America's 100 Greatest Movies
100 YEARS...100 MOVIES


AFI's 10 Top 10 Film Genres

Part 2 - Fantasy Films



Fantasy Films:
See Filmsite's extensive section on Fantasy Films

AFI described fantasy films as "a genre where live-action characters inhabit imagined settings and/or experience situations that transcend the rules of the natural world. By presenting dreamlike realms where fairies flourish, witches scheme and pigs fly, fantasy demands that audiences believe in magic and hope for wishes to come true."

(Winners marked with this icon and ranking number)

  1. BABE, Universal, 1995
  2. BATMAN, Warner Bros., 1989
  3. BEETLEJUICE, Warner Bros., 1988
  4. BEING JOHN MALKOVICH, USA Films, 1999
  5. BIG, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1988 (# 10)
  6. BRAZIL, Universal, 1985
  7. BRIGADOON, MGM, 1954
  8. THE CANTERVILLE GHOST, MGM, 1944
  9. THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE, Disney, 2005
  10. CLASH OF THE TITANS, MGM, 1981
  11. CONAN THE BARBARIAN, Warner Bros., 1982
  12. A CONNECTICUT YANKEE IN KING ARTHUR'S COURT, Paramount, 1949
  13. THE DARK CRYSTAL, Universal, 1982
  14. THE DEVIL AND DANIEL WEBSTER, RKO, 1941
  15. EDWARD SCISSORHANDS, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1990
  16. FIELD OF DREAMS, Universal, 1989 (# 6)
  17. GHOST, Paramount, 1990
  18. THE GHOST AND MRS. MUIR, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1947
  19. GROUNDHOG DAY, Columbia, 1993 (# 8)
  20. HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN, Warner Bros., 2004
  21. HARVEY, Universal, 1950 (# 7)
  22. HEAVEN CAN WAIT, Paramount, 1978
  23. HERE COMES MR. JORDAN, Columbia, 1941
  24. I MARRIED A WITCH, United Artists, 1942
  25. IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, RKO, 1946 (# 3)
  26. JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS, Columbia, 1963
  27. KING KONG, RKO, 1933 (# 4)
  28. LABYRINTH, TriStar, 1986
  29. THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING, New Line, 2001 (# 2)
  30. LOST HORIZON, Columbia, 1937
  31. THE LOST WORLD, First National, 1925
  32. MARY POPPINS, Disney, 1964
  33. THE MASK, New Line, 1994
  34. MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1947 (# 5)
  35. MR. PEABODY AND THE MERMAID, Universal, 1948
  36. PEGGY SUE GOT MARRIED, TriStar, 1986
  37. PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL, Disney, 2003
  38. PLEASANTVILLE, New Line, 1998
  39. PORTRAIT OF JENNIE, Selznick, 1948
  40. THE PRINCESS BRIDE, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1987
  41. THE PURPLE ROSE OF CAIRO, Orion, 1985
  42. THE 7TH VOYAGE OF SINBAD, Columbia, 1958
  43. SPIDER-MAN 2, Columbia, 2004
  44. SPLASH, Touchstone, 1984
  45. SUPERMAN, Warner Bros., 1978
  46. THE THIEF OF BAGDAD, United Artists, 1924 (# 9)
  47. TOPPER, MGM, 1937
  48. WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT, Touchstone, 1988
  49. WILLY WONKA & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY, Paramount, 1971
  50. THE WIZARD OF OZ, MGM, 1939 (# 1)

Nominees: 11 movies featured ghosts and four movies featured super heroes. The 1980s was the most represented decade with 15 movies.

Winners:

  1. The Wizard of Oz (1939)
  2. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
  3. It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
  4. King Kong (1933)
  5. Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
  6. Field of Dreams (1989)
  7. Harvey (1950)
  8. Groundhog Day (1993)
  9. The Thief of Bagdad (1924)
  10. Big (1988)

Comments: Big (1988) was more a romantic comedy than a fantasy, and It's a Wonderful Life (1946) has a fantasy segment, but it's not a fantasy film. The Princess Bride (1987) deserved a place in the top 10, possibly replacing Harvey (1950). The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) was also an Epic Adventure film besides being a fantasy.


AFI's 10 Top 10 Film Genres
Introduction | Part 1 - Animated | Part 2 - Fantasy | Part 3 - Gangster | Part 4 - Science Fiction | Part 5 - Western
Part 6 - Sports | Part 7 - Mystery | Part 8 - Romantic Comedy | Part 9 - Courtroom Drama | Part 10 - Epic



Previous Page Next Page