The 80s were awash with cinematic sword and sorcery adventures. And most of them stand up as great movies to this day. Here are our top ten picks. If you haven’t yet seen all the films on this list, you don’t know what you’re missing!
10. Return to Oz
I never understood why Return to Oz did so poorly at the box office. I think it’s great! The long-awaited sequel to 1939’s classic Wizard of Oz film finally hit the silver screen in 1985. It is very different and much darker than the original, which is perhaps why it bombed. But it’s definitely still worth checking out.
9. Red Sonja
Red Sonja takes place in the same fictional prehistoric Hyborian Age as the Conan films. The fearless warrior sets out to avenge the murder of her family and rid her kingdom of the tyrannical Queen Gedren. Red Sonja may have been a box office bomb, but it’s one of those films that is still warmly remembered by those of us who grew up in the 80s.
8. Conan the Barbarian
One of Arnie’s best performances was undoubtedly playing the sword-wielding warrior Conan the Barbarian in the epic movie based on the pulp magazine stories of the 1930s. Although a film version of Conan was proposed as early as 1970, the film didn’t hit cinemas until 1982. This fantasy tale of revenge is undoubtedly one of the best fantasy movies of the 80s. If you can’t get enough Conan in your life, check out the Conan video slot game at Casumo online casino.
7. Krull
Fantasy meets science fiction in this swashbuckling classic from 1983. The story follows Prince Colwyn and his posse of outlaws on the planet Krull as they attempt to save Princess Lyssa from the Beast. Krull is an 80s classic that is fondly remembered to this day.
6. The Princess Bride
Love it or hate it, The Princess Bride has become a cult movie since it had moderate success upon its release in 1987. The fantasy adventure comedy film tells the story of farmhand Westley and his companions trying to rescue his true love Princess Buttercup from an evil prince.
5. Legend
Although it wasn’t a commercial success upon its release in 1985, legendary director Ridley Scott’s film Legend has since become a classic and won numerous awards. The story of this dark fairytale sees Jack, played by Tom Cruise, trying to prevent the Lord of Darkness covering the world with eternal night.
4. Willow
Based on a story by Star Wars creator George Lucas, the dark fantasy adventure film Willow sums up everything we love about 1980s fantasies. It’s charming, exciting, funny, and a fantastic way to forget about the real world for a couple of hours. The 1988 movie sees Warwick Davis in the lead role. The reluctant farmer must protect a special baby from an evil queen, with the help of Val Kilmer’s character, the boastful mercenary Madmartigan.
3. The Dark Crystal
The Jim Henson Company helped to create two of the greatest 1980s fantasy films. The first is this stunning puppet-animated movie, The Dark Crystal. Although it’s primarily a children’s film and is full of funny moments, it’s also very dark in places. I definitely remember certain scenes scaring me as a kid! The plot sees a Gelfling called Jen on a quest to restore balance to the world.
2. Labyrinth
Following on from Jim Henson and conceptual designer Brian Froud’s collaboration on The Dark Crystal, the two reunited to make one of the most memorable and enduring films of the 80s. Labyrinth follows Sarah’s quest to retrieve her baby brother from the Goblin King, brilliantly played by David Bowie, who also provided many of the soundtrack’s fabulous songs.
1. Time Bandits
In Terry Gilliam’s 1981 masterpiece Time Bandits, a boy accidentally teams up with a band of time travelling dwarves, as they travel to various times and places looking for treasure to steal. What’s not to love? With a stellar cast that includes the likes of Sean Connery, Ian Holm, Shelley Duvall, and Gilliam’s Python mates John Cleese and Michael Palin, and a fantastic script and film-design, Time Bandits is a glorious and rollicking romp through time that we defy anyone not to love.
