The world of fantasy cinema has brought us to some incredible places. From Middle-earth to fairy tale realms, fantasy movies are the perfect escape from our reality. Throughout the decades, some brilliant masterpieces have graced the screens. But what about those movies that are perfect but have been lost to time?
We’re here to honor 10 fantasy flicks that are 10/10 that you may not remember — overshadowed by other films or lost in the shuffle. Perhaps our discussion will help you rediscover them again!
1
‘Pleasantville’ (1998)
We seem to consider certain decades of yore as idyllic. One of those was the 1950s. Using television as our vantage of perfection, we sometimes wish we could be transported into that world. But what happens when you actually do? That’s the premise of Gary Ross’ directorial debut, Pleasantville. Set in the 1990s, two teenage siblings, David and Jennifer (Tobey Maguire and Reese Witherspoon), find themselves trapped in the beloved black-and-white series. As they introduce modern, emotional, and sexual experiences to the repressed, idyllic town, the residents and their world begin to change, turning from black and white to color. Using the changing worlds as an allegory for social change, Pleasantville tackles racism, censorship, repression, and the danger of forced conformity through a fantastical premise.
There is a timelessness to Pleasantville that makes the film resonate with any audience. Even if the setting begins in modern times, based on its ’90s release, it still serves as a metaphor for nostalgia. Further, Ross’s cinematic approach is stunning. Though it’s nothing like the use of color found in Steven Spielberg’s masterpiece Schindler’s List, it’s remarkable nevertheless. Perhaps the film has been lost in time simply due to the stars’ bodies of work post-Pleasantville. Both Maguire and Witherspoon exploded after the 1998 film was released. That said, come for the kids, stay for the resounding performances by Joan Allen, Jeff Daniels, and William H. Macy.
2
‘Bedknobs and Broomsticks’ (1971)
When you think of mixed animated live-action Disney films, you immediately think of Mary Poppins. Only a few years later, the House of Mouse brought audiences to another whimsical world in the delightful Bedknobs and Broomsticks. Starring Angela Lansbury, the story follows three orphans, Charles, Carrie, and Paul Rawlins (Ian Weighill, Cindy O’Callaghan, and Roy Snart), who are evacuated from London during WWII and live with an apprentice witch, Miss Price (Lansbury). Together with a fraudulent magician, Professor Browne (David Tomlinson), they use a flying bed to travel to the animated Isle of Naboombu to find a spell to save Britain from Nazi invaders. A unique blend of wartime drama with whimsical family-friendly fantasy and a dash of the Sherman Brothers‘ score, Bedknobs and Broomsticks has enough charm for a splendid time.
Known for its groundbreaking visuals, which earned an Oscar for Best Special Visual Effects, Bedknobs and Broomsticks effortlessly lifted Mary Norton’s storiesinto typical Disney fare. Perhaps the only reason why we don’t place this film in the same pantheon as other Disney masterpieces is the darker tone and the Nazi element. Not that we should erase crucial world history — it’s just a harder watch for younger audiences. Lansbury is bright and cheery, cementing herself as an acting treasure. But it won’t be until Beauty and the Beast that she officially becomes a Disney legend. There is something to be said about how Bedknobs and Broomsticks balances fantasy with history that Disney rarely touches anymore. It makes it a film of its time, but one that should not be forgotten.
3
‘The Dark Tower’ (2017)
Release date aside, there’s something about The Dark Tower that time has forgotten. Why? Let’s figure it out. Though critics didn’t adore it, The Dark Tower is quite a marvel. Inspired by the Stephen King series of the same name, the film follows Roland Deschain (Idris Elba), a gunslinger on a quest to protect the Dark Tower — a mythical structure that supports all realities. Meanwhile, The Man in Black (Matthew McConaughey) seeks to destroy the Dark Tower, eager to use the psychic powers of Jake Chambers (Tom Taylor) to do so. Taking place across many worlds and realms, The Dark Tower is a fast-paced action-fantasy adventure that serves as a faithful sequel to the source material.
Though entirely too short, if a film leaves you wanting more, that may be a good thing. Loyalists to the original novels might have preferred a direct adaptation, but its ability to expand upon King’s vision made it unique. Further, if you’re a King fan who loves Easter eggs, The Dark Tower satisfies the brief. From The Shining to IT, they’re present for you to find. A stylish film with sprawling mythology, though it may have been hit hard at the time, it’s a film that gets finer with time, especially as we continue to realize how much Elba is one of our greatest actors of this generation.
