Originally published at Audiences Everywhere on 12/11/14
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| Universal Pictures |
Next week Peter Jackson concludes his time in Middle-Earth with The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies, and thus will conclude audiences’ cinematic journey into the world of high fantasy for some time. To get nerdily precise for a moment, high fantasy (a term coined by author Lloyd Alexander) bears a distinction from contemporary fantasy or magical realism by taking place in a world with entirely different geographies from our own, populated by mythic creatures such as elves, dragons, dwarves, wizards and the like. These worlds are often characterized by clothing and weapons that are medieval in design, and lack the technology we associate with the modern world. The term high fantasy is ultimately what separates Harry Potter, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, from The Lord of the Rings, and Game of Thrones.
What’s interesting about the high fantasy genre is despite its enormous literary popularity, the genre hasn’t translated very well to movie screens, especially compared to science-fiction. One reason being that science-fiction can create easier parallels to our modern society (we’re definitely seeing that with the current young adult adaptation boom) and the genre relies far less on tropes of design and character. The 80s saw some significant high fantasy releases, some geared more towards younger audiences (The Neverending Story, The Dark Crystal) but most drew older crowds. Many of these films, which critics often scathingly referred to as sword & sorcery films, exist now as cult curiosities more than pop-culture phenomena. Nevertheless, they can be credited with helping pave the way towards Peter Jackson’s Tolkien adaptations.
When in 2004 The Return of the King won all 11 Oscars for which it was nominated, including Best Picture, there were many who expected a mass revival of high fantasy films, particularly given the film’s box office clout. After all, the Oscar wins and popularity of films including Star Wars, The Silence of the Lambs, and Spider-Man affected Hollywood’s production interests in ways that can still be seen to this day, resulting in dozens of imitations in varying degrees of quality. It seemed it was only a matter of time before all the genre fans with their walls adorned with Frank Frazetta art, and tomes of Ursala Le Guin, and Robert Jordan in hand, would see their favorites come to life on the big screen. Only that isn’t what happened. Outside of Jackson’s films, the high fantasy landscape has been pretty barren. Sure, we’ve seen a wide release of fairy tale films, but this is something different as their scope is smaller and more moralistic than high fantasy. The highly-popular Game of Thrones has LOTR to thank in part for its success, but television is a less risky venture than film and Martin’s saga hasn’t renewed much cinematic interest in the genre. In the next couple years the only announced high fantasy releases are the long-delayed and modestly budgeted The Seventh Son, and Duncan Jones’ big-budgeted Warcraft. Perhaps they’ll be successful and studios will feel safe putting like-minded titles into production. Or perhaps they’ll be like the following films, enjoyable titles that fit easily within the pre-established mold, but for one reason or another never elevated high fantasy to the status enjoyed by the other genres.
1. Excalibur (1981) – John Boorman
Warner Bros.
What It Had Going For It: The story of King Arthur and his Knights of the Roundtable is one of the greatest fantasy epics of all time, predating and influencing Tolkien’s tales. Boorman’s take on Arthurian legend elevates the film above the other fantasy films of time. It’s a moody, and at times visually experimental film that is just as concerned with character as it is with stunning imagery. It’s a film that has the clear vision of a director and not the hand of the studio. Outside of Jackson’s films, Excalibur is the best high fantasy film there is. Featuring a young Sir Patrick Stewart, Liam Neeson, Gabriel Byrne, Helen Mirren and a mesmerizing performance by Nicol Williamson, the film isn’t short on acting talent. The fantasy aspect is mostly understated, relying more so on magical illusion than strange creatures. The film sometimes slips into melodrama, but its theatricality only adds to the film’s grand vision. The film’s trailer, which offers a taste of that vision, remains one of the best trailers of all time, one that only the 80s could have produced.
What Happened: Excalibur was a critical and modest financial success, but never brokeout to reach any pop cultural recognition. Boorman, in his ambition, told the totality of Arthur’s story which prevented sequels. But the popularization of the story led to numerous adaptations of the story of King Arthur over the years in film, television, and animation. Some of these stories have added more of the traditional high fantasy tropes while others have aimed for a more historical approach. Guy Ritchie will be directing Charlie Hunnam in an eight film adaptation of the life and death of Arthur and his knights, though it is unknown at this time how fantastical that take will be.
2. Conan The Barbarian (1982) – John Milius
Universal Pictures/20th Century Fox
What It Had Going For It: Robert E. Howard’s long running series seemed primed for the big screen. An epic hero who appeared in hundreds of stories to pull from, Conan was the stuff franchises were born from. John Milius, who as a screenwriter redefined the male action hero with Dirty Harry, bought a sense of grandeur to the subject matter’s pulpy roots. Along with screenwriter Oliver Stone, Milius took an adult take on the character, an interesting move during a time when Hollywood was still reveling in the more family-oriented success of Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Ark. While the film is undeniably cheesy at times, and its performances leave something to be desired Conan the Barbarian strips audiences of their preconceived notions of high fantasy by excluding funny sounding names (for the most part), heavily wooded areas, sexless heroes and bloodless battles. More than any other film on this list, Conan is the least Tolkien inspired. The lead hero isn’t much of a hero at all, just a man bent on revenge. Plus, he punches a camel in the face which may be the most un-Tolkien like thing of all.
