Dance of the Dwarfs (film)
Encyclopedia
Dance of the Dwarfs is a 1983 adventure film directed by Gus Trikonis, loosely based on the book by Geoffrey Household
by the same name. It stars Peter Fonda
, Deborah Raffin
, and John Amos
. Despite a relatively well-known cast, the film has stayed in obscurity, it has little to no cult following, and has yet to receive a DVD release. The film features music by a band called Snuff, which shares the name of a popular English band
, despite being unrelated. The English band was not formed until 3 years after Dance of the Dwarfs' release.
), who hires Harry Bediker (Fonda
), a drunken, down on luck helicopter
pilot to fly her into the jungle to find a fellow archaeologist studying a lost tribe of pygmies. On the way, their oil line is shot by bandits, forcing them to land to look for fuel. They find Luis, who along with his wife Maria runs a fortress-like fuel station (to protect him from bandits) in the jungle.
Luis has previously lodged Evelyn's colleague Dr. Eslinger. Reading Eslinger's journals, Evelyn determines that Dr. Eslinger had an overly paranoid view on the duendes, and despite her host's obvious fear of the tribe, she vows to continue searching for them.
Fed up with her pilot's drinking, Dr. Howard takes his whiskey in the night and, the next morning, uses it for target practice, much to his chagrin. Harry takes some drums of mazola oil to refuel his helicopter and leaves Dr. Howard to her studies in the jungle.
In the forest, Evelyn encounters Esteban (Amos
), a witch doctor
who they saw earlier stopping by a camp. Esteban forces her to drink a strong alcohol out of a jug as they discuss the Duendes. Esteban tells Dr. Howard that the tribe she searchers for are the children of the devil who hunt at night.
Meanwhile, as Harry packs, he is ambushed by a duo of bandits (Carlos Palomino
and Telly Babasa). Seemingly unable to bargain with them, Harry tells the them that they would not be so tough without their guns, instead challenging them to a game of "Cuban Roulette" a game similar to Russian Roulette
, but with two bullets instead of one. Bandit 1 agrees, but tells Harry to go first, Harry instead points the bandit's gun at his oppressor and shoots him, the second bandit runs into the jungle and, after being pursued by the duendes, falls into a boiling lake.
Evelyn is noticeably drunk when she crawls over to her radio and calls Harry, who notices her slur and, after she says she's been with Esteban, knows she's drunk, to his amusement. Harry decides to rescue her, and after he refuels his chopper, he flies off over the jungle.
At night, Evelyn radios Harry again and tells him she sees the duendes, which, she discovers, is really a tribe of lizard creatures! She shoots a few with her flare gun before fleeing on to a vine over the deadly lake. Before her arms give out, she is picked up by her pilot, who she kisses as they fly back to Luis's fort in hopes of rescuing him.
However, they find both him and Maria dead, and his compound crawling with the duendes! They manage to escape them and fly away with love, or at least respect, noticeably blossoming. However, when Dr. Howard goes to the middle of the chopper to check on some machinery, she is grabbed by one of the clawed hands of the duendes!
Geoffrey Household
Geoffrey Edward West Household was a prolific British novelist who specialized in thrillers. He is best known for his novel Rogue Male .-Personal life:...
by the same name. It stars Peter Fonda
Peter Fonda
Peter Henry Fonda is an American actor. He is the son of Henry Fonda, brother of Jane Fonda, and father of Bridget and Justin Fonda...
, Deborah Raffin
Deborah Raffin
Deborah Iona Raffin is an American film and television actress.Raffin was born in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of Trudy Marshall, a Brooklyn-born former movie actress, and Phillip Jordan Raffin, a restaurateur and meat/brokerage executive.She appeared in several 1970s Hollywood films...
, and John Amos
John Amos
John Amos is an American actor and former football player. His television work includes roles in The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Good Times, the miniseries Roots, and a recurring role in The West Wing. He has also appeared on Broadway and in numerous motion pictures in a career that spans four decades...
