Most people have seen such classics as Edward Scissorhands, The Mask, and Groundhog Day, but not everyone knows that these weren’t the only great fantasy movies of the 1990s. This genre has been quite popular among viewers, though it was kind of at a low point just a few decades ago.
Nevertheless, there were still some hidden gems that would be discovered later on by more loyal audiences. Here are 10 Fantasy Masterpieces From The 90s You’ve Probably Never Seen.
Princess Mononoke (1997)
Not many people know about the magic of Studio Ghibli’s creations simply because they think that anime is not worth their time. However, 1997’s Princess Mononoke is one of those movies that proves all the skeptics wrong. Not only is it famous in its homeland, but it is also popular in the Western World.
The animated feature film tells the story of Ashitaka who is looking for the cure to Tatarigami’s curse. He is caught in a war between the mining colony Tatara and the local forest gods. During his journey, he meets San, the so-called Princess Mononoke.
Babe (1995)
Fantasy films are often targeted at children, so this list wouldn’t be complete without a family-friendly movie. At first glance, Babe is quite similar to 2006’s Charlotte’s Web, but once you start watching, you realize that their only common feature is the abundance of talking farm animals.
Farmer Arthur Hoggett, played by James Cromwell, wins Babe in a contest at a country fair. Babe, voiced by Christine Cavanaugh, is an orphaned pig, so he tries to make friends with other farm animals. He starts learning how to heard sheep, but Rex the sheepdog doesn’t seem to like him.
Jumanji (1995)
Not everyone knows that 2017’s Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle is actually a remake of the 1995 classic Jumanji. The original is no worse than the new version, so it’s fun to watch it if you want to see a great relatively old fantasy film.
Two kids, played by Kirsten Dunst and Bradley Pierce, come across a magical board game. After they start playing it, they meet Alan, played by Robin Williams. Alan had been trapped in the game for years, so the kids decide to help him by overcoming various challenges the game sets for them.
DragonHeart (1996)
DragonHeart’s CGI was a breakthrough and is considered to be quite good to this day. Of course, it is incomparable to the dragons in Game of Thrones, but it is still impressive if you take into account the year when it was released.
In terms of storytelling, DragonHeart is also unique to its genre as it takes classical fantasy characters and changes their nature. Draco, voiced by Sean Connery, is the last dragon who teams up with the disillusioned knight Bowen, played by Dennis Quaid, in order to defeat a tyrannical immortal king.
The Witches (1990)
The Witches has been getting more attention lately thanks to its remake being in the works. It’s an almost thirty-year-old movie that has gradually become a classic thanks to its design, humor, and fun story.
The Witches tells the story of a young boy who accidentally stumbles upon a coven of witches. Despite all of the awkwardness of the situation, he has to stop them from putting their evil plan into action: they want to get rid of all the children in the world. Even after the boy is turned into a mouse, he doesn’t stop.
Death Becomes Her (1992)
This 1992 black comedy directed by Robert Zemeckis has developed a cult following and has garnered special attention in the LGBT community. In addition to that, it also won an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, so it’s safe to say that Death Becomes Her is one of the best fantasy movies of the 90s.
Actress Madeline Ashton, played by Meryl Streep, and writer Helen Sharp, played by Goldie Hawn, have been rivals for a very long time. The thing is that they are both in love with plastic surgeon Ernest Menville, played by Bruce Willis. The two find out about a cure for immortality and take it, but there are inevitable side effects they now have to struggle with.
What Dreams May Come (1998)
What Dreams May Come is an adaptation of a 1978 novel of the same name written by Richard Matheson. Just like the previous movie, What Dreams May Come won an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects and was also nominated in the Best Art Direction category.
Chris Neilson, played by Robin Williams, dies in an accident and finds himself in heaven. However, he soon learns that his wife Annie, played by Annabella Sciorra, couldn’t live without him and committed suicide. By risking his own eternal soul, Chris embarks on a journey to find his dead wife. The movie also stars Cuba Gooding Jr. and others.
Pleasantville (1998)
Before he starred in Sony’s Spider-Man trilogy as the lead character, Tobey Maguire was already an ascending star of Hollywood and had some great roles in his filmography. Pleasantville is one such example.
The story is set in the 1990s at first. David, played by Tobey Maguire, and his twin sister Jennifer, played by Reese Witherspoon, are transported into a black-and-white 1950s sitcom called “Pleasantville”. Despite having to stay in-character, the two realize that their actions influence the world around them.
Sleepy Hollow (1999)
This is perhaps the most well-known film among the ones present on this list. Sleepy Hollow is a gothic supernatural horror film directed by Tim Burton and adapted from an 1820 short story by Washington Irving titled The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. The picture won an Academy Award for Best Art Direction.
At the center of the story is a police detective named Ichabod Crane, played by Johnny Depp, who is sent from New York to Sleepy Hollow to investigate a series of murders committed by the so-called Headless Horseman.
Dogma (1999)
Dogma is a fantasy comedy written and directed by Kevin Smith which is probably the most controversial on this list. It has seen some backlash thanks to its portrayal of the Catholic Church and Catholicism, but fans loved it nonetheless.
Bartleby, played by Ben Affleck, and Loki, played by Matt Damon, are two fallen angels banished to Wisconsin. They set out for New Jersey to find a loophole that will get them back to heaven and subsequently destroy the world. As a result, a group forms to stop them. The cast includes such notable names as Kevin Smith, Alan Rickman, Salma Hayek, and Chris Rock among others.