4
‘The Black Cauldron’ (1985)
The evolution of the Disney animated feature is quite fascinating. We fondly remember the classics. We adore the ’90s Renaissance. But that Renaissance only came to be because of the Dark Ages in the ’80s. Many of the titles from the decade were darker, straying from the typical princess-and-fairy-tale trend. But through the darkness, one film did emerge as something spectacular: The Black Cauldron. An ambitious film with a darker tone, the story follows Taran (Grant Bardsley), an assistant pig keeper dreaming of glory, who must stop the evil Horned King (John Hurt) from using a magical, ancient cauldron to raise an invincible army of the dead. Along with Princess Eilonwy (Susan Sheridan), a bumbling bard named Fflweddur Fflam (Nigel Hawthorne), and a creature named Gurgi (John Byner), Taran quests to destroy the cauldron and save Prydain. Always forgotten when discussing Disney classics, The Black Cauldron was a mature fantasy film that proved songs don’t define Disney animated classics.
If a film is made or broken by its atmosphere, The Black Cauldron soars. Through gothic details and a visceral magical aura, the eerie universe is depicted effortlessly. The characters are well-rounded and rooted in authenticity. Taran is a daring hero. Princess Eilonwy is our forgotten Disney princess. And Gurgi? The most underrated sidekick ever. Sadly, we tend to leave out the Horned King as a top-tier Disney villain because the villains that came shortly after — Ursula, Gaston, Jafar, and Scar — occupy that space. Thankfully, Walt Disney World has an entire Villains Land in the works, so this could be the moment for redemption!
5
‘Excalibur’ (1981)
We’ve had countless films and series that adapt the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, but the film that continues to be left out of the conversation is 1981’s Excalibur. Brought to life by John Boorman, based on Thomas Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur, Excalibur follows King Arthur (Nigel Terry) from his birth through his unification of England, the rise of Camelot, and the eventual downfall caused by love, betrayal, and magic. Showcasing the struggle between nature and law and the mythological depth surrounding the quest for the Holy Grail, Excalibur is a breathtaking visual experience.
Through a gritty approach and heightened atmosphere, Borman’s film glamorizes the armor’s shine and the lushness of the landscape, transporting audiences to Arthur’s realm. With a grandiose feel, the score matches the mythic world with sweeping orchestrations that elevate the film into something majestically theatrical. With a near-perfect blend of romance, fantasy, and action, Excalibur feels like an honest portrayal of what may have happened should you believe it to be true. The film has a lasting legacy, yet it’s been lost to time, simply due to the over-saturation of sword-and-stone films of the same topic post-release.
6
‘Meet Joe Black’ (1998)
It’s time to re-meet Meet Joe Black. Directed by Martin Brest, the 1998 film is loosely based on the 1934 film Death Takes a Holiday, which is itself based on the 1929 play by Walter Ferris, which is in turn an English-language adaptation of the 1924 Italian play La morte in vacanza by Alberto Casella. Now that that’s out of the way, this story follows Death (Brad Pitt) as he takes human form to experience life, inhabiting a young man named Joe Black to shadow media mogul Bill Parrish (Anthony Hopkins). In exchange for a guided tour of earthly life, Death delays taking Bill but complicates matters by falling in love with Bill’s daughter, Susan (Claire Forlani). A pristine dissertation on mortality, the value of life, love, and the emotional complexity of human existence, Meet Joe Black is a sensational film, despite its elongated runtime.
A unique vehicle for Pitt during his rise in Hollywood, Meet Joe Black solidified his place as a profound romantic leading man. His chemistry with Forlani is what dream romances are made of. Why we don’t paint them as a top-tier cinematic romance is likely because we were still enthralled by the Titanic. Beyond their performances and the anchored Hopkins, the combination of striking cinematography and an evocative score makes Meet Joe Black a lost romance. It may be an unconventional love story, but it’s not that the ’90s didn’t have their fair share of them. City of Angels, anyone? Perhaps when you have films like Sleepless in Seattle and You’ve Got Mail to depict practical love, Meet Joe Black is exactly what it is: a fantasy.
7
‘Ladyhawke’ (1985)
An absolute product of its time comes 1985’s medieval fantasy flick Ladyhawke. In Richard Donner’s near masterpiece, two lovers, Navarre (Rutger Hauer) and Isabeau (Michelle Pfeiffer), are cursed by a corrupt bishop to be separated forever. By day, she is a hawk; by night, he is a wolf, allowing them to only meet briefly at dawn and dusk. Phillipe Gaston (Matthew Broderick), an escaped thief known as The Mouse, joins the crusade to help them overcome the Bishop of Aquila’s (John Wood) forces and to lift an infernal curse. With a charming and meticulous medieval spirit, Ladyhawke is a deliberate slow-burner that absorbs you until the bitter end.
