10 GREAT FANTASY MOVIES EVERYONE FORGOT ABOUT

Social media and AI generators have been bubbling up and merging the aesthetics of retro fantasy films to create atmospheric videos and imagery on social media. Often tagged as "dark fantasy" as the usual prompt, the style full of lens flare, glinting armor, twilight landscapes, and twisted-looking castles are rendered into existence from sources directly from or inspired by fantasy films from the '80s and '90s.

As popular culture is reminded of this bygone style, often looking at classics like Conan, Labyrinth, The Dark Crystal, and Willow, there is still a wealth of others that were cornerstones of the genre or hidden gems. This retro, or dark fantasy as it's often labeled, deserves revisiting as it melds the impressive effects of horror and sci-fi with the glamor, adventure, and theatricality of historical fiction dramas to create worlds, heroes, and adventures which inspired nostalgic media and tabletop games like Dungeons & Dragons.

Antonio Banderas Was The 13th Warrior

• Graeme Revell originally scored the film but after test screenings panned it as unwatchable, Michael Crichton took over and hired Jerry Goldsmith to re-score the film to great effect.
• During an underwater scene, Dennis Storhi almost drowned, but Antonio Banderas pulled him out of the water, saving his life.

Based on Michael Crichton's book Eaters of the Dead, The 13th Warrior was a dark and gritty tale that blended the folklore of Beowulf and historical records of Ahmad ibn Fadlan's writings of his dealings with Vikings. The film was released as Antonio Banderas' rise in Hollywood was picking up heat upon the release of The Mask of Zorro. Although this film fell by the wayside at the box office due to marketing and distribution issues, it builds a grim world around a town ravaged by "creatures" yet the reality of their plight comes with a twist.

As the mystery unfolds to Ahmed, Banderas' character, and his Viking companions, the story also takes notes from a Kurosawa classic, The Seven Samurai, as they prepare, fortify, and train the town to combat their enemies, who are in reality more human than they are made out to be. Introspective and mysterious, The 13th Warrior's toned-down and overcast aesthetic is a great fantasy film for a rainy day with good thrills.

Red Sonja's Sets and Costumes Leaned Into D&D

This film was a cultural response to the Conan films at a time when female empowerment in heroic roles was beginning to gain traction. Brigitte Nielsen, also known from the Rocky franchise as Ivan Drago's wife, now takes the forefront as a sword-swinging hero in a film rich with fun set pieces and costumes. When Sonja's kingdom is conquered by the Evil Queen Gedren, Sonja teams up with Kalidor, played by Arnold Schwarzenegger, to avenge her slain family and restore peace.

Red Sonja continues the artistic traditional flare and style of 80s Dungeons & Dragons-style sets and villains. From apocalyptic cults, magical weapons and talismans, and lands that blend real-world cultures shamelessly in their costumes and decor, Red Sonja is a fun kickback to this bygone storytelling tradition.

The Beastmaster's Take On A Conan-Like Adventure Created Something New

The 80s fantasy adventure film genre truly did everything it could to remain relevant with its audience of Dungeons & Dragons fans, leaning into every single convention possible to inspire new stories and dangerous scenarios for epic heroes. Beastmaster built an interesting take on the Conan-esque adventure tale and was loosely based on the 1959 fantasy novel by Andre Norton. The film follows the life and adventures of Dar, as he trains and becomes a ranging warrior who can telepathically communicate with animals and tries to overthrow a horrid warmongering death cult that has ravaged the land.

As the adventure progresses, he gains a following of animals and fellow warriors as he tries to take down the evil Priest Maax and save his friends. Unfortunately, they suffer from a sad behind-the-scenes fact about the black tiger companion Dar has, which sours the poor animal's powerful presence in the film. Aside from that, Beastmaster created a unique and exciting story within a world very similar to that of the Conan franchise.

Dragonslayer's Creature Effects and Setting Inspired Later Films Like Willow

Dragonslayer's early entrance into the genre made it a spearheading force as a fantasy film that would inspire special effects artists and cinematographers of future filmmakers in fantasy. Dragonslayer's grounded and overcast medieval fantasy locale mixed with the damp and dark caverns of the dragon's lair are stylistic tones often associated with the film Willow which would not be made for another 7 years.

The film also boasts an early career appearance of Peter MacNicol as Galen, the boy who is driven to stop the virgin-sacrificing methods of the kingdom to suppress the tyranny of a dragon. Although the effects have not stood the test of time, the practical effects used to create the dragon and the understated set pieces build a great mood and aesthetic.

Krull's Weird Genre-Blending Made It A Cult Classic

• The character of The Beast was the first self-contained animatronic suit in film history. Providing facial, lung, heart, and body fluid movement completely within without any external cables.
• During a scene where Ynyr falls over after announcing some news, he breaks a piece of scenery and reveals the styrofoam it's made of.

