With its otherworldly intrigue, wondrous sense of adventure, and incorporation of magic and mythical beasts, fantasy is understandably one of the most captivating and enchanting genres of cinema. Few would argue with the declaration that The Lord of the Rings trilogy stands tall as the single greatest example of the genre that has ever graced the screen, with the epic story of Frodo Baggins’ (Elijah Wood) conquest to destroy the Ring as his allies rally the forces of Middle-earth to stand against Mordor still heralded as one of the greatest filmic feats ever seen over 20 years since the trilogy’s release.
While Peter Jackson’s acclaimed adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien’s novels remains an unsurpassed triumph of the genre, plenty of outstanding fantasy flicks have come close to matching its level of excellence. From some of the greatest international pictures ever made to universally beloved American classics, ranging from decades-old icons of cinema to modern masterpieces that will be remembered for many years to come, these movies are all essential accomplishments of fantasy filmmaking.
10
‘Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban’ (2004)
Directed by Alfonso Cuarón
If The Lord of the Rings is the best fantasy film series of the century, then the Harry Potter movies come in at a very close second. The movies as a whole follow Harry Potter’s (Daniel Radcliffe) journey through Hogwarts, where he learns about witchcraft and wizardry while being pursued by the evil Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes). While all eight Harry Potter movies are dazzling displays of high fantasy wonder, it is Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban that stands as the series’ most defining and astute entry.
A major pivot towards dark fantasy, it sees Harry’s third year at Hogwarts marred by the presence of the dementors and the supposed threat of escaped convict Sirius Black (Gary Oldman). As Harry, Hermione (Emma Watson), and Ron (Rupert Grint) look into the mystery of Sirius Black, however, they learn that the truth may differ from what they’ve been told. Bolstered by Alfonso Cuarón’s commanding direction, The Prisoner of Azkaban is an alluring, somber, and rousing entry to the Harry Potter franchise, one that inspires both awe and intrigue to be a defining pillar of fantasy cinema in the 21st century.
9
‘Princess Mononoke’ (1997)
Directed by Hayao Miyazaki
For many, many years, one of the greatest contributors to fantasy cinema has been the world of Japanese anime, particularly the masterpieces that have arisen from Hayao Miyazaki’s collaborations with Studio Ghibli. While the artistic union has produced no shortage of animated fantasy classics, Princess Mononoke stands as a particularly striking example of their work, given its heightened fantasy intrigue and its incorporation of violence.
The story focuses on a brave prince who is befallen by a curse while fighting to protect his village. As he embarks on a quest to see the curse lifted, he finds himself embroiled in a war between two feuding clans. Not only a spellbinding story but an important feat of animation as well, Princess Mononoke is a highlight of fantasy cinema that meshes its in-depth embracement of the genre with rich thematic insights that have imbued it with an astonishing durability, seeing it remain a quintessential classic almost 30 years on from its initial release.
8
‘Excalibur’ (1981)
Directed by John Boorman
While certain elements of it may have dated over the decades, Excalibur remains the single most ensnaring and grandiose reworking of the Arthurian legend the big screen has ever seen, and a pioneering picture in the craze of dark fantasy entertainment. When the bastard son of Uther Pendragon (Gabriel Byrne) withdraws the mystical sword Excalibur from the stone, he is crowned the new ruler of the realm. As part of his duty, and under the instruction of the wizard Merlin (Nicol Williamson), King Arthur (Nigel Terry) must stand against Morgana le Fey (Helen Mirren), his evil, sorceress half-sister.
Given that the film includes early roles from Liam Neeson, Sir Patrick Stewart, Ciaràn Hinds, and Helen Mirren, it has remained relevance to modern audiences for its ensemble cast alone. However, also bolstered by an engrossing story of enormous stakes and a rousing score that utilizes excerpts from stirring classical pieces like “O Fortuna,” Excalibur continues to thrive as a captivating and visually intriguing gem of ’80s fantasy.
7
‘The NeverEnding Story’ (1984)
Directed by Wolfgang Petersen
From one cherished icon of ’80s fantasy cinema to another, The NeverEnding Story has aged surprisingly well, considering some of its more rudimentary elements to be not only a beloved gem of the genre but of ’80s cinema at large. When a young boy takes refuge in a bookstore to avoid the schoolyard bullies, he loses himself in a magical novel about a young warrior’s quest to defend the land of Fantasia from the all-consuming dark entity known as the Nothing.
Vibrant, wondrous, and soaring through its eagerness to embrace the most imaginative possibilities, The NeverEnding Story is a rousing and uniquely captivating dose of old-fashioned fantasy entertainment that can appeal to both kids and adults, even if some of its scenes do prove to be irreversibly traumatic. The charm of its quaint effects and puppetry is truly timeless, and yet it has never lost the quintessential ’80s warmth that first made it a hit.
6
‘The Thief of Bagdad’ (1924)
Directed by Raoul Walsh
Released almost 80 years before The Lord of the Rings came out, and even before the implementation of sound in cinema, The Thief of Bagdad is a testament to the rich history of fantasy as a major movie genre. Derived from “One Thousand and One Nights,” the 1924 film tells the story of a lovestruck thief who falls in love with the daughter of the Caliph of Bagdad. In order to be with her, however, he must convince her powerful father that he is worthy of her hand in marriage.
