It takes a lot for a movie to be considered a masterpiece, and the standards are even higher when the film falls into the fantasy genre. Since speculative fiction isn’t an immediate hit with all audiences, the special effects, characters, and plot must all work seamlessly for the project to connect with everyone who watches the movie. The films that fit the bill are some of the most influential and groundbreaking and are frequently cited and referenced in contemporary works. Every decade holds unique and mesmerizing additions to the genre that will capture the hearts and minds of viewers.
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Sometimes, these movies are fantasy box office flops that deserve better and aren’t recognized for their skill and talent until long after these films have premiered. However, with many of them, the merit is immediately obvious to audiences and critics alike. Despite this, it takes more than accolades and monetary achievements to warrant being called a masterpiece; there is an ephemeral quality within these movies that sets them apart from the rest. When a fantasy movie is so moving that it is easily related to and makes a comment on the real world, that’s when it’s clear it’s a hit.
10 Jason And The Argonauts (1963)
Directed by Don Chaffey
Jason And The Argonauts GActionAdventureFantasy
Jason And The Argonauts is a 1963 fantasy adventure film directed by Don Chaffey. It follows Jason’s quest to retrieve the legendary Golden Fleece, aided by a band of heroes known as the Argonauts. Along their journey, they face various mythical creatures and challenges. The film is renowned for its groundbreaking stop-motion animation by Ray Harryhausen. Todd Armstrong stars as Jason, with Nancy Kovack as Medea and Gary Raymond as Acastus.
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*Availability in US Director Don Chaffey Release Date June 13, 1963 Studio(s) Morningside Productions Writers Beverley Cross , Jan Read Cast Todd Armstrong , Nancy Kovack , Honor Blackman , Gary Raymond Runtime 104 Minutes Expand
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Retellings of classic Greek myths are some of the most popular projects in film and television today, like Percy Jackson and the Olympians. However, Jason and the Argonauts was one of the early adopters of bringing these ancient tales to life and is notable for its use of stop-motion in the creation of many of the monsters and mystical elements. Of course, Jason and the Argonauts takes some liberties with the original myth, but it hits all the most important and epic beats.
Fortunately, the technical aspects of the film were immediately singled out for how brilliantly they imagined the otherworldly aspects of the story.
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It took time for Jason and the Argonauts to be recognized for its contributions to film history. However, once audiences and critics realized how groundbreaking the movie was, it hasn’t been forgotten. Fortunately, the technical aspects of the film were immediately singled out for how brilliantly they imagined the otherworldly aspects of the story. Though these are highlights of the movie, the story’s universal nature also sets it apart. As far as fantasy adventures go, few transport the viewer as completely as Jason and the Argonauts.
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Jason and the Argonauts (1963) |
89% |
79% |
Related 10 Best Fantasy Movies Of The 1960s
Despite being often overlooked, the 1960s were a great decade for fantasy filmmaking and sparked innovation that inspired future movies.
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9 Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)
Directed by Robert Zemeckis
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6/10 Who Framed Roger Rabbit PGComedyFamilyMysteryAnimationCrimeAdventureFantasy
Who Framed Roger Rabbit combines live-action and animation to create a world where humans and cartoon characters coexist. Set in 1940s Hollywood, the film follows a private investigator who is contracted to work on the case of a cartoon framed for murder, despite his dislike of cartoons. Bob Hoskins, Charles Fleischer, Christopher Lloyd, and Kathleen Turner all star.
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*Availability in US Director Robert Zemeckis Release Date June 22, 1988 Studio(s) Warner Bros. Pictures Writers Peter S. Seaman , Jeffrey Price Cast Amy Irving , Christopher Lloyd , Charles Fleischer , Bob Hoskins , Kathleen Turner Runtime 104 minutes Expand
Blending animation and live-action might happen fairly frequently today, but when Who Framed Roger Rabbit premiered, it was groundbreaking. The director, Robert Zemeckis, has had a varied career but is responsible for some major masterworks of fantasy and sci-fi, as he also directed Back to the Future. In conversation with some of the most iconic genres of movie history, like film noir and animation, Who Framed Roger Rabbit is a love letter to all cinema, not just fantasy.
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Though Who Framed Roger Rabbit plays with form and uses its visual style to create many natural moments of humor, the story itself is dark. Themes of discrimination and segregation are touched upon in the narrative, even if they’re delivered in such a fantastical package. Who Framed Roger Rabbit is both a celebration and an indictment of the film industry, which is something that not as many fantasy films take on since the plots are often rooted in other worlds.
