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Spoilers Dragonslayer - 1981 fantasy movie

Haven't seen him in that role. But he seems to play a lot of weird or crazy characters, like in Ghostbusters or the crazy hermit scientist in the Big Bang Theory. Quite a bit different that his character in Dragonslayer.
I still remember him best as Larry from Numb3rs.
 
This was a stunningly dark and cynical movie for its production company.
I think this is one of the reasons why is sort of flopped at the box office on release: pretty dark for Disney. The Black Cauldron suffered from the same syndrome. Dark Disney wasan't real big back in those days (and even less today, which is maybe why it's considered a failed experiment).

Dragonslayer was one of my favorites at the time of its release. Years later when I was in college a bunch of my friends and I crashed a party on Halloween that was being hosted by some professor who wore the best Vermithrax mask that I've ever seen. In fact it's the only one I've seen but it looked like it came straight from the studio. Never forget sitting in a circle passing the pipe with these people (none of whom we even knew) and this guy sat there smoking right through the mask...
 
Saw this a few years ago and thought it was so much better than what I expected. Is there a decent quality bluray out there??
 
I think this is one of the reasons why is sort of flopped at the box office on release: pretty dark for Disney. The Black Cauldron suffered from the same syndrome. Dark Disney wasan't real big back in those days (and even less today, which is maybe why it's considered a failed experiment).

As I said before, that's why they eventually created the Touchstone imprint for their more adult-oriented films. Touchstone lasted for a long time, so I wouldn't call it a failure.
 
Saw this a few years ago and thought it was so much better than what I expected. Is there a decent quality bluray out there??

Apparently no blu-ray release yet, which is weird. There are tons of terrible movies out on BD (and I own some of them ;)).
 
Apparently no blu-ray release yet, which is weird. There are tons of terrible movies out on BD (and I own some of them ;)).

It's kinda weird how underperforming movies get BD/DVD releases pretty fast after their cinematic release but big cultmovies never do....
 
It's kinda weird how underperforming movies get BD/DVD releases pretty fast after their cinematic release but big cultmovies never do....

I have the official blu-ray release of Dark Star :shrug:

I think nowadays it's more about trying to make up $$$ if a movie underperforms. Plus it's already in HD so doesn't involve any remastering, so probably no more cost than a DVD release.
 
I have the official blu-ray release of Dark Star :shrug:

I think nowadays it's more about trying to make up $$$ if a movie underperforms. Plus it's already in HD so doesn't involve any remastering, so probably no more cost than a DVD release.

That's a good point ofcourse. Oh well.
I don't mind dvd's. I know a lot of people complain about them, but with the proper blurayplayersettings and tv settings they are not nearly as bad as some people feel.
 
That's a good point ofcourse. Oh well.
I don't mind dvd's. I know a lot of people complain about them, but with the proper blurayplayersettings and tv settings they are not nearly as bad as some people feel.

DVD really are fine, as long as they were mastered as well as possible. If it's a late 90's release, it isn't going to be close to HD and most likely to be around VHS quality.

I believe The Orville was a DVD only release, but the show was recorded in (at least) 1080i/p, so a DVD in a blu-ray player will give you a good looking playback.
 
This film is the reason why when I first started reading the Harry Potter books (inspired to do so from learning they'd be $100 million theatrical productions), I heard Sir Ralph Richardson's voice as Dumbledore. I mean, how could I not? Ulrich and Dumbledore are two of a kind, personality-wise.

Oh, and as to the Valerian reveal: yes, it was predictable, but the actress, Caitlin Clarke, was made up and costumed so well it was still a surprise, at least to me. Sad she succumbed to breast cancer. She was a good actor.
 
If all you are after is a HD version, I'm not possitive, but version I watched on Amazon Prime seemed to be pretty high quality.
As I said before, that's why they eventually created the Touchstone imprint for their more adult-oriented films. Touchstone lasted for a long time, so I wouldn't call it a failure.
It sounds like Fox will be pretty much playing that role from now on.
 
I was obsessed with Dragonslayer when it first came out. For some reason, my parents didn't take me to see it at first, claiming it was better to "wait" (we lived in a small town -- there were never crowds). Only two weeks after opening, it left the theatre, and I didn't get to see it. I was irate. It was made up to me when the film came to the drive-in, playing a double feature with Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Who remembers drive-ins? :cool:
 
I was obsessed with Dragonslayer when it first came out. For some reason, my parents didn't take me to see it at first, claiming it was better to "wait" (we lived in a small town -- there were never crowds). Only two weeks after opening, it left the theatre, and I didn't get to see it. I was irate. It was made up to me when the film came to the drive-in, playing a double feature with Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Who remembers drive-ins? :cool:

The one we had looked a little like a Barcalounger. It's been gone like 20 years now. I think there's only one left in NE Illinois.

GL Outdoor Theatre 1a.jpg
 
I remember seeing this for first time and loving on VHS :D. A frakkin' dragon. Though I have to say Reign of Fire has taken top-spot since
 
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