For previous posts and future FFF topics check out my Friday Favorite Five page here.
Favorite Five Original Fantasy Movies
I’ve covered my favorite five book to film adaptations, but I’m here today to mention some of my favorite fantasy films that were not adaptations because I just can’t get enough of talking about movies! 😀
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Willow
Willow is such a classic 80’s fantasy film, and one of the other great ideas George Lucas had besides Star Wars. I love pretty much everything about this story, it’s got such heart to it, a lovable rogue, some romance, family, magic, evil sorcerers, and the triumph of good over evil. It’s such a fun movie. Now, there is a book series that takes place after the film, but the idea is a pure original and the movie definitely came first.
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Legend
Remember that time when a very young Tom Cruise was in a fantasy film? No? Well, maybe it’s time to check out Legend. And the good news is, that thanks to studio meddling, there are a couple different versions you can go with. The studio cut (with the soundtrack by Tangerine Dream) or the directors cut (with the original score restored). This is another classic good against evil story although with a much darker tone than Willow. And it gets extra points in my book because Tim Curry plays Darkness, the ultimate Big Bad.
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Spirited Away
Now I love Miyazaki and many of his movies. Princess Mononoke is also a favorite, but there’s just something about Spirited Away that really connects with me. Maybe it’s Chihiro and her feeling of disconnection to things, or the determination she develops along the way. Or just the crazy magical world she’s forced to step into and try to get through–a glimpse into an unseen universe. There’s just something wondrous about this story that really gets to me.
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Pan’s Labyrinth
This is such a beautiful, dark, heartbreaking film. It’s such a strange tale and I love the imagination that went into creating such a movie. The story brutal and wondrous and shocking and haunting. It leaves you with a lot to think about. It’s a great way to show that fantasy can be used not just to entertain, but to say something and make you think about the world.
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The Fall
The Fall is a 2006 movie about a little girl recovering in a hospital who befriends another patient, a stunt man working during the early stages of the film industry. This is a story about stories and it’s filled with imagination. Now, this is based on a previous screenplay, but it’s not based on a book so I’d say it counts. This film is visually stunning so in my opinion it’s worth watching just for that alone. If that weren’t enough to recommend it, it also stars Lee Pace. 😀
Those are my picks for this week! What are some of your favorite original fantasy films? Thoughts on my picks? Leave a note in the comments, I’d love to hear from you!
Way Too Fantasy 
The only one from this list that I have seen is Pan’s Labyrinth and I loved it. I’ll definitely be checking out others on this list, starting with Spirited Away i think! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Spirited Away is great, really can’t go wrong with that one. Hope you enjoy it!
I love all of these, especially Legend. I ended up buying it for my kids on blu-ray and forgot how dark it is! The only one I haven’t seen is The Fall. I’m going to have to check it out. Excellent post! 💗
Thank you! Legend is so good but it is oddly dark. Just really eerie lol.
This is a fun list! I’ve seen all of them except The Fall, and Willow was also near and dear to my heart😁
All this talking about Willow is making me want to watch it again. 😀
I LOVE The Fall so much, I’m so happy to hear another person talk about it 🙂
Yay! I’m so happy you loved that one it’s such a beautiful film and super underrated imo.
The Labyrinth is my absolute favorite! You can’t beat Bowie’s Goblin King and my favorite artist did all the concept art.
I wasn’t able to finish Pan’s Labyrinth: it scared me half to death.
Labyrinth is great too! Love Bowie in it.
Pan’s Labyrinth is pretty dark!
When I saw Willow as the first, I nearly died!!!! I need to go back and watch that. I still remember where I was when I saw it, the theater, the popcorn, my parents, my sister, etc. Cool stuff:)
Oh, that’s so much fun! I don’t think I saw that one in the movies but I remember watching it at home with my parents when it came out on video. 🙂
Pan’s Labyrinth is definitely a great one. I’ve never heard of The Fall, but it sounds really interesting.
The Fall is just visually stunning. I really loved it.
I’ve only seen Pan’s Labyrinth out if these, but it is an amazing film!
It really is!
oh no 😦 somehow I haven’t seen any of these 🤦🤦 I like your topic tho!
Well, maybe lots of stuff to look forward to then? Lol! Thanks! 🙂
Pan’s Labyrinth is one of my favorite movies, and it is so original, dark, and beautiful. That scene at the table with the eye hand thing haunts my mind.
It’s so dark and creepy and also really beautiful, I don’t know how he achieved that. It’s such a great film.
I love the first four on your list so I’ll have to check out the last one – which I haven’t heard of before. Speaking of stories within stories – Big Fish? Have you seen it?
Lynn 😀
Oh yes, Big Fish, I love that one! I think it’s probably one of Burton’s best films.
Brilliant list! Pan’s labyrinth is one of my favourite movies and I’ve been meaning to watch spirited away for years 😀
Oh, you should definitely give Spirited Away a try. It’s so wonderfully weird and beautiful.
Original fantasy movies really are a dying breed. I wish Hollywood made more of them instead of the dozens and dozens of superhero movies and remakes.
Yeah, or just original material in general.