- published: 31 Dec 2015
- views: 12427
Dragonslayer is a 1981 American fantasy film directed by Matthew Robbins, from a screenplay he co-wrote with Hal Barwood. It stars Peter MacNicol, Ralph Richardson, John Hallam and Caitlin Clarke. The story, set in a fictional medieval kingdom, follows a young wizard who experiences danger and opposition as he attempts to defeat a dragon.
A co-production between Paramount Pictures and Walt Disney Productions, Dragonslayer was more mature and realistic than other Disney films of the period. Because of audience expectations for a more family-friendly film from Disney, the film's violence, adult themes and brief nudity were somewhat controversial at the time, even though Disney did not hold US distribution rights, which were held by Paramount. The film was rated PG in the U.S.; TV showings after 1997 have carried a TV-14 rating. Disney later created Touchstone Pictures to produce more mature fare, starting with 1984's Splash.
The special effects were created at Industrial Light and Magic, where Phil Tippett had co-developed an animation technique called go motion for The Empire Strikes Back (1980). Go motion is a variation on stop motion animation, and its use in Dragonslayer led to the film's nomination for the Academy Award for Visual Effects; it lost to Raiders of the Lost Ark, the only other Visual Effects nominee that year, whose special effects were also provided by ILM. Including the hydraulic 40-foot (12 m) model, 16 dragon puppets were used for the role of Vermithrax, each one made for different movements; flying, crawling, fire breathing etc.Dragonslayer also marks the first time ILM's services were used for a film other than a Lucasfilm Ltd. production.
Directed by Tristan Patterson and executive produced by indie-maverick Christine Vachon, DRAGONSLAYER is the Grand Jury Prize winner for Best Documentary Feature at SXSW 2011, and is the second feature to be released theatrically by Drag City following Harmony Korine's Trash Humpers. DRAGONSLAYER documents the transgressions of a lost skate punk falling in love in the stagnant suburbs of Fullerton, California in the aftermath of America's economic collapse. Taking the viewer through a golden SoCal haze of broken homes, abandoned swimming pools and stray glimpses of unusual beauty, DRAGONSLAYER captures the life and times of Josh "Skreech" Sandoval, a local skate legend and new father, as his endless summer finally collides with the future. Set to the alternately roaring and dreamy soundtrack of bands from the indie labels Mexican Summer and Kemado Records-including Best Coast, Bipolar Bear, Children, Dungen, Eddy Current and the Suppression Ring, Golden Triangle, Jacuzzi Boys, Little Girls, Real Estate, The Soft Pack, Saviours, as well as DEATH and Thee Oh Sees -DRAGONSLAYER is a punk-rock manifesto to youth, love and learning to survive after the decline of western civilization.
Keywords: california, independent-film, punk-rock, skateboarding
Confetti floats away like dead leaves
In the wagon’s wake
There were parties here
In my honor
‘Til you sent me away
And now
Silver moons belong to you
Passing the baton
From the old mare to the fawn
It was out of line but it was fun
Didn’t you love the part right before the dawn
And now:
Silver moons belong to you
I’m off to wither away
And to practice all these ancient ways
Tell the new kids where I hid the wine
Tell their fathers that I’m on my way
Hey, hey!
Maybe these days are over, over now
Maybe these days are over, over now
And I loved it better than anyone else you know
And I believe in growing old with grace!
I believe she only loved my face!
I believe I acted like a child
Making faces at acquired tastes
And now:
Silver moons belong to you!
And silver moons belong to you
I’m off to whither away
And to practice all these ancient ways
Tell the new kids where I hid the wine
Tell their fathers that I’m on my way
Hey, hey!
Maybe these days are over, over now
I think!
Maybe these days are over, over now
I believe in growing old with grace
I believe she only loved my face and I think
Maybe these days are over, over now
Gone are the days bonfires make me think of you
Looks like the prophesy came true
You are a fallen tree
He is a fallen tree
How old are you?
No how old are you?
Under all the folds of the dresses that you wear
There’s an ocean and a tide and a riot in the square
Over all the days that the coffers made your hair
Swing around to the cadence of your wheelchair
Under all the folds of the dresses that you wear
There’s an ocean and a tide and a riot in the square
Over all the days that the coffers made your hair
Swing around to the cadence of your wheelchair
Under all the folds of the dresses that you wear
There’s an ocean and a tide and a riot in the square
Over all the days that the coffers made your hair
Swing around to the cadence of your wheelchair
Under all the folds of the dresses that you wear
Sway around to the cadence of your voice when you sang
there