Core Fantasy Movies

[MoonHunter]

If you are introducing somebody to live action medeval/dark ages type fantasy movies to really give them a core collection what titles would you pick?

Mine?

Lotr- the set. It has set the new standard.
Labrynth
Legend
LadyHawke
Dark Crystal
Clash of Titans
Conan the Barbarian - I hated the movie, but it is a milestone

My hall of honor/ special consideration
1) Princess Bride
2) Adventure of Robin Hood (or any historical Errol Flynn fils)
3) The Three, Four, and Five Musketeers (from the 70s)
4) Zorro (Original or the recent one)
5) Flesh and Blood: My vote for the most realistic historical.

[Scrasamax]

Some of these are repeated from Moon's list for the sake of completeness. Not all of the movies are essential, but all had an impact on my development as a fledgling gamer. This is why you wont see LoTR listed, as it was released well after my more formative years.

Lord of the Rings (animated)
The Hobbit (animated)
The Last Unicorn
Legend
Labyrinth
The Dark Crystal
Sleeping Beauty
The Sword in the Stone
The Black Cauldron
Clash of the Titans
Krull
Conan the Destroyer

[Ancient Gamer]

Actually I'd recommend books and comics instead...

Anyhow; I would probably reflect upon the personality of a potential player before I recommended anything. The following movies might be on my list:

-French and english renaissance movies
-Japanese and Chinese legend/hero/war movies
-Lord of the Rings (The movies DOES make people want to roleplay, even though they were far from true to Tolkien)
-Bram Stoker's Dracula (spoiled by the onslaught of lousy vampire films in recent years)
-Some of the Excalibur movies, but none of the more recent ones
-The Gladiator
-Swashbuckling pirate movies

There are waaaay too few good fantasy movies by the way!

[Maggot]

Don't forget to add Dragon Heart!

[Kinslayer]

This is what I get for coming to the thread late:  all the good movies are already taken, and Maggot's wearing the same dress as me...

I would also add Hawk the Slayer.  It's cheesey, but so are most LARP's, plus the acting, dialoge, and storyline are fairly similar to many live-action fantasy games.  

Shichinin No Samurai, a.k.a. The Seven Samurai.  It's medieval, if not European medieval, and just a really great piece of cinema.  

While it's not a Dark Ages setting, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension is certainly fantasy, and is arguably the ultimate roleplaying movie.

[Strolen]

The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
Dragonslayer
The Gamers (Dead Gentlemen)

[KendraHeart]

Dark Crystal
Dragon Slayer
Hobbit (Animated will have to do until they do a live action for it)
Legend
Labyrinth
Lady Hawke
LOTR 1-3
Wizards

[CaptainPenguin]

So, it isn't really fantasy, but in the world of roleplaying movies, this one is a gigantic incredibly-heavy hitter. I have to say:

BLADE RUNNER!
BLADE RUNNER!
BLADE RUNNER!
BLADE RUNNER!
BLADE RUNNER!
BLADE RUNNER!
BLADE RUNNER!
BLADE RUNNER!
BLADE RUNNER!
BLADE RUNNER!
BLADE RUNNER!
BLADE RUNNER!

[KendraHeart]

Um. Blade Runner is a classic Science Fiction movie. It is not really a fantasy movie.

(Well, fodder for any number of fantasies, but that is another issue. *sigh* )


It did define cyberpunk for a number of people, with it, Clockwork Orange, Solyent Green, and Roller Ball, defining the genre in fillm.

[CaptainPenguin]

Kendra, if you will notice, I myself said that it wasn't fantasy.
SO SHOVE OFF!  

[Strolen]

Roller Ball???? In the same category as Blade Runner???? What the....

[MoonHunter]

CP thread drifted and the rest of you are following. Should of made a gaming movie thread CP.

As for the original Rollerball, it is one of the first cyberpunk classics, with its neo-gothic score and dystopiac world. Originally billed as a science fiction horror film (I guess because it showed a "scary" future), it shows a corporate world where individuality was being crushed and people properly indoctrinated. And of course, our hero is a real hero in the end... against all odds shows that individuals matter. The first movies that showed all the cyberpunk tropes BEFORE the genre was defined. (Yes there were cyberpunk novels and stories before Gibson, Boppers comes to mind, but they were lumped into science fiction before Neuromancer).

It also showed the sorry state of most science fiction movies in 2001 Era. Which is to say, "shudder". Remember these were pre-Star Wars movies. Science Fiction was not mainstream, so everything had to be "pre-chewed" for the masses.

[Ancient Gamer]

The Harry Potter movies and the recent Narnia movie would be nice introductions for the youngest of our flock. I am aware that these movies would be an insult to some of our elder members.

I am waiting for the deluge of "fantasy movies for the whole family" to die so we can get some juice and proper fantasy... Something with an edge. Probably got to live through Harry Potter 19 and The Hobbit first. (I'd much rather have seen the Silmarillion or quality fantasy).

If anyone makes a Drizzt Do'Urden movie I am going Adolf Hitler on this world's arse.

[necromancer]

Who wrote legend and what is it about.

By the way LotR is the best movie to introduce people to high fantasy in particular. It worked for me anyway

Although i have to say that in terms of imagination Narnia is just as good as LotR.

[Sydney Cain]

 As I'm only 16, I havent seen many fantasy movies, but I saw Conan the Barbarian, and the OLD Narnia movie. They both sucked HARD! I didnt bother to watch the new Narnia, and I hope to god they dont remake Conan. I saw D&D the movie and wept. I'd have to say Lotr all the way, no doubt.

[Ria Hawk]

Right.  Core fantasy movies.

Labyrinth (like that was a surprise)
LadyHawke
Legend
The Princess Bride (if only for the fight scenes)
EarthSea
Krull
Conan and/or Kull the Conqueror and Red Sonja
The Dark Crystal
Princess Mononoke

[Mourngrymn]

Not to repeat any movies that has already been mentioned, but a lot have been good.

One specifically that I would recomend would be the original Excaliber (1981) directed by John Boorman.

Cast of Patrick Stewart as Leondegrance and Liam Nelson as Gawain.

This was by far the most realistic excaliber I have ever seen. They say the battle scense used the real sounds of fighting instead of dubbed in special effects.

Just my opinion.