Disney's Creepy '80s Fantasy Movie Is One Of George R. R. Martin's Favorites

He's the creator of the "Game of Thrones" universe, so it's unsurprising to learn that George R.R. Martin's favorite Disney movie is also a dark fantasy about dragons. Writing for The Daily Beast, Martin listed the House of Mouse's "Dragonslayer" in his personal top 10 cinematic genre offerings, highlighting a fondness for its creepiness and creature effects. In fact, Martin even implied that the villainous fire-breathing monster in the Matthew Robbins-directed flick is better than the chicken-inspired dragons on "Game of Thrones." In his own words:

"Vermithrax Perjorative is the best dragon ever put on film (the dragons in 'Reign of Fire' are a close second) and has the coolest dragon name as well."

To be fair to Martin, Vermithrax Perjorative is an impressive creature. The special effects were created by George Lucas' Industrial Light and Magic company and received an Oscar nomination for Best Visual Effects, so they are nothing to be scoffed at. Be that as it may, Vermithrax is one of the least family-friendly Disney villains out there, as the creature demands virgin sacrifices. That's a disturbing concept, but we also need to bear in mind that "Dragonslayer" was released in the '80s — a time when Disney produced creepy horror movies like "The Watcher in the Woods" to scare young viewers. 

Dragons and spooky fantasy elements aren't the only things Martin loves about "Dragonslayer," though. In fact, there are other aspects of the movie that share similarities with his own work, especially "Game of Thrones."

George R.R. Martin is often regarded as a grimdark storyteller, as his take on fantasy is gritty, morally ambiguous, and subverts expectations. Some of the most memorable "Game of Thrones" episodes see notable characters die unexpectedly, with the Red Wedding scene in "The Rains of Castamere" being particularly noteworthy. This isn't me saying that "Dragonslayer" inspired Martin's storytelling, but it's interesting that he noted an appreciation for the film's own grimdark-esque qualities. As he wrote in his Daily Beast review:

"There's also a beautiful, brave, noble princess, who gets eaten by baby dragons after making us believe she's Galen's love interest. The real love interest, Caitlin Clarke, spends most of the film pretending to be a boy, a bit of gender-bending one would never have expected from Disney. The film's bad guys are painted in shades of gray; from where they sit, they're the heroes, doing what has to be done to save the land. Even Vermithrax has believable motives."

"Dragonslayer" isn't the most popular movie in the Disney vaults, nor should it be watched by viewers who want to watch more family-friendly flicks like "Raya and the Last Dragon." However, Martin's passion for the flick is infectious, and his praise for it contains a lot of valid points.