Sometimes, the best thing a fantasy movie can be is weird, as this instantly sets it apart from the typical sword and sorcery fare that audiences ᴀssociate with the genre. However, there are plenty of тιтles that cross the line into overly unconventional. While these projects are strange and might not appeal to all fans of the genre, just because they subvert expectations doesn’t mean they’re not incredible contributions to cinema. The ambition and vision of the filmmakers behind these films are evident in every frame and have inspired some of the best fantasy movies in the following years.

While there are some fantasy movies that fans of the genre must see, these are lesser-known projects that are typically forgotten about. In the years since they premiered, many of these films have become cult classics, finding a following of viewers who are willing to delve into the nuances of the narrative and uncover their hidden meanings. Often deeply entrenched in intertextual references and in conversation with contemporary social issues, these projects use their otherworldly stories to engage with the real world. However, it’s easy to lose sight of reality when watching these unique works of fantasy.

8

Zardoz (1974)

Directed by John Boorman

The science-fantasy movie Zardoz stars Sean Connery as Zed, the unexpected hero of the piece and a character unlike anything Connery had taken on before. One of the biggest issues with Zardoz is that the rules of the world and magic system remain unclear throughout the film’s runtime, making it difficult to grasp what Zed is fighting against. Zardoz couples post-apocalyptic elements with a story that goes off the rails by the final moments, somehow connecting back to the Wizard of Oz as a primary motivator for the revolution within the narrative.

John Boorman is known within the fantasy sphere for making bold choices. He crafts worlds that are visually unique and are more concerned with the feel of the story rather than its logic. Though Zardoz doesn’t take itself too seriously, the narrative becomes increasingly difficult to follow as the movie progresses, and the over-reliance on special effects only makes the holes in the narrative more obvious. With heavy-handed allusions to contemporary social issues and needlessly complex explanations for the plot’s mysteries, Zardoz will certainly keep the audience guessing.

7

The Fall (2006)

Directed by Tarsem Singh

One of the most visually stunning fantasy movies of all time, The Fall, was unavailable to watch online for many years, making it critically underrated for a long time. However, now that it’s reentered the cultural conversation, audiences are rediscovering the vivid and strange world of The Fall. Starring Lee Pace as Roy Walker, a man who narrates a magical story of adventure and intrigue for a young girl hospitalized with him, The Fall has a deep emotional message within its nontraditional story structure.

The frame story of The Fall helps anchor the unwieldy narrative, but the large jumps in period, setting, and magic systems can make The Fall difficult to follow. The Fall is also in conversation with the nature of cinema itself and the price that people pay to create unforgettable art. This mirrors the ambition of The Fall itself, as it was sH๏τ in many locations and is defined by the unique visual language. Though it’s an unusual piece of cinema, it’s widely agreed upon that these risks paid off.

6

The Lobster (2015)

Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos

Out of all Yorgos Lanthimos’ best movies, The Lobster is arguably one of his projects that’s rooted in something closer to reality. Anchored by stellar performances by Colin Farrell and Rachel Weisz, The Lobster is as darkly comic and unconventional as fans of the filmmaker would expect. Examining society’s obsession with romantic love and finding a life partner to “complete” you, The Lobster raises the stakes and sees Farrell’s David go to extreme and sometimes shocking lengths to find his soulmate.

However, David quickly becomes disillusioned with the life of relentlessly pursuing romantic relationships and falls in with the guerrilla group of single people living in the woods. All these strange events are accompanied by Lanthimos’ characteristic cold, distant dialogue and aesthetic choices that purposely hold the viewer at arm’s length. Punctuated by shocking moments of gore and violence, it’s not easy to adjust to the otherworldly logic of The Lobster. Even understanding The Lobster‘s purpose as an extended allegory doesn’t disrupt the strangeness of the conceit of people transforming into animals and hunting each other.

5

The Holy Mountain (1973)

Directed by Alejandro Jodorowsky

Alejandro Jodorowsky is well known for being a filmmaker who refuses to be pinned down or defined by the boundaries of traditional storytelling. Though his techniques stirred up controversy, he gifted the world with some of the most interesting and bizarre pieces of cinema in history. The Holy Mountain is full of religious imagery and surrealist visions of the world, relying on metaphor and metatextual references to drive the story forward rather than plot. Though this isn’t uncommon within the fantasy genre, few went as far as Jodorowsky.