What Happened: Despite a mixed reaction from critics due to its violence and camp, Conan was a commercial success. It led to other cheaply made imitators like The Beastmaster and Deathstalker which quickly wore away any cinematic originality Conan may have had. The film was Arnold Schwarzenegger’s breakout role, and led to his long career as one of the most sought after action stars in the world (just think, Conan’s success indirectly led to Schwarzenegger becoming governor). A sequel, Conan the Destroyer, was released in 1984 but it collapsed under its terrible script and PG rating. The film made enough money to earn a sequel but by then Schwarzenegger’s box office draw was so big that he moved onto other things. The script for the third film was eventually turned into 1997’s box disaster Kull the Conqueror (based on another of Howard’s characters). Conan’s stories continued in animated form and a live action show before returning to the big screen in 2011 for a dull remake that failed to turn a profit. There are plans for Schwarzenegger to return as an older King Conan, after he wraps on Terminator: Genisys. Filming is rumored to commence in the spring, so anyone dying to see a 67 year-old man hack things to pieces in nothing but a loincloth, you just may be in luck!
3. Legend (1985) – Ridley Scott
Universal Pictures/20th Century Fox
What It Had Going For It: Ridley Scott had just come off Alien and Blade Runner and Tom Cruise had finished Risky Business a couple years earlier and was just breaking out as one of Hollywood’s newest stars. Despite the fact Blade Runner didn’t receive the critical praise it deserved at the time, Scott was still considered a visionary director and it made sense that he would turn his eye to re-imagining the imagery of the fantasy genre after the noteworthy job he’d done on science-fiction. While Legend’s story is anything but original, and Scott doesn’t exactly redefine any of the tropes, the film looks beautiful. Plus, Tim Curry’s Lord of Darkness is truly one of film’s most memorable looking villains. Clichés or not, the film seemed primed to draw in the teen crowd.
What Happened: Like Blade Runner, Legend was chopped up by studio hands, who cut the film’s runtime by nearly half an hour and replaced Jerry Goldsmith’s orchestral soundtrack with the electronic 80s sound of Tangerine Dream. Reception to the film was mixed, with critics praising the special effects but criticizing the story for borrowing elements from Tolkien’s works. This criticism is one that would follow the genre, and perhaps a large reason why Lord of the Rings spawned so few imitators—the imitations had already happened and been panned for it. Legend failed to make its budget back, and now enjoys life as a cult film in the form of a director’s cut that restores the original story and score.
4. Willow (1988) – Ron Howard
MGM
What It Had Going For It: This was supposed to be the big one, the movie that would propel high fantasy out of the 80s and into the 90s. With a story conceived by George Lucas, this was his fantasy answer to Star Wars, meant to result in a new franchise. Lucas was so confident about Willow’s prospects he expected it to be the blockbuster event of the year. Warwick Davis gives a lovably charming performance as dwarf, Willow Ufgood, and Val Kilmer tries to do his best Han Solo. The film’s story is pretty entertaining, and it borrows some story beats from Star Wars, but lacks a compelling villain to really create a sense of peril. But still, this was George Lucas, George Lucas before the prequels, so surely whatever his hands touched would turn to gold.
What Happened: Willow was not the blockbuster event of the year, unable to contend with the box office successes of Big, Rambo III and, wait for it, Crocodile Dundee II. Willow wasn’t a complete flop though as it managed to make a profit and score Academy Award nominations for Sound Editing and Visual Effects. Lucas did get to continue Willow’s story with the help of comic book writer Chris Claremont, in three novels, collected as the Chronicles of the Shadow War Trilogy.
5. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005) – Andrew Adamson
Buena Vista Pictures
What It Had Going For It: After the disappointment of Willow, The 90s were a mostly barren wasteland for fantasy films and The Matrix scuttled any possibility of a resurgence before the millennium, with audiences preferring black leather and guns to cloaks and swords. Then Lord of the Rings came out and its success had a direct effect getting the work of J.R.R. Tolkien’s friend C.S. Lewis on the big screen. Narnia had everything going for it: it came out at just the right time, it was based on a popular seven book series that many young fans of the genre had read, and had the benefit of being Christian focused which would draw in church crowds and families with children too young for Jackson’s films. The film had a strong marketing plan that catered towards fans of Harry Potterwith merchandise and special effects driven trailers. Adamson delivered a strong film that was as faithful as even the most critical of fans could ask for.
What Happened: The film was a great success, a triumph for all involved becoming the third highest grossing film of the year. It seemed like high fantasy was making a return, or at least on the young adult side of things it was. The sequel, which was based on the equally entertaining though less widely read Prince Caspian, came out three years after the first and the excitement had dulled some. Released in the crowded summer of 2008, it took in almost half the money the first did but still managed to slip into the 10th highest box office performer of the year. The third film, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, was poorly marketed and released in 2010 where it drew a little less than the previous entry but still made over 400 million. Studios quickly lost interest in the property that still had four books left to adapt, a fairly solid fan base, and the power of brand recognition. Unlike the other films on this list, the abandonment of the Narnia franchise remains baffling. In 2013 the C.S. Lewis Company announced it would be continuing the franchise with The Silver Chair. A screenwriter has been hired and a script has been written but there’s been no director attached, casting news, or start date set. Only time will tell if audiences still want to return to Narnia after five years, or will The Silver Chair will be the final nail in the franchise’s coffin.
The high fantasy genre and its relationship with the Hollywood system is a rather odd tale, one filled with great triumphs and losses, inexplicable twists, and battles between egos. There’s really no story quite like it within the studios, of a genre that holds so much promise and recognition only to spawn half-hearted entries every few years. The Hobbit films, while lacking the critical adoration of their predecessors, still prove there is life in the genre, a life that will hopefully allow for other great stories to enter development and reach their eagerly-awaiting, prospective audiences.
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