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          Fantasy cinema is an ever expanding realm of tales and can go as far as the imagination, and yet within fantasy literature lies common patterns as well as similar themes that are incorporated into the fantasy movies that are known so well.  There are set patterns that all storytellers follow, and tales of fantasy have distinguished patterns that can be seen, if we can open our eyes and recognize the design. There are certain rules that must be obeyed in order to create a successful fantasy story.  The plot of a fantasy work must revolve around several themes common to all fantasy movies.  Through classic and modern movies, whether they are epics such as The Lord of the Rings, or classics like The Wizard of Oz and The Neverending Story, or animated movies such as The Hobbit or Alice In Wonderland, the binding themes of fantasy cinema still apply

          Just about every child can direct one to Never Land, "second star to the right and straight on 'till morning."  In the children’s classics, Alice In Wonderland to The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, the lands and realms of fantasy have been crossed over to.  In the Disney classic Peter Pan three children are able to fly (with the help of a little fairy dust) to Never Land, a lost island where no one ever grows up.  Alice stumbles into Wonderland, literally, when she fell into a rabbit hole.  In The Neverending Story, Bastian is transported to the fantasy realm of Fantasia, which lies outside the real world, by the magic Auyn on the outside of a book.  In more recent fantasy movies, Harry Potter is transported into a hidden world of magic through a hidden gateway at a train station, in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

          Whether it is in a children’s' fantasy movie such as Alice In Wonderland, or in recent adult fantasy movies like The 10th Kingdom, there is a reoccurring theme of a cross over between the real world and fantasy realms or lands.  Fantasy cinema provides a vessel to express and create things that are known not to be real, but that inspire the human imagination.  The view of optimism is allowed to create worlds that are better then the one humanity has, and lands that are full of magic and wonder as opposed to ones full of science and technology.  In fantasy movies, the audience is allowed to believe in things that they know are not real and adults are able to look at the world through the eyes of a child.  The longing to travel to magical lands was best captured in the beloved and unforgettable song, "Somewhere Over the Rainbow."

Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high

There's a land that I heard of once in a lullaby.

Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue,

And the dreams that we dare to dream really do come true.

          In each piece of fantasy cinema, a quest or journey is embarked upon.  In The Neverending Story, Atreyu, a warrior of the Plains People, is sent on a quest to find a cure for the childlike Empress who is dying.  Alice must journey all of Wonderland and Looking-Glass land in an attempt to get back to her home in Alice In Wonderland.  Likewise, Dorothy and Toto go on a journey through the Land of Oz on the Yellow-Brick Road to find the Wizard to sent them back home in The Wizard of Oz.  J.R.R. Tolkien used the quest theme as a central part of both of his major works.  In The Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins and Thorin's company of dwarves set out on a quest to reclaim Lonely Mountain and free it from the clutches of a dragon.  Again in The Lord of the Rings, a quest is set up in which Frodo, Bilbo's nephew, must embark on a quest to destroy a ring that Bilbo had found on his quest.

          All these journeys and quests have common motives and aspirations.  To get back home may be the oldest and strongest of motivations that start the journeys of fantasy movies.  Both Dorothy and Alice start their journeys to get back to the real world from which they were taken, one by tornado and the other by rabbit hole.  In The 10th Kingdom, Virginia and her father must travel through the fantasy world of the Nine Kingdoms on a quest to find the magic traveling mirror that can get them back to the real world.  These journeys to find home usually only occur when someone is taken unwillingly or accidentally into a world of fantasy.

          The other driving force behind the starting of a quest or journey is a noble cause.  The nobility of saving a land or people from the captivity of evil is often the theme in many stories of fantasy cinema.  Atreyu, in The Neverending Story, is called upon to find a cure for the childlike Empress who is dying from an illness linked to the Nothing that is destroying the fantasy world of Fantasia.  In The Lord of the Rings, Frodo must set out on a quest to destroy the Ruling Ring to prevent the Dark Lord of Mordor, Sauron, from possessing its power and spreading his evil rein over all of Middle-earth.  A quest to save the life of the leader of a world, or the entire world itself is the highest of noble quests.  The quest in The Hobbit that Bilbo Baggins and Thorin's company embark upon is to restore Thorin to his throne as "King Under the Mountain" and free the dwarves' homeland of Lonely Mountain from the dragon Smaug.  In The 10th Kingdom, Virginia and her father, in addition to trying to find a magic traveling mirror to get themselves home, set upon a quest to restore Prince Wendell White to the throne of the 4th Kingdom, who has been transformed into a dog and his kingdom invaded by the Troll King of the Troll Kingdom.  To restore the heir to the throne and a people to their land, taken from them by a murderous and greedy enemy, is also a noble cause.

