“It was in fairy tales that I first divined the potency of the words and the wonder of the things, such as stone and wood and iron; tree and grass; house and fire; bread and wine.” – J. R. R. Tolkien
Fantasy has as many definitions as there are people in the world. For some, fantasy is another place, inhabited by strange creatures like elves and unicorns, with an odd geography of purple trees, aqua sands and three moons at night. Others see fantasy as magic and spell weaving, making things of this world behave in unfamiliar ways or changing the laws of nature as we know it.
Some fantasy is brilliantly beautiful, while other stories can be dark and mysterious, battles between good and evil forces where all existence hangs in the balance.
Regardless of the style or story, we cannot help but be captivated and pulled into the midst of the action.
We are fortunate to be in a time that values these stories; many of them begin as beloved books, that are then made into films to transport audiences into these other worlds.
In celebration of one of the all time great works of the genre, that of C. S. Lewis’s Narnia and the release of The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, let’s examine some other selections that have been turned into very special films.
Of course we must begin with The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe - which enthralls audiences with the story of four young ordinary English children who step through a wardrobe into a very different world.
Beautifully filmed with breath-taking special effects, this movie revived the affections of many for and introduced a new generation to the great lion Aslan and his world of Narnia. It is unbearably exciting to anticipate the next chapter in this beloved saga, and what wonders we will see!
Of equal power, beauty and horror is The Lord of the Rings trilogy. I can’t speak of one alone, as they MUST always be together to tell the entire story of Frodo the brave Hobbit and his companions.
The courage, strength, failings and triumphs of the Fellowship and their friends, and how they fought back the ravages of the dark have been a touchstone for several generations of aficionados.
This work both in literature and film is considered by many to be the best fantasy ever created.
Harry Potter series must be added as fantasy, even though Harry’s world is by far more familiar to us than that of Middle Earth or Narnia.
These films have the same effect as the otherworld type, removing audiences from the mundane and taking them to a place where experiences will be new and interesting and out of the ordinary.
We can be Harry or Ron, or Hermione or whomever we choose in this rich and fascinating world. Who wouldn’t love to spend a school year at Hogwarts?
The Golden Compass has shown us the first installment of a new fantasy world, again one similar to ours, and yet with some very big differences. With this film it is easy to move away from the familiar and experience the beauty and terror of Lyra’s world.
Lyra’s honesty and courage are uplifting, and it is fine to see a heroine who can make decisions and plans, and not do silly things to mess them up.
Stardust gets my vote for the best fantasy film for adults. There is so much to see, experience, learn and enjoy in this movie, and doesn’t it all seems vaguely familiar, as if we heard this tale long ago, and have stored the fragments in our subconscious minds?
Neil Gaiman is a master of capturing the essence of folktale or fairy tale sensibility and translating it into a human framework, just slightly off, to let you know that you have left the realm of the real world.
Let me mention here Gaiman’s Mirrormask as well. It is one of the most artistic, dark, thought provoking, simply incredible urban fantasy films. If you have not seen it, give it a try, let yourself be a youngster and fall under its spell.
The Series of Unfortunate Events, is another excellent fantasy tale.
It is one that we have watched multiple times to appreciate different aspects, from the Gorey-esque set designs to the wonderful characters, especially the baby.
A very young film fan of our acquaintance goes into a fit of giggles every time he sees the baby and calls her “funny socks” and insists she is the best.
We think he might be a film critic when he grows up.
Another family favorite is Nanny McPhee. The children will delight in the escapades of the little terrors ,the Brown family, while adults can appreciate the humor and in-jokes of the story.
Like all good fairy tales it deals with real life problems, but in novel ways which will turn the tragedies into some big laughs. We all love the color and magic of this film.
The list can go on and on, depending on your preferences. I enjoyed watching The Seeker, which was made from The Dark is Rising, the second book in an excellent Arthurian based modern day fantasy series. The Water Horse blends folk tales and 20th century life to create an absorbing modern day legend.
Some youngsters have recommended the Spiderwick Chronicles, and although I have not seen that one yet, they assure me that it is “GREAT and creepy.”
I hear in their voices the same tone that I used to have when trying to convince reluctant parents to let me stay up “way late” to see on television what I thought was the best magical and scary sword and sorcery movie ever….with Gary Lockwood and Basil Rathbone….I think it was called the Sword of St. George.
I believe I’ll call M&C’s DVD reviewer Jeff Swindoll and see if he has a copy I can borrow, and in the meantime, good luck to you on the magical quest to find the best in fantasy films.
Your Talkback on this Story