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:

Originally intended as an installment of the "Disneyland" (1954) TV series circa 1957, it was shelved until 1975.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In the cave scene, the tic-tac-toe design moves from Elliot's chest down to his belly when Pete draws a line. Then switches back to his chest when Pete leaves with Nora.

Quotes:

Dr. Terminus: [explaining the plan to capture Elliott to Hoagy] Got it?
Hoagy: Got it. What I don't got is, how are you gonna get that monster, that hideous beast, that nightmare sent by the devil to come here?
Dr. Terminus: Easy, we get someone he knows to bring him here.
Hoagy: Who'd be crazy enough to do that?
[Dr. Terminus stares at Hoagy]
Hoagy: [screams] NOOOOO! NOOOOOO!
Dr. Terminus: He knows you, he trusts you!
Hoagy: He scares me! He hates ME!

Movie Connections:

Featured in ABC's 50th Anniversary Celebration (2003) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Boo Bop Bopbop Bop (I Love You, Too)

One of the best underrated live-action Disney films

"Pete's Dragon" is an enchanting Disney tale that combines live-action and animation. The dragon is the only animated character, but that doesn't change the fact that this is a perfect combination of live-action and animation. This is definitely one of the best live-action movies produced by Disney. One of my favorites. It's a happy, cute and charming motion picture.

Like "Mary Poppins", it looks dated today, but that's not a major flaw. Plus, its charm is timeless. There are plenty of beautiful vistas: a lighthouse, mountains, green places, the endless sea and more. Passamaquoddy is a strange name, but the village is nice. The story is heartwarming. There are enjoyable characters, a wonderful soundtrack, classic humor and magic.

The dragon Elliott is cute and lovable. He almost resembles Puff the Magic Dragon and has a funny way to communicate: his sounds are cute to listen. Elliott is a good and innocent dragon, but so big and clumsy that he puts Pete in trouble some times in the beginning (although without really meaning to). By the way, I love dragons. Pete is a cute and lovable kid. I enjoy his friendship with the animated dragon.

There is a nice cast in the film. Sean Marshall is excellent as Pete. In fact, Sean Marshall was one of the great child actors of all time, in the same line of many other great ones. Helen Reddy is great as Nora. Mickey Rooney is funny as the silly but comical Lampie. Jim Dale is hilarious as Doc Terminus. Red Buttons is every bit as hilarious as Jim Dale in the role he plays (Hoagy, Doc Terminus's sidekick). Shelley Winters plays well her role (the wicked Lena Gogan, the leader of the Gogans).

Sadly, like many other Disney films, this is underrated. Yet, it's a nice old-fashioned film (and nostalgic too). There are a few cheesy moments, but nothing too serious or enough to ruin the movie. One of the few things I don't like about this movie is Pete's teacher. She is so mean, even more when she does that corporal punishment thing to Pete. In my first years of school I had this teacher who used to do us that sometimes. That used to hurt so much!

About the songs, I like most of them very much. My personal favorites are "Brazzle Dazzle Day", "It's not easy", "Candle on the Water", "Boo Bop Bopbop Bop (I love you, too)" and "There's Room for Everyone". These songs are so beautiful and so pleasant to listen. They are timeless classics.

Curiously (and hilariously), Doc Terminus utters a Goofy holler in his final scene: that "yaaaaaaa-hoo-hoo-hoo-hooey!!" is priceless!

This should definitely be on Top 250.