see a sorcerer named Ulrich (Sir Ralph Richardson) and ask him to slay the dragon which he accepts but is killed by the King's sheriff. Ulrich's young apprentice Galen (Peter MacNicol) decides to step in and agree to the task with the help from a magical amulet. The village is headed by King Casiodorus Rex (Peter Eyre) who has a lottery where the name of a young girl is picked for the sacrifice for the dragon but the King doesn't put his own daughters name in the drawing.

*****SPOILER ALERT*****

Galen is taken to the dragons lair and he causes a rock slide and he believes that this has killed the dragon but as it turns out it didn't and it comes back to wreak havoc so the King quickly starts up another lottery. Meanwhile, Galen has fallen in love with Valerian (Caitlin Clarke) and her father has made a mighty sword that hopefully can slay the dragon. Galen and his weapon head into the dragons lair to try and kill it but he quickly finds out that this dragon is going to be harder to slay than expected.

This film is directed by Matthew Robbins who never really had a great career as a director but he did have some success as a writer but he can be happy with this film because it's still considered the best dragon flick to date. Disney and Paramount got together to make this and the special effects by Industrial Light and Magic are just terrific and still stand up today even though effects have changed with CGI. The DVD transfer suffers somewhat and the studio's should definitely digitally remaster this film and re-release it on a special edition DVD. What makes the effects stand out is that they brilliantly made sure the dragon moved like a dragon would and it crawls like a bat or a lizard and it adds greatly to the reason why this is the best of it's kind. Robbins also does the right thing by not allowing the audience to get a good look at the dragon except in glimpses and it builds the chills and excitement until we finally do see the dragon. The film looks great from the wonderful location shots in Scotland to the dirty hovels that people lived in during those times. Richardson is a joy in a role that is to small but he makes the most of it with a lot of Latin muttering and lines like "Do you have anything to eat"? One of the highlights in the film (For me, anyway) is Clarke as the love interest and I was always charmed by her tough but attractive performance. She still pops up every once in a while in small roles but this was her largest role in her career and last I've heard she teaches at a college in Pennsylvania. Probably not a great film as it does lag in spots but don't let this sway you because this is a fun film and one hell of a dragon!

one of the best

[moondragon85501 · 6 July 2004]

Dragonslayer came out when "Dungeons & Dragons" was getting to be a big thing where I live, so there was a lot of interest. It was even adapted into a book by Wayland Drew (in a rare instance when a movie preceded a book).

Two things I like mainly. First, of course: Vermithrax. I rather hope that Dragonslayer is never remade, for there's no way the digital animation done these days could do this magnificent creature justice. New isn't always better.

It's also nice to see a film which doesn't stereotype Pagans and magicians as evil. In fact, the film treads the whole good-evil line rather lightly; Ulrich displays a certain respect for Vermithrax, even while planning the dragon's demise.

I find it easy to be swept up in the lovely mystery of Dragonslayer: a mystical film from 1981 (a more mystical age).

The best Dragon's movie EVER!!!

[elo-equipamentos · 7/10 · 9 October 2017]

Infinitely superior fantasy movie from those days where the cinema was the real cinema, Dragonslayer has a very clever plot using all elements and formula to reach a success, an Old Sorcerer played by Ralph Richardson has a fabulous and convincing acting, the young hero has a natural charisma, the villain is bad than ever, the girl is beauty and one most funny character is Sydney Bromley as an old gentle Hodge who is unfortunately was killed in the travel, by the way all cast is marvelous and finally the Dragon is unique well made using the tools and techniques allowed on those time, the atmosphere of fear is terrific, the final battle is great example to new ones!! fantastic fantasy!!!

Resume:

First watch: 2011 / How many: 3 / Source: DVD / Rating: 8.5

Spellbound Dragon picture with overwhelming fights and sensational scenarios

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 16 October 2013]

This film blends witchcraft and wizardry , adventures , battles and is extremely fun and amusing . A sorcerer's apprentice (Peter MacNichol) is sent to kill a dragon which has been devouring girls from a nearby kingdom . An older magician (Ralph Richardson) is the mentor of the rockie sorcerer . The young boy dreams becoming a valiant sorcerer and join forces with a girl (Caitlin Clarke) to vanquish a horrible dragon . The young wizarding apprentice suddenly finds himself the only person who save the kingdom from a free-breathing dragon .

