Image by Wrood from Pixabay
For true escapism into dream worlds, what is better than a fantasy movie? Animation, in particular, has the incredible ability of letting us experience otherworldly realms and embrace alternate realities. It’s a delightful magic trick.
If you want to travel to another dimension, consider watching some great fantasy films, and for an even more complete journey, read the books that inspired them.
Here is a list of fantasy movies based on books:
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) is an animated fantasy based on the story by the Brothers Grimm, directed by David Hand, about a princess who is exiled by her jealous stepmother and then rescued by a group of seven friends and a prince.
Life Lesson: Stay positive.
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The Wizard of Oz (1939) is a fantasy co-directed by Victor Fleming, based on the book by L. Frank Baum, about Dorothy Gale (Judy Garland), a farm girl from Kansas who travels to Oz, a strange city where she meets many unusual characters.
Life Lesson: You already have what you are looking for.
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Cinderella (1950) is a fantasy directed by Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson and Hamilton Luske based on the folk tale about a servant girl (Ilene Woods) who overcomes many obstacles to find happiness.
Life Lesson: Never stop believing in your dreams.
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Alice in Wonderland (1951) is a fantasy co-directed by Clyde Geronimi, based on the book by Lewis Carroll, about Alice (Kathryn Beaumont), a girl who dreams of living in a world full of nonsense and whimsy.
Life Lesson: “Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back.” — Proverb
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Sleeping Beauty (1959) is a fantasy co-directed by Clyde Geronimi, based on the fairy tale by Giambattista Basile, about Princess Aurora (Mary Costa), a baby who is cursed by an evil fairy but helped by three good fairies.
Life Lesson: True love conquers all.
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The Shaggy Dog (1959) is a fantasy directed by Charles Barton, based on the book The Hound of Florence by Felix Salten, about Wilby Daniels (Tommy Kirk), a teenager who turns into an Old English Sheepdog.
Life Lesson: Find someone to talk to about your problems.
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The Sword in the Stone (1963) is an animated fantasy co-directed by Wolfgang Reitherman, based on the 1938 story by T.H. White, about Wart (Rickie Sorensen), a servant boy who eventually becomes King Arthur of England under the guidance of a wizard, Merlin (Karl Swenson).
Life Lesson: Try.
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Mary Poppins (1964) is a fantasy directed by Robert Stevenson, based on the book by P.L. Travers, about a magical nanny, Mary Poppins (Julie Andrews), and a chimney sweep, Bert (Dick Van Dyke), who help out the Banks family in London.
Life Lesson: Don’t be so absorbed in routine that you miss the wonders around you.
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The Jungle Book (1967) is an animated fantasy based on the stories by Rudyard Kipling and directed by Wolfgang Reitherman about Mowgli (Bruce Reitherman), a baby that grows up in a jungle until his wolf family and Bagheera (Sebastian Cabot), a panther, decide that he should return to the human village with the help of Baloo (Phil Harris), a bear.
Life Lesson: Do what is best for the ones you love.
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Horton Hears a Who! (1970) is an animated fantasy based on the book by Dr. Seuss and directed by Chuck Jones about an elephant that protects Whoville, a microscopic world, from danger, but finds himself being attacked for it by everyone in his community because they cannot see or hear the tiny world. Meanwhile, Dr. H. Hoovey (Hans Conried), professor of science in Whoville and Horton’s friend, struggles to convince his fellow residents that there is a larger world outside their own.
Life Lesson: Every effort counts, no matter how small and insignificant it may seem.
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The Black Cauldron (1985) is an animated fantasy co-directed by Ted Berman and Richard Rich, based on the novel The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander, about Taran (Grant Bardsley), a boy who is tasked with protecting Hen Wen, an oracle pig who knows the location of a powerful weapon that the Horned King (John Hurt) wants.
Life Lesson: Inexperience may lead to false confidence.
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The Princess Bride (1987) is a fantasy-romance based on the book by William Goldman and directed by Rob Reiner about a poor farmhand named Westley (Cary Elwes) who rescues Princess Buttercup (Robin Wright), and wins her love.
