''Dance of the Dwarfs'' is a 1983 American horror adventure film directed by

Gus Trikonis Gus Trikonis (born Kostas Tritchonis; November 21, 1937) is an American actor, dancer, and director. Career Trikonis began his career as an actor and dancer, notably appearing in the hugely successful 1961 film ''West Side Story'' as Indio, one ...

and starring Peter Fonda and

Deborah Raffin Deborah Iona Raffin (March 13, 1953 – November 21, 2012) was an American actress, model and audiobook publisher. Early life Raffin was born in Los Angeles, California, to actress Trudy Marshall and Phillip Jordan Raffin, a restaurateur and b ...

. It is based on the 1968 novel of the same name by

Geoffrey Household Geoffrey Edward West Household (30 November 1900 – 4 October 1988) was a prolific British novelist who specialized in thrillers. He is best known for his novel '' Rogue Male'' ( 1939). Personal life He was born in Bristol; his father Hora ...

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

* Peter Fonda as Harry Bediker *

as Dr. Evelyn Howard *

John Amos John Allen Amos Jr. (born December 27, 1939) is an American actor known for his role as James Evans Sr. on the CBS television series ''Good Times''. Amos's other television work includes ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'', a recurring role as Admi ...

as Esteban * Carlos Palomino as Bandit #1

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". After finishing the movie, Deborah Raffin hoped for a breakthrough in Chinese cinema. She visited the country to promote another film, ''

Touched by Love ''Touched by Love'' (also called ''To Elvis, with 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 wit ...

'', 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 distibutor. American newspapers speculated that ''Dance of the Dwarfs'' might "have a massive potential audience in that land" (China).

Reception

Film critic

Leonard Maltin Leonard Michael Maltin (born December 18, 1950) is an American film critic and film historian, as well as an author of several mainstream books on cinema, focusing on nostalgic, celebratory narratives. He is perhaps best known for his book of fi ...

awarded the film one and a half stars. ''

TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program listings information as well as entertainment and television-related news. The company sold its print magazine division, TV Guide Magazine LLC, in 2008. Corpora ...

'' called the film a "rip-off of '' The African Queen''".

Novel

Critical reception for the novel was positive. A reviewer for the '' South Bend Tribune'' noted that the novel was "good mystery fare".

References

External links

* * American horror films American adventure films Films based on British novels Films directed by Gus Trikonis 1980s English-language films 1980s American films {{1980s-horror-film-stub