Dragonheart

**Dragonheart** is a UK VHS release by CIC and Universal on 12th May 1997 and 1st December 1997. It got re-released by 4 Front Video and Universal on 22nd May 2000 and it got re-released by Universal on 20th May 2002.

## Description

Long ago, when majestic fire-breathers soared through the sikes, there lived a knight who would come face-to-face and heart-to-heart with the most remarkable creature that ever existed. **Dennis Quaid** stars with the voice of Academy Award winner **Sean Connery** in director **Rob Cohen's** heroic adventure that blazes with fantasy, humour, and the most amazing special effects sine *Jurassic Park*!

Bowen (Quaid) is a knight dedicated to The Old Code - a noble creed of honour. When his pupil, Prince Einon, becomes an even crueller king than his father, Bowen's idealism turns to bitterness. Believing Einon's soul to have been poisoned by a dragon, Bowen vows to destroy them all. On his quest for revenge, he meets ''Draco'' (Connery), a dragon whose power, strength and wit prove to be more than a match for the disillusioned knight. Soon, what begins as a life or death struggle between the two evolves into a friendship that will change the face of their medieval world.

Co-starring **David Thewlis**, **Pete Postlethwaite**, **Julie Christie** and **Dina Meyer**, this epic adventure will move and thrill the entire family

## Cast

The principal cast members of *Dragonheart* were:

* Dennis Quaid as Bowen, a knight who becomes a dragon-slayer and then allies with Draco. Director Rob Cohen was impressed with Quaid, telling producer Raffaella De Laurentiis "[Quaid] *is* a knight of the old code." Cohen called Quaid "obviously intelligent and fun to work with", and said that he "really [thought] he [was] Bowen." Quaid underwent rigorous training for the role, mostly practicing sword fighting. Quaid and Cohen both wanted Bowen's sword technique to have an "Eastern flavor", so Quaid trained with Japanese sword master Kiyoshi Yamasaki.
* Sean Connery as the voice of Draco, the last remaining dragon. Cohen felt it was "very important that [the dragon's] personality be derived from the actor who was going to play the voice", and said that Connery was the only actor he had in mind for the role. He described Connery's voice as "unique" and "instantly recognizable", but said that it was "what [Connery] stood for in life as an actor and as a man that most related to what I wanted for Draco." Voice recording for Draco was done in three sessions. To help animate Draco's facial expressions, Cohen and the ILM animators took close-up shots of Connery from his previous films, categorized the clips according to what emotion was being expressed, and put them in separate tapes for easy reference.
* David Thewlis as Einon, the tyrannical king who shares part of Draco's heart. Cohen cast Thewlis based on his performance in *Naked*, stating "what makes a villain scary is the brain, not the brawn." The young Einon in the film's opening scenes was played by Lee Oakes.
* Pete Postlethwaite as Gilbert of Glockenspur, a monk and aspiring poet who joins Bowen and Draco in the revolt against Einon. Cohen wanted Postlethwaite for the role based on his performance in *In the Name of the Father*, feeling that "anyone who was assured in a dramatic role could take Brother Gilbert and make it real and charmingly funny."
* Jason Isaacs as Lord Felton, Einon's second in command. He hires Bowen to slay a dragon running rampant around his village, but refuses to pay after learning more of Bowen.
* Julie Christie as Queen Aislinn, Einon's mother. Cohen found Christie through David Thewlis' casting agent.
* Dina Meyer as Kara, a peasant girl who seeks revenge on Einon for killing her father. Meyer was the second actress Cohen interviewed for the role. Cohen stated that he needed an actress who was "strong and someone who could, in the end, handle herself with these double viking axes and look believable.". Sandra Kovacikova plays Kara as a child.
* Peter Hric as King Freyne, Einon's father and Aislinn's husband, a tyrannical ruler.
* Brian Thompson as Brok, Einon's knight who served alongside Einon's father when he was king.
* Terry O'Neill as Redbeard.
* John Gielgud as the uncredited voice of King Arthur, who speaks to Bowen during his visit to Avalon.

## Credits

Universal Pictures Presents

A Raffaella De Laurentiis Production

A Rob Cohen Film

Dennis Quaid

Dragonheart

David Thewlis, Pete Postlethwaite, Dina Meyer, Brian Thompson, Jason Isaacs, Lee Oakes, Wolf Christian, Terry O’Neill

With Julie Christie

And Sean Connery as Draco

Casting By Margery Simkin

Associate Producers Herbert W. Gains, Kelly Breidenbach

Visual Effects Supervisor Scott Squires

Dragon Designs By Phil Tippett

Character Animation Supervisor James Straus, Visual Effects Producer Judith Weaver

Special Effects Supervisor Kit West

Costume Designers Thomas Casterline, Anna Sheppard

Music Composed By Randy Edelman

Edited By Peter Amundson

Production Designer Benjamin Fernandez

Director Of Photography David Eggby, A.C.S.

Co-Producer Hester Hargett

Executive Producers David Robman, Patrick Read Johnson

Story By Patrick Read Johnson & Charles Edward Pogue

Screenplay By Charles Edward Pogue

Produced By Raffaella De Laurentiis

Directed By Rob Cohen

## Opening (Rental 1997 Re-release)

1. Video Piracy Warning (Universal Pictures) [announced by John Leader]
2. CIC Video Warning Screen (1996-1999)
3. CIC Video "Welcome" Ident (1996-1999)
4. CIC Video "Rental Releases" Bumper (1996-1999)
5. Billy Madison trailer [announced by Michael Angelis]
6. CIC Video "Available to Buy" Bumper (1996-1999)
7. GoldDiggers - The Secret of Bear Mountain trailer [announced by Don LaFontaine]
8. CIC Video Previews Bumper (1996-1999)
9. Sgt. Bilko trailer [announced by Don LaFontaine]
10. CIC Video Previews Bumper (1996-1999)
11. Flipper trailer [announced by Don LaFontaine]
12. CIC Video Previews Bumper (1996-1999)
13. DragonHeart Soundtrack (Available from all good record shops)
14. CIC Video "Feature Presentation" Bumper (1996-1999)
15. BBFC PG Card (1996-1998)
16. Universal Pictures Ident (With the movie's opening theme instead of the logo's respective theme)
17. Start of Dragonheart (1996)

## Closing (Rental 1997 Re-release)

1. End of Dragonheart (1996)
2. Closing Credits Film
3. CIC Video Warning Scroll (1996-1999)

## Opening (Original 1997 release) (with no trailer)

1. CIC Video Warning Screen (1996-1999)
2. CIC Video "Welcome" Ident (1996-1999)
3. CIC Video "Feature Presentation" Bumper (1996-1999)
4. BBFC PG Card (1996-1998)
5. Universal Pictures Ident (With the movie's opening theme instead of the logo's respective theme)
6. Start of Dragonheart (1996)

## Closing (Original 1997 release) (with no trailer)

1. End of Dragonheart (1996)
2. Closing Credits Film
3. CIC Video Warning Scroll (1996-1999)

## Trailers and info

### Rental 1997 Re-release

1. Video Piracy Warning (Universal)
2. Billy Madison
3. GoldDiggers - The Secret of Bear Mountain
4. Sgt. Bilko
5. Flipper
6. DragonHeart Soundtrack (Available from all good record shops)