Writer George R. R. Martin is fond of saying that writing about dragons “allows him to strike a sweet spot between fantasy and something more symbolic.” Something became clear Dragon House, a new HBO Max series that explores House Targaryen and the colossal monsters that are part of their history. Nearly a century ago, J.R.R. Tolkien said something similar when speaking of his colossal and majestic Smaug, the central axis of his first novel. Hobbit. “The dragon will always be a wonderful mystery,” the writer wrote in his personal diaries.
The perspective of both one and the other writer seems to generalize the pop culture view of the great mythical beasts. Maybe for this reason, cinema, especially the fantasy genre, dedicates the most unusual stories to dragons. Either because of its long tradition in myths from all over the world, or because of its huge place as part of the universal imagination. The truth is that mythical beasts are an important part of cinema at its most sublime. In addition, some of his strangest, most emotional and powerful narratives.
We leave you with five films that celebrate the long tradition of dragons in fantasy and the cinematic world. From great epics of incredible beauty to the most curious cultural references. Everything to enjoy and dream about what it’s like to have a dragon.
saga How to Train Your Dragon
One of the most beloved animated trilogies of recent years is also a full blown tribute to dragon mythology. Inspired by the books of the same name by Cressida Cowell, it’s a journey through a handful of Scandinavian legends. Especially those who claim that there was a time when the world was inhabited by dragons.. Moreover, they were the embodiment of power, wisdom and strength. Something that also happens in a long story Dragon House from HBO.
The film franchise rescues the chest of history and follows the adventures of Hiccup Horrible Haddock III, a teenage Viking who must prove his worth. At the very least, this worries him greatly after being seen as clumsy and weak. To win the respect of the rest of his village, he becomes a dragon trainer.
But what seemed like just a way to gain the admiration of his family and especially his father, turns into something more. Especially when he faces an injured dragon, the Night Fury. An unlikely friendship will be born between the two, as well as an opportunity for Hiccup to understand the power and beauty of dragons.
Eragon
Based on the eponymous saga by Christopher Paolini, its film version is a small but honest attempt to analyze its most interesting moments. Eragon, an anonymous farmer from the fictional kingdom of Alagaesia, learns that dragons are more than just legends. Except that his life will be marked by this discovery and its possibilities for the future. Especially when he has to face the cruelty of the evil Galbatorix, the ruler of the territory by force of violence.
An epic story that is often compared to various mainstream narratives in fantasy literature, such as some of the stories from which it is taken. Dragon House, came to the cinema in a modest and unambitious version. Nonetheless, succeeded in reconstructing the mythology imagined by the author in terms of the idea of the dragon as a symbol of good. In fact, much of the argument concerns the existence of mythical creatures as emblems of beneficent power.
His particular point of view allowed the film to explore themes such as loyalty, hope, and a sense of predestined duty. In addition, of course, to the fact that the central point of his argument is the demonstration of the nature of dragons. However, despite going unnoticed at the time of its premiere, the saga will currently have a second chance in the form of a series on Disney+.
hobbit and its parallels with Dragon House
Nobody doubts it: a trilogy hobbit it lacks the epic splendor of The Ring of Power, also directed by Peter Jackson. But despite this, it has an element that confirms the worst moments and inexplicable plot twists. The film adaptation of the fearsome dragon Smaug (with the voice of actor Benedict Cumberbatch) is a true image of what the writer J. R. R. Tolkien conceived for his creation. An imagination that he shares with R.R. Martin, and which is also reflected in the series. Dragon House. Landmark in productions based on both writers. And that forms the basis of how Jackson portrayed the great legendary beasts in his storytelling.
The Magnificent Smaug not only manages to keep up a story that has lost interest and luster — even storytelling meaning — in a forced second part. One day, turns the entire production into a grandiose exploration of greed, wonder, and the weight of history.. In this case, the dragon is much more than just a character. This is, at the same time, the core of its significance as a total history and continuous awareness of time, a common theme in Tolk’s work as well as in the series. Dragon House.
Result The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug this is a great story show in which Smaug becomes the full expression of the epic. Especially in his darkest moments, when Cumberbatch’s great vocal talent gives him a certain personality. A real gem for dragon lovers and much more for fans of the British writer’s work.
dragons in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
The first Asian Marvel superhero was accompanied by a very rich and detailed background of Chinese mythology. Which included, of course, a demonstration of extraordinary creatures in which dragons, as in Dragon Houseoccupy a dominant position.
For director Destin Daniel Cretton, the notion of the meaning of a fairy-tale character in his native culture was extremely relevant. Whereby, traditional dragons inhabiting Chinese legends and myths have been a significant part of history. So much so that the final episode is an allegory for several great Chinese stories of battles between dragons as emblems of power.
But, besides this, the figure of dragons in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings it is a celebration of the ideal. Good and evil in opposition, as symbols of the same deep ideas that surrounded the motivations of their heroes. An undeniable success that gave the film a transcendent and emotional air that became one of his most recognizable and famous moments.
Raya and the last dragon share the power Dragon House
The Princess of Paradise bears a huge responsibility on her young shoulders. The prosperous lands of Kumandra have been devastated by the Druuns, and now the task of the heroine is to find the last of the dragons. A difficult task after nearly all the great mythical beasts sacrificed their lives to try and stop the destruction.
But the very possibility of survival sends Rai on a long journey through Kumandra. Of course, He will discover that the last dragon is a very different being than he imagined, and that its power is not limited to stopping the darkness.. With an extraordinary history and perhaps the most charming depiction of dragons in recent years. Raya and the last dragon is moving.
At the same time, it shows that the power of the great legendary beings that we also value in Dragon Houselies in its ability to be a formidable view of culture and ideals. An attraction that makes the recent Disney animated film a celebration of the meaning of great fantasy storytelling.