Jodorowsky was interested in many different facets of human belief and religion, incorporating them into The Holy Mountain, as the protagonist, the Thief (Horacio Salinas), ascends the тιтular mountain. The director also appears as an actor in the film, as the Alchemist, one of the Thief’s companions, and guides him on the symbolic journey. There are many intense and surprising filmmaking choices made throughout The Holy Mountain, and the conclusion’s jarring fourth-wall break is an iconic moment within Jodorowsky’s filmography.

4

The Adventures Of Baron Munchausen (1988)

Directed by Terry Gilliam

Though not everyone will connect with The Adventures of Baron Munchausen​​​​​, Terry Gilliam’s fantastical adventure into the depths of childhood imagination revels in its own uniqueness. Blurring the line between fantasy and reality throughout its story, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen is told through the lens of the тιтular Baron (John Neville), who invents his own truths and otherworldly exploits, but they quickly start bleeding into the frame story, making the audience question where the tales begin and end.

While we know that the Baron’s descriptions of his escapades are likely a lie, Gilliam creates another version of truth in The Adventures of Baron Munchausen. As the story progresses, the tales get taller and the adventures get stranger, contradicting themselves as the film delves deeper into the Baron’s mind. There’s a reason why The Adventures of Baron Munchausen is so beloved, as it might be impossible to pin down, but this is what makes it such a vivid portrait of imagination.

3

Cats (2019)

Directed by Tom Hooper

Bringing the stage musical Cats to life on stage was already a tall order, as it’s a successful but unique story that has polarized audiences for years. Cats is a movie that would’ve benefited from relying on practical effects rather than CGI, as the film was lambasted by critics and audiences for the look of the characters and setting. Instead of leaning into the magic of the theater and the way Cats looks on stage, the movie tried to make the fantasy more realistic, ending in uncanny territory.

It’s fair to say that Cats is not remembered as one of the best modern movie musicals, as the production was riddled with issues, and the story’s world didn’t translate well to the screen. While the performances from the main cast, particularly Jennifer Hudson, are riveting, this doesn’t make up for the flaws that have come to define the film’s legacy. The story itself is already unconventional for musical theater, and this became even stranger and harder to follow in the movie.

2

Inland Empire (2006)

Directed by David Lynch

The word Lynchian is thrown around too often within the fantasy and mystery spheres to describe any project that falls into surreal or dreamlike territory. However, it’s an appropriate descriptor when the film was actually written and directed by David Lynch. Inland Empire, the upsetting and spellbinding psychological thriller, is one of the late director’s most experimental movies and is not for the faint of heart. Starring Laura Dern in one of her most challenging roles, Inland Empire takes the viewer on an off-putting and cryptic journey.

Inland Empire is a great example of a movie that is doubtlessly dense and strange, but worth committing to for its deeper themes that fans of Lynch appreciate about his style. It’s not a film for everyone, but for those who want to be scared and enjoy an active viewing experience, Inland Empire will hit home. At this point in Lynch’s career, the director was more aware of his persona within the cinema landscape than ever, and this informs the wild swings and big choices throughout Inland Empire.

1

Mirrormask (2005)

Directed by Dave McKean

It’s hard to describe the surreal fantasy experience of watching Mirrormask, as it’s the kind of movie that has to be seen to be believed. Whenever magical films enter the dreamscape, they’re destined to push the boundaries of reality and leave behind the typical trappings of the genre. This is the case in Mirrormask, which follows the story of Helena (Stephanie Leonidas), who unexpectedly falls into a land of masked people and must confront the problems with her life in reality.

Though Mirrormask has become something of a cult classic, the visual style of the project is distinct and elevates the story as a whole. However, Mirrormask doesn’t always justify the strangeness of its fantasy world, relying too heavily on the audience’s confusion to allow for inconsistencies in the plot. When the conceit of the fantasy story is ultimately revealed, it’s even more unexpected than viewers can imagine, pushing the boundaries of the plot to its limits.