80s fantasy films
by dshaunfilm | created - 26 Nov 2019 | updated - 19 Sep 2022 | PublicThe 80s were a cool decade for fantasy (and film in general). I need to see more of these movies
- Instant Watch Options
- Genres
- Movies or TV
- IMDb Rating
- In Theaters
- Release Year
- Keywords
1. The Dark Crystal (1982)
PG | 93 min | Adventure, Family, Fantasy
On another planet in the distant past, a Gelfling embarks on a quest to find the missing shard of a magical crystal, and to restore order to his world.
Directors: Jim Henson, Frank Oz | Stars: Jim Henson, Kathryn Mullen, Frank Oz, Dave Goelz
Votes: 71,482 | Gross: $40.58M
2. Willow (1988)
PG | 126 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
A young farmer is chosen to undertake a perilous journey in order to protect a special baby from an evil queen.
Director: Ron Howard | Stars: Val Kilmer, Joanne Whalley, Warwick Davis, Jean Marsh
Votes: 129,910 | Gross: $57.27M
3. Labyrinth (1986)
PG | 101 min | Adventure, Family, Fantasy
Sixteen-year-old Sarah must solve a labyrinth to rescue her baby brother when he is taken by the Goblin King.
Director: Jim Henson | Stars: David Bowie, Jennifer Connelly, Toby Froud, Shelley Thompson
Votes: 149,630 | Gross: $12.73M
4. Excalibur (1981)
PG | 140 min | Adventure, Drama, Fantasy
Merlin the magician helps Arthur Pendragon unite the Britons around the Round Table of Camelot, even as dark forces conspire to tear it apart.
Director: John Boorman | Stars: Nigel Terry, Helen Mirren, Nicholas Clay, Cherie Lunghi
Votes: 67,190 | Gross: $34.97M
5. Dragonslayer (1981)
PG | 109 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
A young wizarding apprentice is sent to kill a dragon which has been devouring girls from a nearby kingdom.
Director: Matthew Robbins | Stars: Peter MacNicol, Caitlin Clarke, Ralph Richardson, John Hallam
Votes: 19,964 | Gross: $14.11M
6. Legend (1985)
PG | 94 min | Adventure, Fantasy, Romance
A young man must stop the Lord of Darkness from destroying daylight and marrying the woman he loves.
Director: Ridley Scott | Stars: Tom Cruise, Mia Sara, Tim Curry, David Bennent
Votes: 72,507 | Gross: $15.50M
7. The NeverEnding Story (1984)
PG | 102 min | Adventure, Drama, Family
A troubled boy dives into a wondrous fantasy world through the pages of a mysterious book.
Director: Wolfgang Petersen | Stars: Noah Hathaway, Barret Oliver, Tami Stronach, Gerald McRaney
Votes: 157,004 | Gross: $20.16M
8. Ladyhawke (1985)
PG-13 | 121 min | Adventure, Comedy, Drama
The thief Gaston escapes the dungeon of medieval Aquila through the latrine. Soldiers are about to kill him when Navarre saves him. Navarre, traveling with his spirited hawk, plans to kill the bishop of Aquila with help from Gaston.
Director: Richard Donner | Stars: Matthew Broderick, Rutger Hauer, Michelle Pfeiffer, Leo McKern
Votes: 50,998 | Gross: $18.43M
9. Highlander (1986)
R | 116 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
An immortal Scottish swordsman must confront the last of his immortal opponents, a murderously brutal barbarian who lusts for the fabled "Prize".
Director: Russell Mulcahy | Stars: Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery, Clancy Brown, Roxanne Hart
Votes: 147,498 | Gross: $5.90M
10. The Princess Bride (1987)
PG | 98 min | Adventure, Comedy, Family
A bedridden boy's grandfather reads him the story of a farmboy-turned-pirate who encounters numerous obstacles, enemies and allies in his quest to be reunited with his true love.
Director: Rob Reiner | Stars: Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, Robin Wright, Chris Sarandon
Votes: 451,056 | Gross: $30.86M
11. Krull (1983)
PG | 121 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
A prince and a fellowship of companions set out to rescue his bride from a fortress of alien invaders who have arrived on their home planet, Krull.
