Image Source King Kong
Well, let's leave the seedy urban underbelly of the film noir universe for the world of Fantasy to name the Best Fantasy Film of All Time. Leading the pack is the immortal King Kong, the 1933 version, of course, though I really liked Peter Jackson's sumptuously mounted (albeit much too long) remake. Kong has it all: a terrific story, a beautiful heroine, a tall dark and scary leading man, and, once they get to Kong Island, almost non-stop action, with some of the most innovative special effects ever filmed. Even in the days of breathtakingly beautiful CGI, these old-school effects still have the power to thrill and astonish. Oh, and did I fail to mention Max Steiner's classic score for this masterpiece? One of the best films ever made, King Kong will live forever in minds of anyone who's ever seen it.
Next up on my list of best fantasy films is The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Although each of them is superb, taken in toto, Peter Jackson's three films rank as one of the greatest achievements ever in fantasy film and a unique and powerful piece of filmmaking. Not only are these films excellent realizations of J.R.R. Tolkien's detailed vision of a completely imagined fantasy universe, they're all technically innovative, boast great acting, art direction, editing and music. This series is a winner from the first moments of The Fellowship of the Ring down to the closing credits of The Return of the King. Done on a lesser scale, but still powerful, Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life has been making audiences laugh, cry and applaud for decades. It's so popular it's become a holiday perennial, with annual showings on TV at Christmas. Ridley Scott's Legend lost money when it was first released, but over the years, it's been acknowledged as a classic in the genre, less for its thin story and Tom Cruise's wooden acting than for its grand production design, Tim Curry's delicious performance as the demon Darkness, and the incredible atmosphere it creates.
Legend literally transports you to a fantasy world, and it's one of the most fully realized fantasy worlds ever put on screen. This is a film whose reputation, like Blade Runner's will only grow in the future. The Princess Bride may be the wittiest, best-written film on this list. This original, funny and engaging film, based on William Goldman's novel of the same name, proved that you could make a fantasy film for all ages. It's one of those films that never run out of ideas or witty banter. It is a delight.
The other films on my list of Top 10 Fantasy Films include two by Disney: Pinocchio and Fantasia, two of the most beautiful animated films ever made. Nightmare Before Christmas has finally attained classic status, and why not? It's got great songs, a truly innovative production design, and an original story that's sure to please audiences of all ages, though it might be a bit too intense for the smallest of small fry. Interestingly enough, Nightmare is still a merchandising powerhouse, spawning new products almost every week, and even inspiring certain demented fans (like AFI's Davey Havok) to have Jack and the other characters tattooed on their bodies. What a world! What a world! However, no list of the best fantasy films of all time would be complete without including Beauty and the Beast. No not the Disney musical, but Jean Cocteau's mesmerizing, dreamlike realization of this ancient fairy tale. It remains a treasure of world cinema, a film that every lover of fantasy must see at least once in his or her lifetime.
My final entry in this list is another classic, Douglas Fairbanks' silent version of The Thief of Baghdad. See it once and you'll understand why, especially if you can see it with the original tinting sequences restored and with a live orchestra playing the soundtrack. Now that's moviemaking!
Best Comedy of All Time
Image SourceThe General
Finally, what's life without a few good laughs? I mean laughter is the best medicine for what ails you, so let's take a quick look at THE BEST COMEDY OF ALL TIME. Rather than choose one of the modern classics, I vote for Buster Keaton's immortal tour de force, The General, surely one of the funniest, and best-directed comedies ever. With this action-packed Civil War comedy, Keaton showed himself to be a consummate filmmaker. The script, editing, and gags are all incredibly good. Keaton gives one of his best performances as a trouble-plagued engineer determined to get his train back from those villainous Yankees. Next in line is yet another film by the great Stanley Kubrick, Dr. Strangelove, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb.
