Five Important Documentary “Movies” About Dragons

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How do you learn about dragons? One way is to watch historical documentaries.

First, some thoughts on source materials.  Here at MyModernDragon.com, I always search out the best sources of information on dragons.  

I don’t just rely on the fact that I am a dragon to share information with you, my dear readers.  No; I feel that would be irresponsible.  After all, I’m just one dragon. 

So to understand as much as I can about the diversity of the dragon experience, I conduct research about dragons, including consulting with my in-lair dracologist and watching historical documentaries. 

What are some movies featuring dragons?

I should also acknowledge that some people consider the following documentaries about dragons to be “movies.”  As in, fiction.

I understand that people have that view.  That is certainly their prerogative.  Who am I to judge?

But we can learn so much about dragons from dragon “movies” that, in my personal opinion as a dragon, are obviously dragon documentaries.  These historical documents illustrate with great aplomb the trials and travails, setbacks and successes, fortunes and flames of our airborne allies.

So if you want to call them “movies,” okay.   I understand that perspective. 

But, while I may be just one dragon, I truly believe they’re really important contributions to The Literature.  

And another thing: It’s easy to find TV and movie summaries online.  But the summaries I’ve seen tend to focus on summarizing plot elements, production values, and reviews and critiques.  

Don’t get me wrong: those types of summaries are great.  I love watching a movie or a show and then reading someone’s analysis. 

But how many places can you find discussion of the dragonness of these media?  Not many, I’d wager.  That’s why one post at a time, one dragon documentary at a time, My Modern Dragon hopes to fill in that gap.

So, without further ado, here are five important “movies” about dragons!  

5. The Neverending Story (1984)

Where else to begin this short collection of important dragon biopics than The Neverending Story?  

This documentary, and the 1979 monograph by lead researcher Michael Ende upon which it was based, exposed the world to an amazing kind of dragon: the luckdragon. 

Falkor the luckdragon, in particular.  Rescuer of child warriors.  Giver of sage advice.  Provider of aerial transportation in times of great need.

An indomitable believer in (and practitioner of) the power of good luck, Falkor taught us many things.  Here are two of them:  

• A dragon will be there when you need one.  
• A dragon is your friend.

Neither of these lessons should be surprising.  Falkor represents many ideal attributes of the Eastern dragon:  wisdom, beneficence, loyalty, friendship, and helpfulness.  

Falkor was (is? I prefer is) so approachable in part because when he reveals himself to humans, he appears in a tufted (so very, very tufted!) form.  He has no wings–in fact, he resembles a dog.  He flies using magic, of course.

For all these positives, I do have some constructive critiques.  One thing I would have liked to have seen would be a little more exposition on Falkor’s past experiences.  I’m concerned that Falkor didn’t get enough screen time.  

Portrayal seems accurate, though.  The Falkor we see on screen is one kindly and beneficent luckdragon. 

And for a generation of 1980s youthful aspiring dracologists, Falkor came to represent the dragon they never stopped wanting as their own, personal luckdragon. 

4. Pete’s Dragon (2016)

Our tour of dragon documentaries now swoops forward in time to visit three recent contributions to The Literature.  The first of these is the 2016 study optimistically (if somewhat mistakenly) entitled Pete’s Dragon.

This documentary, released as a second edition of the original 1977 report, tells the story of a kind and beneficent Western mountain dragon who chances upon and rescues a lost human boy wandering alone in the forest.  

The eponymous dragon documented by Pete (Pete names him Elliott) shares a number of Falkor’s attributes:  large, gentle, kind and, of course, tufted.

He’s also green!  And winged.  So, definitely a Western dragon.

Most notable of all, Pete’s dragon demonstrates compassion for a small, lost human child, even in the face of danger.

Until the nineteenth century, the literature rarely documented Western dragons having such positive attributes.  

The favorable perspective shared by Pete’s Dragon is, therefore, in the humble opinion of this modern dragon, a welcome addition to the literature.

Ooh!  And, Pete’s Dragon documents an outstanding example of a dragon’s magical dimness glamour, that is, the power to become invisible–or nearly so–whenever he did not want people to see him.  

If you haven’t viewed this documentary yet, I won’t spoil it for you.  I’ll just say a couple things.  

First, here in the lair we sometimes felt scared watching Pete’s.  Would the kindhearted dragon be harmed? 

There were some close calls–a little too close for our comfort, to be honest.  I won’t say how those close calls get resolved.   

But overall, this documentary has a lot going for it, especially the great dragon exposition, beautiful scenery, and positive portrayal of dragons.  If you can stand some tense moments, it’s a heartwarming tail.  

3. Wish Dragon (2021)

2021 was a great year for dragon documentaries.  

That year the world received two important additions to the literature (“movies” if you must, though we all know they are really documentaries): Wish Dragon and Raya and the Last Dragon. 

Wish Dragon tells the colorful, poignant story of Long, an ancient, teapot-dwelling Eastern dragon.  He meets a human, and, as typically happens when meeting humans, things get a bit complicated.