Director: Peter Yates | Stars: Ken Marshall, Lysette Anthony, Freddie Jones, Francesca Annis
Votes: 36,267 | Gross: $16.52M
12. Return to Oz (1985)
PG | 113 min | Adventure, Family, Fantasy
Dorothy, saved from a psychiatric experiment by a mysterious girl, is somehow called back to Oz when a vain witch and the Nome King destroy everything that makes the magical land beautiful.
Director: Walter Murch | Stars: Fairuza Balk, Nicol Williamson, Jean Marsh, Piper Laurie
Votes: 30,368
13. The Sword and the Sorcerer (1982)
R | 99 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
A mercenary with a three-bladed sword rediscovers his royal heritage's dangerous future when he is recruited to help a princess foil the designs of a brutal tyrant and a powerful sorcerer in conquering a land.
Director: Albert Pyun | Stars: Lee Horsley, Kathleen Beller, Simon MacCorkindale, George Maharis
Votes: 7,525 | Gross: $39.10M
14. The Black Cauldron (1985)
PG | 80 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
A young boy and a group of misfit friends embark on a quest to find a dark magic item of ultimate power before a diabolical tyrant can.
Directors: Ted Berman, Richard Rich | Stars: Grant Bardsley, Freddie Jones, Susan Sheridan, Nigel Hawthorne
Votes: 40,762 | Gross: $21.29M
15. The Last Unicorn (1982)
G | 92 min | Animation, Adventure, Drama
A beautiful unicorn sets out to learn if she truly is the last of her kind in this sparkling animated musical.
Directors: Jules Bass, Arthur Rankin Jr. | Stars: Jeff Bridges, Mia Farrow, Angela Lansbury, Alan Arkin
Votes: 29,547 | Gross: $6.46M
16. The Beastmaster (1982)
PG | 118 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
A sword-and-sorcery fantasy about a young man's search for revenge. Armed with supernatural powers, the handsome hero and his animal allies wage war against marauding forces.
Director: Don Coscarelli | Stars: Marc Singer, Tanya Roberts, Rip Torn, John Amos
Votes: 25,232 | Gross: $14.06M
17. Conan the Barbarian (1982)
R | 129 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
A powerful warrior seeks to avenge the genocide of his people and the murder of his parents at the hands of a snake cult.
Director: John Milius | Stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger, James Earl Jones, Max von Sydow, Sandahl Bergman
Votes: 162,552 | Gross: $39.57M
18. Conan the Destroyer (1984)
PG | 103 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Conan leads a ragtag group of adventurers on a quest for a princess.
Director: Richard Fleischer | Stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Grace Jones, Olivia d'Abo, Wilt Chamberlain
Votes: 85,365 | Gross: $31.04M
19. Red Sonja (1985)
PG-13 | 89 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
The fearless warrior Red Sonja sets out to avenge her family's murder and rid her kingdom from the tyrannical rule of evil Queen Gedren.
Director: Richard Fleischer | Stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Brigitte Nielsen, Sandahl Bergman, Paul L. Smith
Votes: 44,895 | Gross: $6.95M
20. Clash of the Titans (1981)
PG | 118 min | Action, Adventure, Family
Perseus must battle Medusa and the Kraken to save the Princess Andromeda.
Director: Desmond Davis | Stars: Laurence Olivier, Harry Hamlin, Claire Bloom, Maggie Smith
Votes: 47,781 | Gross: $41.09M
21. Hawk the Slayer (1980)
PG | 90 min | Adventure, Fantasy
With the aid of his companions, a man seeks to defeat his evil brother who has taken a nun hostage.
Director: Terry Marcel | Stars: Jack Palance, John Terry, Bernard Bresslaw, Ray Charleson
Votes: 4,100
22. The Flight of Dragons (1982 Video)
Passed | 95 min | Animation, Adventure, Family
A young Boston writer goes back in time into an era where wizards and dragon reign and science is just barely known.
