Dragonslayer

"In the Dark Ages, Magic was a weapon. Love was a mystery. Adventure was everywhere...And Dragons were real."

1981 1h 48m EN

👍

6.6

SOLID

★6.6TMDB · 339

FantasyAdventure

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A sorcerer and his apprentice are on a mission to kill an evil dragon to save the King’s daughter from being sacrificed according to a pact that the King himself made with the dragon to protect his kingdom.

“In the Dark Ages, Magic was a weapon. Love was a mystery. Adventure was everywhere...And Dragons were real.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Peter MacNicol
Galen
Caitlin Clarke
Valerian
Ralph Richardson
Ulrich
John Hallam
Tyrian
Peter Eyre
Casiodorus Rex
Albert Salmi
Greil
Sydney Bromley
Hodge
Chloe Salaman
Princess Elspeth

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Matthew Robbins
Writers: Matthew Robbins, Hal Barwood
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 78% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

45 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Matthew Robbins, shot by Derek Vanlint. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Alex North. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Tony Lawson shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Peter MacNicol and Caitlin Clarke and Ralph Richardson carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "In the Dark Ages, Magic was a weapon. Love was a mystery. Adventure was everywhere...And Dragons were real.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0082288 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Matthew Robbins directs. Derek Vanlint behind the camera. Alex North scores. Tony Lawson cuts. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Earned back only 78% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
245 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3Directed by Matthew Robbins, shot by Derek Vanlint. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Alex North. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Tony Lawson shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Peter MacNicol and Caitlin Clarke and Ralph Richardson carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "In the Dark Ages, Magic was a weapon. Love was a mystery. Adventure was everywhere...And Dragons were real.".
8IMDB entry: tt0082288 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Classified under 19 themes, including "princess", "virgin", "sacrifice", "self sacrifice".

The technical file

Cinematography: Derek Vanlint
Original score: Alex North
Editing: Tony Lawson
Production design: Elliot Scott
Costume design: Anthony Mendleson
Makeup / hair: Jane Royle
VFX supervisor: Dennis Muren
Stunt coordinator: Terry Walsh
Runtime: 108 min · 1h 48m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $18,000,000
Box office: $14,110,013
Return: 78% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): PG
IMDB: Dragonslayer (1981)

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Matthew Robbins

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Community reviews

What people are saying

r96sk2020-09-14
★ 7/10
A suitably entertaining fantasy film from Disney, if a tad too long. <em>'Dragonslayer'</em> is just about good. I like some of the locations used as well as the, admittedly dated, special effects. As for my dislikes, those would be the cast, characters and story. I had a fine time following all three, but I didn't overly care for any of them - I didn't feel attached. Peter MacNicol, who I always remember from 1997's <em>'Bean'</em>, is alright as Galen, if unspectacular and mostly forgettable. As are the rest of the cast in truth, I can't say their performances will stick in my mind either unfortunately. I can see how some people would enjoy this. I did, just not majorly.
Wuchak2021-04-28
★ 7/10
"Jaws" in Medieval Times, except with a Dragon A medieval kingdom is harassed by a dragon, apparently the last of its species. Those in government decide to appease the horrific beast with regular sacrifices of virgin maidens, which are selected through a questionable lottery system. When the King's daughter is picked for sacrifice, the monarch employs a sorcerer's apprentice (Peter MacNicol) to slay the dragon. "Dragonslayer" (1981) takes the "Jaws" route by not fully showing the beast until well into the second hour of the film. Prior to that moment the film expertly builds up a heap of horrific anticipation concerning the creature. The first virgin sacrifice scene is particularly terrifying. When we finally DO see the monster it's not a let down. Despite the film's age, this has to be one of better dragons to appear in cinema. I've heard some complain that MacNicol was wrong for the role of the protagonist. I disagree. He's easy to relate to because he's a flawed human being with naive, boyish qualities, not a larger-than-life superhero, like Conan or Beastmaster. I've also heard some complain that the heroine, Caitlin Clarke, is too "man-ish" looking. Well, duh, that fits into the whole sacrificial lottery plot. When Caitlin ultimately (and uncertainly) dons a dress & make-up she's woman enough. The Dark Age sets/costumes/locations really impressed me. If you're in the mood for a top-of-the-line medieval flick with castles, dungeons, forests, villages, fair maidens, kings, sorcerers and caves, this one fills the bill. "Dragonslayer" was an inexplicable flop at the box office when it was released, perhaps due to the glut of sword & sorcery pictures in the early 80s. But that doesn't mean you can't discover it (or rediscover it) and savor it now. The film runs 1 hour, 48 minutes and was shot in Scotland (Skye) and Wales (Snowdonia & North Wales) with studio stuff done at Pinewood Studios, near London. GRADE: B+