If you can get past the heavy ’80s synthscape and imagine a more classic soundtrack, Ladyhawke lives as an extraordinary original fantasy. Nevertheless, Ladyhawke has a cult following that appreciates its dated flaws. It’s an affable fairy tale that tests our imaginations. Who says a hawk and a wolf can’t be in love? With Broderick and Pfeiffer, both actors were attempting new things, which didn’t land with some viewers. That said, Broderick’s asides to God predate his fourth-wall-breaking turn in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Ladyhawke is one of those films whose legacy has been lost to time. Why it hasn’t been turned into a musical is beyond me.
8
‘Dragonslayer’ (1981)
If you’re sending a trend, yes, the ’80s were obsessed with medieval movies. If you love dragons, look no further than Dragonslayer. The dark fantasy film follows Galen Bradwarden (Peter MacNicol), a young wizard’s apprentice, who must kill a terrifying dragon named Vermithrax Pejorative. After his master dies, Galen takes on the quest to save a kingdom and protect the king’s daughter, Valerian (Caitlin Clarke), from a beast who is satisfied by virgin sacrifices. Dragonslayer is a grisly, realistic depiction of medieval life that is violent in tone, thanks in part to its groundbreaking practical effects.
Despite its premise, don’t think that Dragonslayer is automatically family-friendly. In fact, the brilliance of the film is its departure from the norms. The tropes may be present, but its brutal approach to the sword-and-sorcery genre makes it remarkable. The evolution of dragons in cinema is quite astonishing, but for 1981, Vermithrax was designed with a menacing, reptilian look — a look that if you caught his gaze, you’d be utterly terrified. Just the scale of this beast makes some of Spielberg’s Jurassic Park dinosaurs look scrawny. The revolutionary approach was to make Vermithrax a highly intelligent monster that can display emotions, ranging from brooding anger to sensational sorrow. If you love a climactic fight scene, Dragonslayer is masterful. Fantasy fans keep this film alive, even if newfound fantasy fans turn to Game of Thrones as peak dragon slaying.
9
‘The Green Knight’ (2021)
It’s a shame that Dev Patel’s recent body of work continues to become a flash in the pan when they should be placed in the conversation in the year’s best. Nevertheless, let’s discuss 2021’s The Green Knight. Written and directed by David Lowery, Patel stars as Sir Gawain, King Arthur’s (Sean Harris) headstrong nephew, who embarks on a treacherous quest to confront the eponymous giant, green-skinned stranger. On a journey to test his courage, The Green Knight tackles themes of honor, mortality, and the temptation to choose life over duty, bringing the 14th-century poem to life in a dazzling way.
The overarching narrative tackles whether one can be “great” without being “good,” testing Gawain’s courage, honesty, and dignity. With an accessible entry, The Green Knight is a medieval coming-of-age journey where accepting your own actions and morality are the greatest tests one can face. The trouble The Green Knight faced was its high-concept mythical atmosphere, in which symbolism bogged down audiences, simply distracted by Patel’s stellar performance. The Green Knight is not a background film watch — it’s one that requires attention. That said, when you do pay attention, you’ll be completely taken by the sensational direction and brilliant production design, namely the lighting.
10
‘Stardust’ (2007)
Based on Neil Gaiman’s 1999 novel, Stardust is a whimsical adaptation with a star-studded ensemble. Tristan Thorn (Charlie Cox), a young man from the English village of Wall, crosses into the magical kingdom of Stormhold to retrieve a fallen star to win his beloved Princess Una’s (Kate Magowan) hand in marriage. Instead of a rock, the star is a woman named Yvaine (Claire Danes), who is also pursued by witches seeking eternal youth and princes vying for the throne. Perhaps the reason Stardust continues to be lost in the shuffle is simply that it gets compared to The Princess Bride, a generally favorable classic. Yet, Stardust maintains a sunny disposition as a witty, rollicking adventure.
Before we dive into the specifics, Stardust’s cast is why it’s a near-perfect masterpiece. With Ian McKellan narrating the story for Cox, Dane, Michelle Pfeiffer, Sienna Miller, Ricky Gervais, Rupert Everett, and Robert De Niro, Stardust is filled with powerhouse performers. Now, into the film itself. As different as it was from The Lord of the Rings, the trilogy was simply on everyone’s mind when it came to fantasy films. Yet, on its own, it was pure bliss. By making it a bit brighter than the darker tones found in the book, Stardust was elevated to new heights. A true happily ever after ending for Stardust would be to earn the glory it always deserved.
- Release Date
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August 10, 2007
- Runtime
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127 minutes
- Director
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Matthew Vaughn