Directors: Jules Bass, Arthur Rankin Jr. | Stars: Victor Buono, James Gregory, James Earl Jones, Harry Morgan
Votes: 6,088
23. Fire and Ice (1983)
PG | 81 min | Animation, Adventure, Fantasy
At the end of the ice age, an evil queen and her son are set on conquering the world using magic and warriors. The lone survivor of a crushed village fights back as does the king of Fire Keep.
Director: Ralph Bakshi | Stars: Randy Norton, Cynthia Leake, Steve Sandor, Sean Hannon
Votes: 12,633 | Gross: $0.76M
24. Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983)
PG | 95 min | Fantasy, Mystery, Thriller
In a small American town, a diabolical circus and its demonic proprietor prey on the townsfolk.
Director: Jack Clayton | Stars: Mary Grace Canfield, Richard Davalos, Jake Dengel, Jack Dodson
Votes: 10,618 | Gross: $8.40M
25. Time Bandits (1981)
PG | 110 min | Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy
A young boy accidentally joins a band of time travelling dwarves, as they jump from era to era looking for treasure to steal.
Director: Terry Gilliam | Stars: Sean Connery, Shelley Duvall, John Cleese, Katherine Helmond
Votes: 68,375 | Gross: $42.37M
26. The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988)
PG | 126 min | Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy
An account of Baron Munchausen's supposed travels and fantastical experiences across late 18th-century Europe with his band of misfits.
Director: Terry Gilliam | Stars: John Neville, Eric Idle, Sarah Polley, Oliver Reed
Votes: 56,882 | Gross: $8.08M
27. Starchaser: The Legend of Orin (1985)
PG | 100 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
Set on the subterranean Mine-World, a band of human worker are treated like slaves under the power of the evil overlord Zygon until one, Orin, unearths the hilt of a mythical sword that ... See full summary »
Director: Steven Hahn | Stars: Joe Colligan, Carmen Argenziano, Noelle North, Anthony De Longis
Votes: 2,522 | Gross: $3.36M
28. The Return of the King (1980 TV Movie)
Not Rated | 98 min | Animation, Adventure, Family
Two Hobbits struggle to destroy the Ring in Mount Doom while their friends desperately fight evil Lord Sauron's forces in a final battle.
Directors: Jules Bass, Arthur Rankin Jr. | Stars: Orson Bean, John Huston, Theodore Bikel, William Conrad
Votes: 4,630
29. The Secret of NIMH (1982)
G | 82 min | Animation, Adventure, Drama
To save her ill son, a field mouse must seek the aid of a colony of rats, with whom she has a deeper link than she suspected.
Director: Don Bluth | Stars: Elizabeth Hartman, Derek Jacobi, Dom DeLuise, Arthur Malet
Votes: 45,180 | Gross: $10.14M
30. Barbarian Queen (1985)
R | 74 min | Adventure, Fantasy
A sword-wielding warrior, Amethea, and a few companions embark on a life-or-death mission to liberate her people from the clutches of a brutal monarch who destroyed her village and enslaved her people.
Director: Héctor Olivera | Stars: Lana Clarkson, Katt Shea, Frank Zagarino, Dawn Dunlap
Votes: 3,129
31. Sheena (1984)
PG | 117 min | Adventure, Fantasy
Sheena grew up in the African wild, raised by a mystical witch woman. When her foster mother is framed for a murder Sheena is forced to flee, helped by her ability to talk to animals and her knowledge of the jungle.
Director: John Guillermin | Stars: Tanya Roberts, Ted Wass, Donovan Scott, Elizabeth of Toro
Votes: 5,564 | Gross: $5.78M
32. The Warrior and the Sorceress (1984)
R | 81 min | Adventure, Fantasy
A fearsome swordsman, Kain, crosses the barren wastelands and comes upon a town where two arch enemies fight incessantly for control of the town's only well.
Director: John C. Broderick | Stars: David Carradine, Luke Askew, María Socas, Anthony De Longis
Votes: 2,530 | Gross: $2.89M
33. Sword of the Valiant (1984)
PG | 102 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
The Green Knight challenges King Arthur's knights. But only young Gawain accepts and decapitates him. The knight takes his head and now gives Gawain one year to learn about virtues, knighthood and then face the challenge himself.
