Dragonslayer (1981)

Director:

Matthew Robbins

Writers:

Hal Barwood (written by) &
Matthew Robbins (written by)

Release Date:

26 June 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Fantasy

Tagline:

IN THE DARK AGES DRAGONS WERE REAL. [USA theatrical]

Plot:

A King has made a pact with a dragon where he sacrfices virgins to it, and the dragon leaves his kingdom alone...

Plot Keywords:

Dragon | Apprentice | Kingdom | Safety | Attack

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 5 nominations

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
Emrys James	...	Valerian's Father
Roger Kemp	...	Horsrik
Ian McDiarmid	...	Brother Jacopus
Ken Shorter	...	Henchman
Jason White	...	Henchman
Yolande Palfrey	...	Victim
Douglas Cooper	...	Urlander
Alf Mangan	...	Urlander
David Mount	...	Urlander
James Payne	...	Urlander
Chris Twinn	...	Urlander

Directed by
Matthew Robbins

Writing credits
Hal Barwood		(written by) &
Matthew Robbins		(written by)

Produced by
Hal Barwood	....	producer
Howard W. Koch	....	executive producer
Eric Rattray	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Alex North

Cinematography by
Derek Vanlint		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Tony Lawson

Casting by
Deborah Brown
Debbie McWilliams		(as Deborah McWilliams)

Production Design by
Elliot Scott

Art Direction by
Alan Cassie

Set Decoration by
Ian Whittaker

Costume Design by
Anthony Mendleson

Makeup Department
Nick Dudman	....	makeup artist
Graham Freeborn	....	makeup artist
Barbara Ritchie	....	hair stylist
Jane Royle	....	makeup artist
Bobbie Smith	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Donald Toms	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jerry Daly	....	third assistant director
John Downes	....	assistant director: second unit
Barry Langley	....	assistant director
Peter MacDonald	....	second unit director
Charles Marriott	....	second second assistant director
Roy Stevens	....	second assistant director
Andrew Wood	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Sid Alden	....	property storeman
Ted Ambrose	....	chief draughtsman
Ernest Archer	....	assistant art director
Graham Britton	....	stand-by carpenter: second unit
Jock Campbell	....	chief painter
Dave Carson	....	dragon set designer
Peter Childs	....	chief draughtsman
Tommy Davies	....	property stand-by crew
Bill Evans	....	chief carpenter
Bernie Hearn	....	dressing props
Wally Hill	....	property stand-by crew
John Kijko	....	property maker
Andrew Knapman	....	chief plasterer
Danny Lee	....	dragon action property
Tony Morris	....	assistant construction manager
Terry Newvell	....	stand-by crew
Michael Redding	....	construction manager
Nick Rivers	....	dressing props
Bob Sherwood	....	property stand-by crew (as Robert Sherwood)
Bryn Siddall	....	property buyer
Ernie Smith	....	scenic artist
Frank Walsh	....	chief draughtsman
Barry Wilkinson	....	property master
Trevor Cripps	....	special prop fabricator (uncredited)
Duncan Guest	....	carpenter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Andy Aaron	....	sound effects recordist
C.J. Appel	....	sound assistant (as Carol Jean Appel)
David Batchelor	....	production sound assistant
Louis Benioff	....	assistant sound designer
Mark Berger	....	supervising re-recording mixer
George Blidd	....	sound apprentice
Jay Boekelheide	....	sound editor
Tony Dawe	....	production sound recordist (as Anthony Dawe)
Nicholas Dunn	....	boom operator
Teresa Eckton	....	sound editor
Barbara Ellis	....	sound assistant
Ken Fischer	....	sound assistant
Doug Hemphill	....	sound effects recordist (as Douglas Hemphill)
Tim Holland	....	sound editor
Daniel Kenney	....	sound apprentice
Cliff Latimer	....	sound assistant
Walter Murch	....	sound re-recording mixer
Leslie Shatz	....	dialogue editor
Dale Strumpell	....	sound designer
Dale Strumpell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Dennie Thorpe	....	sound assistant
Karen G. Wilson	....	sound assistant
Lionel Strutt	....	adr mixer: UK (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Alan Barnard	....	special effects technician
Clive Beard	....	special effects assistant
Ian Corbould	....	special effects assistant
Chris Gant	....	special effects assistant
John Gant	....	special effects technician
Martin Gant	....	special effects crew
John Hatt	....	special effects crew
Ron Hone	....	special effects crew (as Ronald Hone)
Guy Hudson	....	special effects assistant
Peter Hutchinson	....	special effects technician
Andrew Kelly	....	special effects technician
Norman Kerss	....	special effects crew
Dave Knowles	....	special effects crew (as David Knowles)
Phil Knowles	....	special effects technician (as Philip Knowles)
Nick Middleton	....	special effects crew
Digby Milner	....	special effects assistant
Desmond Morgan	....	special effects assistant
Thaine Morris	....	pyrotechnician
Sean Nagle	....	special effects assistant
John Pakenham	....	special effects crew
Mark Pickford	....	special effects assistant
Alan Poole	....	special effects assistant
Mike Reedy	....	special effects technician
Peter Skehan	....	special effects assistant
Philip Smith	....	special effects assistant
Anthony Speake	....	special effects assistant
Neil Swan	....	special effects technician
David H. Watkins	....	special effects technician
Barry Whitrod	....	special effects crew
David Domeyer	....	second unit effects (uncredited)
Ken Speed	....	model maker (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Charles Bailey	....	model maker (as Charlie Bailey)
Craig Barron	....	matte camera assistant
Dennis Bartlett	....	travelling matte consultant
William Beck	....	effects technician: ILM
David Berry	....	optical printer operator
Samuel Comstock	....	animation supervisor
Dick Dova	....	effects technician: ILM
Selwyn Eddy	....	effects assistant camera (as Selwyn Eddy III)
John Ellis	....	optical printer operator
Christopher Evans	....	matte artist
Rick Fichter	....	effects cameraman
Bob Finley III	....	effects technician: ILM (as Bobby Finley III)
Pat Fitzsimmons	....	effects technician: ILM (as Patrick Fitzsimmons)
Warren Franklin	....	optical coordinator
Michael Fulmer	....	model maker (as Mike Fulmer)
James Hagedorn	....	optical camera operator
Edward Hirsh	....	effects technician: ILM
Paul Huston	....	model maker
Brian Johnson	....	special visual effects
Ed Jones	....	optical line-up
Neil Krepela	....	matte photography
Alan Maley	....	matte painting supervisor
Scott Marshall	....	model maker
Michael J. McAlister	....	effects cameraman
John McLeod	....	effects technician: ILM
Duncan Meyers	....	optical technician
Ted Moehnke	....	effects technician: ILM
Dennis Muren	....	special visual effects
Bruce Nicholson	....	optical photography supervisor
Ease Owyeung	....	model maker (as Ease Owyeling)
Michael Pangrazio	....	matte artist
Lorne Peterson	....	model shop supervisor
Ken Ralston	....	special visual effects
Arthur F. Repola	....	visual effects editor (as Arthur Repola)
Bruce Richardson	....	model maker
Thomas Rosseter	....	optical line-up (as Tom Rosseter)
Kenneth Smith	....	optical printer operator
Thomas G. Smith	....	effects production supervisor
Tom St. Amand	....	dragon mover
Howard Stein	....	visual effects editor
Phil Tippett	....	special visual effects
Mark Vargo	....	optical line-up
Laurie Vermont	....	effects production coordinator
Gene Whiteman	....	equipment engineering supervisor
Laura Buff	....	production accountant (uncredited)
Roy Field	....	blue screen and optical consultant: London (uncredited)

