Next 80s fantasy movie
Posted by PurplePenguinCat@reddit | GenX | View on Reddit | 67 comments
Due to the overwhelming responses I received to my post about Labyrinth last week, I was wondering which movie to watch next. There were many suggestions for Legend, Dark Crystal, Krull, and others. There are apparently many movies i missed as a kid and I'd like to change that. And I kind of enjoyed the fever dream.
What 80s fantasy movies should I watch next and is there any particular order to watch them?
the_Snowmannn@reddit
I would skip Legend. I really didn't care for that one.
But I would go with The Princess Bride, The Dark Crystal, Willow, The Neverending Story, The Lost Boys.
dafuqizzis@reddit
You can’t skip Legend. Tim Curry and Mia Sara make the movie worth sitting through.
the_Snowmannn@reddit
Even Tim Curry couldn't save that one for me.
moopet@reddit
Legend isn't a good film, but it has some great bits in it.
moopet@reddit
If you want a complete switch-up from something like Labyrinth, try... Company of Wolves.
CountHonorius@reddit
How about Sword and the Sorcerer?
MurkyMitzy@reddit
Watch the Last Unicorn. Seriously.
KieranJalucian@reddit
the Dungeon Master … for the quote so bad it’s good” category.
gene-ing_out@reddit
I'd add Dragon Slayer, Ladyhawke, and The Adventures of Baron Munchausen.
Monkeynutz_Johnson@reddit
Came here to say Baron Von Munchausen.
octopus_pi@reddit
Came here to say Dragon Slayer.
geese_moe_howard@reddit
Time Bandits
Erik the Viking
Excalibur
Conan the Barbarian
Conan the Destroyer
The Sword and the Sorcerer
Red Sonja
Clash of the Titans
Highlander
Willow
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
Hawk the Slayer
Beastmaster
Deathstalker
The Warrior And The Sorceress
Ator The Fighting Eagle
Honourable mention: The Slave and the Sorcerer (a 2024 movie very much in the vein of 80s fantasy)
Monkeynutz_Johnson@reddit
Good list but I don't see Krull on there.
geese_moe_howard@reddit
OP already mentioned Krull.
Monkeynutz_Johnson@reddit
So I'm stupid and have poor reading and comprehension skills. Some things never change i guess.
geese_moe_howard@reddit
Well it's so good that maybe it was worth mentioning twice.
jynxer11@reddit
Time Bandits!
That is pure fever dream for you and nothing like it. Please check it out! 🔥🔥🔥
Monkeynutz_Johnson@reddit
Absolutely a must see. Watched it with my 23 year old son and while he liked it, when it was over he said, "I'm still not sure what the fuck I just saw."
SgtMayhem13@reddit
Legend, Ice Pirates, Krull, Time Bandits,, Dragonslayer, Neverending Story
nahitdontmatter@reddit
ice pirates. 😂
dafuqizzis@reddit
Space herpes!
Comedywriter1@reddit
Fulci’s Conquest. The horror director attempts to cash in on the success of Conan. Truly bizarre.
Kitchen-Zebra-4402@reddit
Clash of the Titans. Flash Gordon. Something Wicked This Way Comes. Baron Munchausen. Brazil. Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
Briollo@reddit
Dragonslayer
Tralfaz1138@reddit
Have to throw in some Arnold with Conan The Barbarian, Conan the Destroyer and, for good measure, Red Sonja.
reachers_toothbrush@reddit
Seconding Conan The Barbarian. It's was the worst Arnold movie for me as a kid. Now it's one of his best!
Tralfaz1138@reddit
You get the bonus of having James Earl Jones in there in what may be one of the wildest costumes he's ever worn in a movie.
LesterMcGuire@reddit
Beastmaster!!!!!
tvieno@reddit
Excalibur
SergeantChic@reddit
The Beastmaster (by Phantasm's Don Coscarelli) is fun. The first thing I was reminded of when I watched it again for the first time in a while is that there was no PG-13 rating back then. That movie was PG with straight-up skinny-dipping and child sacrifice. Those bat people gave me nightmares when I was a kid. Back in the day we used to call HBO "Hey, Beastmaster's On!" because they showed it about five times a day for a while.
