List of Crap: Top 50 Fantasy Movies Countdown

[Johnny Unusual]

The strategy of keeping left seems to be going well so far.  Eventually, they come to a big opening with a beautiful oasis.  To be safe, Spearmint Orangepip tests the water.  He finds that it is not only safe to drink, but will heal all wounds.  The party also observes many strange animals drinking from the oasis, who come to drink then immediately return to the maze.

[Johnny Unusual]

 

Life is suffering. It is hard. The world is cursed. But still, you find reasons to keep living

Number 21: Princess Mononoke
(56 points on 3 of 14 lists. Top Vote #3 by Compound)

 Plot:   
While protecting his village from rampaging boar-god/demon, a confident young warrior, Ashitaka, is stricken by a deadly curse. To save his life, he must journey to the forests of the west. Once there, he's embroiled in a fierce campaign that humans were waging on the forest. The ambitious Lady Eboshi and her loyal clan use their guns against the gods of the forest and a brave young woman, Princess Mononoke, who was raised by a wolf-god. Ashitaka sees the good in both sides and tries to stem the flood of blood. This is met be animosity by both sides as they each see him as supporting the enemy.

Magical Spells, Artifacts and Monsters

The Mononoke – The spirits of the forest in the form of giant animals.  If this is a global phenomon, I want to believe there are giant penguins out there.

The Forest God – “WHAT’S IN THE BOOOOOOX?!”
   
Trivia Notes:
Mononoke-hime replaced E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial as the biggest grossing film of all time in Japan until Titanic.

Around 550 colors were used in this film

This is the last major animated motion picture to be filmed on plastic animation cels.

Moment of Wonder
Sorry, I can’t find a really good video clip that isn’t tainted by being a fan made music video or some crap.  But one of the most amazing scene is when the forest god goes berserk.

[CJones]

Who Hoo, I had Princess Mononoke at #4. When I saw this in the theater, there were about 5 other people there, including a mother with two children around 10. When the, shall we say, dismemberment started, she was clearly upset. They didn't leave though. Still, movies have ratings for a reason people. BTW, the title always bugged me. It should be Mononoke Princess, or perhaps Spirit Princess. Princess Mononoke makes it sound like that's her name.

And of course Pan's Labyrinth was my #1. Very few movies have left such an impact on me after just the one viewing. The movie does a brilliant job of obfuscating how much of it is real, and how much is just in the girl's head. You want it to be real, because otherwise Ophelia dies. But if it is real, why doesn't the captain see the Faun. OTOH, how could she have gotten out of her room, except by means of the chalk door. Which we very noticeably never actually see her use. Usually, I hate movies that don't have a definite "correct" interpretation, but I couldn't stand the thought of Ophelia dieing instead of getting the mystical life she thought she had, even though that's what fit with reality as we know it. I don't want to know that there is a "true" series of events, or what it is.

[Johnny Unusual]

Before moving on, the gang decides to camp out in the oasis and share stories of their adventures ranging from comedy to tragedy, from epic to fables.  There is embellishment of course.  There always is.

[Johnny Unusual]

Your reality, sir, is lies and balderdash and I'm delighted to say that I have no grasp of it whatsoever.

Number 20: The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
(58 points on 4 of 14 lists. Top Vote #7 by Charles Hussein Castle)

 Plot:   
The fantastic tale of an 18th century aristocrat, his talented henchmen and a little girl in their efforts to save a town from defeat by the Turks. Being swallowed by a giant sea-monster, a trip to the moon, a dance with Venus and an escape from the Grim Reaper are only some of the improbable adventures.

Magical Spells, Artifacts and Monsters

The King of the Moon – Hey, do your gay hairdresser character… ON THE MOON!

Lying – It’s as magical as the truth.  No, wait, that was a lie.
   
