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The fantasy genre can be broken down into numerous sub-genres based on the kind of tone and world the storyteller is trying to create. One of the most recognizable is dark fantasy, which is characterized by mature themes and grim aesthetics. The world and the people who inhabit it tend to be more aggressive than in the more traditional high fantasy, and victories often come at a greater price.
Dark fantasy has always been a popular genre for movies. The aim at older audiences allows the crew to add a bit more grit and hard-hitting material, while also allowing for elaborate sets and iconic monsters to sell how dangerous the world is. Throughout the years, the dark fantasy subgenre has produced several masterpieces, many of which rank among the all-time greatest in cinematic history.
10
‘The Dark Crystal’ (1982)
Jen (Stephen Garlick) is a Gelfling living with the mystical urRu after his people were massacred by the evil Skeksis, who rule the planet Thra by draining its energy through their Dark Crystal. As the Mystic’s leader (Brian Muehl) dies the same day as the Skeksis emperor (Jerry Nelson), Jen is sent on a quest to recover a missing shard of the crystal from the mystic Aughra (Billie Whitelaw). With it, he can restore the crystal and restore life to Thra, but if he fails, the Skeksis will drain enough power from the planet to make themselves immortal.
The Dark Crystal is the dark fantasy masterpiece of Jim Henson’s acclaimed career. No human characters appear in the movie, which, combined with the wide array of fantastic creature designs and a landscape that acts as if it’s alive, makes Thra one of the most alien plants in cinema. The Skeksis are the crown jewel of the film, brought to life with groundbreaking puppetry, articulated faces that help convey their emotions, and unique outfits that both reflect their personalities and paint them as the ultimate representation of decadence and corruption.
9
‘The Crow’ (1994)
On Devil’s Night, rock musician Eric Draven (Brandon Lee) and his fiancée Shelly Webster (Sofia Shinas) are killed by men loyal to crime lord Top Dollar (Michael Wincott). One year later, a crow visits his grave and raises him from the dead with the ability to heal from any injury. Eric then goes on a revenge quest to kill those who murdered him and Shelly, while also reconnecting with Sarah (Rochelle Davis), a teenage girl he and Shelly cared for due to her absent and drug-addicted mother.
Adapted from the comics by James O’Barr, The Crow is a film that contrasts the worst aspects of humanity with its best. Amidst Eric’s revenge quest are moments of him regaining the humanity he lost after such horrific trauma, and the care he shows towards Sarah, as well as the efforts of Sergeant Darryl Albrecht (Ernie Hudson), show how small acts of kindness can go a long way in brightening a dark world. Lee also gives a terrific performance as Eric, which makes it all the more tragic that it was his final role.
8
‘Hellboy’ (2004)
During the final days of World War II, the Allies interrupt a ritual by Grigori Rasputin (Karel Roden) to summon the demonic Ogdru Jahad, sending the mad monk through the portal he opened and leaving behind a demon baby. Nicknamed Hellboy (Ron Perlman) by the soldiers, he is adopted by Trevor Bruttenholm (Sir John Hurt), who raises him to aid humanity through the secret Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense. 60 years later, Rasputin is revived to continue his plans, so Hellboy sets out with a psychic fish-man named Abraham Sapien (Doug Jones), recent transfer John Myers (Rupert Evans), and pyrokinetic Elizabeth Serman (Selma Blair) to stop him.
Hellboy combines the titular comic series by Mike Mignola with the creative vision of Guillermo del Toro, which is a guaranteed recipe for success. And indeed, the film is a great dark, urban fantasy, with plenty of action, mystery, and solid character moments, especially as Hellboy struggles between his destiny to end the world and his attempts to live up to the teachings of his adopted father. It also looks fantastic, blending CGI with practical effects to create a unique look that is all its own, which also helps it age more gracefully than other early 2000s films.
7
‘Coraline’ (2009)
Coraline Jones (Dakota Fanning) is a young girl who has moved with her overworked parents from Michigan to the Pink Palace Apartments in Oregon. She soon finds a door in the wall that leads to a parallel world operated by her Other Mother (Teri Hatcher), where everyone has black buttons for eyes, and every one of Coraline’s whims is catered to. As she becomes engrossed in the magic of this place, a black cat (Keith David) who can travel between worlds warns her that all is not as it seems, and the Other Mother has far more malicious intentions.
Coraline is adapted from the book of the same name, so you know it’s going to be pretty dark and twisted. The movie is ultimately about accepting a flawed but real life over an idealistic one that, while tempting at first glance, is ultimately self-destructive if indulged in too long. Coraline herself is also a great protagonist: her actions and personality traits feel in line with a girl her age. Fanning’s performance gives her so much life, and her moments of triumph highlight how one can be brave even in the face of fear, which is always good for children to learn.
6
‘Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio’ (2022)
Geppetto (David Bradley) is an Italian woodcarver who, in a drunken despair, chops down the pine tree that marks his son’s grave and uses it to carve a puppet in his likeness. A passing Wood Sprite (Tilda Swinton) notices Geppetto’s grief and brings the puppet, named Pinocchio (Gregory Mann), to life, assigning Sebastian J. Cricket (Ewan McGregor) as his conscience in exchange for a wish. However, not only does Pinocchio have a lack of self-control, but he is also immortal, leading to numerous factions trying to get their hands on him
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio is far from the most faithful adaptation of Carlo Collodi‘s story, but it’s the most distinct. The most obvious of these distinctions is the animation, done through stylistic stop-motion that utilizes models with a lot of detail and articulation, which both play into the fairy tale tone of the story and hint at the darkness lurking just beneath the surface. The other way is through its focus on death, mortality, and grief, best demonstrated whenever Pinocchio dies, and he meets with the Wood Sprite’s sister, Death (Tilda Swinton).