Otherworldly and strange, Krull attempted to break conventions of the adventure fantasy genre in the same spirit as Star Wars. Furthermore, Krull also featured many of the special effects artists from the Star Wars films as they awaited employment for the next installment. Krull is about a group of adventurers who set out to rescue a princess who has been captured by conquering alien invaders. Outclassed and outnumbered, Colwyn and his followers rally to save the planet Krull.

Krull is full of fantasy-coded set pieces, psychedelically alien sets, and a mix of creature effects and laser battles often only seen in science fiction. The film also features early-career Liam Neeson and Robbie Coltrane in the cast. Although not as stalwart in its plot, Krull's vision for blending genres created somewhat of a cult following among B-movie fantasy lovers.

The Sword and the Sorcerer Is Everything It Says It Is

This titular-defining film contained everything desired within a classic 80s sword and sorcery adventure. An evil King, ambitious enough to sell his soul to a dark sorcerer to take over the civilized world, begins flexing his power. A hero must rise to face him and topple his dynasty of occultist tyranny.

The Sword and the Sorcerer delivered exactly what its name entails. The film boasts a wild magical blade-shooting sword and grimy creature effects. The darkness in this fantasy film is also juxtaposed with the glamour and glitter of the 80s costuming and cinematography aesthetics which dominated the fantasy genre at the time.

Bakshi's Fire And Ice Is A Beautiful Animated Epic

Deeply creative and often overlooked animation director Ralph Bakshi, also known for his animated renditions of The Lord of The Rings books, creates a primal fantasy epic that is a clash of the elements as much as it is a clash of swords. Ralph Bakshi is well known for his primitive rotoscoping techniques in which filmed sequences would be drawn over frame-by-frame to emulate human movement in an animated space.

The film follows the princess Teegra who is on the run, who encounters a wild tribesman who aims to protect her and fight the evil Nekron to stop his plans to conquer the princess' Kingdom. The film did not make a wide release for its highly suggestive and revealing renditions of characters, but it did paint a beautiful picture of a savage and fable-like realm in the world of the story.

Ladyhawke's Plot, Cast, And Setting Are A Perfect Fantasy Formula

If the next two films weren't so visually integral to defining the retro/dark fantasy genre, Ladyhawke would take the top spot for its story and casting alone. A very young Matthew Broderick plays a cutpurse who recently escaped from prison and runs into an exiled knight on a quest to break an insidious curse put on him and his beloved by the corrupt bishop who is obsessed with his lover. Ladyhawke features Michelle Pfeiffer and Rutger Hauer as the mysterious and enchanted couple whose chemistry and forlorn love are beautifully portrayed throughout the film.

The film itself is set in a fantasy version of Europe and was shot in gorgeous locations with beautiful ruins and castles. The fights are a mix of great choreography with some more fun-loving chase sequences to break up the heavier moments. Well-balanced and full of heart, Ladyhawke also boasts such a wonderfully retro synth soundtrack that takes some getting used to but is so catchy it's hard to resist. The film ends with an incredible fight inside a cathedral on horseback, a fight that is full of drama and not to be missed.

The Dark Fantasy Look Of Excalibur Brings Arthurian Romanticism To Life

From its epic music before the final battle to the hazy glow and colorful lighting effects glinting off the swords and armor, Excalibur is a prime example of the retro/dark fantasy genre's aesthetic. The film is a great interpretation of the tales of King Arthur written in the book Le Morte D'Arthur by Thomas Mallory. The film captures both the dark unknown and golden eras of the time before and during King Arthur's reign through the lens and style of French medieval romanticism.

The cast is stacked with greats like Helen Mirren, Gabriel Byrne, Patrick Stewart, Liam Neeson, and Ciarán Hinds. Despite its visual beauty, the plot is mired in dark themes as the knights and Arthur are constantly tested and tempted by the dark powers that aim to destroy knightly virtues and the vision of their unified kingdom. The film is somewhat of a chronological anthology of events that spans Arthur's lifetime, much like the book does, so for some it may feel disjointed. In reality, it plays out like a dark collection of fairytales with recurring characters and, once that is understood, becomes a riveting fantasy tapestry of a classic tale that has survived centuries.

Legend Is The Idyllic Film Of This Genre Of Fantasy

Ridley Scott's Legend is a gorgeous fever dream with beautiful sets and masterfully lit to give incredible contrast to the fairy-glow world above, and the infernal horror of the world below. This original tale stars a young Tom Cruise and Mia Sara as well as a wonderfully-evil Tim Curry.

Legend is about the corruption of innocence portrayed through the lens of a deep storybook fantasy world. The demon known as Darkness has his minions trap and kill a unicorn, cutting its horn and bringing darkness to the land above so that Darkness may be free to roam above as well as below. The fey creatures of the world above, as well as Lily and the forest boy Jack, band together to face Darkness and overthrow his evil plot but at the potential price of losing their innocence. Profound and gorgeous in its music and cinematography, Legend is the gold standard film for the retro/dark fantasy aesthetic.

2024-09-15T03:13:30Z dg43tfdfdgfd