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Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) |
96% |
85% |
8 Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban (2004)
Directed by Alfonso Cuarón
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7.7/10 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban pg-13AdventureFamilyFantasyMystery
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) is the third film in the Harry Potter film series. Based on the 1999 novel of the same name by J.K. Rowling, the film was directed by Alfonso Cuarón, with a screenplay by Steve Kloves. The movie stars Daniel Radcliffe in the title role, alongside Rupert Grint and Emma Watson, who play his best friends, Ron and Hermione. The film follows Harry’s third year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and his attempt to solve the mystery of his connection to Sirius Black, played by Gary Oldman, who recently escaped from Azkaban prison.
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*Availability in US Director Alfonso Cuarón Release Date May 31, 2004 Studio(s) Warner Bros. Pictures , Heyday Films , 1492 Pictures Writers J.K. Rowling , Steve Kloves Cast Gary Oldman , David Thewlis , Daniel Radcliffe , Emma Watson , Rupert Grint , Robbie Coltrane , Timothy Spall , Maggie Smith , Michael Gambon , Richard Griffiths , Fiona Shaw , Alan Rickman Runtime 144 Minutes Expand
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Easily the best of all the Harry Potter movies, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban demonstrates why so many readers and audiences have become enraptured with the story’s world for so many years. The Prisoner of Azkaban is the strongest, thanks to the visionary direction of Alfonso Cuarón, who successfully transitions the narrative from childhood to early adolescence, tackling the darkness at the heart of the plot. Additionally, the story lends itself best to being able to watch the film as a standalone, which is rarely the case with the other movies.
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One of the best fantasy movies of the 2000s, The Prisoner of Azkaban is the most visually interesting and arresting of all the Harry Potter films and is the first that challenges the child actors to engage with nuanced emotions and morality. Thematically, Harry Potter and t he Prisoner of Azkaban is flawless, as Cuarón blends time and mirror imagery into every moment of the project, providing foreshadowing without being too on the nose. When revisiting these films, the third movie is always the most compelling to rewatch.
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Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) |
90% |
86% |
7 La Belle Et La Bête (1946)
Directed by Jean Cocteau
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Anglicized as Beauty and the Beast, La Belle et la Bête is the original French screen iteration of the classic fairy tale. Unlike the famed Disney version, La Belle et la Bête leans into the darker aspects of the story and is full of highly stylized elements. Directed by the famed French visionary Jean Cocteau, La Belle et la Bête has been highly noteworthy for its contributions to how fairy tales are adapted to the screen. Additionally, the amazing work of the practical effects is still magical and effective today.
Romance is a key feature of many fantasy films, and few communicate such a fantastical and sweeping love story as well as
La Belle et la Bête
.
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While La Belle et la Bête is noteworthy because of its magic, it’s also iconic thanks to the lead performances from Jean Marais and Josette Day as the Beast and Belle. Romance is a key feature of many fantasy films, and few communicate such a fantastical and sweeping love story as well as La Belle et la Bête. It’s difficult to imagine what filmmaking would look like today without the precedent set by the movie. The film is a great introduction to French cinema and international fantasy.
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La Belle et la Bête (1946) |
96% |
90% |
6 The Princess Bride (1987)
Directed by Rob Reiner
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9.3/10 The Princess Bride PGFantasyFamilyAdventure
Based on the 1973 novel by William Goldman, The Princess Bride is a comical fantasy adventure film that tells a swashbuckling tale of a hero and a princess, read to a young, sick boy in bed by his grandfather. The story itself follows farmhand Westley, who embarks on an epic journey to save his beloved princess from an evil prince as he meets strange but reliable companions along the way.
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*Availability in US Director Rob Reiner Release Date October 9, 1987 Studio(s) 20th Century Writers William Goldman Cast Mandy Patinkin , Chris Sarandon , Robin Wright , Cary Elwes , Christopher Guest Runtime 98 minutes Expand
The 1980s were a seminal decade for fantasy, and no film better demonstrates why than The Princess Bride. One of the most popular movies that was a crossover hit with longtime fantasy fans and wider audiences, The Princess Bride hits the perfect mark between satirical and genuinely moving. It’s easy to laugh at the hilarious lines and events in the story while simultaneously rooting for the central love story between Westley (Cary Elwes) and Buttercup (Robin Wright).
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Like many great movies, The Princess Bride is based on a novel, which shines through in many of the best lines of dialogue. The Princess Bride is a fantasy movie full of iconic quotes, which is part of the reason it has remained so popular with generations of audiences. However, it’s the fact that actors deliver these quotes with such sincerity and brilliant comedic timing that brings The Princess Bride to the next level. With swashbuckling adventure, swordplay, and touching romance, The Princess Bride has the best of what makes fantasy memorable.