          Quests and journeys are not to be engaged in alone in fantasy cinema.  A company of hardy, friendly compatriots are needed on any journey home or noble quest in the fantasy realms.  As Dorothy traveled down the Yellow-Brick Road in The Wizard of Oz, she found a Scarecrow without a brain, a Tin Man without a heart, and a Cowardly Lion with no courage.  All befriended her, and with courage and strength they braved many trials until they all arrived at the Emerald City.  In The Lord of the Rings, a fellowship of nine, representing the nine "Free Peoples of the world," is formed to help Frodo on his journey; three fellow hobbits, a dwarf, an elf, two men, and the wizard Gandalf. Atreyu, although he is told he "must go alone" when he is sent out on his quest, in The Neverending Story, receives a companion when he is saved from the swamps of sadness by Falkor, a "good luck dragon." Falkor then carries Atreyu to the ends of Fantasia in an attempt to save the Empress and Fantasia itself.  And in The 10th Kingdom, a wolf named Wolf guides Virginia and her father through the Nine Kingdoms and helps them battle trials and sees them through adventures.

The gathering of a company is symbolic of the main character being befriended by the fantasy world or realm as well as showing the mortality of the main character.  If a character could travel on a journey or quest without the help of companionship, the main character would seem superhuman without any mortal weakness and would gain little sympathy or audience identification.  By exposing a character's mortal weaknesses and vulnerabilities, the audience is able to identify with the character.  Through the use of a company, the vulnerabilities of the main character are shored up and the character is able to draw strength to become a stronger person when the company faces hardship.

          A fantasy quest or journey has to travel into evil and dangerous lands.  The company on the journey must face perilous lands to test the strength and will of those that comprise it.  In The Neverending Story, Atreyu crosses the swamps of sadness, slowly sinking further and further as his sadness deepened due to the loss of his closest friend and steed, Artex, and his failure to find a cure for the childlike Empress, and is almost swallowed up by the swamp.  Atreyu must also pass though the Sphinxes' gaze who only let the pure of heart pass to seek the Southern Oracles.  Bilbo Baggins and Thorin's company in The Hobbit must pass through the region of the Misty Mountains, which goblins inhabit and the surrounding woods where Wargs live.  And beyond the Misty Mountains lies the land of Mirkwood controlled by an evil enchantment.  Dorothy and her companions in The Wizard of Oz must pass through a poppy field that lies at the edge of the Emerald City which sends her into a enchanted sleep and leaves the rest of her companions in disarray.  Through all these lands, swamps and mountains, forests and poppy fields, the travelers come away with a reaffirmed sense of the journey's or quest's purpose and are more determined.

          The journeys and quests usually begin with a light heart and only a vague idea of what dangers lay ahead.  These dangers and perils that are faced by the company test their commitment to their cause with a taste of what this journey or quest they are on might cost them.  The value of the journey or quest begins to come into greater focus when perils of the journey or quest are experienced.  The company must have grown to the point where it is strong enough to pass through perilous lands in order to reach the journey's end.

          Beyond treading into perilous lands, a journey or quest in fantasy movies is also met by opposition, usually in the form of a pursuing foe.  Nine Black Riders, sent by the Lord of Mordor, hunt down Frodo and his companions as they travel on their quest to destroy the Ruling Ring in The Lord of the Rings.  As The Neverending Story unfolds, a wolf-like creature becomes in leave with the Nothing, which is destroying Fantasia, and pursues Atreyu as he searches for a cure for the childlike Empress.  In The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy is watched and pursued by the Wicked Witch of the West from her arrival in Oz at the Munchkin Land and through her travels to the Emerald City.  And Alice, in Alice In Wonderland, is pursued throughout Looking-Glass Land by the Jabberwocky, a monstrous dragon-like creature created by Alice's fears.

          As the quest or journey continues, it will lead into strange new lands that are not all that familiar.  Because of this, counsel must be sought or given to the journey goers during the course of the quest or journey.  Counsel comes to Bilbo Baggins and Thorin's company in The Hobbit by way of an old nomadic wizard named Gandalf the Grey.  Gandalf plans the companies journey, guides them through the Misty Mountains, and Mirkwood forest beyond.  Dorothy is advised by Glinda, the Good Witch of the North, in The Wizard of Oz by showing her the Yellow-Brick Road the leads to the Emerald City and giving her magical ruby slippers.  Atreyu, in The Neverending Story, seeks counsel from Mora the Ancient, who tells him who knows what can cure the childlike Empress, and the Southern Oricals, who tell him the cure to the childlike Empress's illness.  And Alice, of Alice In Wonderland, receives a variable fountain of guidance from the creatures of Wonderland and Looking-Glass Land from the likes of a Mad Hatter, Mr. Rabbit, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, and many others, all helping her get through the different parts of Wonderland and Looking-Glass Land.  Whether the counsel is coming from the likes of a prestigious wizard or someone as unconventional as a Mad Hatter, the counsel will influence the course of the journey or quest.

