Fantasy films use magic and supernatural elements in imaginary worlds. They became more common in the 1980s with advances in filmmaking. Major subgenres include high fantasy set in entirely fictional worlds like Lord of the Rings, low fantasy with magic in the real world like Harry Potter, sword and sorcery focusing on battles, romantic fantasy combining magic and romance, and science fantasy blending science fiction elements. Fantasy allows imagination to explore different worlds through storytelling.

1. Genre Research: Fantasy Films

2. Fantasy Definition
-Fantasy is a genre of fiction that uses magic and other
supernatural occurrences as a main element of the plot,
theme, or setting.
-The genre the setting takes place in imaginary worlds
where magic is common.
-Considered to be distinct from science fiction film and
horror films (although do overlap which then become
sub-genres)

3. What are the fundamental aspects
of Fantasy?
Fantasy films are films with themes involving:
-magic
-supernatural events
- make-believe creatures
-exotic fantasy worlds
Fantasy films often have an element of magic, myth,
wonder, escapism, and the unexpected.

4. Genre History
Fantasy films were rare until the 1980s, when high-tech
filmmaking techniques had increased the audience
interest also increased which then caused the genre
to succeed.
With its roots in myth and legend, fantasy is the most
basic of all the genres.

5. Genre History- 1900’s
The earliest fantasy films combined science fiction with visions of the
future. Some of the earliest were Georges Melies' fantasy silent film
about a trip to the Moon, Voyage Dans La Lune (1902)
It was extremely popular at the time of its release.

6. Genre History- 1930’s
The greatest children's fantasy/musical of all time was The Wizard of
Oz (1939)
The Wizard of Oz is a 1939 American
musical fantasy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

7. Genre History- 1940’s
In 1946, Jean Cocteau's classic adaptation of Beauty and the
Beast won praise for its surreal elements and for exceeding the
boundaries of the fairy tale genre.
Sinbad the Sailor (1947),
starring Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., has the feel of a
fantasy film though it does not
actually have any fantastic elements.
Because these movies do not feature elements common to high fantasy
or sword and sorcery, some modern critics do not consider them to be
examples of the genre.

8. Genre History- 1950’s
There were a number of low budget fantasies produced in the 1950s,
typically based on Greek or Arabian legend.
Scrooge, released as A Christmas Carol in the US, is a 1951 film
adaptation of Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol. It starred Alastair
Sim as Ebenezer Scrooge and was directed by Brian Desmond Hurst.
Disney's 1951 animated film Alice in
Wonderland is also a fantasy classic.

9. Genre History- 1960’s
Jason and the Argonauts is a 1963 fantasy film starring Todd
Armstrong as the mythical Greek hero. Directed by Don Chaffey, the
film was well-known for its stop-motion features.
1968 saw the release of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang based on a story
by Ian Fleming with a script from Roald Dahl. It
Starred Dick Van Dyke, Sally Ann Howes and Lionel
Jeffries.

10. Genre History – 1970’s
A few low budget pictures were made in this era such as:
-1975's The Land That Time Forgot.
-1971's Bedknobs and Broomsticks and Willy Wonka & the Chocolate
Factory (again being from Roald Dahl in both script and novel.)

11. Genre History-1980’s
The modern sword and sorcery boom began at this time with
1982's Conan the Barbarian.
Conan The Barbarian starred Arnold
Schwarzenegger, and tells the story of a young
barbarian who seeks vengeance for the death
of his parents.

12. Sub-Genre Research

13. Epic or High Fantasy
High fantasy is defined as fantasy fiction set in an alternative, entirely
fictional ‘secondary’ world, rather than the real, or ‘primary’ world.
The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien created a massive influence
on the writing of the field, which established the form of epic
fantasy. Other examples include The Lion, the Witch and the
Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis.
Typical features of high fantasy
include elements such as: elves, fairies,
dwarves, dragons, demons, magic or
sorcery, wizards or magicians, constructed
languages, quests, coming-of-age
themes, and multi-volume narratives.

14. Low Fantasy
Low fantasy is characterised by being set in the real ‘Primary’ world, or a
normal and familiar fictional world, with the addition of magical elements.
"Low" is not an suggestion of quality but of the level of "fantasy"
contained.
Examples include 17 again which
is a combination of low fantasy, romance
and a teen comedy.
Matilda: Low fantasy includes
a young girl with telekinesis’ powers.

15. Distinguishing between subgenres
The distinction between whether the setting is the primary or secondary
world, and therefore whether it is low or high fantasy, can be unclear:
The secondary world may take three forms.
-Primary does not exist
-Entered through a portal from the primary
-World-within-a-world
HOWEVER:
The Lord of the Rings is set in Earth's past but the setting,
Middle-earth, is different from the reality to be
classed as a secondary world and therefore high fantasy.
Harry Potter series is set in the real world; however, the primary setting,
which is the school, (Hogwarts) in Scotland, but is
separated from the real world and becomes a "world-within-a-
world.’ Hogwarts is therefore as much of an alternative world as C. S.
Lewis' Narnia, which means that both series are in the high fantasy
subgenre.

16. Contemporary fantasy
Contemporary fantasy, also known as modern fantasy or indigenous
fantasy is set in the present day.
The contemporary fantasy and low fantasy genres can overlap as both
are defined as being set in the real world.
Contemporary fantasies are set in
the real world but may also include distinct
fantasy settings within it, such as the Harry
Potter series, in which case they
would be high rather than low fantasy.

17. Sword and sorcery
Sword and sorcery (S&S) is a sub-genre of fantasy and historical
fantasy, it generally includes sword-wielding heroes engaged in violent
battles.
An element of romance is often present, as well as an element
of magic and the supernatural. Unlike the genre high/epic fantasy, the
tales, though dramatic, focus mainly on personal battles rather than
world-endangering matters.
The sub-genre will soon have been around for a
hundred years, author Robert E. Howard
generally being considered the founder of
Sword and Sorcery in the late 1920s.

18. Romantic Fantasy
Romantic fantasy is a subgenre of fantasy which describes a fantasy
story using many of the elements and features of the genre romance.
Magic in Romantic Fantasy are usually expressed differently then in
high fantasy or sword and sorcery. Magic is represented by taking the
form of abilities that are natural and simple to use, sometimes
described as psychic talents.
Examples include Twilight Saga: Eclipse
which is a romantic fantasy film including
the story of vampires and werewolves joining
forces to defeat a vampire army.

19. Science fantasy
Science fantasy is a mixed genre within fiction elements from
both science fiction and fantasy.
An example is Star Wars. The main difference between the two is that
science fiction is largely based on scientific concepts, while science
fantasy is largely far-fetched and unlikely.
Other examples include the
1980’s films Time Bandits
E.T and
Back To The Future.

20. Fantasy
If the author is doing their job you can experience a world
as close to ours or as different from ours as their
imagination allows, but at the same time allowing us to
believe that elves, magic, epic adventure, and fairy folk
exist. Fantasy plays with our imaginations and lets them
run wild in a way that few other genres allow.
(source for definition fandomania.com)

21. Conclusion
KEY ELEMENTS:
-Magic
-Supernatural
-Fantasy or parallel worlds as a setting
-Make-believe creatures
-Villain or hero