February Fantasy Poll (Patreon)

Good tidings to you and your noble line, Ladies, Lords, and Ambiguously Gendered Political Sovereigns this month to stay close to the fantasy theme we pull across a wide range of stylistically unique low and high fantasy films for your selection:

The Sword and the Sorcerer

B movie legend Albert Pyun (Nemesis, Cyborg, uh… Omega Doom) found his greatest success with this fantasy action movie. Denby here, I added this one because I’m kinda curious to see it since I’ve liked a couple of Pyun’s films.

Excalibur

John Boorman, who did stream favorite Zardoz, found his greatest success with this stylish take on King Arthur lore. Features Helen Mirren as the villianess, along with Nicol Williamson as a wild Merlin, plus early roles for Gabriel Byrne, Liam Neeson, Ciaran Hinds, and Patrick Stewart. Both this and Zardoz came about after Boorman’s attempts to make a live-action Lord of the Rings.

Willow

George Lucas’ attempt to make another franchise after the colossal success of Star Wars and Indiana Jones was not the resounding success those films were, but it has its fans, and a truly unique fantasy movie lead in Warwick Davis, who also played Wicket in Return of the Jedi, and the titular Leprechaun in that horror series. Directed by Ron Howard, also starring Val Kilmer, and featuring some great effects work courtesy of ILM (including the earliest CGI morphing in film history) and Phil Tippet. Denby is curious to revisit it, Swamp had never heard of it!