Pete's Dragon1977Pete's Dragon
1977
Orphan Pete runs away from the Gogans, the hillbilly family who bought him, with his friend Elliott, a dragon who can turn invisible. In a Maine fishing village, the lighthouse keeper's daughter, Nora, takes him in.
The default: films the whole family can watch together; any scary or intense moments for the littlest viewers are flagged in the Context Notes.
Why it’s here
An abused orphan finds a home, and Nora sings "Candle on the Water."
Context notes
For parents, before you press play.
The Gogans mistreat and threaten Pete in comic songs, and Lampie, the town drunk, is played for laughs (even Elliott drinks from a flask), so parents may want to point it out. Pete runs from cruel owners, which the film rightly frames as an escape.
Pete's Dragon (1977)
Discussion questions
When the credits end, go around the room. Each person gives the film a score out of ten and says why.
- Why did Pete run away?
- How did Nora and Lampie take care of Pete?
- What did Elliott do for Pete?
- What makes a home?
Content advisory
Common Sense Media 7+: comic roughhousing; villains sing about cutting up a dragon; extensive drinking imagery, including the town drunk.
Trailer
Best edition
The disc comes first.
Pete's Dragon Blu-ray (35th Anniversary Edition)
Blu-ray · October 16, 2012
Coming later
Where to stream
Streaming services are not listed yet. When they are, this note stays secondary to the disc.