Ted Nicolaou and the Bands made a sequel Dragonworld: The Legend Continues (1999). However, David Allen conducts some excellent stop-motion shots of the dragon moving about the courtyard and these are flawlessly integrated in with the live-action. Its eyes are too big and glassy and the jaw an obvious single hinge. There is nothing particularly wrong with them – the only complaint is that the dragon in the earlier scenes looks a little too cartoonish. The dragon effects are somewhat variable, although it is clear that the Bands have put far more money into them than they usually do. She and Sam McKenzie are wonderfully paired – his unworldwise innocence and guileless eagerness are charming and the scenes of them coming together, learning to dance are very nice indeed. Nicolaou pays fine attention to the sense of Scottish heritage, where Andrew Keir gives a nicely genteel performance. The film’s story conducts a predictable arc without any surprises, nevertheless it works superbly. Ted Nicolaou captures a singular sense of childhood innocence. For director Ted Nicolaou, who only a year earlier had been directing Full Moon’s pedestrian Subspecies sequels, it displays a remarkable degree of improvement. Produced under their Moonbeam subsidiary children’s label, it is made with uncommon care compared to the usual rushed Band production. During the 1980s and 90s, the father and son producing team of Albert and Charles Band made a stack of low-budget sf/’horror films at their various Empire and Full Moon production companies, including the Ghoulies, Puppetmaster, Trancers and Prehysteria! series among numerous others.Įxcepting for Re-Animator (1985), Dragonworld is one of the best films to come out of the Band stables.
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