Ralph Richardson, not only as the character Ulrich, elderly master sorcerer, but as an actor, adds a fine lot of magic to the initial sequence of Dragonslayer. Summoned by a raggedy delegation of citizen from a faraway village to do battle the dragon plaguing their land – monster kept in check only by the twice-yearly sacrifice of a virgin – Ulrich manages only a few steps away from his cavern-like home, Cragganmore, when he gets killed of. His young apprentice (Peter McNicol), clutching Ulrich's magic amulet, takes his place and sets off with the despondent villagers.
Dragonslayer is essentially a Paramount film, produced and shot at Pinewood studios in London and on locations in Wales and Scotland. The co-credited Walt Disney Studio chipped in some production money and loaned personnel to provide the film's full-scale dragon effects (George Lucas' Industrial Light and Magic facility did the post-production effects work). Yet the story, written by Spielberg proteges Hal Barwood and Matthew Robbins, is pure live-action Disney. Dragonslayer is as tale of a youth coming of age, seeking his identity, suffering the trials that will make him and adult and discovering the love that will make him a man. At the end the dragon is killed and he and the girl (Caitlin Clarke) ride of together on a white horse.
[…]
