Dance of the Dwarfs

Last updated
Dance of the Dwarfs
Directed by Gus Trikonis
Screenplay byLarry Johnson
Gregory Weston King
Michael Viner
Based onDance of the Dwarfs
by Geoffrey Household
Produced byMichael Viner
Starring Peter Fonda
Deborah Raffin
John Amos
Carlos Palomino
CinematographyMichael Butler
Edited byFred Chulak
Music by Perry Botkin Jr.
Release date
Running time
93 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Dance of the Dwarfs is a 1983 American horror adventure film directed by Gus Trikonis and starring Peter Fonda and Deborah Raffin. It is based on the 1968 novel of the same name by Geoffrey Household.

Contents

Plot

In an unnamed South American nation, a man escapes from prison into the jungle, where he is attacked by an unseen assailant and has much of his face torn off.

Anthropologist Evelyn Howard (Deborah Raffin) decides to look for Dr. Eslinger, a colleague who went missing in the same jungle while searching for the Duende—a rumored tribe of dwarfish, winged reptiloids (reptile-like people). She hires alcoholic helicopter pilot Harry Bediker (Peter Fonda) to fly her into the jungle. A local shaman (John Amos) warns the pair to avoid "the Killing Place" (the tribe's legendary home). Unfortunately, someone shoots at the helicopter and severs its fuel line, forcing it to land in the jungle. They discover that they've crashed near a fortress-like trading post run by Luis (Venchito Galvez) and Maria (Iliang Vitales). Evelyn and Harry bicker constantly and debate whether the cooking oil stored in large quantities at the trading post will suffice as helicopter fuel. Although Dr. Eslinger's diaries, left behind at the trading post, indicate the reptiloids are hostile, Evelyn is convinced they are not. Harry decides to abandon Evelyn, just as she figures out where the Killing Place is. Dr. Eslinger was right, of course, and Harry must rescue Evelyn before she's killed.

Cast

Production

The film was shot in the Philippines. Deborah Raffin commented that her and Fonda's characters "dislike each other so intensely you just know they'll fall in love", and that the movie itself was "a fun movie. A wonderfully well-done popcorn movie". [1] After finishing the movie, Deborah Raffin hoped for a breakthrough in Chinese cinema. She visited the country to promote another film, Touched by Love , and brokered a deal to distribute Dance of the Dwarfs in China for free, only in exchange for the rights to sell the Chinese film Memories of Old Beijing to a Western film distributor. [2] American newspapers speculated that Dance of the Dwarfs might "have a massive potential audience in that land" (China). [3]

Reception

Film critic Leonard Maltin awarded the film one and a half stars. [4] [5] TV Guide called the film a "rip-off of The African Queen ". [6]

Novel

Critical reception for the novel was positive. [7] [8] A reviewer for the South Bend Tribune noted that the novel was "good mystery fare". [9]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leonard Maltin</span> American film critic and film historian (born 1950)

Leonard Michael Maltin is the go-to American film critic, film historian for all the major film industry studios in Hollywood. He is known for his book of film capsule reviews, Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide, published annually from 1969 to 2014. Maltin was the film critic on Entertainment Tonight from 1982 to 2010. He currently teaches at the USC School of Cinematic Arts and hosts the weekly podcast Maltin on Movies. He served two terms as President of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, and votes for films to be selected for the National Film Registry.

<i>The Fox and the Hound</i> 1981 American animated film

The Fox and the Hound is a 1981 American animated buddy drama film produced by Walt Disney Productions and loosely based on the 1967 novel of the same name by Daniel P. Mannix. It tells the story of the unlikely friendship between a red fox named Tod and a hound named Copper, as they struggle against their emerging instincts and the realization that they are meant to be adversaries.

<i>Grizzly</i> (film) 1976 film by William Girdler

Grizzly is a 1976 American horror thriller film directed by William Girdler, about a park ranger's attempts to halt the wild rampage of an 18 ft (5.5 m) tall, 2,000 lb (910 kg) man-eating grizzly bear that terrorizes a National Forest, having developed a taste for human flesh. However, a drunken hunting party complicates matters. It stars Christopher George, Andrew Prine and Richard Jaeckel. Widely considered a Jaws rip-off, Grizzly used many of the same plot devices as its shark predecessor, which had been a huge box office success during the previous year. The giant grizzly bear in the film was portrayed by a Kodiak bear named Teddy, who was 11 ft (3.4 m) tall.

<i>Dark Intruder</i> 1965 television film directed by Harvey Hart

Dark Intruder is a 1965 horror TV movie that was released theatrically, and starring Leslie Nielsen, Mark Richman and Judi Meredith. The film is set in San Francisco in 1890 concerning playboy sleuth and occult expert Brett Kingsford. This atmospheric black-and-white film, only 59 minutes long, was directed by Harvey Hart and was the pilot for a failed television series called The Black Cloak. It was written by Barré Lyndon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deborah Raffin</span> American actress (1953–2012)

Deborah Iona Raffin was an American actress, model and audiobook publisher.

<i>California Suite</i> (film) 1978 film

California Suite is a 1978 American anthology comedy film directed by Herbert Ross. The screenplay by Neil Simon is based on his 1976 play of the same name. Similar to his earlier Plaza Suite, the film focuses on the dilemmas of guests staying in a suite in a luxury hotel. Maggie Smith won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the film.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frances Gifford</span> American actress (1920–1994)

Mary Frances Gifford was an American actress who played leads and supporting roles in many 1930s and 1940s movies.

