How in the hell he couldn't see this I don't know. For me I just wanted to watch it again for the dragon sequences, there I said it, I'm sure most would be the same truth be told. He holds a lottery every year involving all Read critic reviews. killing the dragon. killing the dragon. fairy-tale missions must be: Galen, a young sorcerer's apprentice (MacNicol) Seeing the influence the dragon has over the kingdom holds your attention and so does the dragon when he appears on screen. What you will see on your TV when you play this DVD is a strip of movie across the middle of the screen with large bands at either side of the picture and bands above and below the picture. The visuals may trick you into thinking this at times but its quite a bleak film mostly. Dragonslayer is an interesting film in Disney ridiculously large catalogue of family films. Dragonslayer. As for my dislikes, those would be the cast, characters and story. On his way to the far-off kingdom, he meets Starring: Ralph Richardson, Caitlin Clarke, Peter MacNicol. Here's my review for the epic 80's fantasy film, Dragonslayer! Here is a movie with the courage to be grungy. Don’t worry, it won’t take long. The aspect ration for this DVD is 2.35:1 Widescreen (do not be fooled by Amazon's mention of 16:9 in the description). a sorcerers apprentice must come to grips with his powers, learn his trade and save the land from a 400 year old dragon whilst trying to fend off a pesky knight of the realm. the virgins in his kingdom, and the unlucky virgin who loses the lottery is It doesn't take itself too seriously and benefits from a good cast that includes Ralph Richardson and John Hallam. The action isn't consistent or frequent enough, while the humor and the romance subplot aren't strong enough to make up for the downtime. John Hallam plays the obligatory rival with no redeeming value. Ralph Richardson performance is artificial with his limited screen time. |, November 26, 2012 I watched a movie with the best complicated plan ever. The definitive site for Reviews, Trailers, Showtimes, and Tickets The movie really builds up the tension, and viewers see bursts of smoke and fire, falling rocks, a shaking ground and other indications that something big is lurking for the first half of the film. As a whole the acting is fair, but limited by the material giving the actors a hard time when deciding to switch direction. sorcerer, you've learned enough to send your apprentice to kill the dragon. Dragonslayer 1981 ★★½ . MacNicol isn't bad in the man's trade, and when you grow old and wise and have a long beard and are the However, he fails to make the hero compelling with his clumsy transition between comedy and drama. If the movie has a flaw it is in MacNicol's It says something when the best remember element of the film is a special effect that isn't on screen for much of it duration leaving a bigger impact than anything else with longer exposure. We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future. This movie has two big things going for it -- the dragon and the man who masterminds its slaying. This is a fantasy so you half expect high levels of flaming grilled cheese but no, everyone plays it straight and it works well, I especially liked the portrayal and look of 'King Casiodorus'. the virgins in his kingdom, and the unlucky virgin who loses the lottery is Your AMC Ticket Confirmation# can be found in your order confirmation email. Coming Soon. ignorance, tyranny, and superstition. |, March 26, 2009 And its heroes must have been something | Rating: 2/10 By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy But when Ulrich is killed, the task to confront the dragon falls to the wizard's apprentice, Galen (Peter MacNicol). Check out the exclusive TVGuide.com movie review and see our movie rating for Dragonslayer them you have to cross lakes of fire and somehow avoid being eaten alive by ... Due to its limited theatrical release, Dragonslayer was not widely reviewed. production designer, Elliott Scott, who created the look of this world. The cinema darkened, the trailers had run out and it was time for the main … Peter MacNicol is not a capable, commanding presence. Verified reviews are considered more trustworthy by fellow moviegoers. Parents need to know that Dragonslayer is a 1981 fantasy film and is one of the best swords and sorcery movies out there. A classical mix of stop motion, puppets, large scale puppets, bluescreen and some matte paintings bring the dragon to life. What you will see on your TV when you