Why we love the film by Mark Zakharov based on the play by Eugene Schwartz “Dragon”

“To Kill a Dragon” is a 1988 film directed by Mark Zakharov based on the play “Dragon” by Evgeny Schwartz (the play was written in 1944). I watched this movie a long time ago, but I remember it for the rest of my life. And now, in the spring of 2022, I realized that the events of this play are more relevant than ever.

Almost every sentence of this film can be quote. I thought this movie was about our past. It turned out to be about the future, and perhaps already, unfortunately, about the present!

Today's edition. "Site" He'll tell us what we love. film by Mark Zakharov Based on the play by Eugene Schwartz “Dragon”. Lancelot in the film is played by Alexander Abdulov!



To understand what is happening, you can just watch old movies, cartoons. And read books. Everything has been written and told. But people stayed the same. Nothing has changed...

For obvious reasons, now is the time to review the movie “Kill the Dragon”. Or see if someone hasn’t seen her. Briefly about the plot: for many years the city, which gets wandering knight Lancelot (played by Alexander Abdulov), is under the rule of the Dragon (played by Oleg Yankovsky).



Every month people supply the Dragon with thousands of cows, sheep, chickens, and once a year - the most beautiful girl. And she's gone forever. And one day on the eve of such a day, a random traveler Lancelot came to the house of a girl chosen by a dragon. He inflamed with righteous anger and challenged the Dragon to a duel. It is the duty of a knight to fight a cruel usurper.

The dragon is clearly afraid. fight-off He wants to get rid of him, and therefore his “right hand”, the mayor of the “free city”, elected for the 17th time in a row, a mentally ill old man for life, tries to persuade Lancelot with the help of pressure from “the best people of the city” to leave the country.



However, residents of the city are accustomed to this order of things and even found advantages in their situation. Even Elsa, the chosen one, discouraged Lancelot. She was ready to sacrifice for the peace of the city and her friends, who would have died if the choice had fallen on them, and did not believe in the victory of Lancelot.

However, the fight took place and Lancelot won. And the wounded man disappeared. The fruits of the victory over the Dragon were used by the villains and restored the dragon order in the city. A year later, Lancelot appeared.



The film is very deep, philosophical. Almost every conversation sounds like a prophecy. The best way to get rid of a dragon is to have your own.

“I began to envy slaves. They know everything in advance. They have strong beliefs. Probably because they have no choice. A knight... The knight is always at the crossroads.”



The Dragon said, We have not yet discussed the terms of the fight. We've been killing without conditions for a long time. New times are a new trend.” It’s time to deal with dragons, especially your own!

“I change friends all the time. Especially security”. Does that ring a bell?



This phrase from the dialogue between Lancelot and the burgomaster is very accurate: "This is not the people?" It's worse than people. These are the best people in the city”. Or is it, "Would you tell me what's going on up there?" Today, everyone decides for himself what he sees?

Truly brilliant is the dialogue between the Dragon and Lancelot. Dragon: Do you want to give them freedom? What will they do with it? Why would they? Give them freedom, they will suffocate each other, bite each other. Lancelot: They're not to blame. How do they know what freedom is? They never knew how to use it.





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“Don’t be afraid, you can be normal people now. Think. You can. Difficult, unusual, but possible. We just have to start”.
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And here it is, Lancelot's final phrase to the people of this city: "You are a free man!" You've been free for a year! Come on, it's here in your head, and I'm going to make everyone understand that and kill the dragon in themselves! In you! Do you understand that? To defeat the dragon, we must first kill it within ourselves. Everything else will be easier...



And, of course, Burgomister’s words about burning archives are more relevant to me than ever. Those burnt archives!

As always, I was amazed at the parallels that are surprisingly relevant nowadays and wondered how this film was released in the USSR. The answer was simple – the film was released in 1988, when times were more than liberal and loyal.

And I just have one question for all of us: how did things come true in a country where these films were made?



I also suggest getting acquainted with a selection of performances of the USSR, tickets for which stood for three days in line. Thanks to their television versions, we have the opportunity to see great actors on stage, as well as get a charge of positive emotions and good mood!



"To Kill a Dragon" 1988It seems like 2022. This movie has a very telling ending. No one believed Lancelot, this people create their own dragon because they need it. Without him, they're in chaos. If you kill a dragon, they will quickly find and create a new one for themselves.

But to get out of it all, you have to defeat the dragon within. It is a struggle between light and darkness within man, and the final outcome depends on man himself.

A brilliant film, and most importantly, relevant! Have you seen this movie? How do you see her? What was most impressive?