DVD Review HTF REVIEW: Dragonslayer (1 Viewer)

[Eric F]

Just got it and watched it. Great stuff.

I thought I had seen this before, but it's like I never have. I grew up with it- it was one of the first VHS tapes I purchased, but it's a brand new movie to me.

 

[Jefferson Morris]

I thought I had seen this before, but it's like I never have.

Same here. Just picked this up yesterday ($15 at Borders - Best Buy didn't have it), and watching it on a 50" widescreen projection set was something of a revelation, even thought I also own the WS LD.

I've long been a fan of Dragonslayer, but now I'd go so far as to call it a minor classic, able to stand tall next to Time Bandits and Excalibur as the cream of the crop of 80's fantasy flicks. I really didn't expect the film to look this good on DVD - the transfer is easily comparable to Raiders, even without the benefit of any digital restoration.

Strangely enough, I also was more impressed with the film's script this time around than during previous viewings. Barwood and Robbins were definitely on the ball with regards to the wry political commentary - King Casiodorus' "policy of appeasement" with Vermithrax strikes a historical chord (apply it to whatever regime you like), and I love his final "slaying" of the dragon at the end. It perfectly sums up modern politics.

You can also tell these guys were up on their Tolkien, with their allegory (yes, I know Tolkien hated allegory) of the rise of modern western man and the withdrawal of pagan magic from the world. When the last dragon and the last sorcerer literally go out with a bang, appropriately bound together in a death-embrace, Christianity rushes in to fill the void. As Merlin observes in the aforementioned Excalibur, "The one God comes to drive out the many gods."

Anyhow, I certainly hope this bargain-priced DVD brings a new audience to this underappreciated film. If so, maybe Paramount will see fit to bless us with a special edition some time down the line. Until then, this disc will do nicely.

--Jefferson Morris

 

[Chuck Stephens]

Well, my copy from deepdiscountdvd finally got here today. That will be the last time that I EVER use USPS shipping. Anyways, this dvd is well worth the wait as the only version I've ever seen of the film was taped off of late night TV back in the late 80's. It's amazing how good it looks in widescreen and while the film is showing its age a bit the effects still amaze me. Films like this make me long for the days of optical visual effects.

 

[Mark Cappelletty]

Chuck,

Some of us are STILL waiting... I believe they used "Pony Express" for my copy.

 

[Chuck Stephens]

Mark,

I feel your pain. I came home every day this week expecting to find it and was just about to get on the phone with them yesterday when it finally arrived. When I checked the email saying that it had shipped it said expected arrival date: between Nov.1- Nov.6. As I said before, NEVER again will I use the USPS shipping method(it's the free one ). But lesson learned and now I have my copy and trust me it's worth the wait.