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 young wizarding apprentice is sent to kill a dragon which has been devouring girls from a nearby kingdom.

Plot Keywords:

Dragon | Kingdom | Apprentice | Rescue | Dark Fantasy

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
Graham Freeborn	....	makeup artist
Barbara Ritchie	....	hair stylist
Jane Royle	....	makeup artist
Bobbie Smith	....	hair stylist
Nick Dudman	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

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 assistant director: second unit
Roy Stevens	....	second assistant director
Andrew Wood	....	second assistant director: second unit

Art Department
Sid Alden	....	property storeman
Ted Ambrose	....	chief draughtsman
Ernest Archer	....	assistant art director
Graham Britton	....	stand-by carpenter: second unit
David Bunnett	....	graphics
Jock Campbell	....	chief painter
Peter Childs	....	draughtsman
Philip Connolly	....	stand-by crew
Tommy Davies	....	property stand-by crew
Bill Evans	....	chief carpenter
Arthur Healey	....	sculptor
Bernie Hearn	....	dressing props (as Bernard Hearn)
Wally Hill	....	property stand-by crew
Derek Howarth	....	chief sculptor
Tony Jordon	....	stand-by crew
John Kijko	....	property maker
Andrew Knapman	....	chief plasterer
Fred Meakin	....	stand-by crew
Tony Morris	....	assistant construction manager
Brian Muir	....	sculptor
Terry Newvell	....	stand-by crew
Trevor Nicol	....	stand-by crew
Michael Redding	....	construction manager
Nick Rivers	....	dressing props
Bob Sherwood	....	property stand-by crew (as Robert Sherwood)
Bryn Siddall	....	property buyer
Ernest Smith	....	scenic artist (as Ernie Smith)
Michael Spivey	....	stand-by crew
Frank Walsh	....	draughtsman
Barry Wilkinson	....	property master
Trevor Cripps	....	special prop fabricator (uncredited)
Duncan Guest	....	carpenter (uncredited)
Robert Jackson	....	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 sound re-recordist
Jay Boekelheide	....	sound editor
George Budd	....	sound apprentice
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 (as Clifford Latimer)
Walter Murch	....	sound re-recordist
Leslie Shatz	....	dialogue editor
Dale Strumpell	....	sound designer
Dale Strumpell	....	sound re-recordist
Dennie Thorpe	....	sound assistant
Karen G. Wilson	....	sound assistant (as Karen Wilson)
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
Brian Johnson	....	supervisor of special mechanical effects
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)
Danny Lee	....	dragon action props
Nick Middleton	....	special effects crew
Digby Milner	....	special effects assistant
Desmond Morgan	....	special effects assistant
Daniel Murphy	....	special effects assistant
Sean Nagle	....	special effects assistant
John Pakenham	....	special effects crew (as John Packenham)
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 (as Neil Swann)
Chris Walas	....	close-up dragon: ILM (as Christopher Walas)
David H. Watkins	....	special effects technician (as David Watkins)
Barry Whitrod	....	special effects crew
David Domeyer	....	second unit effects (uncredited)
Ken Speed	....	model maker (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Peter Amundson	....	effects editorial assistant: ILM (as Peter Amundsen)
Charles Bailey	....	model maker: ILM (as Charlie Bailey)
Craig Barron	....	matte photography assistant: ILM
Dennis Bartlett	....	travelling matte consultant
William Beck	....	effects technician: ILM
Jon Berg	....	dragon consultant: ILM
David Berry	....	optical printer operator: ILM
Conrad Bonderson	....	machinist: ILM
Kris Brown	....	computer engineer: ILM
Laura Buff	....	production accountant: ILM (as Laura Kaysen)
Scott Caple	....	animator: ILM
Dave Carson	....	dragon set designer: ILM
Chris Casady	....	additional animator: VCE
Terry Chostner	....	still photographer: ILM
Sam Comstock	....	animation supervisor: ILM (as Samuel Comstock)
Dick Dova	....	effects technician: ILM
Loring Doyle	....	animator: ILM
Selwyn Eddy	....	effects camera assistant: ILM (as Selwyn Eddy III)
Judy Elkins	....	animator: ILM
John Ellis	....	optical printer operator: ILM
