Newly restored in eye-popping 4K Ultra HD under the supervision of director/co-writer Matthew Robbins, the fan-favorite classic DRAGONSLAYER arrives for the first time ever on 4K Ultra HD, in a Limited Edition Collector’s 4K Ultra HD SteelBook, and on Blu-ray March 21, 2023 from Paramount Home Entertainment.
An essential cinematic adventure with groundbreaking and Oscar-nominated visual effects*, DRAGONSLAYER has been restored with exceptional picture and sound to bring the spectacular fantasy to life for a new generation. Legendary visual effects supervisor Phil Tippett (Star Wars, Jurassic Park) created the film’s special effects, pioneering a new technique called “go motion” that incorporates blurring into each frame for more realistic images. Vermithrax Pejorative, the fire-breathing creature at the center of the story, was created using a combination of go motion and 16 massive dragon puppets.
Set in sixth-century England, an ill-tempered, fire-breathing creature—ominously known as Vermithrax Pejorative—terrorizes its citizens until a young sorcerer’s apprentice named Galen (Peter MacNicol) is reluctantly tasked with confronting the beast. For Galen to succeed, it will take more than magic to defeat the dragon.
DRAGONSLAYER continues to win over fans more than 40 years after its initial release, not the least of which is Guillermo del Toro who joins director and longtime collaborator Matthew Robbins for an entertaining and illuminating new commentary. The 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray releases also include more than an hour of additional new special features as detailed below:
THE SLAYER OF ALL DRAGONS
Step back in time with director/co-writer Matthew Robbins, dragon supervisor Phil Tippett, and ILM’s visual effects master Dennis Muren as they revisit DRAGONSLAYER. Their stories and memories take viewers deep into the dragon’s fiery lair as they recount the challenging journey from concept to screen.
WELCOME TO CRAGGANMORE
A look back at the impact of Star Wars and its visual effects on Hollywood, the origin of DRAGONSLAYER and its screenplay, and the film’s casting.
A LONG WAY TO URLAND
Pre-production begins in England as the film takes shape. The young filmmakers seek gritty medieval realism through the production design, cinematography, and costumes.
VERMITHRAX PEJORATIVE
The filmmakers take on the daunting task of bringing a dragon to life like never before, utilizing every ounce of movie magic available including Phil Tippett’s breakthrough go-motion animation, cutting-edge practical animatronics, visual effects, and compositing.
INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE
Production woes at every turn, horrific baby dragons, and the challenge of creating Vermithrax’s iconic lair plague the filmmakers. Phil Tippett offers a mini-masterclass on crafting powerful creature performance through detailed animation.
THE FINAL BATTLE
The team faces the unique challenges of the film’s stage-bound climax, filmed entirely against a blue screen. Director Matthew Robbins looks back on the incredible work done in the final stages of film editing, the beautifully dense sound design, and Alex North’s amazing score, which utilized pieces from his legendary unused 2001: A Space Odyssey score.
The DRAGONSLAYER 4K Ultra HD Limited-Edition SteelBook includes the film on 4K Ultra HD, the bonus content detailed above, and boasts collectible packaging with a removable O-sleeve featuring an image of the theatrical poster, which, when removed, reveals original artwork of the final battle with Vermithrax Pejorative. The package also includes access to a Digital copy of the film.
The 4K Ultra HD release includes the film on 4K Ultra HD, the bonus content, and access to a Digital copy of the film. The Blu-ray includes the film in high definition, along with the bonus content and access to a Digital copy of the film.
All three releases also include the original theatrical trailer and screen tests.
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