Classic fantasy films of the 1980s - a blast from the past!

Some of my earliest memories are of my dad taking me to the movies. He took me to see all the classics, even when I was a bit young to appreciate them fully, or follow the story lines! I remember sitting in the worn leather seat inside the theatre, surrounded by the smell of buttery popcorn. At the intermission, I would wait while dad went to buy us ice-creams - the kind they don't sell anymore at movie theatres: dipped in chocolate and nuts. I think I was five when I saw Star Wars, but I can still remember my awe (and terror - I was five after all!) as Darth Vader strode on to the screen for the first time.

Here are six fantasy movies that I saw during my childhood. Some of them have aged better than others - but all of them influenced me, and cemented my love for the fantasy genre. I have posted blurbs from Wikipedia (for those who haven't seen the films!) and short clips from You Tube. Ah the memories!

Enjoy!

WILLOW
Willow is a 1988 American fantasy film directed by Ron Howard, produced and with a story by George Lucas, and starring Warwick Davis, Val Kilmer, Joanne Whalley, Jean Marsh, and Billy Barty. Davis plays the eponymous lead character and hero: a reluctant farmer who plays a critical role in protecting a special baby from a tyrannical queen in a sword and sorcery setting.

 First ten minutes.

THE NEVERENDING STORY
The Neverending Story (German: Die unendliche Geschichte) is a German fantasy novel by Michael Ende, first published in 1979. The standard English translation, by Ralph Manheim, was first published in 1983. The novel was later adapted into several films.
The majority of the story takes place in the parallel world of Fantastica (Phantásien in the original German version; referred to as Fantasia in the films), a world being destroyed by the Nothing, a mysterious force. The first protagonist is a young warrior who is asked by the Steward of The Empress of Fantastica to set off and find a way to stop the Nothing; the other protagonist is a boy from the real world, a reader of a novel with the same title, for whom the story gradually becomes more and more realistic.

 Trailer

LABYRINTH
Labyrinth is a 1986 British-American fantasy film directed by Jim Henson, produced by George Lucas and based upon conceptual designs by Brian Froud. The film stars David Bowie as Jareth and Jennifer Connelly as Sarah. The plot revolves around Sarah's quest to reach the center of an enormous otherworldly maze to rescue her infant brother Toby, who has been kidnapped by Jareth, the Goblin King. With the exception of Bowie and Connelly, most of the significant characters in the film are played by puppets produced by Jim Henson's Creature Shop.

Trailer

KRULL
Krull is a 1983 British-American heroic fantasy-science fiction film directed by Peter Yates and starring Ken Marshall and Lysette Anthony. It was produced by Ron Silverman and released by Columbia Pictures.
The film's most distinguished features include an unlikely union between the science fiction and fantasy genres, a robust score by James Horner, early screen roles for actors Liam Neeson and Robbie Coltrane, and its surrealistic set design within the "Black Fortress".

Trailer

THE PRINCESS BRIDE
The Princess Bride is a 1987 American romantic comedy adventure film based on the 1973 novel of the same name by William Goldman, combining comedy, adventure, romance, and fantasy. The film was directed by Rob Reiner from a screenplay by Goldman. The story is presented in the film as a book being read by a grandfather (Peter Falk) to his sick grandson (Fred Savage), thus effectively preserving the novel's narrative style. This film is number 50 on Bravo's "100 Funniest Movies," number 88 on The American Film Institute's (AFI) "AFI's 100 Years...100 Passions" list of the 100 greatest film love stories, and 46 in Channel 4's 50 Greatest Comedy Films list. In the United States, The Princess Bride has developed into a cult film since its release.

 Trailer

THE BLACK CAULDRON
The Black Cauldron is a 1985 American animated fantasy adventure film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation. The 25th film in the Walt Disney Animated Classics, it is loosely based on the first two books in The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander, a series of five novels which in turn is based on Welsh mythology.
The film centers around the evil Horned King who hopes to secure the magical Black Cauldron and rule the world with its aid. He is opposed by the youths Taran and Princess Eilonwy, the bard Fflewddur Fflam, and a wild creature named Gurgi.

Trailer