          Before a quest or journey in fantasy cinema can end, it must be concluded with a showdown with the major nemesis. The nemesis will be revealed as either the hidden force behind the perils of the journey or the villain who's actions lead to the embarkment of the noble quest.  Smaug, who set asunder the dwarves home of Lonely Mountain with dragon fire killing all the dwarves and destroying the man-town of Dale, is faced by Bilbo Baggins who was recruited for the purpose of confronting Smaug and burglaring his stolen treasure in The Hobbit. Atreyu faces down the Nothing and flies into it on the back of Falkor in The Neverending Story.  Dorothy and her friends must confront the Wicked Witch of the West who pursued the group throughout their journey in The Wizard of Oz.  It has always been an unwritten rule in movies that good will always come face-to-face with evil, and in each of these instances the main character of the fantasy movie has to face the nemesis that has become involved in the journey or quest.

        Beyond confronting the nemesis, the nemesis must be faced with a courageous heart and be vanquished.  In The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy is caught by the Wicked Witch of the West and her friends storm the Witch’s castle in an attempt to save Dorothy.  When they are all caught and Scarecrow set on fire, Dorothy tosses a bucket of water on him and the Witch, which them melts and destroys the Wicked Witch of the West, freeing Oz from her tyranny.  In Alice In Wonderland, Alice must confront the Jabberwocky which is terrorizing Looking-Glass Land, and through her courage she is able to vanquish the creature.  In The Lord of the Rings, the fellowship must face down Sauron with Aragorn and Gandalf leading a valiant battle against the armies of Mordon and Frodo destroying the Ruling Ring, which contains the “will” of Sauron.  In each of these facings of the nemesis the heroes or hereon finds courage that they were previously unaware of and become stronger through the experience.

          Although there are common themes that all fantasy movies follow, that is not to say that some films don’t substitute or manipulate these themes.  The most common theme that is substituted is the crossover into the worlds and realms of fantasy.  Rather then a crossover into other worlds and realms of fantasy, the story unfolds in ancient world, a lost period in history, or the tale begins and ends in fairytale lands.  J.R.R. Tolkien begins both The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings in the ancient world of Middle-earth and the story that unfolds in each tale is contained in the lands of Middle-earth.  In The Princess Bride, the fairytale begins and ends in the fairytale land without a crossover between the real world and the one of fantasy.  A fantasy story is created in an ancient mythological period of history called the Hyborean Age for Conan the Barbarian.  These are but a few examples of how the crossovers into fantasy lands and realms are substituted in order to begin the tales in the world of fantasy.

Manipulation is also another way to bend the themes that are common to fantasy works.  For instance, instead of a crossover into the fantasy world or realm a fantasy creature will crossover into the real world.  In such movies as Edward Scissorhands and The Little Mermaid, the fantasy creature leaves their home and crosses over into the real world beyond.  The Crow trilogy chronicles the tales of people returning from the afterlife with supernatural powers to avenge themselves.  Another manipulation of fantasy themes is the survival of evil.  It is generally accepted that evil will always be in the world, and as an extension of this the nemesis will survive the final confrontation in some fantasy movies.  Captain Hook, although defeated by Peter Pan and the Lost Boys in Disney’s Peter Pan, survives the battle and lives to fight another day.  In Legend, the Lord of Darkness, a horned and hoofed Satan-looking creature, is defeated in battle and is mortally wounded but somehow survives.  The Princess Bride also lets the nemesis escape when the life of Prince Humperdinck is spared in the final confrontation, and he is allowed to continue to rein over his kingdom.  These manipulations are just slight variations of the common themes of fantasy cinema, but they do allow for variety and uniqueness in the tales told in fantasy movies.

  Fantasy movies have been inspiring audiences for generations in classic children’s movies such as Alice In Wonderland and Peter Pan, through contemporary movies like The Neverending Story and The Wizard of Oz, and in epics such as The Lord of the Rings.  The tales told in fantasy cinema include a vast array of settings and story lines, from a little girl lost in a land of Munchkins, talking scarecrows, wicked witches, and Emerald Cities, to a plains warrior who must cross the bounds of a land that is vanishing into a Nothing to save a childlike Empress, to a small hobbit that must set out across hundreds of miles to destroy a magic ring.  Yet from Wonderland to Never Land, the heroes and heroines share the same experiences.  When it comes to the basics, the quest of Atryu is not unlike that of Frodo.  Alice’s journey is not unlike Dorothy’s.  The specifics of each story will change, but the underlining themes of the tale will be the same.  Even with the same themes, the tales in fantasy cinema still capture our imaginations, fill our lives with wonder, and enchant the world.

©2004 Dann Michalski