This fantasy movie packs action , witchery and and sorcery with impressive battles . Likable performance by a young Peter MacNichol , though is the first film released under the Disney name to have full frontal male nudity , as when Peter MacNicol jumps into the water, his legs swing wide giving the audience a quick shot of his genitals . Funny acting by the veteran Ralph Richardson and enjoyable support cast . The story has many familiar dragon motifs found throughout Western culture , in particular Saint George and the Dragon, in which maiden sacrifices were made to appease a harassing dragon. Saint George's tale also includes a sacrificial lottery resulting in the surprise condemnation of a princess , Saint George is also frequently depicted with a magic blessed lance or a sword . Smart screenplay by Hal Barwood dealing with fantasy medieval , dragons , necromancy , fantastic kingdoms and many other things . Entertaining and fun movie with acceptable special effects bringing the dragon to life . Work on dragons made by CG sometimes seem authentic , but is also noted its computer realization . First film to use go-motion, a variant of stop-motion animation in which parts of the dragon were mechanized and the movement programmed by computer . During shooting, the computer moves the model while the camera is shooting, resulting in motion blur, which makes the animation more convincing . The only thing that let it down from this perspective , was that some of the parts in between the dragons fighting were a little dull . Colorful cinematography , shot on location in Wales , though the final scene was shot in Skye, Scotland and many town locals were employed in the film as village extras. Thrilling as well as spectacular musical score by the classic Alex North , some of the score by Alex North was "recycled" from music he'd originally composed for 2001: A Space Odyssey that went unused . This co-production between Walt Disney Pictures and Paramount was efficiently directed by Matthew Robbins and it was more mature and realistic than most Disney films of the time .

The picture belongs to Fantasy/Dragon sub-genre ; other important films dealing with Dragons are the following : ¨Dragonheart¨ by Rob Cohen with Dennis Quaid , Dina Meyer , Jason Isaacs and Julie Christie ; ¨Dragonheart , a new beginning¨ with Chris Marterson , Figueroa and Harry Von Gorkum ; ¨Dragom Storm¨ (2004) by Stephen Furst with Maxwell Caufield , Angel Boris , Tony Amendola and John Rhys Davies ; and other latter day movies and belonging to this Dragons sub-genre are ¨Reign of fire¨ (2002) by Rob Bowman with Christian Bale, Matthew McConaughey , Izabella Scorupco , and Gerard Butler ; ¨Eragon¨ (2006) by Stephen Fangmeier with Edward Speleers , Robert Carlyle , Sienna Gullory and John Malkovich .

Entertaining film.

[grendelkhan · 7/10 · 7 September 2006]

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.

Will appeal to Lord of the Rings fans

[coolmule · 6/10 · 22 July 2003]

******Warning, Spoilers*******

While by no means a great film, suffering as it does from wooden acting and some pretty annoying music, Dragonslayer is somewhat better than the rest of the early 80's sword and sorcery films and for fans of the fantasy genre is worth watching for several reasons.

Firstly, the look of the film is very close to the Lord of the Rings trilogy - a dirt-under-the-fingernails, earthy realism combining costume and set design which looks like it could have existed in the sixth century with sweeping shots of the Welsh and Scottish locations where the film was shot. Curly haired Peter MacNicol even looks like a Hobbit! This is all a world away from the muscular heroes, scantily clad damsels in distress and fake looking weapons and armour in most fantasy films of the time, and interestingly foreshadows the look of Peter Jackson's trilogy. As an example of this, if you can find it, check out the mocked up trailer for a supposed Peter Jackson production of The Hobbit which has been floating around on the net - it's interesting to note how well the shots from Dragonslayer used in the trailer fit in with the footage from The Fellowship of the Ring.

