Entertainment
8 Praiseworthy Dark Fantasy Movies No One Ever Talks About
Fantasy films are generally known for their sense of wonder, even joy, in the magical and mystical. Dark fantasy is the other side of the coin, the stories that approach the same concepts and forms from a more mature angle, finding greater depths of emotion, philosophy, and even terror in their fantastical worlds. It’s a genre that has given us many of the most acclaimed fantasy films of all time, like Pan’s Labyrinth or Coraline, but there are also a significant number of great dark fantasy movies that have sadly faded from the spotlight.
Though they’re not as widely discussed as they ought to be, these films still rank among the genre’s greats, taking audiences on mesmerizing journeys with powerful messages and high production values. Without further ado, here’s our selection of the most praiseworthy dark fantasy movies that no one ever talks about anymore.
1
‘The NeverEnding Story’ (1984)
Adapted from the first half of Michael Ende’s 1979 novel, The NeverEnding Story was directed and co-written by Wolfgang Petersen in his English-language debut. The film follows a young boy who finds a magical book set in the wonderland of Fantasia and discovers that the lines between fiction and reality aren’t as strict as he may have imagined. The movie stars Noah Hathaway, Barret Oliver, Tami Stronach, Patricia Hayes, Sydney Bromley, Gerald McRaney, and Moses Gunn, with voice acting by Alan Oppenheimer.
These days, The NeverEnding Story mostly comes up in conversation as a reference or a joke, and except for dedicated fans, not a lot of people actively discuss the film or even watch it. However, the movie is a fantasy masterwork that’s one of the best children’s films of the 1980s, taking viewers, young and old, on a magical journey into the hidden powers of imagination. The film was a critical and commercial success when it first hit theaters in 1984, earning several accolades and spawning two sequels: 1990’s The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter and 1994’s The NeverEnding Story III.
2
‘The Dark Crystal’ (1982)
A landmark dark fantasy film directed by Jim Henson and Frank Oz, The Dark Crystal is best known for its extensive use of puppets and animatronics, featuring no human actors on screen at all. The film explores the conflict between two groups in the magical land of Thra, the innocent Gelflings and the evil Skeksis, following two young Gelflings on a quest to restore a shattered crystal, which holds a power that can change the world. The film’s voice cast includes Stephen Garlick, Lisa Maxwell, Billie Whitelaw, Percy Edwards, and more.
A surprisingly dark and mature fantasy film for its time, The Dark Crystal had mixed reviews from 1980s critics, but it has since grown into a beloved cult classic. Though it isn’t as widely known as it deserves to be, the film is recognized by critics, scholars, and fantasy fans as a masterpiece with imaginative worldbuilding, unique production, and a highly original story, supported by top-notch practical effects and creature design. A prequel series, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, was released on Netflix in 2019, which is also equally brilliant and underrated.
3
‘The Last Unicorn’ (1982)
Directed and produced by Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass, The Last Unicorn is an animated fantasy written by Peter S. Beagle that’s adapted from his 1968 novel. The movie follows a unicorn who learns that she is the last of her species on Earth and sets out on a quest to learn what happened to the rest of her kind, learning painful lessons about love, regret, and mortality along the way. Mia Farrow leads the voice cast as the Unicorn, with Alan Arkin, Jeff Bridges, Tammy Grimes, Angela Lansbury, Christopher Lee, and more voicing key supporting characters.
Though it had a positive reception from the critics of its time, The Last Unicorn was a box office flop, but it has since developed a cult following. A compelling, bittersweet fantasy that’s narratively superior to most animated films of its time, the movie has earned praise from critics and fans for its engaging performances, the somber soundtrack, and the animation by Japanese studio Topcraft, the precursor to the acclaimed Studio Ghibli. It’s arguably one of the greatest animated fantasy films of all time, but the movie is still not as widely appreciated as it ought to be.
4
‘Gretel & Hansel’ (2020)
A reinterpretation of the classic Brothers Grimm fairytale “Hansel and Gretel,” Gretel & Hansel is a dark fantasy horror film directed by Osgood Perkins and written by Rob Hayes. Sophia Lillis and Sam Leakey star as a teenage Gretel and her younger brother Hansel, who are lured into a trap by an evil witch with a dark secret. The movie also features Alice Krige, Jessica De Gouw, Charles Babalola, Fiona O’Shaughnessy, and more in supporting roles.