I won’t reveal here what causes Long to become a dragon or what happens when he meets his new human friend, Din.  What I will say is that, having assumed dragon form, Long is immensely powerful, beneficent, and able to grant almost any wish.  

When it comes to how effectively the documentary exposes viewers to Long’s attributes and thus how well the film contributes to knowledge of dragonkind, I think it does well.  

Long is, well, long.  He is also pink, tufted, and extremely scalable:  he can fit into a tiny teapot or expand to fill a Shanghai city block, seemingly at will.  Pretty cool trick!

And, naturally, as an Eastern dragon, Long has an outstanding prehensile tail, no wings, and he flies using magic.  

Check out this introduction to Eastern and Western dragons  

Beyond its helpful exposition of these Eastern dragon traits, however, Wish Dragon is a significant contribution to The Literature. It demonstrates that not just humans, but also dragons, are capable of change and moral growth.  

I won’t go into specifics; I don’t want to spoil the fun of watching this engaging biopic. 

But I will suggest that if you want to learn about the moral education of dragons and see an excellent example of an Eastern Dragon doing its thing, Wish Dragon is a great and fun and adorably tufted place to start.

2. Raya and the Last Dragon (2021)

And on to the next splendid 2021 dragon documentary, Raya and the Last Dragon. 

I imagine some human audiences may feel differently, but in the opinion of this modern dragon, the star of the show is Sisu, a kind and charismatic Eastern dragon and underdog hero everyone should want to root for.  

After all, with a title that includes the phrase “the Last Dragon,” the audience really has to wonder:  Will Sisu be the last dragon?  Goodness, I certainly hope not.  

On that note, I have to offer a gentle critique of the study’s investigators for using such a provocative and concerning title.   Last dragon? EEEK!

But, on the other haunch, if the title leads more people to watch the documentary and greater sensitivity to dragon issues, that would be a most excellent and worthwhile tradeoff.

Raya features some impressive flight and water sequences; as an Eastern dragon, Sisu flies–or in her case is it gallops?–through the air magically, without wings, and very gracefully.  

She’s got some cool tricks, like the ability to walk on splotches of water suspended in the sky (not unlike Ms. Marvel), and she can shape-change into human form (not unlike the creatures of Grimm undergoing a woge).  

The documentary’s biggest contribution to dragon learnings, however, is how it portrays Sisu as powerful while at the same time eminently capable of self-doubt.  

Sisu asks rhetorically:  “Have you ever done, like a group project, but there’s that one kid who doesn’t pitch in as much but still ends up with the same grade?”  

We learn that Sisu, the proverbial runt of the clutch, suffers from impostor syndrome:  After a traumatic past, she fears she is not up to the miracles she is now being called upon to perform.  

But thanks to a solid dragon-human partnership, maybe all is not lost.  Check out the biopic and see for yourself.

1. How to Train Your Dragon (2010)

And that brings us to one of the most significant cinematic contributions to The Literature of the last century: How to Train Your Dragon.

Spawning multiple sequels and even video games, How to Train Your Dragon is a visual representation based on but only loosely tied to the original series of monographs by researcher Cressida Cowell.  

The watershed biopic introduces the noble, loyal Toothless, a Western dragon of the night fury breed.

We also get to meet a whole bonfire of other dragons, including gronkles, terrible terrors, and hideous zipplebacks, just to name a few.

Night furies, we learn, are the rarest of the rare.  HTTYD gives lessons on dragon anatomy that were previously unavailable, including the importance of the tail fin, especially to certain dragons in particular. 

And then there’s the matter of the night fury’s abilities.  Able to swoop with enormous speed and agility, blend into the night sky, and shoot powerful plasma bursts, the night fury has no equal in the sky.  

Toothless may, however, have met his match–on land, at least–in the form of the human boy Hiccup.  Amazingly, Hiccup initially captures and even injures Toothless, before the two reconcile and form a beautiful friendship.

For what it’s worth, I want to believe that Hiccup inflicted the injury accidentally, and that he has atoned.  Very arguably he obtained redemption, but let me know your thoughts.

The documentary, along with subsequent volumes, illuminates the history of some of the conflicts within the dragon community as well as with humans.  

The title, however, falls a little flat.  Sure, it’s plenty catchy.  But I think we all know who is training who.

HTTYD is part buddy comedy, part ode to dragons, and all homage to the goodness and loyalty of dragons (well, most of them), be they big or small.  

Building on the work of early classical dracologists, HTTYD has sparked an interest in and appreciation for dragons that perseveres now, even years after the film’s release.  

The positive impact of this research cannot be overstated.  If you have not watched this documentary, well, drop what you’re doing, gather up your snuggle creatures, and watch it tonight.

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Thanks for joining me on this survey of five of the most important dragon documentaries—ahem, movies–that any dragon enthusiast should see.  There are plenty more great ones out there, and don’t hesitate to let me know which you’d like to see me write about next!

Thought experiment:  Imagine you could meet any of the dragons profiled above.   Who would you like to meet, and what questions would you ask first?

Very truly yours, 

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