Life Lesson: True love means being able to say “as you wish.”
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Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) is a fantasy directed by Robert Zemeckis, based on the novel by Gary K. Wolf, about Eddie Valiant (Bob Hoskins), a private detective who reluctantly helps a rabbit accused of murder (Charles Fleischer).
Life Lesson: "There’s a lot to be said for making people laugh."
— John L. Sullivan (Sullivan’s Travels (1941))🍿Movie Scene Link (movie quote)
Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989) is a fantasy written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, based on the book by Eiko Kadono about Kiki (Kirsten Dunst), an independent thirteen-year-old witch, who travels to a new town with her black cat, Jiji (Phil Hartman), in order to begin her training, and starts a business to support herself with the help of a baker, Osono (Tress MacNeille).
Life Lesson: Have confidence in what you are doing, even if you don’t think you have a special skill or talent.
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The Little Mermaid (1989) is a fantasy co-written and co-directed by Ron Clements and John Musker, based on the story by Hans Christian Andersen, about Ariel (Jodi Benson), a young mermaid who wishes to be human.
Life Lesson: Give children the freedom to be themselves.
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Aladdin (1992) is a fantasy based on the story from The Book of One Thousand and One Nights (The Arabian Nights), co-written and co-directed by Ron Clements and John Musker about Aladdin, a petty thief (Scott Weinger) who finds a magic lamp and befriends the genie (Robin Williams) inside.
Life Lesson: Don’t judge a book by its cover.
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Matilda (1996) is a fantasy based on the children’s book by Roald Dahl, and directed by Danny DeVito, about a girl who is driven to seek vengeance against her tormentors at home and at school, and develops psychokinetic powers to do so.
Life Lesson: “You make your own happiness.”—Tony Robbins
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The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) is a fantasy directed by Peter Jackson based on the book by J.R.R. Tolkien about an unlikely hero, a young Hobbit named Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood), who sets out on a quest along with eight companions, including the wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen), to destroy a ring that can give its owner the power to enslave the world.
Life Lesson: Be compassionate—show mercy—towards those who offend you.
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Meet the Robinsons (2007) is a fantasy co-written and directed by Stephen J. Anderson, based on the book by William Joyce, about Lewis (Jordan Fry), a child inventor whose experiments constantly fail until he is helped by a stranger named Wilbur Robinson (Wesley Singerman).
Life Lesson: “Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.”
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Maleficent (2014) is a fantasy directed by Robert Stromberg, based on the Sleeping Beauty story, about a fairy (Angelina Jolie) who puts a curse on an infant princess.
Life Lesson: “Men in rage strike those that wish them best.”
— William Shakespeare, Othello
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Bonus:
Great Movie Based On A Legend:
Robin Hood (1973) is a fantasy directed by Wolfgang Reitherman, based on the English folklore legend, about Robin Hood (Brian Bedford), a fox who steals from the rich ruling class to give money back to the poor, heavily taxed, working class.
Life Lesson: “Taxation is theft.” — Murray Rothbard
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Great Movie Based On A Magazine Article:
Lady and the Tramp (1955) is an animated fantasy co-directed by Clyde Geronimi, based on the story in Cosmopolitan magazine, "Happy Dan, the Cynical Dog" by Ward Green, about the adventures of two dogs, Lady (Barbara Luddy), an American Cocker Spaniel from a wealthy family, and Tramp (Larry Roberts), a stray mutt.
Life Lesson: Life is an adventure
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One of the most rewarding gifts that movies can give us is inspiration to fuel our imaginations, and fantasy films, especially, are a powerhouse of grand ideas and magnificent visions. The next wave of fantastic books may indeed be based on movies, but for now give yourself the opportunity to read the original stories that led to some of the best movies already out there.
—> For an even longer reading list, please see: Great Movies Based On Books
Happy trails!
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Love The Sword in the Stone, the movie and the novel. And love the way you write about each movie.