(As an aside, the other film which Dragonslayer reminded me of was, bizarrely, Monty Python and the Holy Grail - the title sequence and plinky plonky music could almost have been lifted directly from Holy Grail, and the shots at the end with Ralph Richardson standing on top of the mountain are almost laughably close to the Tim the Enchanter scenes, probably due to very similar locations being used in both films, both being shot on the Isle of Skye in Scotland.)

Secondly, the film explores some interesting themes, principally the spread of Christianity in sixth century Britain and the consequent decline of the old pagan ways, represented by magic, and for that matter, dragons. The fact that to destroy Vermithrax the source of magic in the film must also be destroyed is quite a clever metaphor for the changes of the times the film is set in. This is very similar to some of the underlying themes in Arthurian legend, so fans of Excalibur may want to check out Dragonslayer for this reason.

Lastly, an honorable mention must go to Phil Tippets wonderful, stop motion dragon effects, which still look great today - again, they don't look at all out of place on The Hobbit trailer. It's easy to see why ILM was nominated for a special effects oscar in 1982 for Dragonslayer. Anyone bored with modern CGI should check this out - I can't help but wish that ILM had gone back to these kind of effects for at least some of the special effects shots in the Star Wars prequels.

Ultimately, Dragonslayer was a brave attempt to do a realistic fantasy movie, being set as it is in the real world and concentrating on character development for long periods of the film (the dragon hardly features in the first hour). However, it doesn't quite succeed, mainly due to wooden acting, the wonderful John Hallam excepted, and somewhat unengaging direction. Also, the ridiculously jaunty music at the end is completely at odds with the tone of the rest of the movie. Still worth checking out for fans of fantasy films though.

Rating - 6/10

Best cinematic dragon ever!

[greguva · 9/10 · 25 July 2002]

I'm not sure there's more than one compelling reason to see this film, but what a reason! As an SF/fantasy buff, I've seen my share of dragons on film, but there has never been one like Vermithrax Perjorative. The old beast simply looks, moves, sounds, acts, almost smells as one would imagine a dragon would. The filmmakers paid painstaking attention to detail in creating VP. Other film dragons look like animated clay figures, or lizards with wings glued on, or CGI effects (impressive, but still obviously computer-generated). This one looks like the cinematographer actually caught a dragon on film. The rest of the film is entertaining enough - not exactly Wellesian drama, but captivating nonetheless. Sir Ralph is marvelous, even in his twilight. And the fact that the dragon doesn't show until the end serves to heighten the suspense, ala Jaws or Alien. But, oh that dragon!! Well worth the price of admission. Can't wait to see it on DVD.

Pretty good tale.

[Keno27 · 6/10 · 30 June 2004]

Surprisingly, I missed this movie when I was a kid. I saw Krull instead, to bad because this movie was better.

It was very entertaining if not somewhat predictable. The special effects were quite good and mostly held up to todays standard. I wished Ralph Richardson was in it a little more than the 20 minutes he was. And the old man who played the servant was a riot! He wasn't on screen long enough either.

One part I liked was showing the end of paganism and the beginning of Christianity. It was well done and didn't make Christianity the bad guy like the evil Bishop in the great film Ladyhawke. And they called sorcery what it is, "the black arts."

All in all it was enjoyable watching.

The best dragon

[BandSAboutMovies · 5/10 · 4 June 2021]

After Popeye, this was the second joint production with Paramount of films that were more mature than the expected Disney offerings. That meant that Drahonslayer's violence, themes and even brief nudity ended up being controversial, despite only being rated PG.

Set the film after the Roman departure from Britain, prior to the arrival of Christianity, the film shows a world of sorcery unlike many others in the genre. Co-writers Hal Barwood (who also wrote The Sugarland Express, The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings, MacArthur and Corvette Summer, as well as writing and directing Warning Sign and creating video games like Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis) and Matthew Robins (who wrote Crimson Peak and wrote and directed Batteries Not Included and I would be remiss not to mention that he also directed The Legend of Billie Jean) were inspired to make something new. Barwood said, "our film has no knights in shining armor, no pennants streaming in the breeze, no delicate ladies with diaphanous veils waving from turreted castles, no courtly love, no holy grail. Instead, we set out to create a very strange world with a lot of weird values and customs, steeped in superstition, where the clothes and manners of the people were rough, their homes and villages primitive and their countryside almost primeval, so that the idea of magic would be a natural part of their existence."