Stunts
Tony Smart	....	stunts
Terry Walsh	....	stunt coordinator
Terry Walsh	....	stunts
Kiran Shah	....	stunt double (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Beaumont Alexander	....	assistant camera: second unit
Frank Batt	....	grip: second unit
George Beavis	....	grip
Bert Bosher	....	chief electrician
Tony Brown	....	assistant camera
John J. Campbell	....	camera operator: second unit
Robin Carlyle	....	assistant camera
Terry Chostner	....	still photographer
Eddie Collins	....	camera operator
Albert Cowlard	....	grip
Mark Cridlin	....	assistant camera: second unit
Ian Foster	....	clapper loader: extra unit
Ray Gilberti	....	effects assistant camera
John Golding	....	second assistant camera
Brian Harris	....	assistant camera
Ron Hutton	....	chargehand electrician
Robert Jacobs	....	animation camera operator
John Keen	....	assistant camera
Roberto McGrath	....	assistant still photographer
Kerry Nordquist	....	assistant still photographer
Joe Pearce	....	still photographer
Laurie Ridley	....	still photographer
Nick Schlesinger	....	assistant camera
Jim Veilleux	....	additional photographer
Chris Warren	....	video operator (uncredited)

Animation Department
Scott Caple	....	animator
Chris Casady	....	additional animator
Loring Doyle	....	animator
Judy Elkins	....	animator
Deitrich Friesen	....	animator
Katherine Kean	....	additional animator
Sylvia Keulen	....	animator
Kim Knowlton	....	animator
Peter Kuran	....	additional animator
Len Morganti	....	additional animator
Susan Turner	....	additional animator
John T. Van Vliet	....	animator (as John van Vliet)
Pam Vick	....	additional animator
Gary Waller	....	animator (as Garry Waller)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Ken Crouch	....	wardrobe assistant
Dorothy Edwards	....	wardrobe mistress
Renee Helmer	....	wardrobe assistant
John Hilling	....	wardrobe master
Ken Lawton	....	wardrobe assistant
Rene Leonard	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Peter Amundson	....	effects editor assistant
Duwayne Dunham	....	assistant film editor
Paul Hodgson	....	assistant film editor
David Spiers	....	first assistant film editor