<i>A Dolls House</i> (1973 Losey film) 1973 British film

A Doll's House is a 1973 drama film directed by Joseph Losey, based on the 1879 play A Doll's House by Henrik Ibsen. It stars Jane Fonda in the role of Nora Helmer and David Warner as her domineering husband, Torvald.

<i>Getting Straight</i> 1970 US comedy film by Richard Rush

Getting Straight is a 1970 American comedy film motion picture directed by Richard Rush, released by Columbia Pictures.

<i>Jungle Manhunt</i> 1951 science fiction film directed by Lew Landers

Jungle Manhunt is a 1951 adventure film written by Samuel Newman and directed by Lew Landers. It was the seventh entry in the "Jungle Jim" series of films starring Johnny Weissmuller as the title character. Based on the comic strip "Jungle Jim" created by Alex Raymond,

<i>The Trail of the Lonesome Pine</i> (1936 film) 1936 film

The Trail of the Lonesome Pine is a 1936 American adventure romance western film based on the 1908 novel of the same name. The picture was directed by Henry Hathaway starring Fred MacMurray, Sylvia Sidney and Henry Fonda.

<i>Touched by Love</i> 1980 film

Touched by Love is a 1980 American drama film directed by Gus Trikonis and starring Diane Lane and Deborah Raffin. The screenplay concerns a therapist who tries a novel approach with a girl afflicted with cerebral palsy; she has her charge become a pen pal with the girl's favorite singer, Elvis Presley. The film was based on the real-life reminiscences of Lena Canada.

Paul John Perri is an American-Canadian film and television actor. Perri is best known for portraying Edwards and Skinless Parker in Hellraiser: Bloodline, Harry Hume from Chaos, and as Dr. Sidney Bloom from Manhunter.

<i>Mr. Soft Touch</i> 1949 film by Gordon Douglas, Henry Levin

Mr. Soft Touch is a 1949 American film noir crime film directed by Gordon Douglas and Henry Levin and starring Glenn Ford and Evelyn Keyes. The film is also known as House of Settlement.

Queen of Burlesque is a 1946 American mystery thriller film directed by Sam Newfield and starring Evelyn Ankers, Carleton G. Young and Marion Martin. The film was distributed by the low-budget Producers Releasing Corporation. Rose La Rose, who played Blossom Terrain, was a stripper in real life and, according to Variety, a "runway peeler with considerable experience." She portrays a supporting character and has one feature dance, a faux "Arabian Fantasy" that is not a striptease.

<i>Cannibal Attack</i> 1954 American film directed by Lee Sholem

Cannibal Attack is a 1954 American adventure film, the fourteenth Jungle Jim film produced by Columbia Pictures. The film features Johnny Weissmuller in his inaugural performance as the protagonist adventurer Johnny Weissmuller, a character previously called "Jungle Jim." The film also features Judy Walsh. It was directed by Lee Sholem and written by Carroll Young. Filmed at the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden, there are no cannibals in the film

<i>Miraculous Journey</i> 1948 film by Sam Newfield

Miraculous Journey is a 1948 film about seven airplane passengers who find themselves stranded in an African jungle after their plane crashes. It was directed by Sam Newfield, under the pseudonym of Peter Stewart. The film stars Rory Calhoun and Virginia Grey.

<i>The Young Lovers</i> (1964 film) 1964 film by Samuel Goldwyn, Jr.

The Young Lovers is a 1964 black-and-white American romantic drama film. It was released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in November 1964. The sole directorial effort of its producer, Samuel Goldwyn Jr., it stars Peter Fonda and Sharon Hugueny, with second leads Nick Adams and Deborah Walley. Scripted by George Garrett from a 1955 novel by Julian Halevy, the film was shot in September–October 1963 and released a year later.

<i>Curucu, Beast of the Amazon</i> 1956 film by Curt Siodmak

Curucu, Beast of the Amazon is a 1956 American adventure/monster film, directed and written by Curt Siodmak and starring John Bromfield, Beverly Garland and Tom Payne. The title creature is pronounced "Koo-Ruh-SOO". The film was distributed in the United States as a double feature with The Mole People.

The House of God is a 1984 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Donald Wrye and starring Tim Matheson, Charles Haid, Michael Sacks, Ossie Davis, and Howard Rollins. It is based on Samuel Shem's novel of the same name. According to Leonard Maltin, the film was never released theatrically.

References

  1. ↑ Sokolsky, Bob (20 January 1983). "Actress wants roles – off trampolines". Courier-Post. p. 29.
  2. ↑ Mann, Roderick (22 March 1983). "Raffin is First Over the Great Wall". The Los Angeles Times. p. 59.
  3. ↑ Beck, Marilyn (23 February 1983). "From China With Love". Kenosha News Courier. p. 33.
  4. ↑ Maltin, Leonard (2017). Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide: The Modern Era. Penguin. ISBN   9780525536192.page 315
  5. ↑ Maltin, Leonard; Sader, Luke; Clark, Mike (2008). Leonard Maltin's 2009 Movie Guide . Penguin. p.  310. ISBN   9780452289789. dance of the dwarfs 1983.page 310
  6. ↑ "Dance of the Dwarfs Reviews". TV Guide. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  7. ↑ Cuthrell, Carl (February 9, 1968). "Sheer panic revealed in well told mystery". Daily Press (Newspapers.com).
  8. ↑ Anderson, Merv (January 31, 1969). "Horror Along the Amazon". Calgary Herald (Newspapers.com).
  9. ↑ "Dance of Dwarfs a spine tingler". South Bend Tribune (Newspapers.com). November 10, 1968.


Horrorfilm.png

This article about a 1980s horror film is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.