Pete's Dragon (1977)

User Rating:

6.0/10   

Director:

Don Chaffey

Writers:

Malcolm Marmorstein (screenplay)
Seton I. Miller (story) ...

Release Date:

3 November 1977 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Family | Fantasy | Musical

Tagline:

Brazzle Dazzle Brilliance!

Plot:

An orphan boy and his magical dragon come to town with his abusive adoptive parents in pursuit.

Plot Keywords:

Dragon | Orphan | Lighthouse | New England | Lighthouse Keeper

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 7 nominations

Cast

Helen Reddy	...	Nora
Jim Dale	...	Dr. Terminus
Mickey Rooney	...	Lampie
Red Buttons	...	Hoagy
Shelley Winters	...	Lena Gogan
Sean Marshall	...	Pete
Jane Kean	...	Miss Taylor
Jim Backus	...	The Mayor
Charles Tyner	...	Merle
Gary Morgan	...	Grover
Jeff Conaway	...	Willie
Cal Bartlett	...	Paul
Charlie Callas	...	Elliott (voice)
Walter Barnes	...	Captain
Al Checco	...	Fisherman #1

Also Known As:

Pete y Elliot el Dragon (USA: Spanish title)

Runtime:

128 min | Argentina:130 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.75 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby (RCA Photophone Sound Recording)

Certification:

Iceland:L | Portugal:M/6 | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Finland:S | Norway:7 | Sweden:7 | UK:U | USA:G

Filming Locations:

Golden Oak Ranch - 19802 Placerita Canyon Road, Newhall, California, USA

Company:

Walt Disney Productions

Trivia:

The studio needed special permission from the Coast Guard to use the authentic lighthouse seen in the film.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Everytime someone enters Elliot's cave, you see the same scene of waves in the background with the same color sky. Even if when Norra looks out from the lighthouse it looks black, but then from Elliot's cave which is just down the beach, it's light blue.

Quotes:

Willie: [after being knocked in the mud by Elliott] Somethin' hit me!
Grover: What somethin'?
Willie: If I knowed what somethin', I wouldn't call it somethin'! I'd call it by its name!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Riding with Death (#9.14)" (1997)

Soundtrack:

There's Room for Everyone

Obviously one of Disney's finest few

For 1975 this children's classic is absolutely magnificent. Beautifully cast - masterful songs - brilliant color and scenery. Disney couldn't have produced a more memorable, masterful musical than this one. Mickey Rooney gives a fine, stunning performance as the comical, drunken 'Lampie' and is alloted full use of his veteran musical talents in 'I saw a dragon' - tripping about the saloon after a chance encounter with "Elliott".

Helen Reddy is dandy as 'Nora', the unmarried daughter. And Jim Dale and Red Buttons are at their comical genius best as 'Dr. Terminus' and 'Hoagie' - especially in their performance of 'Every Little Piece', which I countered in connection with an off-Broadway musical style quality - of which the song could also garner a Tony.

The Gogan's - I felt, almost stole the show - next to Elliott-the dragon. Their memorable hillbilly opener "happiest home in these hills" was brilliantly choreographed & performed. And actor Conaway is still remembered all these years later (outside 'Kenicki' in GREASE) as one of the bumbling, hillbilly brothers.

I proudly own my own DVD copy, the org. vinyl, and my new CD. Sadly, Disney doesn't produce high-quality action-animation like this classic much more these days. Which makes appreciating this film as a work of art.

PEANUT