5
‘The Last Unicorn’ (1982)
A unicorn (Mia Farrow) learns that she may be the last of her kind after a passing butterfly (Robert Klein) tells her the others were driven off by a Red Bull. Thus, the unicorn follows the bull’s trail to the gloomy kingdom of King Haggard (Sir Christopher Lee), and experiences firsthand what the absence of unicorns has done to humans. Along the way, she gets allies in the form of a bumbling magician named Schmendrick (Alan Arkin), a bandit named Molly Grue (Tammy Grimes), and Haggard’s adopted son, Prince Lir (Jeff Bridges).
With a screenplay written by Peter S. Beagle—the author of the original book—and gorgeous animation by Studio Ghibli’s predecessor studio, Topcraft, The Last Unicorn stands as one of the most beautiful and melancholic fantasy films. Its world runs on fairy tale logic, down to everyone having a set role, but rather than deconstruct these archetypes, it instead uses the setting to explore complex themes such as fate, grief, melancholy, and the price of immortality. This approach is further emphasized by the movie’s soundtrack by America, especially the intro song, which sets the tone perfectly with its beautifully haunting lyrics.
4
‘Dragonslayer’ (1981)
To save their kingdom from the wrath of the ancient dragon Vermithrax Pejorative, who demands the sacrifice of young maidens chosen via lottery, an expedition travels to Cragganmore to recruit the last great sorcerer, Ulrch (Sir Ralph Richardson). Things seem hopeless when he dies while demonstrating his magic powers to the captain of the king’s guard, Tyrian (John Hallam), but his magic amulet chooses his apprentice, Galen (Peter MacNicol), as its new bearer. He offers to kill the dragon in his master’s place, but the beast is too formidable, and forces in the kingdom conspire against him to prevent the carnage that would follow should he fail.
The fact that Dragonslayer is as dark as it is becomes more shocking when you remember that it’s a joint Paramount and Disney project. Not only is there a fairly high body count among the named characters, but they also subvert the idea of fantasy archetypes through complex motivations and gray morality, doing what they think is right even if the results are less than clean. And, of course, there is the dragon itself, brought to life through groundbreaking effects, with a gnarled design that makes it look both ancient and like a living demon rather than a natural creature.
3
‘The NeverEnding Story’ (1984)
After hiding from bullies in a bookstore, Bastian Balthazar Bux (Barret Oliver) leaves with a book called The Neverending Story, despite the cryptic warnings of the store’s owner, Carl Conrad Coreander (Thomas Hill). He hides in the school’s attic to read the book, which details a fantasy world called Fantasia that is being destroyed by a force called The Nothing. A hero named Atreyu (Noah Hathaway) is sent to find a solution, but as Bastian continues to read, he starts to notice that the boundaries between fiction and reality are blurring.
Wolfgang Petersen‘s The NeverEnding Story adapts the first half of the book by Michael Ende into one of the most iconic dark fantasy films of the 1980s. Fantasia comes to life through a wide array of impressive effects that make each of the creatures look and move distinctly from one another, many of which are voiced by veteran voice actor Alan Oppenheimer. The story, meanwhile, focuses on concepts like the power of imagination and the death of self through The Nothing, while locations like The Swamp of Sadness or the obstacles to the Southern Oracle can be seen as manifestations of depression.
2
‘Conan the Barbarian’ (1982)
Conan (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is the only survivor of a village that worships the warrior god, Crom, who grew up as a pit-fighting slave. Upon gaining his freedom, Conan joins forces with an archer named Subotai (Gerry Lopez) and a warrior named Valeria (Sandahl Bergman) to rob a temple dedicated to a serpent cult. Conan soon learns that the cult’s leader, Thulsa Doom (James Earl Jones), is the same man who murdered his family, and sets off to claim vengeance with help from his friends and an eccentric wizard (Mako).
Conan the Barbarian is the movie that propelled Schwarzenegger to superstardom and set high standards for the fantasy boom of the 1980s. The film keeps magic to a minimum, meaning that characters often have to use their strength of arm and cunning to overcome problems, especially because what magic is present is often dark and otherworldly. Combined with an epic musical score, gritty action sequences, and intelligent conversations between the characters that further establish the history of the world, you have a movie that pulls the audience in with its timeless tale of vengeance and the human spirit overcoming any obstacle.
1
‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ (2006)
Ofelia (Ivana Baquero) is a young girl living in Francoist Spain, and has recently moved with her pregnant mother to live with her new step-father, Captain Vidal (Sergi López). One night, she follows two fairies to an underground labyrinth and meets a Faun (Doug Jones), who tells her that she is a reincarnation of the princess of the underworld. To reclaim her throne, she must face three increasingly difficult challenges, all while tending to her mother, since Vidal is more concerned with catching Maquis rebels.
Pan’s Labyrinth is a textbook example of dark fantasies, not to mention del Toro’s masterpiece. The film uses its fantastical world and characters as a metaphor for the darkness in Ofelia’s life, such as the iconic Pale Man (Doug Jones), a grotesque, withered creature who devours children while sitting at a table loaded with plentiful food, representing how the actions of the older generation destroy the young. Fittingly, this dark fairy tale classic also ends on a bittersweet note that emphasizes kindness and the weight of sacrifice.
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https://collider.com/best-dark-fantasy-movie-masterpieces-all-time-ranked/
Tyler B. Searle
Almontather Rassoul