Not only is it a perfect example of fantasy adventure in the earliest stages of cinema, but it is also a soaring triumph of the unparalleled visual storytelling craft of the filmmakers of the silent era. Its influence on many fantasy films that have come since, including The Lord of the Rings, is plain to see in the story’s construction. Further bolstered by a star-making lead performance from Douglas Fairbanks and some visual treats sure to appease all lovers of classic cinema, The Thief of Bagdad is an enduring gem of pure adventure and escapism.
5
‘Spirited Away’ (2001)
Directed by Hiyao Miyazaki
While it was commented on in the aforementioned entry for Princess Mononoke, it cannot be overstated just how prominent a contribution Studio Ghibli and anime cinema at large has made to the fantasy genre in recent decades. Perhaps the outright best example of this is Spirited Away. Another Miyazaki masterpiece, it follows a young girl as her family’s impromptu and somewhat obnoxious intrusion into an abandoned amusement park leads her to an otherworldly realm inhabited by bizarre, wonderful, and dangerous supernatural beings. To save her parents — who have been transformed into pigs — young Chihiro (Davleigh Chase) takes up work at a bathhouse.
Thriving with a sense of imaginative awe that is brilliantly undercut by animated charm and even an unsettling eeriness, Spirited Away transports audiences to a dazzling world of magic and mayhem that is as tantalizing as it is treacherous. Regarded by many to be the greatest animated movie of all time, it is a sublime visual treat that capitalizes on the potential only the medium of animation can provide to present one of the most eye-popping and inspired fantasy worlds the big screen has ever seen.
4
‘The Seventh Seal’ (1957)
Directed by Ingmar Bergman
A poignant and richly philosophical combination of historical drama and existential fantasy, The Seventh Seal is among the defining highlights of Ingmar Bergman’s filmography as well as one of the most iconic and celebrated international pictures ever released. It follows a knight who, upon returning to his native Sweden after the Crusades, finds his homeland has been devastated by the plague. When he is greeted by Death (Bengt Ekerot), who has come to claim his life, the knight challenges him to a game of chess to determine his fate and discusses issues such as faith, mortality, and humanity with his opponent.
With its stark visual appeal and its commanding story rife with contemplative depth that explores its thematic issues from multiple perspectives, The Seventh Seal is the movie that established Bergman as a filmmaker of international renown. Joyously, its rich and considered intrigue and its striking presentation have aged superbly over the decades. It is one of the most thought-provoking and challenging films of all time — fantasy or otherwise — and excels as an astonishing example of how genre can be used to explore themes from unique angles and deliver fascinating insights.
3
‘The Wizard of Oz’ (1939)
Directed by Victor Fleming
The defining masterpiece of fantasy cinema before The Lord of the Rings came along in the early 2000s — and many would argue even after that point — The Wizard of Oz is the embodiment of the genre at its absolute best. Thriving not only as a mesmerizing and transporting story of wonder and glee but as a stunning and revolutionary feat of technical filmmaking as well, the fantasy musical classic remains an essential milestone for all viewers, young and old.
Based on L. Frank Baum’s children’s novel “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” from 1900, the film follows Dorothy (Judy Garland), a young woman from Kansas with dreams of a better life, as she is whisked away to the magical land of Oz. In her endeavor to meet the Wizard (Frank Morgan) to see if he can grant her wish to return home, Dorothy befriends three unusual characters who each have defects they wish to fix. Even as The Lord of the Rings has snatched its mantle as the greatest fantasy film in history, The Wizard of Oz remains one of the best and most timeless family movies of all time, as well as a quintessential classic every cinephile must watch at least once.
2
‘The Princess Bride’ (1987)
Directed by Rob Reiner
The 1980s are a quietly brilliant era for fantasy cinema, and no movie defines the decade’s prowess with the genre quite like the eccentric and adored classic The Princess Bride. With writer William Goldman penning the adaptation of his novel, the movie sees a kind-hearted grandfather capture his sick grandson’s imagination by reading him a novel. In the book, a dashing young farmer becomes a vindictive swashbuckler as he seeks to rescue his one true love from a forceful marriage to a reprehensible prince. On his journey, Westley (Cary Elwes) makes several unlikely allies, including a kindly giant and a Spaniard with a vendetta.
With an air of fairy-tale charm, The Princess Bride thrives with its modernity and brilliant blend of fantasy adventure, sincere romance, and clever comedy that has cemented it in the annals of film history. It boasts an infectious fervor that can appeal to viewers of all ages, one that has long been celebrated for the fun it provides. Creative, spellbinding, and utterly captivating, The Princess Bride is a true classic of fantasy that emphasizes so many of the elements that make the genre so universally admired.
1
‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ (2006)
Directed by Guillermo del Toro
After rising to prominence throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, Guillermo del Toro began to truly establish himself on the international scene with his comic book adaptations of Blade II and Hellboy, which saw him marry the source material’s sense of dark fantasy with big-screen commercial appeal. In 2006, the Mexican filmmaker solidified his standing as quite possibly the best dark fantasy director of all time with his instant classic, Pan’s Labyrinth.
The Spanish fantasy war drama follows a young girl as she is whisked away to a homestead in the woods alongside her heavily pregnant and ailing mother at the behest of her stepfather, the cruel and sadistic falangist Captain Vidal (Sergi López). As war rages around her, Ofelia (Ivana Baquero) carries out a series of dangerous tasks assigned to her by a faun who tells her she is the long-lost princess of the underworld. As magical and wondrous as it is viscerally brutal, Pan’s Labyrinth is the most majestic marriage of real-world drama and fantasy intrigue that cinema has ever seen. It remains not only one of the greatest fantasy movies of all time but a definitive triumph of international cinema as well.