. Despite a relatively well-known cast, the film has stayed in obscurity, it has little to no cult following, and has yet to receive a DVD release. The film features music by a band called Snuff, which shares the name of a popular English band
Snuff (band)
Snuff are a British punk rock band formed in Hendon in 1986. Their name reportedly came about after a long discussion about names ended up with one of them claiming "That's Enough", which was then shortened to Snuff...
, despite being unrelated. The English band was not formed until 3 years after Dance of the Dwarfs' release.
Plot
Dance of the Dwarfs follows the story of Dr. Evelyn Howard (RaffinDeborah Raffin
Deborah Iona Raffin is an American film and television actress.Raffin was born in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of Trudy Marshall, a Brooklyn-born former movie actress, and Phillip Jordan Raffin, a restaurateur and meat/brokerage executive.She appeared in several 1970s Hollywood films...
), who hires Harry Bediker (Fonda
Peter Fonda
Peter Henry Fonda is an American actor. He is the son of Henry Fonda, brother of Jane Fonda, and father of Bridget and Justin Fonda...
), a drunken, down on luck helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
pilot to fly her into the jungle to find a fellow archaeologist studying a lost tribe of pygmies. On the way, their oil line is shot by bandits, forcing them to land to look for fuel. They find Luis, who along with his wife Maria runs a fortress-like fuel station (to protect him from bandits) in the jungle.
Luis has previously lodged Evelyn's colleague Dr. Eslinger. Reading Eslinger's journals, Evelyn determines that Dr. Eslinger had an overly paranoid view on the duendes, and despite her host's obvious fear of the tribe, she vows to continue searching for them.
Fed up with her pilot's drinking, Dr. Howard takes his whiskey in the night and, the next morning, uses it for target practice, much to his chagrin. Harry takes some drums of mazola oil to refuel his helicopter and leaves Dr. Howard to her studies in the jungle.
In the forest, Evelyn encounters Esteban (Amos
John Amos
John Amos is an American actor and former football player. His television work includes roles in The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Good Times, the miniseries Roots, and a recurring role in The West Wing. He has also appeared on Broadway and in numerous motion pictures in a career that spans four decades...
), a witch doctor
Witch doctor
A witch doctor originally referred to a type of healer who treated ailments believed to be caused by witchcraft. It is currently used to refer to healers in some third world regions, who use traditional healing rather than contemporary medicine...
who they saw earlier stopping by a camp. Esteban forces her to drink a strong alcohol out of a jug as they discuss the Duendes. Esteban tells Dr. Howard that the tribe she searchers for are the children of the devil who hunt at night.
Meanwhile, as Harry packs, he is ambushed by a duo of bandits (Carlos Palomino
Carlos Palomino
Carlos Palomino a retired Mexican professional boxer. Palomino is a former WBC Welterweight Champion and member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Palomino is also an actor who has been featured in several television shows and films...
and Telly Babasa). Seemingly unable to bargain with them, Harry tells the them that they would not be so tough without their guns, instead challenging them to a game of "Cuban Roulette" a game similar to Russian Roulette
Russian roulette
Russian roulette is a potentially lethal game of chance in which participants place a single round in a revolver, spin the cylinder, place the muzzle against their head and pull the trigger...
, but with two bullets instead of one. Bandit 1 agrees, but tells Harry to go first, Harry instead points the bandit's gun at his oppressor and shoots him, the second bandit runs into the jungle and, after being pursued by the duendes, falls into a boiling lake.
Evelyn is noticeably drunk when she crawls over to her radio and calls Harry, who notices her slur and, after she says she's been with Esteban, knows she's drunk, to his amusement. Harry decides to rescue her, and after he refuels his chopper, he flies off over the jungle.
At night, Evelyn radios Harry again and tells him she sees the duendes, which, she discovers, is really a tribe of lizard creatures! She shoots a few with her flare gun before fleeing on to a vine over the deadly lake. Before her arms give out, she is picked up by her pilot, who she kisses as they fly back to Luis's fort in hopes of rescuing him.
However, they find both him and Maria dead, and his compound crawling with the duendes! They manage to escape them and fly away with love, or at least respect, noticeably blossoming. However, when Dr. Howard goes to the middle of the chopper to check on some machinery, she is grabbed by one of the clawed hands of the duendes!