Music Department
June Edgerton	....	music editor
Christopher Page	....	period music
Sidney Sax	....	music contractor
Eric Tomlinson	....	music recordist

Other crew
Nick Allder	....	halo crane operator
Susan Axworthy	....	production staff
Jon Berg	....	dragon consultant
Conrad Bonderson	....	mactronics
Marty Brenneis	....	electronic technician
Kris Brown	....	computer engineer
Laura Buff	....	production accountant (as Laura Kaysen)
David Bunnett	....	dragon designer: graphics and titles
Philip Connolly	....	stand-by crew
Pamela Davies	....	continuity
Rita Davison	....	location manager
Peggy Dixon	....	choreographer
Chrissie England	....	administrative coordinator
Ray Evans	....	halo crane operator
Sally Forino	....	production staff
Norma Garment	....	production secretary
Georgiana Hamilton	....	continuity: second unit
Susie Harrod	....	production staff
Arthur Healey	....	chief sculptor
Derek Howarth	....	chief sculptor
Jerry Jeffress	....	electronic systems designer
Erik Jensen	....	dragon assistant
Jennie Johnson	....	production staff
Roberta Johnson	....	production staff
Tony Jordon	....	stand-by crew
Susan Kane	....	production staff
Clay Lacy	....	pilot
Doreen Landry	....	unit publicist
Gary Leo	....	dragon mover
Dennis Low	....	halo crane operator
Mike MacKenzie	....	electronic engineer
Doris Martin	....	continuity: second unit
Alex Matcham	....	assistant accountant
Fred Meakin	....	stand-by crew
Brian Muir	....	chief sculptor
Terry Needham	....	production staff
Trevor Nicol	....	stand-by crew
Udo Pammel	....	mactronics
Monica Rogers	....	production staff
John Sargent	....	production accountant
Wesley Seeds	....	dragon assistant
Michael Spivey	....	stand-by crew
Peter Stolz	....	dragon assistant
Harold Taylor	....	magic advisor
Marc Thorpe	....	dragon assistant
Paul Tucker	....	production staff
Debbie Vertue	....	production staff (as Deborah Vertue)
Chris Walas	....	close-up dragon (as Christopher Walas)
Davina Watson	....	production staff
Eric Watts	....	latin advisor
Bess Wiley	....	dragon assistant (as Bessie K. Wiley)
Stuart Ziff	....	dragon mover
David Claridge	....	puppeteer (uncredited)
Trevor Freeborn	....	puppeteer (uncredited)
Christopher Leith	....	puppeteer (uncredited)
Francis Wright	....	puppeteer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures (present) (as Paramount Pictures Corporation)
• Walt Disney Productions (present)

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1981) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1986) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Abril Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Columbia Home Video (laserdisc)
• Paramount Home Video (video)

Special Effects

• Dreamstate Effects
• Industrial Light & Magic (ILM)

Other Companies

• Lee Lighting  grip and lighting equipment
• Mayflower Recording  adr recording
• Metrocolor  prints by
• National Trust, North Wales, Snowdonia National Park, The  special thanks
• Paramount Pictures  Dragonslayer is a trademark of
• Walt Disney Productions  Dragonslayer is a trademark of
• Welsh Office, Ancient Monuments Branch, The  special thanks

Runtime:

108 min | USA:109 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

Vistasonic (some 35 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints) | 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints)

Certification:

Iceland:L | Iceland:LH (video rating) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Singapore:NC-16 | Denmark:11 | Iceland:12 | Finland:K-16 (video rating) | Argentina:Atp | Australia:M | Chile:TE | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:11 | UK:PG | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

North Wales, Wales, UK

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Including the hydraulic 40 foot model, 16 dragon puppets were used for the role of Vermithrax, each one made for flying, crawling and breathing fire.

Goofs:

Continuity: During one of the dragon attacks, Galen tells Valerian to run. But then a few seconds later, he wants to know where she's going.

Quotes:

[Casiodorus Rex's men have captured Galen, who had been looking for the amulet in the castle]
Casiodorus Rex: Stop! Don't... harm him. You, please. You know, I've always had the greatest admiration for the black arts, you chaps with your... mysterious spells. I didn't think it would be necessary. Vermithrax is an old dragon, and... that, I thought, was the beauty of my plan. Time, we waited out, and live to see the end of it. I WILL see the end of it.
[pulls the amulet from around his neck]
Tyrian: Sir, I beg you consider what you're doing. Give him that, he'll destroy everything you've built.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Sacrifice (2000) (VG)

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

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!