Vermithrax is also one of the best dragons ever made, even forty years after the film's release. More than 25% of the movie's budget went to realizing the dragon. This was the first movie to use go-motion, which had parts of the mechanical dragon be programmed and filmed by computer. The forty-foot tall beast was brought to life by sixteen puppeteers. Its full name - Vermithrax Pejorative - means The Worm of Thrace Which Makes Things Worse.

As for the story, it's all about Galen Bradwarden (Peter MacNicol, who is embarrassed by this movie, perhaps because you can fully see his ween in it) saving Valerian (Caitlin Clarke) from being a virgin sacrifice to the dragon. She's no damsel in distress, however, as she'd hid her gender identity to help create the sword that can destroy the beast.

But yeah. It's worth watching for just the dragon.

Great fantasy movie.

[CuriosityKilledShawn · 10/10 · 9 August 2004]

Fantasy movies such as this are non-existent these days. Gimme back the days of The Dark Crystal, Jim Henson and the Gremlins. For a family movie this is also very straight-faced too. There is not much humor in it, but that only adds to the overall weird tone.

The story is of a wizard apprentice called Galen (a very young Peter MacNicol) who goes on a quest to slaughter a Dragon terrorizing the people of Urland (Ireland maybe?). There are long moments of quiet and a strange atmosphere brewing around the whole movie. It looks and feels quite unique.

No doubt this is owed a lot to the fabulous widescreen compositions, visual effects that range from not bad to surprisingly good and stunning scenery and locations. Indeed the mood of this film is something I've never come across in a fantasy film. Plus for a film that is rated a simple PG, there was quite a lot of graphic gore, violence and even slight nudity. Surprising, but it adds to the boldness of the production. You would never get a family movie like this these days. I will take Dragonslayer over Harry Potter anytime.

Filmed in Panavision, the 2.35:1 anamorphic picture looks really great in most scenes but in others there is a small problem with the black levels. The soundtrack has been remastered in Dolby 5.1 and it is surely loud and forceful. Unfortunately there are ZERO extras. Which is a shame, because for a film like this, I really want more.

Rather Good movie with something to tell...Paganism vs Christianity

[iam_usa2006 · 7/10 · 8 March 2006]

By chance I purchase this DVD wide screen edition from a DVD retailer in a mall. Well, never heard of that movie before but I like fantasy/sc fi genre movies. Not a bad movie overall, there seemed to be more ingredients than the supposedly superficial theme of movie.

A sorcerer(ulrich, the last living sorcerer) was invited to destroy a man-eating dragon. It is interesting to note that in several occasions, they seemed to suggest that the co-existence of Dragon and Sorcerer belief. A good crue to that was the last sorcerer once told Joey" If it is not for the sorcerer, the dragon won't exist anyhow".

At that times,Christianity gained hold with the villagers even the king has a bishop.And in the final sequence, the old sorcerer"Ulrich" asked his disciple "Galen" to destroy him together with the magical amulet...and Galen would know when to do that..and by destroying the last sorcerer, the dragon would no longer exist.Isn't it a hidden motive of condemning the paganism is the origin of many myths of dragon/monster etc? There was a scene Ulrich had a peek on the crucifix wore by Caitlin(Joey) and seemed to be content that it was the time the Christianity should triumph over the paganism.

Worth a watch. Caitlin was so cute in this movie but she passed away not too long ago. Her dark thick long hair certainly make her pale white skin so well contrasted! The dragon CGI is great at that 1980's...but still look attractive nowadays!(same guys who did the Star wars..). Pace is OK..not too slow..not too fast...enough time for characters developments.

Draggin' slayer

[Fluke_Skywalker · 5/10 · 23 October 2014]

Though a critical and commercial disappointment upon its release, 'Dragonslayer' has had quite a reputation renaissance in the years that followed, currently sporting an %85 fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and a 6.7 rating here on IMDb. With numbers like that, I purchased a used copy of 'Dragonslayer' with rather high hopes. Too high as it turned out.

