10 Fantasy Movies That Had Their Moment But Rarely Come Up Today
Back when fantasy movies looked like someone’s wildly overcommitted D&D campaign came to life, things were gloriously over the top. Glittery goblins, dramatic fog, and heroes on quests powered mostly by vibes ruled the screen.
Plot logic was optional, hair was huge, and at least one character always looked like they fell into a craft store.
Admit it, at least one of these fever-dream classics still has a permanent lease in your brain.
Disclaimer: Selected fantasy films are revisited here through the lens of general pop-culture memory and conversation trends, which can vary by region, platform availability, and personal viewing history.
1. The NeverEnding Story
A kid finds a mysterious book in an antiquarian bookshop and hides out in his school’s attic to read it.
Bastian’s journey through Fantasia, riding Falkor the luck dragon and facing the Nothing, felt like the ultimate escape hatch from a boring school day. The film turned a German novel into a visual feast that mixed puppetry, animatronics, and heart-tugging moments that left every viewer a little misty-eyed.
It was the kind of movie that made you believe books could swallow you whole. These days, it mostly lives on in nostalgic memes and the occasional late-night streaming binge.
2. The Dark Crystal
Leaving the Muppets behind, Jim Henson dove into dark fantasy with a world populated by eerie Skeksis and serene Mystics in The Dark Crystal.
At the center of the story, Jen, a lone Gelfling, sets out to heal a shattered crystal and save his fading planet. Eerie beauty fills nearly every frame, driven by intricate practical puppetry that still feels more tangible than much modern computer generated spectacle.
Strange imagery frightened plenty of kids while captivating adults, creating an otherworldly experience that felt like glimpsing a different dimension. Over time, the film settled into cult status, resurfacing whenever fantasy fans tumble deep into cinematic rabbit holes.
3. Willow
Life on a quiet farm changes fast when a reluctant dwarf becomes the unlikely guardian of a prophecy baby hunted by a ruthless queen in Willow.
Producer George Lucas helped shape a world filled with sweeping landscapes, sword fights, and a scrappy hero who proves destiny does not measure height.
Along the way, Val Kilmer’s enters the story as a swaggering swordsman whose arrogance slowly softens into humility, giving the fairy tale real emotional weight.
Back in its original release era, the film built a loyal fanbase that replayed it often enough to wear out VHS tapes. Years later, streaming briefly revived interest, yet the renewed buzz faded almost as quickly as it arrived.
4. Excalibur
John Boorman took the King Arthur legend and turned it into a moody, metallic fever dream where every knight looks like they raided a chrome shop.
The film covers the whole Arthurian saga, from the sword in the stone to Camelot’s tragic collapse, with a visual style that’s equal parts Renaissance painting and heavy metal album cover. Nicol Williamson’s Merlin steals every scene with his cryptic riddles and wild energy.
It’s gorgeous, brutal, and unapologetically over the top. These days, it’s mostly a footnote for fantasy nerds who appreciate practical armor and zero digital shortcuts.
5. Ladyhawke
Fate tangles a small time thief in a cursed romance where a knight becomes a wolf at night and his beloved turns into a hawk by day, leaving them never human at the same moment in Ladyhawke.
Light fingered charm comes courtesy of Matthew Broderick as the pickpocket, while Rutger Hauer and Michelle Pfeiffer carry the tragic romance across forests and castle walls.
Unexpected synth driven music pulses beneath the medieval imagery, clashing with the setting yet creating a strangely memorable tone. Initial audiences embraced it as a modest hit, only for the film to slip from mainstream conversation almost as quickly as it arrived.
6. Krull
Imagine if Star Wars and sword-and-sorcery fantasy had a baby, and that baby wielded a five-bladed boomerang called a glaive.
Prince Colwyn races across a strange planet to rescue his bride from an alien fortress, picking up a ragtag crew of misfits along the way. The film throws everything at the wall: cyclops sidekicks, shape-shifting villains, fire-breathing horses, and a weapon that looks like it was designed by a medieval engineer on a sci-fi binge.
Critics shrugged, audiences stayed home, and the movie became a cult curiosity. Now it’s mostly a trivia answer for “weirdest 80s fantasy flick.”
7. Dragonslayer
Trouble lands on a wizard’s apprentice when his mentor dies, leaving him to confront a dragon terrorizing a kingdom and demanding grim sacrifices in Dragonslayer.
Named Vermithrax Pejorative, the creature stands as a practical effects triumph that still feels terrifyingly real decades later, all smoke, scales, and nightmare fuel. Darkness shapes the tone, leaning closer to horror than light adventure while following a hero who is no chosen one, just a kid in over his head.
Box office numbers disappointed on release, yet the film later earned deep admiration from special effects fans and fantasy purists who value its gritty approach.
8. The Last Unicorn
An animated unicorn discovers she might be the last of her kind and sets off to find out what happened to the rest, picking up a bumbling magician and Molly Grue, who’s fed up with the bandit life she’s stuck around.
The animation has that dreamy, slightly melancholy vibe that defined early 80s fantasy cartoons, with a soundtrack by the band America that’s equal parts haunting and catchy.
It’s based on Peter S. Beagle’s novel and doesn’t talk down to kids, tackling themes of mortality, loss, and what it means to be truly alive.
These days, it’s a beloved relic that surfaces mostly in nostalgic Reddit threads and dusty DVD collections.
9. The Adventures Of Baron Munchausen
Terry Gilliam’s wild imagination runs completely unchecked in this tale of an old baron who spins outrageous stories that may or may not be true.
The film bounces between reality and fantasy, with the Baron traveling to the moon, escaping from a sea monster’s belly, and racing against Death himself, all while a young girl tries to figure out if he’s a liar or a legend. The visuals are pure Gilliam: surreal, overstuffed, and bursting with color and chaos.
It went wildly over budget, underperformed at the box office, and became a cautionary tale in Hollywood. Now it’s a cult favorite for fans who love fantasy that refuses to play by the rules.
10. The Pagemaster
Thunder crashes overhead as a nervous kid gets stranded in a library, only to become animated and swept into classic stories with talking books as his guides in The Pagemaster.
On screen, Macaulay Culkin plays Richard, dodging pirates, dragons, and his own fears while moving through worlds pulled from adventure novels, horror tales, and fantasy epics. Blending live action with hand drawn animation gives the film the feeling of a tribute to reading, even when the execution feels a little clunky.
Good intentions aimed to spark a love of books, yet many kids mostly remembered rewinding the big dragon scene. Over time, the movie slipped into obscurity as a small footnote in the “kids meet classic literature” corner of family films.