Trivia Notes:
This film became notorious for its many production problems and cost overruns. Making matters worse was the change in regimes at Columbia Pictures. The new regime, not wanting any production from the old regime to "shine", simply buried the film during its U.S. release. There were many markets, especially the smaller ones, in the U.S. where this movie was not booked at all.

According to director Terry Gilliam, Columbia Pictures opened the film in the United States with only 48 prints. He also claims that only 117 prints were in distribution, a mere fraction of the number of prints normally ordered by a major distributor for even the most modest release.

Sting's cameo came about because he happened to be Terry Gilliam's neighbor at the time.

After Sean Connery withdrew from the film, Gene Wilder and Walter Matthau were considered for King of the Moon.

Moment of Wonder

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/GH3WNYCuRks" target="_blank" class="new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/GH3WNYCuRks</a>
THE END

[CJones]

For me, the most memorable thing about The Adventures of Baron Munchausen was the strikingly gorgeous portrayal of Venus by a then 17 year old Uma Thurman. The original cut even showed one of her nipples exposed, which because she was technically still a minor, they had to get permission from her parents to use. I think that bit is missing from the currently available version, but I definitely remember seeing it.

There was a very similar storybook I read in a dentist's office back when I was a child that, for the life of me I can't remember the name of. I just remember that it had a strongman, a runner and I think a sharpshooter. Oh, and it was the first time I ever saw the word "faggot" used to refer to stacks of lumber. Oh,and some mention of Saltpeter being confused with St Peter. If anyone can think of what this is, I'd be obliged. 

[Johnny Unusual]

Miyazaki is someone I really need to revisit.  When I was younger, I watched Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away and while the animation impressed me greatly, I wasn't really invested.  Rewatched Princess Mononoke for this list and it is really good.  The way it approaches the relationship between the mononoke and the humans is how Avatar should have been: complex.  You can sympathize with both sides and both sides have good honourable people who are being manipulated (in an unintentional way) by a far away force that is indifferent and ignorant about what is really going on and what the cost is.  It isn't "technology bad", it's "hatred is bad" and the hero needs both sides to overcome it.  And it isn't easy as teaching that "love is great".  It is a simple story of complicated emotions and needs.

Can't wait to watch all of his other stuff (though I have always been a big fan of Castle of Cogliastro.  Must remember it if we ever do top 50 Adventure movies.  Also, Jean-Pierre Jeunet, I know you don't usually do adaptions of big franchise type movies except for that Alien Resurrection disaster, but PLEASE do a live-action Lupin the 3rd movie!)

[Starman!]

I still haven't seen Pan's Labyrinth or Baron Munchausen. I'll have to change that.

[Johnny Unusual]

The heroes continue on the next day.  The walls of the maze get tighter and tighter.  Soon the gang can only walk in a line through the halls.

After a while, they come across some kind of giant diamond in a room and a troll.  The room is very small and can fit only a couple people.  the trollhas an evil smirk.

"It would be easy for me to destroy you.  After all, it would be easy you to over power me in the open, but hear I can easily fight you one by one.  I'll let you go by if you give me all your money or if you beat me in a game."  The others in the party would be quick to give them money, since they have so little as it is, but in the lead is Crump and he wants to take up this challenge, particularly since he knows the games of trolls are wonderfully violent and bloody.

"The game is this: we will take turns smashing our heads against this diamond until one man falls or the diamond breaks."  Crump knows that the troll has the advantage since trolls are famous for their regenerative abilities and can heal from such simple rules.  Crump has an idea though and passes something along to the bards, whom he let's into the room.

Crump strikes his head first, then the troll.  Crump is bleeding heavily and the troll does too, though his wounds where already healing.  Meanwhile, Coal eyes the diamond very carefully.

Crump asks "Can I hit the diamond anywhere?"  "Certainly" says the troll "but you must do it with your head."  "Oh, I'll use my head all right." says Crump.

[Johnny Unusual]

 

End, begin, all the same. Big change. Sometimes good. Sometimes bad.

