DRAGONSLAYER. Stil surprisingly impressive heroic fantasy

The plot of Dragonslayer is constructed in a way that presents the smallest obstacle to the viewer’s reception. In other words, it is thoroughly predictable, but I do not mean this as a criticism. It’s a fact that each of us has encountered this story before, albeit in a slightly different form. For me, it resembles another adaptation of the Greek myth of the Minotaur. However, there are undoubtedly more cultural references in such a formulated plot scheme, especially for the fantasy genre. But precisely because of this, this story can boast of a fully universal character; enjoyable to watch and readable in its conveyed message.

Dragonslayer was made in 1981. The screenplay and direction were handled by the then little-known creator, Matthew Robbins. It can’t be said that since then this author has become even slightly more popular, but for those better acquainted with the industry, this name may ring a bell. Few will associate him with collaboration with Guillermo del Toro. Robbins, along with the famous Mexican creator, wrote scripts for the films Mutant and Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark and then infamous adaptation of Lovecraft’s prose – At the Mountains of Maddnes. It’s also worth noting that Matthew Robbins accompanied Steven Spielberg and George Lucas in the early years of their careers – he assisted the former with the scripts for Sugarland Express and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and the latter even invited him to make a guest appearance in THX 1138. Matthew Robbins is the type of creator who has remained in the shadow of big names throughout his career, showing little desire to change his position. However, Dragonslayer is a testament to the fact that this author had some potential, but for unknown reasons, decided to channel it differently.

What few remember today is that the production and distribution of the film were handled by Walt Disney Studios, the most active studio in the film industry today. Furthermore, the film was nominated for several important awards. Certainly, from the perspective of the average viewer, the most significant are the Oscar nominations – for special effects and the music by Alex North. For fans of fantasy, however, it’s important to note that Dragonslayer also received a handful of nominations for the Saturn Award (fantasy film, supporting role, costumes, and effects) and the Hugo Award – the most important award in the field of literary fantasy – for which the film’s script was nominated (although the creators had to concede to the superiority of the competition – the award went to The Empire Strikes Back, which should not be surprising today).

As confirmed by the aforementioned awards, Dragonslayer deserves attention primarily for its cinematic form. This spectacle is incredibly picturesque, which contributes to its appropriate atmosphere. Although the film’s age makes it somewhat kitschy in many technical aspects today, it still manages to impress with the precision of its execution.

In addition to the diligent work of set designers and costume designers, special effects experts deserve special attention. At a time when the whole world is singing praises for the digital presentation of Smaug, it can be extremely valuable to take a look at another dragon creature, where computer processing power could not be utilized. The appearance and movement of the dragon in Dragonslayer unequivocally suggest invoking a piercing feeling of horror. When you look at it, you quickly forget about the outdated method of its creation and focus on what the presented creature symbolizes, what its role is in the unfolding drama. In culture and art, the dragon embodies the highest evil, so the emotions that its presentation should evoke in the viewer would revolve around rejection and denial. And that’s exactly the case here. Surely, there is something uniquely special about this dragon that is why it is remembered today as one of the best presented in cinema so far.

I mentioned the creator, so I will also mention the actors. Peter MacNicol as Galen turned out surprisingly well, although for many viewers, this actor may not fit the role of the heroic dragonslayer today. This is understandable, especially since in later years, this actor carved out a completely different niche for himself – that of a somewhat clumsy, somewhat mischievous troublemaker, bothering the protagonists of the foreground. He will be remembered for this, for example, from the series Ally McBeal. For fans of the actor, the film Dragonslayer is a good opportunity to see another range of MacNicol’s abilities, presented in a truly epic leading role. The second plan of the film belongs to Ralph Richardson, a British actor who played the role of Master Ulrich. And here again, comparisons to Tolkien’s adaptation are unavoidable, because we have been so saturated with the image of Gandalf that we may doubt whether another old man with a wand and a mournful look can still make a sufficiently large impression on us.

And such experiences must be open to us. So let’s, for a moment, abandon the unmatched prism of The Lord of the Rings and familiarize ourselves with a spectacle much more modest, much cheaper, much less spectacular, but no less lofty and no less strongly affecting the viewer with its universal moral. It’s really worth it!