'Dragonslayer' features some incredible special f/x; particularly the creation of Vermithrax the dragon, but its paper thin characters get lost within a story that is told without even an ounce of energy or flourish.

Fantasy classic

[Laserdome-AMH · 3 October 2003]

After the death of his wizard master, young Galen wants to kill a giant dragon that terrorises people all over Urland. To secure a peaceful living, people have to sacrifice virgins to the horrible fire-spitting beast. How can Galen, who still isn't even a real wizard, beat the dragon?

This movie coming from Walt Disney, I was worried it might be too lighthearted to be a really good fantasy film. Luckily, I was wrong! There are surprise deaths of cast members and even some scenes of gore, helping to create just the right kind of atmosphere. The special effects here are really excellent and hold up very well to today's CGI spectacles. Also, the Dragon looks absolutely incredible. The movie probably would have benefited from a more remarkable musical score, the kind of which a Basil Poledouris might have composed. Still, this is a must-see fantasy film, almost in the league of "The Lord of the Rings".

Best stop animation ever done

[nicolopolo77 · 6/10 · 3 February 2003]

I remember waching this movie as a kid, and I always remembered it a simple story of the people in need for a wizard to take down a dragon. I also have always remembered the dragon as the most asthonishing creature I ever seen in a move. Now, that I got to see it again, I found myself surprised by two facts: 1) The plot is fairly simple, but the connotations on it are far out complex. It beats me its a dragon and wizards tale in a cristhian world. It plays for interest contrast, the most would be the priest who is telling the dragon is no beast, its Lucifer himself (and shortly after been burned by him/it). Another scene shows a priest preaching the faith of the lord and asking him to destroy their sworn enemy, the dragon. 2) The dragon is by far the best stop animation creature ever created and as a creature itself is better than other modern incarnations of the beast like the ones seen in "Dragonheart" and "Reing of fire". Phil Tippet really outdid himself doing this dragon. Each scene the dragon apears is compeling, gripping and unforgeteable. In comparision, I enjoyed a little bit more Dragonheart because of its richer characters and more mythologic aproach to the dragon, but Dragonslayer is a real classic on wizards.

One of the scariest movie monsters ever

[ahaney · 7/10 · 7 August 1999]

I remember seeing this movie on cable over and over when I was a kid, and I never tired of it. The middle ages atmosphere is excellent, with some very nice touches. I especially like the way the hierarchical society is portrayed; how everyone defers to the king without thinking. It is much better than movies in which people act and speak just as they do in modern times, only with the historical costumes and sets around them.

However, the real star of this movie is the dragon, which was created by George Lucas's prestigious ILM outfit. Despite the fact that it was made using stop-motion techniques, it is still very convincing -- especially when it breathes fire (which it does quite often!) The dragon's movements are always smooth and life-like, and this is aided by a truly frightening design for the dragon's face. The tiny, smouldering red eyes convey an intense fury that makes the villagers' fear of the dragon quite understandable. One can also tell that a lot of effort went into giving an impression of sheer size with this monster.

There are no silly-looking shots in which various elements are mismatched in terms of scale (such as a supposedly enormous creature breathing flames that look as though they are produced by a match). Even when the dragon splashes into a lake, the volume of water thrown up looks huge (no individual drops are visible, which is a mistake that FX artists still make eve today). The result is one of those rare sci-fi/fantasy movies which ages well. Even though the techniques used in this film have been supplanted by new ones, it is still easy to sit back and be awed by what is happening on screen.

Early 1980s fantasy makes a good rainy Sunday diversion

[n_r_koch · 6/10 · 19 November 2006]

"Dragonslayer" was one of the best-looking films of the 1980s, and the DVD transfer looks nice too. This dragon is aloof and unreadable, the way dragons should be; it looks pretty good even by today's standards. There's a good basic story set in medieval Britain. The tomboyish Clarke is an intriguing presence and Richardson has some fun in the sorcerer role. Unfortunately, there's too much B-grade acting and some of the plot makes no sense even for a fantasy. (Why don't all those virgins just escape their dragon problem the old-fashioned way?) Treating Early Christianity as an upstart, and not always too effective, form of magic is interesting. It was a nice idea to make the King a politician, rather than a piece of furniture. The old sorcerers seem to be dying out, without a credit, and the upstart religion is getting turned into a political tool. Small children might not find such stuff interesting, but they will probably have the bejeezus scared out of them by one scene involving a young girl and the dragon. I did, and I'm 30.