play this DVD is a strip of movie across the middle of the screen with large bands at either side of the picture and bands above and below the picture. screw you hero!. The effects aren't bad either. I haven't seen this film since I was a little kiddie, long before the days of knowing what 'The Lord of the Rings' was anyway. I like some of the locations used as well as the, admittedly dated, special effects. Phil Tippett's dragon is great, Peter MacNicol completely sucks wizard wiener, get any halfway decent actor in the role and they would've had an '80s fantasy mini-classic. and the Terms and Policies, He is barely more masculine than the female lead and probably a few octaves higher. They won't be able to see your review if you only submit your rating. | Rating: 4/5 Whenever he's on screen he has one mindset; I'm angry. a youth named Valerian (Caitlin Clarke), who turns out to be a girl disguised Just confirm how you got your ticket. The real Dark Ages must have been a time of “Dragonslayer”’s Chloe Salaman is okay as the film progresses so does her performance improves with material that gives her character some emotional turmoil to showcase. |, December 2, 2019 I can't moan about the plot as it is well done and offers more than just hack n slash, the characters are all pretty good really which isn't expected. With Peter MacNicol, Caitlin Clarke, Ralph Richardson, John Hallam. Get your swag on with discounted movies to stream at home, exclusive movie gear, … The real Dark Ages must have been a time of |, December 22, 2010 This plot point correlates some religious ideals. As mention earlier the "Virgin Lottery" (brought to you by Disney) is challenged making a statement against Authoritarian. The aspect ration for this DVD is 2.35:1 Widescreen (do not be fooled by Amazon's mention of 16:9 in the description). For starter, it's a more realistic take on a typical fantasy story, contains partial nudity, some blood and gore, and no memorable characters. End of the day they kill it with a remotely detonated old sorcerer via the magic ring it seems, kinda made me think why we had to go through everything just to do that. | Top Critics (8) November 7, 2011. Synopsis In the Dark Ages, Magic was a weapon. It build up is done right in sparingly showing the dragon and creating its image as this big menace that is seemingly invincible. Before he leaves on his mission, Galen is inspired by the grave words and But then maybe dragonslaying is a young Before he leaves on his mission, Galen is inspired by the grave words and role, mind you, just awfully cheeky. I mean,… Review by Sally Jane Black ★★★★½ 2. The film excels as a visual exercise, as a study in adolescent psychology, and even as astute political analysis. |, October 4, 2019 both looking about fifteen years old. | Rating: 3/5 Reviews Dragonslayer Roger Ebert January 01, 1981. Published. Dragonslayer Movie Review. When Will's father is killed by a dragon, he embarks on an epic journey filled by vengeance that leads him to an ancestral home which he stays at and works for the tyrannical Sterling in order to learn how to slay the beast. It's such a weird goddamn film, you think it would have made more of an impression on me. It characters bog down some of it more complicated religious and politics subjects. sacrificed to the dragon. Dragonslayer ; Where to watch. Dragonslayer-themed stories are also sometimes seen as having a chaoskampf theme - in which a heroic figure struggles against a monster that epitomises chaos. A really solid fun fantasy story that I think holds up quite well. Dragonslayer (1981) Movie Reviews - Cinafilm has 294 reviews of Dragonslayer from movie critics and film fans. instituted some stopgap measures. Insider Perks. like the two young heroes of “Dragonslayer,”, Here is a movie with the courage to be grungy. performance, which is so feckless, cheerfully adolescent, and untextured that California. The whole plot to kill the dragon does seem pretty convoluted really, they're messing around with magic rings, spells, resurrection blah blah blah when all you wanna see is MacNicol hack at the dragon with a large sharp weapon. *Review of Dragonslayer DVD* I'll keep this simple. *Review of Dragonslayer DVD* I'll keep this simple. As for the confrontation between human is dragon is realistic as the hero has a difficult time even holding his own against the dragon with good weapons. Dragonslayer documents the transgressions of a lost skate punk falling in love in the stagnant suburbs of Fullerton, California in the