St David’s Day celebrations on 1st March with the Welsh dragon symbol gave us more of a reason to celebrate the dragons on screen too!
Here’s a sample of the most popular dragons found in film…
The dragon in Room On The Broom is a large, fearsome beast whose favourite food is “witch and chips” – Dragon is hungry and on the prowl. But when faced with the perilous creature rising from the bog he reveals his cowardly streak. From the creators of The Gruffalo, the fun-packed magical adventure ROOM ON THE BROOM whooshes onto DVD and digital download on 18 March 2013 from Entertainment One – just in time for Easter!
Based on the bestselling book from author and Children’s Laureate Julia Donaldson and illustrator Axel Scheffler, this timeless story about friendship and family is narrated by Simon Pegg (Ice Age: Continental Drift). The all-star voice cast features Gillian Anderson (Johnny English Reborn) as the kind-hearted Witch and Rob Brydon (The Gruffalo) as her loyal companion Cat. Cat is joined by Bird (Sally Hawkins; Great Expectations), along with the very enthusiastic Dog (Martin Clunes; Doc Martin) and Frog (David Walliams (Little Britain) to help scare away a large, hungry Dragon (Timothy Spall; Harry Potter).
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON
The story in How To Train Your Dragon takes place in a mythical Viking world where a young Viking teenager named Hiccup aspires to follow his tribe’s tradition of becoming a dragon slayer. After finally capturing his first dragon, and with his chance at finally gaining the tribe’s acceptance, he finds that he no longer has the desire to kill it and instead befriends it.
SHREK
Dragon is first depicted as a ferocious guard challenging Shrek and Donkey in their quest to locate Princess Fiona. As Donkey attempts to distract her, he makes the realization that Dragon is female and successfully manages to charm his way past her.
SLEEPING BEAUTY
Dragon Maleficent was a dragon form of Maleficent that first appeared in at the end of Sleeping Beauty. In the film’s final battle Maleficent transforms into an enormous black terrifying fire breathing dragon in order to battle and destroy Prince Phillip. With help from Flora, Fauna and Merryweather, the prince was able to defeat her.
THE NEVERENDING STORY
Falkor is a luckdragon and friend of Atreyu and Bastian. He helps Atreyu in his quest to find a cure for the Empress after escaping the web of Ygramul the Many.
MULAN
Mushu is Fa Mulan’s closest companion throughout the Mulan series. He is a red, orange-accented Chinese dragon with blue horns.
HARRY POTTER
Norberta, previously named Norbert, is a Norwegian Ridgeback dragon that Hagrid had acquired as an egg from a mysterious, hooded stranger in the Hog’s Head, who turned out to be Professor Quirrell. Hagrid helps the dragon hatch from the egg. Norberta becomes very dangerous and much bigger in the weeks following.
ERAGON
Saphira is Eragon’s dragon partner. She is calm and a collected character who is always watching out for Eragon.
PUFF THE MAGIC DRAGON
Jackie Paper is a little boy who leaves Puff the dragon alone and depressed after he loses interest in the imaginary adventures of childhood.