Beautifully shot

[FiendishDramaturgy · 7/10 · 13 January 2005]

This is a production which should be required viewing for any film student. It is a virtual masterpiece of stop motion photography illustrating a dark and malevolent plot, bolstered by wonderful thespian execution and sensible yet creative direction. The finished product is presented to the viewer with a believable sort of style which draws you in and allows the suspension of reality necessary to truly enjoy any fantasy.

The characters are well introduced without boring you or taking you to a place where you don't wish to be. Peter McNichol was very young here, but shows great promise nonetheless.

The king has sealed a dark treaty with the Dragon. There will be a lottery every month to determine which girl is to be a living sacrifice to their Dark Lord, and he will in turn not burn their village to cinders. But there is treachery afoot; duplicitous acts, secrets. When the village grows tired of losing its young, they go in search of a great wizard to vanquish their Dragon Lord.

Normally, I would not praise a movie which portrays the Dragon as the personification of Evil. I feel that judgment is wrong and misplaced. However, as far as good Dragon movies go, they are so few and far between that I cannot omit this work from the list.

If you like dragons, I highly suggest Sleeping Beauty, Pete's Dragon, DragonWorld, Reign of Fire, the Hobbit, Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring, Lord of the Rings: Two Towers, Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, Dragonheart, Dungeons & Dragons (though these dragons are a bit weak), Dragon Storm (Made for TV), Dragonheart 2: A New Beginning (but only half-heartedly), Quest for Camelot, King Ghidora (there are several of these kaiju movies out there, some with Godzilla, some without), Jackie Chan's "The Medallion," Shrek, Shrek 3-D, Shrek 2, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (a basilisk is considered of Dragonkind), Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Puff the Magick Dragon (1978 short), the Black Cauldron, the Sword in the Stone, or the Seventh Voyage of Sinbad (1958).

It rates an 8.9/10 on the "B" scale.

That's a 7.1/10 on the "A" scale from...

the Fiend :.

Fantastic.

[Peach-2 · 9/10 · 28 November 1998]

Dragonslayer is a great fantasy film. The special effects hold up fairly well even today. The dragon is just a model and it looks fantastic. I was only 9 years old when I saw this film and it has stuck with me ever since. There are great performances and the direction is tight. The set design is also done well. Dragonslayer has a great atmosphere and you won't forget the image of the dragon rising from the water behind our hero anytime soon.

Nice enough for children

[Teowulff · 6/10 · 13 December 2003]

I kind of liked this movie for the atmosphere and special effects, the Dragon is very well done and impressive, even considering the movie originates from the early eighties.

Yet the main character is a bit of a tedious person and I found it a bit hard to feel lots of sympathy for him ,let alone identify and feel with him. Furthermore, the movie could be a bit more exciting, the feeling of terror is a bit lacking and the tension isn't built up very well, perhaps partly because Disney didn't want it so. For children from ages 8 and up though, this is an exciting and nice movie, although there are better movies in this genre like Dragonheart, Willow and Legend.

I rate this movie a 6 out of 10.

I'm in the minority again. I thought this film was sloppy.

[BrettErikJohnson · 2/10 · 26 December 2004]

There's no real need to go into yet another synopsis of the plot. It's already been gone over many times already by others. My issue is how virtually everyone glosses over the shoddy work done on this film.

*MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD* but nothing that ruins the climax or ending of the film.

This movie takes little time in getting off to a sloppy start. The leader of the group of travelers was obviously a woman. The fact that not a single other person in her village realized that after like, um, a quarter of a century is preposterous. Less than 24 hours after meeting Galen her cover is blown by our protagonist. That was fast.

