Dragons are a part of nearly every major culture. While some of us seem to think that this means they were once real creatures that terrorized our ancestors, it’s more likely that there’s something inherently and universally fascinating about reptilian monsters hovering above humankind on the food chain.
That’s why it makes sense that there are so many unique dragons in media, both friendly and demonic. However, some of these fire-breathing creatures are more monstrous than others, and that’s why we’ve decided to compile a list of six of the scariest dragons in film, as we horror hounds tend to prefer fantasy stories with a hint of darkness.
To be included on this list, dragons need to stand out in either their villainous behavior or nightmarish design, but they don’t necessarily have to appear in a traditionally scary movie. And for the purposes of this article, we’ll be defining “dragon” as any vaguely reptilian monster that may or may not have wings and breathe fire – so it’s no use complaining that some of these are technically wyverns! With that out of the way, don’t forget to comment below with your own favorite cinematic drakes if you think we missed a particularly scary one.
Now, onto the list of some truly scary dragons…
6. Bull Dragon – Reign of Fire (2002)
On paper, a post-apocalyptic adventure starring Christian Bale and Matthew McConaughey in a world overrun by dragons sounds like the greatest movie ever made. Unfortunately, Rob Bowman’s 2002 thriller doesn’t quite live up to the lofty ambitions of its premise, relying on well-worn tropes and excessive CGI to tell its familiar story; but it does boast some surprisingly gnarly draconic carnage.
And among the film’s menagerie of fire-breathing fiends, the deadly Bull Dragon stands out as the most memorable. The leader of the ash-eating monsters that have taken over the planet, this gigantic alpha male is even deadlier than the regular variety, making for a thrilling final confrontation.
5. Quetzalcoatl– Q – The Winged Serpent (1982)
Based on Aztec mythology, the Quetzalcoatl may not be a traditional fire-breathing drake, but it’s certainly one of the most unique monsters to ever grace cinema screens. Brought to life by stunning stop-motion effects in Larry Cohen’s underrated Q – The Winged Serpent, this supernatural creature is responsible for some extremely gnarly deaths above the skies of New York City.
Sure, the Claymation effects might seem silly to some viewers, but I’d argue that the creature’s jerky movements and odd design only make it more frightening. That being said, Q’s urban rampage is still outshined by Michael Moriarty’s mesmerizing performance – which is the real reason everyone should watch this movie.
4. The Jabberwocky – Jabberwocky (1977)
An offbeat comedy about a young cooper’s apprentice who embarks on a humorous quest to slay a fearsome dragon, Terry Gilliam’s Jabberwocky isn’t a particularly spooky film (or even one of the director’s best works), but there’s no denying that the movie’s titular monster looks downright horrific despite some decidedly low-budget practical effects.
Brought to life with a kaiju-like rubber suit based on sketches drawn by Gilliam himself, this may not be the only terrifying re-imagining of Lewis Carroll’s iconic beast. My personal favorite is the one in American Mcgee’s Alice game, but it’s certainly the scariest one in film.
3. King Ghidorah – Godzilla: The Planet Eater (2018)
One of the most iconic dragons of all time (and probably the one with the largest kill-count on this list), King Ghidorah’s early appearances may have been marred by some cheap rubber suit technology, but this three-headed extraterrestrial has evolved into a formidable nemesis since his debut back in 1964.
From the benevolent spirit in GMK: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack to the demonic CGI horror in Legendary’s Monsterverse, King Ghidorah has seen several memorable incarnations, but my personal favorite has to be the eldritch horror in Godzilla: The Planet Eater. The concluding chapter in Netflix’s anime trilogy, The Planet Eater frames Ghidorah as an interdimensional entity, with his three heads reaching out from a portal like Lovecraftian tentacles as he attempts to consume the earth.
Now that’s a horrific re-imagining.
2. Eborsisk – Willow (1988)
More than a little inspired by Tolkien’s tales of Middle Earth, Ron Howard’s Willow is a highly entertaining fantasy adventure, but that doesn’t mean it’s completely devoid of frights. During one particularly memorable scene, our titular hero attempts to thwart an attacking troll through magic, only to end up transforming the creature into a grisly two-headed dragon.
Affectionately named after movie critics Siskel and Ebert, the two-headed creature is one of the film’s most impressive effects, being brought to life by a mix of practical puppets, stop motion and clever overlaying of footage. Of course, we expect nothing less from the legendary Skywalker Ranch.
1. Vermithrax Pejorative – Dragonslayer (1981)
From Conan the Barbarian to the aforementioned Willow, the sword and sorcery boom of the 80s resulted in several bona fide classics, but you’ve got to admit that the best movie monster to come out of this era was the giant antagonist from Disney’s Dragonslayer. A surprisingly violent yarn about a young wizard who takes on a murderous dragon, it’s pretty clear why a quarter of the flick’s budget went into designing and building its deadly antagonist.
The story itself establishes Vermithrax as a fearsome foe, with the creature incinerating a sizable portion of the film’s cast, but what really makes her so terrifying is just how believable and well-designed she is. Animated by a veritable army of puppeteers from Industrial Light & Magic – as well as some cutting-edge animatronics and even a bit of stop-motion- no cinematic dragon has come close to matching the sheer terror of Vermithrax and her hideous offspring.
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