Fairy Simple: The Fantasy Genre

Recently, I’ve been on this kick of catching up with some of the best fantasy movies of all-time, from the classics to the cutting edge additions of recent years; therefore, I have compiled a small list of movies from this genre that are what I would consider “must see” movies for any fan or any newbie to the world of fantasy and magic.

A note about the films that have made this list: I have based my list purely on films that brought a new element to the genre of fantasy, as well as, to the movie industry. And although I mean no disrespect to any film that didn’t make the list, I do hope that those mentioned will be discovered by a new fan to enjoy.

• The Wizard of Oz– Although many consider this movie to fall under the Family and Musical genres, at the core of this movie there is the strong lifeblood of fantasy. Even though it has been cliched and used to point out various elements of film-making over the years, any true fan of the genre has to applaud to the simplistic and effective way in which the film transitions from black & white humdrum, into vibrant, exciting color to emphasize the wonder and beauty of Oz. The flying monkeys and the Wicked Witch flying were two of the earliest scenes in any film that displayed actors in the act of flying.
• Clash of the Titans– Although it can be considered campy and extremely dated by today’s CGI standards, this film was once upon a time considered to be the greatest fantasy movie ever! The special effects that were used in this movie were very pioneering for their times, and who can forget the scene with Medusa? Although would consider it cheesy in appearance, there is still that dream-like aura that surrounds the creature in the film. As if it were something from a nightmare than a movie.
• Bed Knobs & Broomsticks — Not a well-known film from the early days of Disney’s world of magical movies, this film was the originator of blending actors and animated characters together on screen. When dealing with witches, flying beds, an island inhabited by talking animals, catchy little musical numbers, and invading Nazis, this movie brings a fun arrangement of fantasy and history together for future generations.

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• Labyrinth — I can hear the applause of all David Bowie fans and children of the 80’s, and for good reason. Although part of a two picture deal from Jim Henson’s imagination (the sister-story being The Dark Crystal). Not only did this movie bring to life an entirely new realm of fantasy in a complex and simplistic world of Muppet’s and people interacting together, but it also brought one of the greatest soundtracks of the decade. Who can resist singing along with “Magic Dance” or “Underground?” This film brought a truly impacting element to the world of fantasy movies by simply tossing different elements of film-making elements (people, puppets, special effects, and music) mixing them together, to create a masterpiece of fantasy film.

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• The Dark Crystal– Of course we have to mention this film, seeing as how with merely puppets (as scary as the some of them were) and a truly unique storyline, this movie was able to enthrall audiences into forgetting about the strings and work it took to bring this story to life. This movie not only conjures a deep love of seeing how the battle between good and evil is universal, but that i can be related on all levels even if the characters happened to be made of Styrofoam, plastic, foam, and rubber.
• Willow– One of Ron Howard’s best movies, this film is one of the original stories in which the hero doesn’t always come in the same size. Val Kilmer’s Mad Mordigan is perhaps one of his best roles, and Warwick Davis has become synonymous with fantasy films based on his portrayal of the protagonist peck. Let’s not forget the Brownies (as hilarious as they are) or the famous battle of magic between the sorceresses during the climatic moment. Ron Howard was able to bring to life a new kind of magic that hadn’t really been seen before in movies, by using cutting edge special effects (thanks to George Lucas) that far surpassed the tricks with lights and strings from the earlier days of the genre.

• Legend– No list of fantasy movies can be complete with Ridley Scott’s epic fantasy film, Legend. When you think of a movie that best depicts the personification of Evil, every fan of the genre obviously holds that image of Tim Curry’s Lord of Darkness character in their minds. After all, I truly believe that for everyone who has seen the film, this is the image that we have come to picture when we hear the words “the Devil” and “Satan.” And that voice…creepy! Meredith Vieira once said, “If Tim Curry was the Devil, she’d pay to go to Hell.” And I think that best sums up his portrayal of Darkness. And, although this film was one of Tom Cruise’s first movies (pre-arrogance), he brought a certain quality to the character of Jack which makes you want to believe that underneath all of the glamour of his persona, he can allow himself to act. Ridley Scott was able to bring to life many mythical creatures and monsters and blend them into a story that is as relevant today as it was in 1986.
• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone– Despite the hype surrounding the books, this film was the first of its kind, simply because it was able to truly dive deep into the world of imagination and CGI to bring together a fun and unique story to the screen. Most of the special effects in this movie (even those few that had been used before) seemed to truly shine, simply because this film pulled out all of the stops. There was in-between as far as reality and fantasy were concerned. Instead, we begin in reality, and want desperately to jump head-first into the fantasy, which we are not disappointed when it happens. And we certainly aren’t left feeling neglected! In fact, we find that by the time the credits begin to roll, we are still surfing the endorphins we have been subjected to, simply from the Quiddich game scene.

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• The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy — Although I have only mentioned the first in the Harry Potter series, I hope that it is understood as to why I feel the need to address all three installments of the Lord of the RingsTrilogy. For those of us who have seen and remember the animated film from the 80s, the live-action films of recent years (thank you, Peter Jackson) are the epitome of a truly inspirational and exciting epic story of fantasy. Tolkien’s world of fairies, elves, dwarfs, hobbits, sorcerers, wizards, and all other creatures of myths was certainly the Golden Standard for all fantasy stories. Although it can be a large investment in time, it definitely isn’t a waste! Epic battle scenes, intricate sub-story-lines, and a vast assortment of characters that you feel connected to by the end of the films, this is certainly one of the greatest fantasy films of all time!

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• The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe– Although written by a Theologian-minded writer, the first installment of this series brought to life a wondrous world of fantasy and special effects. The first glimpse of Aslan is truly a magnificent moment in the film, in which you discover that you have been fully absorbed into the world of Narnia without having realized it.  This film has the ability to bring to life a world in which animals can talk, mythical creatures are a part of “reality,” and evil is seductive and beautiful in raw sort of way. Although some are turned off by the close comparisons to the Bible, regardless of the spiritual references and connections, this is still an epic fantasy movie!

I also feel compelled to list a few “honorable mentions” in this category:

• Stardust
• Eragon
• The Golden Compass
• The Sword and the Sorcerer
• Edward Scissorhands
• Merlin

If you find yourself in the mood for a fantasy movie, do yourself a favor and check out one of these mentioned movies (preferably one you haven’t seen) and enjoy!