Where was the father of the baby dragons? It irked me that it wasn't even made an issue of. I mean...was he out terrorizing some other village? If so, then why was this one specific dragon so important to kill? How did our hero know exactly how many babies there were so that he knew that he had slaughtered them all? Would it have killed the makers of the film to at least briefly and maybe even humorously discuss the solution to not qualifying as a virgin sacrifice for the dragon? I realize women were more demure back then but come on...the choice between premarital sex or being charbroiled alive by a dragon seems like a no-brainer to me.

What about that shield he hid behind when fighting the dragon? It obviously didn't cover him completely yet he wasn't affected in the slightest by the massive flames shooting out of the dragon's mouth. Was it magic? I dunno. What finally made me groan with disgust was when Galen came face-to-face with the dragon and just stood there. Then he runs away and tries to get out of the dragon's cavern. What the...?!! Didn't he have a little something called A PLAN when he went down there to slay the dragon? Geez.

To make things worse, the dragon looked different from scene to scene and sometimes even changed quite a bit form shot to shot. I know effects in 1981 were the Dark Ages compared to today but it seemed as if even ILM couldn't make most of the dragon scenes believable (although I freely admit a couple of scenes looked impressive.) The whole romantic angle of the film was sorely lacking as well. There was virtually no development of the relationship and it just seemed to be there as if it were a requirement.

I could go on but I don't want to nitpick. Having seen thousands of films, I have yet to ever see even one perfect film. Even my favorite of all-time has some problems with it. However, I do expect certain things such as a plot without gaping holes, actual character development and, if you're going to make a film of this nature, high quality special effects. This film strikes out on all three of those counts and "Dragonslayer" just slowly limps along until its already forgone conclusion. Sorry...that's just how I see it. 2/10

Excellent

[otto4 · 10/10 · 27 December 2004]

I saw this when it came out, in the theater, in 1981. It was a sort of surprise hit that summer. This is a movie with plot. It's about a young man and woman meeting challenges, death, redemption, the death of magic and the birth of Christianity, and the hypocrisy of gov't. And it's all disguised as a PG movie about a dragon which is terrorizing a hamlet of decent people in the Dark Ages.

HIGHLY recommended. PG, but does have one foot gnawing which today would probably give it an R or X rating given the gutlessness of parents everywhere :). This is an early movie by Industrial Light and Magic, or ILM as it's known nowadays, and I believe was funded by Disney. Despite that it's got a gritty edge. Check it out, for youths and adults

What is it with dragons and virgins?

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 25 April 2018]

A young apprentice magician played by Peter MacNicol in his film debut is told he's learned all that his master can teach him. Ralph Richardson expects to die soon. But maybe not at the hands of one of the King's men. All for wanting to get rid of a nasty dragon who gets fed a regular diet of virginal women in exchange for leaving his kingdom alone. But when it comes to the royal princess herself, the king thinks we ought to reexamine our policy.

Dragonslayer is a charming fantasy about those things we love in our legends, fierce dragons and the heroes who slay them to save a princess. It deservedly got an Oscar nomination for Best Special Effects and also one for it's original movie score. MacNicol makes a nice debut and wins himself Caitlin Clarke, a lovely catch even if she isn't heir to the realm.

One thing though, what is it about dragons and virgins? Do the women taste sweeter, do they roast better under the dragon's breath if they're virgins? One day someone will do a treatise on that.

Have to give recognition to one of the UK's acting knights. Ralph Richardson is a wonderful sorcerer. A kind of Obi Wan Kenobe to MacNicol's medieval Han Solo. Dragonslayer is worth watching for him alone.

And I hope you see it.

Dreary.

[gridoon · 5/10 · 12 November 2001]

"Dragonslayer" is a dreary and gloomy fantasy that isn't nearly as much fun as it should have been. It needed a stronger sense of pacing, and more engaging characters. The much talked-about special effects are generally very convincing, although the dragon's face appears to be a bit stiff in close-ups. There are some interesting sequences (the lottery, the climax), but for some reason I never found the movie really exciting. And kids will probably like only a few parts of it. (**1/2)