Even though the special effects may be rather outdated by now, this film still is an absolute classic in the genre and totally worth your while.
If one truly loves a book, the movie version almost always disappoints - Not so here. The wonderful story by Swedish author Astrid Lindgren (published 1973) is an all-time favorite and was translated in I don't know how many languages. The movie is lovingly made, the casting is great and the story is very touching.

If your kids haven't seen it, make sure they do! You might want to watch it with them, though, it may be scary for little ones. Besides, you'll love it too.

(Incidentally, this book was one of the reasons I decided to go to Sweden, rather than France, as an exchange student when I was 18.)

***** short summary (SPOILERS!)********************************
Nine year old Karl is terminally ill, and afraid of dying. His big brother Jonathan, whom he loves deeply, comforts him and assures him that death isn't the end: if you die, you go to a fairy tale place called Nangijala, full of campfires and stories and wonderful adventures.
But things do not go as foreseen: it is Jonathan who dies first, saving Karl from a house fire. Karl stays behind, lonely and scared, until a white dove arrives with a message from Jonathan: all's well in Nangijala. No longer afraid, Karl succumbs to the disease and suddenly finds himself in a beautiful place where the brothers are reunited. However, it appears that in the land of fairy tales not all stories are nice ones. The evil dictator Tengil rules part of Nangijala and has enslaved its people. Both brothers have to play their parts in the fight against Tengil and his terrible dragon Katla...

note: throughout the movie, Karl is called 'Skorpan' (a sort of crumbly Swedish biscuit), an affectionate nickname given to him by Jonathan.

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