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The Princess Bride (1987) |
96% |
94% |
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5 The Dark Crystal (1982)
Directed by Jim Henson & Frank Oz
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7/10 The Dark Crystal 10+FantasyFamily
Directed by Jim Henson and Frank Oz, and featuring Henson’s signature use of puppetry and animatronics, The Dark Crystal tells the story of two Gelflings, a fictional race of elf-like fantasy creatures, who must embark on a quest to restore balance to their world through the mending of an all-powerful crystal, broken and corrupted by a malevolent race known as the Skeksis. Stephen Garlick and Lisa Maxwell voice the protagonists, Jen and Kira.
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*Availability in US Director Jim Henson Release Date December 17, 1982 Studio(s) Sony Writers David Odell , Jim Henson Cast Jim Henson , Frank Oz , Dave Goelz Runtime 93minutes Expand
Jim Henson’s work in the field of puppetry and practical effects has been highly influential and important, especially within works of fantasy. While Henson and his iconic company are best known for their work on The Muppets, The Dark Crystal was a departure for the studio, as it treads intense territory, and its production was unlike anything else in film or fantasy. Though the puppets and animatronics used for the story are what the movie is heralded for, they’re only so effective because of the moving story.
Related 10 Fantasy Movies That Are Actually Pretty Dark
Though fantasy is typically thought of as an escapist genre, that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of dark & grim moments within these movies.
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Though The Dark Crystal is often cited as a cult classic, within the fantasy genre, it could be considered required viewing thanks to the way it raised the bar on visual effects and creature creation. Thanks to the following The Dark Crystal has found in the years since its release, the film received a one-season prequel TV series in 2019. Though projects like The Dark Crystal are ambitious and require a lot of resources, the payoff is well worth it and paves the way for innovative projects.
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The Dark Crystal (1982) |
78% |
81% |
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4 The Seventh Seal (1957)
Directed by Ingmar Bergman
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9/10 The Seventh Seal NRFantasyDrama
The Seventh Seal explores the journey of Swedish knight Antonius Block, returning from the Crusades to a plague-stricken homeland. He engages in a chess match with Death, seeking answers and redemption, while encountering a troupe of traveling players, navigating existential questions, and striving to delay his fate.
Director Ingmar Bergman Release Date February 16, 1957 Studio(s) Svensk Filmindustri Writers Ingmar Bergman Cast Bengt Ekerot , Max von Sydow , Gunnar Björnstrand , Nils Poppe , Bibi Andersson , Inga Landgré , Åke Fridell , Inga Gill , Maud Hansson , Gunnel Lindblom , Bertil Anderberg , Anders Ek , Gunnar Olsson , Erik Strandmark , Lars Lind , Benkt-Åke Benktsson , Tor Borong , Gudrun Brost , Harry Asklund , Ulf Johansson , Sten Ardenstam , Gordon Löwenadler , Karl Widh , Tommy Karlsson , Siv Aleros Runtime 96 minutes Expand
Ingmar Bergman has many masterpieces under his belt, but The Seventh Seal is his best work of fantasy and is frequently referenced in cinema and media in general. Featuring the iconic chess game between the protagonist and Death, The Seventh Seal interacts with Christianity and faith as major themes throughout the story. Set in Medieval Sweden, it’s true that The Seventh Seal takes place in a world and setting unlike anything most modern viewers have experienced, but that doesn’t make it any less compelling.
Largely considered one of the best films ever made,
The Seventh Seal
helps establish fantasy as part of high art in cinema.
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Largely considered one of the best films ever made, The Seventh Seal helps establish fantasy as part of high art in cinema. While many works of speculative fiction are often considered for children only or not dramatic enough to warrant serious consideration as a piece of art, The Seventh Seal disrupts this and shows how fantasy can be a great delivery system for allegory and metaphor about some of the most important artistic topics like fate, death, destiny, and religion.
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The Seventh Seal (1957) |
93% |
93% |
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3 Spirited Away (2001)
Directed by Hayao Miyazaki
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9.7/10 Spirited Away PGAnimationFamilyFantasy
Spirited Away, a masterpiece by Hayao Miyazaki, is an animated fantasy film that follows the enchanting journey of a young girl named Chihiro. Trapped in a mystical world after her parents are transformed into pigs, Chihiro must navigate a realm filled with spirits and peculiar creatures to save her family.
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*Availability in US Director Hayao Miyazaki Release Date July 20, 2001 Studio(s) Studio Ghibli Writers Hayao Miyazaki Cast Rumi Hiiragi , Miyu Irino , Mari Natsuki , Takashi Naitô , Yasuko Sawaguchi , Tsunehiko Kamijô , Takehiko Ono , Bunta Sugawara Runtime 125 minutes Expand
Spirited Away might be targeted to audiences of all ages, but that doesn’t mean the film doesn’t grapple with dark and serious topics. The young Chihiro must take on much more adult responsibility and learn to be on her own for the first time in the midst of fantastical developments within the spirit world. Meeting colorful characters who are vividly realized through the movie’s gorgeous animation, the audience is swept up in Chihiro’s adventure and feels her joys and sorrows acutely.