aftermath of America's economic collapse. Now streaming on: Powered by JustWatch. This is my first rewatch since the mid-80s and, after seeing it again, I can't figure out why. | Rating: 5/5 Somehow the King can't stop this decision even though he's King so its up to MacNicol to save her. Please enter your email address and we will email you a new password. Rack up 500 points and you'll score a $5 reward for more movies. Dragon slayers, complicated plans and taxes: A Dragonslayer movie review 03/06/2012 Posted by Philippe_Leblanc in Dragonslayer, Movie Review, Popular Culture. Movie review: 'Dragonslayer' Movie review: 'Dragonslayer' Business. |, November 18, 2013 Tags: DragonSlayer, PopCulture trackback. Movies, they’re great, even the bad ones are great. Home; Movies; The Last Dragonslayer review; Reviews The Last Dragonslayer review. This 10-digit number is your confirmation number. Buy Movies. The ruler of the kingdom has meanwhile Would movie goers recommend Dragonslayer to friends? fairy-tale missions must be: Galen, a young sorcerer's apprentice (MacNicol) Effects-wise the film sometimes shows it age in some poor blue-screen rendering, especially in the big climactic action scene. People mostly remember how dark this thing is, and while that's certainly true the movie is also much smarter than a lot of fantasy from this era. Earn 125 points on every ticket you buy. Andromeda Chained to a Rock by Gustave Dor é (1869). The ruler of the kingdom has meanwhile sacrificed to the dragon. The dragon is a mix of richly detailed animatronics and stop-motion animation, to produced a monster that shown realistically in close-ups, yet could be given motion in a wider shot with little difficulty. Representatives from the kingdom seek the assistance of the wizard Ulrich (Ralph Richardson) to defeat the dragon immediately -- Urland has been delivering virgins to appease the dragon, and their princess (Chloe Salaman) has rigged the lottery system they use in order to sacrifice herself next. While none of the actors or characters ever share the glory as the special effect driven dragon it has other elements worth getting into. vision is more convincing than the Dark Ages created by John Boorman in “Excalibur,” Dragonslayer is a 2011 documentary film about skateboarder Josh "Skreech" Sandoval. ever seen in a film, and when it breathes flames it looks like it's really So no this isn't entirely a silly childish fairytale story, far from it. another seven hundred years. (There are easier ways of saving a girl from being Copyright © Fandango. Share; Tweet; I s Josh “Skreech” Sandoval the least deserving documentary subject ever? Directed by: Matthew Robbins. George Lucas's shop in Marin County, California.). with everybody riding around in suits of armor that wouldn't be invented for Is Dragonslayer any good? Its the puppets and large scale dragon heads that take your breathe away, some really nice detail and great fire breathing effects...even if the dragon design is a bit standard and unadventurous. 'Dragonslayer' is just about good. Basically its just an excuse for some dragon battling in a time honoured Tolkien way. An innocent adventure that's technically slick and lacking in pretense, this film should provide a nice scare for kids, and maybe a few of the grown-ups too. Peter Eyre is both hilarious and pathetic, as a king who can think of nothing more forceful than bleat. Its lair, its flaming lake, and its monstrous attacks on the If there was one film from the 1970s/80s early heyday of fantasy films that perfectly straddled the divide between kiddie movies and gorefests, it was Dragonslayer. Dragonslayer. By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie. Caitlin Clarke is fair playing against gender type with her character. Rotten Tomatoes, home of the Tomatometer, is the most trusted measurement of quality for Movies & TV. MacNicol looks and acts exactly like his character should even if he is the star of the film he always fits with the cast without standing out. Please reference “Error Code 2121” when contacting customer service. Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel, Best Netflix Shows and Series To Binge (January 2021), The 100 Best Movies on Netflix Right Now (January 2021), 100 Best Movies on Amazon Prime To Watch (January 2021). All Critics (32) The percentage of Approved Tomatometer Critics who have given this movie a positive review. The percentage of users who rated this 3.5 stars or higher. (There are easier ways of saving a girl from being sacrificed as a virgin, but they didn't call these the Dark Ages for nothing.) Most of the time we see the rather odd choice of hero in Peter MacNicol arguing with the King, arguing with the Kings main knight who wears a silly helmet, looking perplexed, attempting magic, getting locked up and finding out that a young boy is actually a young woman. I'd like to think the Dark Ages looked something like “Dragonslayer” all fearsome and muddy and overcast most of the time, and that their inhabitants walked around in a constant state of fear that something unspeakably evil was just about to eat off their ear. Genres: Sword and Sorcery, High Fantasy, Medieval. We do see poor old Ian McDiarmid get incinerated up close, we do see the Princess get half eaten by baby dragon puppets, one has its mouthful with her foot!, there is a haunting sequence where a young girl gets torched alive (you hear her screams) and we do see someone getting run through with a spear. countryside under its fiery scorn. |, January 26, 2006 In a time of disease, plague, and Buy Movies. Just leave us a message here and we will work on getting you verified. Regal An atypically dark Disney adventure, Dragonslayer puts a realistic spin -- and some impressive special effects -- on a familiar tale. The movie contains brief nudity, a lot of fire and minor violence after the dragon is shown, dragons eating a human, tension, suspense and thrills. Now the way the film is set up is also it biggest downfall. countryside under its fiery scorn. Description. Dragonslayer revolves around a 400-year-old dragon named Vermithrax Pejorative that terrorizes the people of Urland by incinerating everything in its path until it … MOVIES Dragonslayer: Movie Review. |, June 18, 2019 But I guess the old sorcerer had to die to come back as a magical explosive old sorcerer resurrected from the dragons fiery underground lake...whatever. Dragonslayer is another one of those films that I saw as a kid, but then completely forgot about by the time I hit my teens. |, September 6, 2020 Get Movies. Movie Reviews; Home For The Holidays; Awards Watch; Indie Movie Guide; Family Guide; House Of Screams; Weekly Ticket; My VIP Account. Date: August 5, 2016 Author: mps5150 0 Comments. |. Dragons live in smelly lairs deep beneath crumbling mountains, and to reach must travel to a faraway kingdom and kill a fearsome dragon who holds the She's able to conceal an important trait of her character physically and verbally, but once that trait is revealed she plays naturally in a routine love interest going through the rocky, a dragon is trying to kill me motion. Join FandangoVIP. The mission in this movie is a simple one, as all Its the effects that make this film stand up and get counted, for the time the effects were mind blowing and they ain't half bad now. A suitably entertaining fantasy film from Disney, if a tad too long. I'd like to think the Dark First impressions are how Tolkien-like the visuals actually are. he could almost be a surfer caught in a time warp. Galen, the dragonslayer, vows to save the virgins by We want to hear what you have to say but need to verify your account. It was all filmed in the wilderness of Wales and the Isle of Skye and it really looks tremendous. Richardson dies in two scenes in the film coming across as an old man bad role play of a cheesy fantasy board game. Your Ticket Confirmation # is located under the header in your email that reads "Your Ticket Reservation Details". Ages looked something like “Dragonslayer” all fearsome and muddy and overcast You're almost there! An unknown treasure of a fantasy film and well worth a look for fans of the genre. and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and Fandango. (The Watched Aug 03, 2020. traab’s review published on Letterboxd: ... Tja, und irgendwie konnte mich die Story noch fesseln, obwohl ich heute so richtig Lust auf eine "richtigen" Fantasy Film Hatte, was DRAGONSLAYER definitiv ist. A well intentioned fantasy with some wonderful special effects, Dragonslayer falls somewhat short on continuously intriguing adventure. Directed by: Matthew Robbins. No wonder George RR Martin is so fond of this movie. 1981 Directed by Matthew Robbins. | Rating: 4/5 Sidney Poitier’s 7 Most Memorable Performances, All Harry Potter Movies Ranked Worst to Best by Tomatometer, Golden Globes 2021 Poll: Vote For Your Winners In Our Digital Ballot, 2021 Writers Guild Awards Nominations: The Full List. Yep back in 1981 Disney were in cahoots with Paramount and the result was this quite dark film.