Chrissie England	....	administrative coordinator: ILM
Christopher Evans	....	matte artist: ILM
Rick Fichter	....	effects cameraman: ILM
Bob Finley III	....	effects technician: ILM (as Bobby Finley III)
Pat Fitzsimmons	....	effects technician: ILM (as Patrick Fitzsimmons)
Warren Franklin	....	optical coordinator: ILM
Dietrich Friesen	....	animator: ILM
Michael Fulmer	....	model maker: ILM (as Mike Fulmer)
Ray Gilberti	....	effects camera assistant: ILM
James Hagedorn	....	optical cameraman: VCE
Edward Hirsh	....	effects technician: ILM
Paul Huston	....	model maker: ILM
Robert Jacobs	....	animation cameraman: VCE
Jerry Jeffress	....	electronic systems designer: ILM
Erik Jensen	....	dragon assistant: ILM (as E. Eric Jensen)
Ed Jones	....	optical line-up: ILM
Katherine Kean	....	additional animator: VCE (as Kathrine Kean)
Sylvia Keulen	....	animator: ILM
Kim Knowlton	....	animator: ILM
Neil Krepela	....	matte photography: ILM
Peter Kuran	....	additional animator: VCE
Gary Leo	....	dragon mover: ILM
Mike MacKenzie	....	electronic engineer: ILM
Alan Maley	....	matte painting supervisor: ILM
Scott Marshall	....	model maker: ILM
Michael J. McAlister	....	effects cameraman: ILM (as Micheal McAlister)
Roberto McGrath	....	still photography assistant: ILM
John McLeod	....	effects technician: ILM (as John McCleod)
Ted Moehnke	....	effects technician: ILM (as T.E. Moehnke)
Len Morganti	....	additional animator: VCE
Thaine Morris	....	pyrotechnics: ILM
Dennis Muren	....	supervisor of special visual effects: ILM
Duncan Myers	....	optical technician: ILM (as Duncan Meyers)
Bruce Nicholson	....	optical photography supervisor: ILM
Kerry Nordquist	....	still photography assistant: ILM
Ease Owyeung	....	model maker: ILM
Udo Pampel	....	machinist: ILM
Michael Pangrazio	....	matte artist: ILM
Lorne Peterson	....	model shop supervisor: ILM
Ken Ralston	....	dragon supervisor: ILM
Arthur F. Repola	....	visual effects editor: ILM (as Arthur Repola)
Bruce Richardson	....	model maker: ILM
Thomas Rosseter	....	optical line-up: ILM (as Tom Rosseter)
Wesley Seeds	....	dragon assistant: ILM
Kenneth Smith	....	optical printer operator: ILM
Thomas G. Smith	....	effects production supervisor: ILM (as Thomas Smith)
Tom St. Amand	....	dragon mover: ILM
Howard Stein	....	visual effects editor: ILM
Peter Stolz	....	dragon assistant: ILM
Marc Thorpe	....	dragon assistant: ILM
Phil Tippett	....	dragon supervisor: ILM
Susan Turner	....	additional animator: VCE
John T. Van Vliet	....	animator: ILM (as John Van Vliet)
Mark Vargo	....	optical line-up: ILM
Jim Veilleux	....	additional photography: ILM
Laurie Vermont	....	effects production coordinator: ILM
Pam Vick	....	additional animator: VCE
Garry Waller	....	animator: ILM
Jody Westheimer	....	effects camera assistant: ILM
Gene Whiteman	....	equipment engineering supervisor: ILM
Bess Wiley	....	dragon assistant: ILM (as Bessie K. Wiley)
Stuart Ziff	....	dragon mover: ILM
Marty Brenneis	....	electronic technician: ILM (uncredited)
Roy Field	....	blue screen and optical consultant: London (uncredited)
Brian Johnson	....	special visual effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Tony Smart	....	stunts
Terry Walsh	....	stunt coordinator
Terry Walsh	....	stunts
Vic Armstrong	....	stunts: fire gag (uncredited)
Kiran Shah	....	stunt double (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Beaumont Alexander	....	assistant camera: second unit
Nick Allder	....	halo crane
Frank Batt	....	grip: second unit
George Beavis	....	grip
Bert Bosher	....	chief electrician
Tony Brown	....	assistant camera
John Campbell	....	camera operator: second unit
Robin Carlyle	....	assistant camera
Eddie Collins	....	camera operator
Albert Cowlard	....	grip
Mark Cridlin	....	assistant camera: second unit
Ray Evans	....	halo crane
Ian Foster	....	clapper loader: extra unit
John Golding	....	second assistant camera
Brian Harris	....	assistant camera
Ron Hutton	....	chargehand electrician
John Keen	....	assistant camera
Dennis Lowe	....	halo crane (as Dennis Low)
Joe Pearce	....	still photographer
Laurie Ridley	....	still photographer
Nick Schlesinger	....	assistant camera
Chris Warren	....	video operator (uncredited)