Director: Stephen Weeks | Stars: Miles O'Keeffe, Cyrielle Clair, Leigh Lawson, Sean Connery
Votes: 2,518
34. The Company of Wolves (1984)
R | 95 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
A teenage girl in a country manor falls asleep while reading a magazine, and has a disturbing dream involving wolves prowling the woods below her bedroom window.
Director: Neil Jordan | Stars: Sarah Patterson, Angela Lansbury, David Warner, Graham Crowden
Votes: 18,416 | Gross: $4.39M
35. Sorceress (1982)
R | 83 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Sword and sorcery story of the cosmic struggle between white magic and black magic.
Director: Jack Hill | Stars: Leigh Harris, Lynette Harris, Roberto Nelson, David Millbern
Votes: 2,654
36. Wizards of the Lost Kingdom (1985)
PG | 72 min | Action, Adventure, Family
When evil screams throughout the world. When all the galaxies converge. When all that's fair and fine seems lost. A Hero will emerge.
Directors: Héctor Olivera, Alan Holleb | Stars: Bo Svenson, Vidal Peterson, Thom Christopher, Barbara Stock
Votes: 2,045
37. Erik the Viking (1989)
PG-13 | 107 min | Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy
Erik the Viking and his men travel across the sea to find Valhalla to ask the gods to end the Age of Ragnarok.
Director: Terry Jones | Stars: Tim Robbins, John Cleese, Mickey Rooney, Eartha Kitt
Votes: 14,483 | Gross: $1.93M
38. Gor (1987)
PG | 94 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
American professor Tarl Cabot is transported via a magical ring to planet Gor, where he must help an oppressed country overthrow its evil king and his barbarian henchmen.
Director: Fritz Kiersch | Stars: Urbano Barberini, Rebecca Ferratti, Jack Palance, Paul L. Smith
Votes: 2,346
39. Gor II (1988)
PG-13 | 89 min | Action, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
An Earthman returns to the planet Gor, and fights against tyranny.
Director: John 'Bud' Cardos | Stars: Urbano Barberini, Rebecca Ferratti, Jack Palance, Donna Denton
Votes: 2,062
40. The Barbarians (1987)
R | 87 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Two twin barbarians seek revenge from the warlord who massacred their tribe and captured them when they were small children.
Director: Ruggero Deodato | Stars: David Paul, Peter Paul, Richard Lynch, Eva LaRue
Votes: 5,085 | Gross: $0.80M
41. Deathstalker (1983)
R | 80 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
A lone warrior nicknamed Deathstalker is sent by a witch on a quest to find a sword, a chalice, and an amulet, two of which are held by the wicked king and sorcerer, Munkar.
Director: James Sbardellati | Stars: Rick Hill, Barbi Benton, Richard Brooker, Lana Clarkson
Votes: 6,327 | Gross: $11.92M
42. Deathstalker II (1987)
R | 85 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
In this parody of the sword and sorcery films, a princess is deposed by an evil sorcerer. She enlists the aid of Deathstalker to battle the forces of evil, including a clone of the princess, and win back her kingdom.
Director: Jim Wynorski | Stars: John Terlesky, Monique Gabrielle, John Lazar, Toni Naples
Votes: 3,605
43. Faeries (1981 TV Movie)
Not Rated | 30 min | Animation, Adventure, Fantasy
The king of the faeries sends for a young hunter after his shadow escapes and threatens his kingdom.
Director: Lee Mishkin | Stars: Hans Conried, Morgan Brittany, Craig Schaefer, Frank Welker
Votes: 206
44. The Life & Adventures of Santa Claus (1985 TV Movie)
TV-G | 50 min | Animation, Adventure, Family
At a council convened by The Great Ak, the forest being tells the story of Santa Claus to explain why he deserves to be made immortal.
Directors: Jules Bass, Arthur Rankin Jr. | Stars: Earl Hammond, Earle Hyman, Larry Kenney, Lynne Lipton
Votes: 1,418
Tell Your Friends