When it first premiered in 2020, Gretel & Hansel had a fairly positive critical reception and a successful box office run, grossing $22.3 million worldwide against a $5 million budget. Though it’s become largely forgotten since then, the film is a genuinely scary and visually stunning fantasy. Though its writing may be uneven in parts, it’s still a solid experience for horror fans and arguably one of the best movie adaptations of its classic source material.
5
‘Dororo’ (2007)
Inspired by Osamu Tezuka’s 1960s manga series and directed by Akihiko Shiota, Dororo is a Japanese dark fantasy action movie that follows two warriors, the cursed samurai Hyakkimaru and Dororo, a female thief who pretends to be a man. Together, they travel the land in search of 48 demons, each of whom possesses one of Hyakkimaru’s stolen body parts. Satoshi Tsumabuki stars as Hyakkimaru and Kō Shibasaki as Dororo, with Eita Nagayama, Kiichi Nakai, Yoshio Harada, and more in supporting roles.
Tezuka’s original period fantasy series has been highly influential in the world of manga for decades, and it’s inspired multiple anime adaptations and novels. The live-action film is a loose adaptation of the manga that isn’t quite as popular, but it is a niche cult classic, especially among fans of fantastical action movies. With a unique narrative, stellar action choreography, and impressive makeup work for its time, Dororo is easily one of the most underrated Japanese movies of the 2000s.
6
‘Sleepy Hollow’ (1999)
Directed by Tim Burton and written by Andrew Kevin Walker, Sleepy Hollow is a gothic supernatural horror film loosely adapted from Washington Irving‘s 1820 short story “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” Johnny Depp stars as Ichabod Crane, a New York City police officer who arrives in the village of Sleepy Hollow in the fall of 1799 to look into a series of murders, purportedly committed by the spirit of a Headless Horseman. The film also stars Christina Ricci, Miranda Richardson, Michael Gambon, Casper Van Dien, Christopher Lee, and Jeffrey Jones in notable roles.
A cult classic Halloween movie, Sleepy Hollow premiered in November 1999 to critical acclaim and box office success, though it’s relatively underrated among Tim Burton’s films these days. Powered by its stellar performances, direction, writing, and music, Sleepy Hollow is a chilling dark fantasy movie with a wicked and subtle sense of humor. A must-watch for fans of Burton’s signature style of filmmaking, the movie went on to receive several accolades, including the Academy Award for Best Art Direction.
7
‘Snow White: A Tale of Terror’ (1997)
Directed by Michael Cohn, Snow White: A Tale of Terror is a Gothic dark fantasy horror film that reimagines the classic Brothers Grimm fairytale. Set in 15th-century Germany, the film stars Monica Keena as Lilli Hoffman, a young noblewoman whose stepmother, Claudia (Sigourney Weaver), seeks to kill her, forcing Lilli to flee into the forest, where further dangers lurk. Besides Keena and Weaver, the movie also features Sam Neill, Gil Bellows, David Conrad, and more in supporting roles.
Though it may be inspired by a fairytale, Snow White: A Tale of Terror is exactly what the title suggests: a dark, twisted retelling that adds greater depths and horrors to its story and characters. The film had mixed reviews in its time, but it did earn a number of accolades, including three Primetime Emmy Award nominations. Though it’s more or less forgotten these days, the movie is a must-watch for dark fantasy fans, not least for Sigourney Weaver’s haunting performance as the evil stepmother, who is seen here to be a far more complex character than ever before.
8
‘The Green Knight’ (2021)
Adapted from the Arthurian poem “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight,” The Green Knight is a dark fantasy adventure movie directed, written, produced, and edited by David Lowery, with Dev Patel starring as Gawain. Not yet a knight, Gawain is the son of Morgan le Fay and nephew of King Arthur, and one Christmas, he accepts a fateful quest to face the mysterious entity known as the Green Knight, finding his courage, morality, and honor tested along the way. Alicia Vikander, Joel Edgerton, Sarita Choudhury, and Sean Harris star in supporting roles, with Ralph Ineson as the Green Knight.
The legends of King Arthur and his knights have been fertile fodder for numerous adaptations, but none quite like The Green Knight. The film presents a surreal, fantastical narrative that captures the magic and spirit of the legends while revealing the flawed, human nature of its mythical characters, particularly its protagonist. Anchored by Patel’s compelling performance, the movie earned critical acclaim for its acting, cinematography, and production values, and though underrated, it’s easily one of the best dark fantasy films of all time.
- Release Date
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July 29, 2021
- Runtime
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130 minutes
- Director
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David Lowery
- Writers
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David Lowery
- Producers
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David Lowery, James M. Johnston, Theresa Page, Tim Headington, Toby Halbrooks, Edmund Sampson
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