Five_String_Serenade@reddit
Beastmaster made me moist. (That and Summer Lovers.) I thought Beastmaster was SO hot. Loved Kodo and Podo too.
SergeantChic@reddit
Plus it had a fun villain - the late great Rip Torn always knew when to chew the scenery.
sobuffalo@reddit
The Sword and the Sorcerer (1982) just for the triple bladed sword.
chefriley76@reddit
Not technically fantasy, but I wish The Last Starfighter happened to me. Oh, to have been recruited by the Star League to defend the Frontier against Xur and the Ko-dan Armada.
root_fifth_octave@reddit
Have you read Ender’s Game?
chefriley76@reddit
Hell yeah. I also recommend a series called Sten. It's about a space orphan that becomes an imperial assassin for an Eternal Emperor. I think it's 7 or 8 books, but quick reads.
root_fifth_octave@reddit
Sounds cool. Hadn’t heard of it.
sharp-calculation@reddit
Excellent movie. The computer graphics were amazing for the time. They still look OK today. But obviously not up to today’s standards. The story is still wonderful
therealgookachu@reddit
This movie will make you question your sanity: 1982 remake of She.
SamWhittemore75@reddit
There can be only one...
Chad_Hooper@reddit
Hawk the Slayer. It’s pretty cheesy, but it’s a fun movie. I always like Jack Palance as a villain.
Atomic_Gumbo@reddit
Ladyhawke is peak 80’s fantasy. Rutger Hauer, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Matthew Broderick. Actually I kinda want to watch it now that I’m talking about it.
ThePythiaofApollo@reddit
Seconding this. I watch it every few months. What I really appreciate is how tight the script is. There isn’t a wasted minute. Every second contributes in some way to the story.
abysmalkarma@reddit
In the order of how they hold up / look dated. Dark Crystal, Princess Bride, Willow, Legend, Never Ending Story, Krull. This is just, like, my opinion, man....
OneCallSystem@reddit
Krull is the shit
Atomic_Gumbo@reddit
AT SUNRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISE! (gasp… pant… gasp…)
Ok-Concert-6475@reddit
Good list
Wrong_Square7826@reddit
Excalibur
Atomic_Gumbo@reddit
The king without a sword. THE LAND WITHOUT A KING!
driftless@reddit
Neverending Story?
OreoSpeedwaggon@reddit
Willow -- fantasy, action, adventure, comedy, drama, and it's got Warwick Davis and Val Kilmer.
gravely_serious@reddit
And, if you can believe it, Kevin Pollak plays one of the Brownies.
agirldonkey@reddit
I loved that one of the main characters on Reservation Dogs was named Elora Danan
badhoopty@reddit
legend.
also secret of nihm is pretty damn good for an animated childrens movie.
ElJefe0218@reddit
Clash of the Titans - 1981
sd_glokta@reddit
The Last Unicorn! Animated but excellent!
PurplePenguinCat@reddit (OP)
That I did see as a kid and loved it. I've got it on DVD!
HoosierLarry@reddit
The Bride (1985)…bonus…features Sting in a lead role.
sangvert@reddit
Time Bandits - so much fun
grumpynetgeekintexas@reddit
I came here for a Time Bandits nod, fantastic little movie.
TheBigBadDuke@reddit
Blue Velvet
AcceptableMidnight95@reddit
The Ice Pirates!
SignificantTransient@reddit
Ladyhawke, so you can hate Matthew Broderick too
tharesabeveragehere@reddit
Toxic Avenger
OldManGamer78@reddit
The Beastmaster!
queenofcaffeine76@reddit
The Dark Crystal is one of the absolute best! Watch it, and then watch the prequel series on Netflix!
root_fifth_octave@reddit
Neverending Story?