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The coming-of-age genre touches upon many common themes of growing up and loss of innocence, but Spirited Away makes these well-worn conversations feel fresh. While Spirited Away uses its fantasy elements to heighten the experience of aging out of childhood, it’s faithful to the essential truths of coming-of-age that everyone can relate to. After watching Spirited Away, it’s easy to see why it’s not just considered the best animated fantasy movie of all time but one of the best, regardless of genre.
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Spirited Away (2006) |
96% |
96% |
2 Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)
Directed by Guillermo del Toro
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10/10 Pan’s Labyrinth RWarDramaFantasy
Directed by Guillermo del Toro, Pan’s Labyrinth follows Ofelia, a ten-year-old girl living in 1940s Spain who learns she is actually a long-lost fairy princess. With the help of a faun, she is set a series of tasks to complete in order to return to her true home in the fairy underworld. Ivana Baquero stars as Ofelia, with Sergi López, Maribel Verdú, and Doug Jones making up the rest of the main cast.
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*Availability in US Director Guillermo del Toro Release Date January 19, 2007 Studio(s) Warner Bros. Pictures Writers Guillermo del Toro Cast Sergi López , Doug Jones , Ivana Baquero , Ariadna Gil , Maribel Verdú Runtime 118 minutes Expand
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Arguably the best R-rated fantasy movie of all time, Pan’s Labyrinth is Guillermo del Toro’s most famous and synonymous work, introducing him to viewers who wouldn’t usually find themselves so engrossed in a fairy tale. However, Pan’s Labyrinth is no ordinary fairy tale, as it is directly in conversation with the history of fascist regimes in Spain and the ways children cope with loss and hardship through escapism. The protagonist, Ofelia (Ivana Baquero), is arrestingly relatable to audiences young and old, as she represents the part of every child who wants to break free and live in a magical world.
Incorporating fearsome horror elements into the traditional structure of a children’s story can be a difficult line to walk, but del Toro strikes an even balance.
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Visually, there are few movies as stunning as Pan’s Labyrinth, with practical effects and creatures built with intricate designs that make the audience and characters feel as if they’ve stepped into another world. Incorporating fearsome horror elements into the traditional structure of a children’s story can be a difficult line to walk, but del Toro strikes an even balance. Pan’s Labyrinth treats both the enormous tragedies and the individual sorrows of the characters and the world with equal weight.
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Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) |
95% |
91% |
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1 The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King (2003)
Directed by Peter Jackson
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9.2/10 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King pg-13AdventureFantasyAction
The final installment of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Return of the King concludes the epic saga of the Fellowship’s quest to destroy the One Ring and put an end to Sauron’s reign of terror. As Frodo and Sam continue on their way to Mordor and Mount Doom, accompanied by Gollom, the rest of the Fellowship work to defend Minas Tirith from Sauron’s forces. The film’s ensemble cast includes Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Ian McKellen, Vigo Mortensen, Orlando Bloom, John Rhys-Davies, Billy Boyd, and Dominic Monaghan.
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*Availability in US Director Peter Jackson Release Date December 17, 2003 Studio(s) New Line Cinema Writers Peter Jackson Cast Elijah Wood , Ian McKellen , Liv Tyler , Viggo Mortensen , Sean Astin , Cate Blanchett , John Rhys-Davies , Bernard Hill , Billy Boyd , Dominic Monaghan , Orlando Bloom , Hugo Weaving , Miranda Otto , David Wenham , Karl Urban , John Noble , Andy Serkis , Ian Holm , Sean Bean Runtime 201 Minutes Expand
Making history as the first fantasy movie to win the Academy Award for Best Picture, The Return of the King is the final installment of Peter Jackson’s adaptation of the beloved books and remains the definitive version. While each film in the trilogy is considered a masterclass of the genre,The Return of the King stands out because of how well the scale and weight of the story’s conclusion are translated to the screen. At this point in the narrative, the audience feels they’ve been on this harrowing journey with all the characters, and Jackson delivers a satisfying ending.
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The performances also cannot be overlooked, as the actors who gave their all to the sweeping epic bring home their characters’ journeys beautifully in The Return of the King. There’s no reason to remake The Lord of the Rings trilogy since it has been brought to life so perfectly. While the movies do take some liberties with J.R.R. Tolkien’s story, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King understands the emotional truths and most important moments, earning respect from longtime fans and first-time viewers of The Lord of the Rings.
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The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) |
94% |
86% |