Science vs. magic. Science fiction vs. tentacled monsters!
The Archivist — Welcome to the Archive. As home video formats have evolved over the years, a multitude of films have found themselves in danger of being forgotten forever due to their niche appeal. Thankfully, Warner Bros. established the Archive Collection, a Manufacture-On-Demand DVD operation devoted to thousands of idiosyncratic and ephemeral works of cinema. The Archive has expanded to include a streaming service, revivals of out-of-print DVDs, and Blu-ray discs (which, unlike the DVDs, are factory pressed rather than burned). Join us as we explore this treasure trove of cinematic discovery!
It’s creature feature time with The Archivist — kind of, anyway — with a double bill of adventure films, where science conflicts with something otherworldly. With The Flight of Dragons, it’s magic. In The Green Slime, our advancement leads to encountering a monstrosity beyond the stars.
The Flight of Dragons
Synopsis
Ever wish you could see a dragon? Or wonder how they fly or why they breathe fire? Journey back to a magical time when the skies were filled with these amazing creatures in The Flight of Dragons, a dazzling, feature-length animated version of Peter Dickinson’s acclaimed book from Rankin/Bass Studios.Victor Buono, James Gregory, James Earl Jones, Harry Morgan, John Ritter and Larry Storch provide voices for this wondrous tale set in the Dark Ages. The sinister Red Wizard Ommadon (Jones) threatens to destroy nature. The world’s hope is a man of science and magic from the future. That man is Peter (Ritter), snatched from the 20th century by the Green Wizard Carolinus (Morgan) to capture Ommadon’s empowering Red Crown. With a fire-breathing dragon, an outlaw elf and a noble knight as comrades-in-arms, Peter applies modern-day logic to battling ages-old evil.
Right up front I’ll admit to something of a bias on this one. As a child, my brother and I spent countless times rewatching this film on a VHS tape owned by my uncle. An animated feature from Rankin/Bass, the folks who crafted The Hobbit and The Last Unicorn, The Flight of Dragons is based on the 1979 novel by Peter Dickinson that tells of a magical realm where the powers that sustain the people and creatures that inhabit it are waning. The Green Wizard, Carolinus (Harry Morgan), summons a meeting with his brothers to find a way to save what remains of magic, which is threatened because of the outside world turning away from such things and embracing an age of science. Three of the brothers plan to seal off what remains to preserve it, but the fourth brother Ommadon, the red wizard of death (chillingly voiced by James Earl Jones), refuses to back down, declaring war on mankind and using fear to strengthen the belief in magic and significantly his own powers. In response, Carolinus selects a champion to lead a crusade to capture Ommadon’s red crown of power and save humanity. He places his faith, one guided by a higher power, in Peter, a scholar from Boston (John Ritter). Ptere is a man of science ripped from the 20th Century and plunged into a realm of magic, dragons, and the weight of having to help stop Ommadon’s plans.
There are familiar fantastical aspects to the story: a motley band of diverse characters and creatures, a noble knight, a wise dragon, a talking wolf, an elf, and an archer, each with their own characters and talents, conflicts and allegiances. There’s a mystical land, with unusual creatures and landmarks they must traverse to accomplish their mission. There’s even a group of wizards, with signifying colors and powers that reinforce the Tolkien influence. There are also smart decisions that further immerse Peter in this world, with the fish out of water slant to the tale escalated when soon after his arrival his consciousness gets merged with that of a young dragon named Gorbash, imperiling the quest to stop Ommadon. It offers drama, comedy, as well as uniquely positioning Peter to break down the “magic” to its scientific underpinnings, figuring out how dragons are able to fly and breathe fire for instance. This nerd talk is aided by John Ritter’s delivery, one imbued with glee; and the rest of the cast also commit themselves with gusto. It’s a pretty savvy script, imbued with plenty of whimsy, smart quips, heady themes, and some emotional moments. The stakes are made clear and, in keeping with the spiritual themes explored, give lasting resonance to events. Some moments and images have lingered in my mind for 20 years before I revisited the film, and they still have potency — notably the horrifying Ogre of Gormley Keep.
Where Flight of Dragons diverges from usual fantasy fare is in its equal embrace of science as well as magic. The choice between them, the conflict between them, and the truth that connects them too. It’s easy for a film that attempts to weave in educational material to become preachy or dull, but here it’s handled in a playful and yet still reverential manner. The film is also imbued with Christian symbology: a burning bush, death, and resurrection, to name but a few. The magic/religion analogy is clear, and provides plenty of reverence for it, while also championing the joys and rewards of understanding how our world works through scientific understanding.
Rankin/Bass was something of a precursor to Studio Ghibli, and some of the early seeds for their approach can be seen here, certainly in the animation of this land; the dragons notably are stunningly rendered. In tone, the film is perhaps closer to Ralph Bakshi’s animated version of The Lord of the Rings, showcasing a darker and more perilous side to the adventure. It makes it all the more effective, adding weight to memorable characters on an emotional adventure, that blends a respect for science with a sense of wonder.
The Green Slime
After a perilous mission to a huge asteroid, a crew returns to its space station, unaware that a bit of ooze from the asteroid clings to a crewman’s uniform. The green goop grows — into murderous, tentacled monsters. And as station members fight to live, gunk from the monsters’ wounds turns into more monsters! That’s the story. Now enjoy as our heroes fight to preserve Earth and, unintentionally, our own senses of humor with a movie that Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times called “one of the funniest made-in-Japan sci-fi monster movies ever.” Kinji Fukasaku, whose later work was championed by Quentin Tarantino, directs. The world would be a far more bleak and joyless place without marvels like The Green Slime.
There are certain days you just need a B-movie, low budget genre fare that entertains. Sure, some of the production values, writing, or acting may be suspect, but there is often a nugget of a great idea at their core, or an undeniable charm. The Green Slime is one of those films — a pulpy slice of sci-fi with a curious heritage that gives it a unique vibe.
An asteroid is hurtling towards Earth. A valiant team leave their space station to intercept it, but on return find they have tracked aboard a mysterious green slime. As they become aware of the threat it poses, they find their weapons only strengthen it, letting it grow into an even more monstrous tentacle-y form. Soon it’s not just their own survival at stake, but that of everyone on the planet below too.
The Green Slime is not what you’d call a good movie, but it is a cheesy romp, and there is plenty to appreciate. It has a pulpy serial vibe, like the old Flash Gordon or Buck Rogers shows. The cast seem pretty game for the OTT nature of it all, as well as the hokey dialogue. Production values, while often shoddy and shown up by weird lighting choices, do embrace the era and intent, crafting a future-skewed ‘60s aesthetic, aided by some impressive miniatures and effects. That curious heritage I referred to comes from how the film was made. It was an American financed feature, with a predominantly American cast, shot entirely in Japan by the Toei Company. Not only that, but it’s directed by Kinji Fukasaku, who wold go on to direct revered genre fare such as Battles Without Honor and Humanity and Battle Royale. He shows a lot of raw talent here and manages to infuse plenty of energy into the film, elevating much of the material. It does remain a curious mismatch, but those seeds of great ideas are in there, so much so you can imagine the likes of Michael Bay, Ridley Scott, and John Carpenter catching this film long ago and it serving as a precursor to some of the cherished sci-fi classics of today.
The Flight of Dragons and The Green Slime are both available via the Warner Archive now.
