Dragonslayer
4K Ultra HD
Blu Ray
Dragonslayer debuts on 4K Ultra HD with restored video, Dolby Atmos, immersive acting - a magical, timeless fantasy film now available.

Dragonslayer's 2160p/Dolby Vision UHD transfer showcases organic grain, HDR enhancement, grand black levels, and firm colors. Despite some optical softness and anamorphic distortion, real WWII-era flamethrowers and depth of field impress in this exceptional, theater-fresh presentation.
Dragonslayer's Dolby Atmos audio mix boasts a rich, immersive soundtrack with object-based placement, wide soundstage, and seamless stage engagement. The powerful 80s score is well-balanced with dialogue and extraordinary sound effects for a truly captivating audio experience.
Dragonslayer UHD Blu-ray features director Matthew Robbins & Guillermo Del Toro commentary, screen tests, and an insightful hour-long documentary on special effects wizardry with ILM legends Phil Tippett & Dennis Muren. Includes a digital copy code, but no Blu-ray.
Dragonslayer, inspired by Disney's Fantasia, features a sorcerer aiding peasants to defeat Vermithrax Pejorative with captivating locations, sets, and characters that define the film as a fantasy blockbuster of its time, despite its mundane conflicts and Hollywood romance.
Director: Matthew Robbins
Actors: Peter MacNicol, Caitlin Clarke, Ralph Richardson
Plot: A young wizarding apprentice is sent to kill a dragon which has been devouring girls from a nearby kingdom.
Disc Release Date: 21 March 2023
all scores
- Video90
- Audio100
.Paramount releases Dragonslayer to the UHD format with a particularly wonderful 2160p/Dolby Vision transfer that presents the film looking as if fresh out of theaters. It is essentially a buffed-up version...
Dragonslayer's Dolby Atmos audio mix is a beast. The track demonstrates it excellence in the opening moments. A prominent instrumental presentation, rich in low end extension, and seamless stage engagement...
- Extra70
- Movie90
This UHD release of Dragonslayer includes an audio commentary, a multi-part making-of, a trailer, and screen tests. A digital copy code is included with purchase. No Blu-ray is included. Audio Commentary:...
It may not be quite fair to say "they don't make them like they used to" because the The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies really upped the Dragonslayer style and aesthetic, but for its day, on a...
- Total90
In many ways, they really don't make them like this anymore. Here is a film that is fully focused, completely immersive, and pretty well seamless. The acting is great, the characters are well drawn, the...
- Video95
- Audio100
While a few shots are optically soft (mostly by design, through the on-set use of filters and theatrical smoke), and there’s the expected anamorphic distortion around the edges of the frame on occasion,...
The soundstage is big and wide, with pleasing overhead enclosure that enhances the various environments and a blustery lift that lends energy and impact to the film’s set pieces....
- Extra85
- Movie85
In this way, the pair keeps the track moving along briskly with a lovely discussion that’s packed with stories and anecdotes....
But the king’s peasants, having grown tired of this, send an expedition led by Valerian (Caitlin Clarke) to seek the help of the realm’s last sorcerer, Ulrich of Cragganmore (Ralph Richardson, of Things...
- Total91
Dragonslayer is a film that’s long deserved a fresh look by cinephiles and it’s one of those rare catalog titles that’s never even received a decent Blu-ray release until now....
- Video100
- Audio100
Grand black levels add the needed depth to help this movie pop in 2023.Firm color gives potent energy to flames, of which Dragonslayer has plenty of....
Sporting one of the best sounding, boldest, deepest score of the ’80s, it’s arguable whether the music is too bold in the mix, but the fidelity makes this worth it....
- Extra80
- Movie60
Director Matthew Robbins joins Guillermo Del Toro for a commentary track, with a screen test and lengthy multi-part documentary following....
What Dragonslayer lacks is the legs to sustain the runtime, filling itself with a typical Hollywood romance, mundane conflict, and fears toward magic....
- Total85
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- Video100
- Audio100
Real World War II-era flamethrowers were used for Dragonslayer’s titular beast’s fire breath, and I’m happy to report that Paramount Home Entertainment throws just as much heat at the audience with their...
Speaking of huge, soaring upgrades, Paramount Home Entertainment provides Dragonslayer with a wonderful Dolby Atmos track that balances dialogue, the boastful score and breathless sound effects with remarkable...
- Extra60
- Movie80
While special features may be a bit spare on this release, it’s worth noting here that the hour-long doc about the making of Dragonslayer will be an essential watch for fans of special effects wizardry....
Okay, time for a little bit of history about Matthew Robbins’ Dragonslayer. Robbins took a great deal of inspiration from The Sorcerer’s Apprentice sequence in Disney’s Fantasia when researching the story...
- Total90
You’re a wizard, Har…err, sorry.. wrong franchise. Matthew Robbins’ 1981 cult favorite Dragonslayer, a rare collaboration between Disney and Paramount, is now available in stunning 4K Ultra HD courtesy...
- Video100
- Audio96
Grain is present and primarily organic is appearance. The application of HDR adds an enriching element that underscores the film’s thematic impact, plain and simple....
The film is loaded with atmospherics, off screen cues and discrete sound effects that when applied using the freedom of object-based placement adds an enriching layer to the soundtrack. This is noticeable...
- Extra80
- Movie80
Dragonslayer Ultra HD Blu-rayNEW Commentary with Director Matthew Robbins and Guillermo Del ToroNEW Screen TestsNEWTHE SLAYER OF ALL DRAGONS - Step back in time with director/co-writer Matthew Robbins,...
At the behest of a small band of peasants a sorcerer agrees to kill Vermithrax Pejorative. After glimpsing into the future, the sorcerer determines that traveling to the kingdom isn’t his calling but that...
- Total89
It makes its debut on Ultra HD from Paramount Home Entertainment in this Ultra HD Blu-ray/Digital release featuring beautifully restored video quality, a terrific Dolby Atmos listening track and a fan...
- Video100
- Audio100
I don’t think you could have asked for a better transfer on this (Or really any movie you buy, its that good).Depth: Depth of field is plenty strong and shows plenty of good pushback in the interior scenes,...
There’s terrific ambiance built around every environment and a good tracking of when a shot changes and things are now off screen but still present in the scene....
- Extra70
- Movie80
Director Matthew Robbins and ILM legends Phil Tippett and Dennis Muren guide us through this incredible journey that features a lot of production design, sketh work, behind the scenes footage and photos...
Dragonslayer just is a damn fine fantasy blockbuster film that has the power to whisk you away into this world with great locations, sets, characters and a magnificent dragon that makes the world all come...
- Total90
It captures all that sort of wonder and magic of the movies you ask for when seeing fantasy film, and holds up remarkably in doing so....