Number 19: The The Dark Crystal
(58 points on 5 of 14 lists. Top Vote #5 by CJones)

 Plot:   
Another planet, another time. 1000 years ago the mysterious Dark Crystal was damaged by one of the Urskeks and an age of chaos has began! The evil race of grotesque birdlike lizards the Skeksis, gnomish dragons who rule their fantastic planet with an iron claw. Meanwhile the orphan Jen, raised in solitude by a race of the peace-loving wizards called the Mystics, embarks on a quest to find the missing shard of the Dark Crystal which gives the Skesis their power and restore the balance of the universe.

Magical Spells, Artifacts and Monsters

The Skeksis – GAH! KILL THEM WITH FIRE!

FIZZGIG – Well, this looks cute.  Hey, what is it –GAH! DO WE HAVE ANY FIRE LEFT?

The Dark Crystal – The other trial by stone.

Trivia Notes:
The movie's conceptual artist Brian Froud and puppet designer Wendy Midener met on the set of the movie and were later married.

The Garthim costumes were so heavy that the performers had to be hung up on a rack every five minutes to rest whilst still in costume.

In the late Seventies, Jim Henson and his daughter Cheryl Henson found themselves stuck at an airport hotel when Kennedy Airport was struck by a New York snowstorm. They spent the time working out the details of the world of The Dark Crystal on numerous sheets of hotel note paper. These notes became the inspiration for The Dark Crystal's screenplay. Work on the film didn't begin in earnest until 1979, after the completion of The Muppet Movie which was shot in Los Angeles. The Dark Crystal however, was shot back to back with The Great Muppet Caper in England.

Although there are nine of them, the Skeksis were originally based on the seven deadly sins.
Moment of Wonder

I really wanted the scene of Jen questing to Augra, since that has some cool visuals, but this will have to do.  I didn’t want to pick the usual Skeksis stuff.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/-DBkjvXHgj4" target="_blank" class="new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/-DBkjvXHgj4</a>

Also, I found a weird series of videos that seems to interpret the movie as a message about the constitution and patriots or something.  It was paranoid and creepy.

[Johnny Unusual]

After Coal assesses the diamond, he whispers to Crump, who gives the bards a thumbs up.  As Crump hits his head on the diamond once more, the bards sing at an insanely high frequency.  The diamond cracks and breaks, leaving the troll speechless.

Coal states "we should be thankful there was an accessible flaw in the diamond, otherwise we would have been stuck.

"Naw" said Crump "I would have just strangles the troll.

As they continue onward they find there is more space.  Soon they find more and more rats as they venture further.  Coal notes that though it is not obvious, they are actually moving further downwards.  suddenly the rats begin running ahead of them.  They can hear something rushing toward them from behind.  Water?  Acid?  It doesn't matter!  RUN!

[Johnny Unusual]

We can no longer live as rats. We know too much.

Number 18: The Secret of NIMH
(62 points on 4 of 14 lists. Top Vote #2 by CJones)

 Plot:   
A field mouse named Mrs. Brisby must move her family to a safe location before the farmer plows the field where they live, but her invalid son Timmy cannot go outside due to his pneumonia. She enlists the aid of some highly intelligent, escaped lab rats that have built a subterranean society inside a rose bush near the farmer's garden. The rats, led by the wise Nicodemus, decide to help her physically move her house to repay a debt of gratitude to her late husband, who made possible the rats' escape from the laboratory. But things become complicated when some of the rats decide to use the situation to kill Nicodemus and make it appear to be accidental.

Magical Spells, Artifacts and Monsters

Mystical rats – Why couldn’t they have used their magic to make the crow a less annoying character.

Trivia Notes:
At the time of release was the largest non-Disney animated film.

Final role of Elizabeth Hartman.

The small dragonfly Mr. Ages chases away near the beginning of the film is Evinrude from Disney's The Rescuers, one of the last films Don Bluth worked on at Disney before leaving the company.