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

Editorial Department
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
Dan Goldwasser	....	soundtrack producer (uncredited)

Other crew
Susan Axworthy	....	production staff
David Bunnett	....	titles
Pamela Davies	....	continuity
Rita Davison	....	location manager
Peggy Dixon	....	choreographer
Sally Forino	....	production staff
Norma Garment	....	production secretary
Georgiana Hamilton	....	continuity: second unit
Susie Harrod	....	production staff
Jennie Johnson	....	production staff
Roberta Johnson	....	production staff
Susan Kane	....	production staff
Clay Lacy	....	pilot
Doreen Landry	....	unit publicist
Doris Martin	....	continuity: second unit
Alex Matcham	....	assistant accountant
Terry Needham	....	production staff
Monica Rogers	....	production staff
John Sargent	....	production accountant
Harold Taylor	....	magic advisor
Paul Tucker	....	production staff
Debbie Vertue	....	production staff (as Deborah Vertue)
Davina Watson	....	production staff
Eric Watts	....	latin advisor
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

• Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) (photographic effects produced at)
• Visual Concept Engineering (VCE) (additional animation)

Other Companies

• Zoetrope Studios  sound re-recorded at
• National Philharmonic Orchestra  orchestra
• Abbey Road Studios  music recorded at (as Anvil Abbey Road)
• Walt Disney Studios  dragon action props
• Continental Camera Systems  aerial photography
• Alpha Cine Laboratory  optical laboratory
• R.G.B. Opticals  additional optical composites (as RGB Film Processing)
• Lookout Mountain Films  additional optical composites
• Modern Film Effects  additional optical composites
• Bruce Hill Productions  ultra high speed camera
• National Trust, North Wales, Snowdonia National Park, The  special thanks
• Welsh Office, Ancient Monuments Branch, The  special thanks
• La-La Land Records  score album released by (limited edition)
• Lee Lighting  grip and lighting equipment (uncredited)
• Mayflower Recording  adr recording (uncredited)

Also Known As:

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) | Peru:PT | 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:

First film to use go-motion, a variant of stop-motion animation in which parts of the model (in this case, the dragon) were mechanized and the movement programmed by computer. During shooting, the computer moves the model while the camera is shooting, resulting in motion blur, which makes the animation more convincing.

Goofs:

Continuity: The final battle with the dragon takes place during an eclipse and a magically-summoned thunderstorm. However, when the dragon rises above the cloud cover for its final attack, it's in full sunlight.

Quotes:

Tyrian:If he's ready to lay a dragon in its grave, he's nothing to fear from me.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Superior Firepower: The Making of 'Aliens' (2003) (V)

A gem of an 80's era Fantasy epic.

This movie benefits from an interesting plot, a wonderful female character played by Caitlin Clarke, and good plot twists. I'm not a big fan of the male lead; his looks are a little average and uninteresting to me. The only other drawback are the ugly hats characters wear in this film. However, what makes this movie unique are its visuals, which through creativity and hard work, outshines many fantasy movies of the 90's and early 2000's.

This film proves that it doesn't need 21st century technology to make a beautiful and visually complex piece. As I watched the dragon, it was easy to tell that it was not real; it had flaws in its appearance and its movements were not perfect. But that did not detract at all from the film, because what made the dragon impressive was the artistic elements of its design; its many layers of thin, translucent membrane, its finely chiseled and formed teeth, and the almost charcoal-like, tough scales on its hide. In many modern fantasy movies, the creatures and dragons are uninspired, dull, and drab, despite the computer engineering behind them. In the 80's, directors had to be creative to produce their desired effect, and this creativity went a long way in producing visuals that both wowed audiences with their appearance and the thought of the work that went into making them.