Dragonslayer (PG, 1981)

DRAGONSLAYER follows the quest of sorcerer's apprentice, Galen (Peter MacNichol), who sets out to kill a dragon and stop a cycle in which virginal girls are sacrificed in order to keep the beast from destroying an entire kingdom. Galen makes a valiant attempt at killing the dragon, but when the beast returns, Princess Elspeth discovers that her father, the King, has kept his daughter's name off of the list of girls to be sacrificed. As another sacrifice day draws near, Elspeth puts her name on the list and Galen decides to battle the dragon again, unaware the creature is guarding a nest filled with eggs that are on the verge of hatching.

This medieval fantasy-adventure is filled with moral dilemmas, giving kids a lot to think about. For example, the king negotiated a terrible deal with the dragon, but it was better for his people than the uncertainty they had before. This poses the question, when the community is at risk, how do you decide what to do? And, Galen doesn't know what he doesn't know. He thinks because he knows a few tricks, he has enough magic to defeat the dragon. He's wrong, of course, and the princess dies because of his mistake. But when the time comes, and he has to know the right moment to destroy the amulet, he is able to trust himself, and he gets it right.Dragonslayer also reveals a world in which religion eventually replaces magic.