Gary Goldman stated that they originally hoped the film would receive a "PG" rating, due to several intense scenes and the maturity of the subject matter. They were actually surprised when the ratings board gave it "G", and feel that the rating might have hurt the film's commercial appeal to older audiences.


Moment of Wonder

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/8Q6WCdQm2Jo" target="_blank" class="new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/8Q6WCdQm2Jo</a>

[Johnny Unusual]

As fast as they ran they felt an enormous heat behind them, even if the rushing liquid was a far ways off.  Blackeyes, in the back turned around to see a river of lava rushing towards them.  Blackeyes was able to slow it down with a cold spell but that seemed to by them only a couple minutes.  They kept running until they hit a wall.  It seems there was a flaw to keep left: it assumed that it would always be safe to turn back.  It seemed that soon the lava would bear down on them and melt them into oblivion.

It seemed that this would be the end.  Cecil prayed towards his god... and looking up, discovered a hole in the ceiling.  There was no ladder or rope.  But there was an up.  Blackeyes cast a float spell on the group and everyone flew up 30 meters into a new room.

But while they had escaped the fire, they were soon to find themselves into the frying pan.

[Johnny Unusual]

Well, I'm back.

Number 17: Lord of the Rings: Return of the King
(63 points on 4 of 14 lists. Top Vote #5 by Darth Geek and Pak Man)

 Plot:   
The War of the Ring reaches its climax as the dark lord Sauron sets his sights on Minas Tirith, the capital of Gondor. The members of the fellowship in Rohan are warned of the impending attack when Pippin cannot resist looking into Saruman's palantir and is briefly contacted by the dark lord. King Theoden is too proud to send his men to help without being asked, so Gandalf and Pippin ride to Minas Tirith to see that this request is sent. They meet opposition there from Denethor, steward of the city and father of Faramir and the late Boromir. Denethor's family has acted as temporary guardians of Gondor for centuries until a member of the true line of kings returns. This member is none other than Aragorn, who must overcome his own self-doubt before he can take on the role he was destined to fulfill. Meanwhile, Frodo and Sam continue to carry the One Ring towards Mordor, guided by Gollum. What they don't know is that Gollum is leading them into a trap so that he can reclaim the Ring for himself. Though Sam suspects his deceit, Frodo is starting to be corrupted by the Ring's power and the mistrust of Sam this causes is fully exploited by Gollum. The only way good can prevail in this contest is if the Ring is destroyed, an event that is becoming harder every minute for Frodo to achieve. The fate of every living creature in Middle Earth will be decided once and for all as the Quest of the Ringbearer reaches its climax.

Magical Spells, Artifacts and Monsters

That spider thing – What’s it called?  Oh, and spoiler alert, there is a big spider.

That ghost army thing – It think someone killed the Tasmanian Devil and he came back as an army.

Trivia Notes:
While John Gilbert was editing The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring andMichael Horton was editing The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Jamie Selkirk was cutting the final chapter. From the start, Peter Jackson wanted his longtime associate Selkirk on The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King as he knew Selkirk would stay focused on the climax of the entire saga.

After the premiere in Wellington, the city held a party that went on till dawn, funded by the City Council to the tune of $400,000, with street performers, outdoor screenings, an introduction from Prime Minister Helen Clark and a giant mock-up of a Nazgul flying over the Embassy Theatre.

John Rhys-Davies (Gimli) originally auditioned for the role of Denethor. (This means nothing to me.)

When Frodo is writing the book, the top of the page notes that Sam was elected Mayor of Hobbiton.

Moment of Wonder

This is a pretty epic moment in the history film romances
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/Y0F2c4VgxW8" target="_blank" class="new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/Y0F2c4VgxW8</a>

[Johnny Unusual]

To be continued, and I should be finished in 2 days.  Sorry for taking so long, I'll finish it up soon.