The magician and his apprentice Galen are tasked with slaying an evil dragon to save the king’s daughter from being sacrificed under a pact the king himself made with the dragon to protect the kingdom.
Credits: TheMovieDb.
Film actors:
- Galen: Peter MacNicol
- Valerian: Caitlin Clark
- Ulrich: Ralph Richardson
- Tyrian: John Hallam
- Cassiodoros Rex: Peter Eyre
- Greer: Albert Salmi
- Hodge: Sidney Bromley
- Princess Elspeth: Chloe Salaman
- Valerian’s father: Emrys James
- Hoslick: Roger Kemp
- Jacobs Brothers: Ian McDiarmid
- Tracker: Ken Short
- Victim: Yolande Palfrey
- Screamer: Douglas Cooper
- Follower: Jason White
Crew:
- Starring: Deborah Brown
- Screenwriter: Matthew Robbins
- Set Decoration: Ian Whittaker
- Casting: Debbie McWilliams
- Original music composer: Alex North
- Producer: Hal Barwood
- Editor: Tony Lawson
- Director of Photography: Derek Van Lint
- Art Director: Alan Casey
- Executive Producer: Howard W. Koch
- Costume Design: Anthony Mendelsohn
- Visual Effects: Paul Huston
- Visual Effects: Phil Tippett
- Visual effects supervisor: Dennis Muren
- Sound Engineer: Walter Murch
- Costume Assistant: Renee Heimer
- Still Photographer: Laurie Ridley
- Production Design: Elliott Scott
- Associate Producer: Eric Rattray
- Makeup artist: Graham Freeborn
- Makeup artist: Jane Royle
- Hair Stylist: Bobby Smith
- Hair Stylist: Barbara Rich
- Makeup Artist: Nick Dudman
- Unit Production Manager: Donald Thomas
- Stunts: Vic Armstrong
- Stunts: Tony Smart
- Stunts: Peter Diamond
- Stunt Coordinator: Terry Walsh
- Visual Effects Camera: Selwyn Eddy
Movie review:
- r96sk: A pretty fun fantasy movie from Disney, although a little too long.
- ‘Dragon Slayer’ not bad. I liked some of the locations used and the undeniably dated special effects. As for what I didn’t like, it was the actors, characters, and story. I had a great time following these three, but I didn’t care too much for any of them – I didn’t feel attached.
- Peter MacNicol, I remember him from 1997 ‘bean’, as Galen is okay, if unspectacular and mostly forgettable. In fact, like the rest of the cast, I can’t say that their performances will stay in my mind, unfortunately.
- I can imagine how some people would love this. I did, just not majorly.
- Wuchak: _**”Jaws” in the medieval period, except for the dragon**_
- A medieval kingdom is harassed by a dragon, apparently the last of its species. Government officials decided to appease the fearful beast by regularly sacrificing virgins, chosen through a dubious lottery system. When the king’s daughter is chosen for sacrifice, the monarch hires a wizard’s apprentice (Peter MacNicol) to slay the dragon.
- “Dragon Slayer” (1981) takes the “Jaws” route and doesn’t fully reveal the beast until the second hour of the film. Up until that moment, the film cleverly builds up a bunch of terrifying anticipation for the creature. The first virgin sacrifice scene is particularly horrific. When we finally saw the monster, we were not disappointed. Even though this movie has been out for a long time, this has to be one of the better dragons to appear in a movie.
- I’ve heard complaints that McNicholl’s characterization of the protagonist was wrong. I disagree. He’s easy to relate to because he’s a flawed man with innocent, childlike qualities, rather than a larger-than-life superhero like Conan or Beastmaster. I’ve also heard complaints that the female lead, Caitlin Clark, looks too “manly”. Well, uh, that fits into the whole sacrificial lottery plot. When Caitlin finally (uncertainly) puts on a dress and makeup, she’s woman enough.
- I was really impressed with the sets/costumes/locations of Dark Ages. If you want to see a top-notch medieval movie about castles, dungeons, forests, villages, beautiful maidens, kings, wizards and caves, then this is the movie for you.
- “Heaven and Dragon Sword” was an inexplicable failure at the box office when it was released, perhaps because there were too many sword and magic movies in the early 1980s. But that doesn’t mean you can’t discover it (or rediscover it) and savor it now.
- The 1 hour and 48 minute film was filmed in Scotland (Isle of Skye) and Wales (Snowdonia and North Wales), with studio work completed at Pinewood Studios near London.
- Grade: B+
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