Summary
The 1970s was a fascinating era in the history of cinema that included some of the most outrageous and underratedfantasy moviesever made. This was a time before computer-generated imagery had taken over, and the special effects needed for live-action fantasy were done through the use of practical effects or a stop-motion style. Adding to this, this era reached a level of creative expression never before seen, leading to the development of plenty of ambitious, trail-blazing, and unique, underrated animated fantasy films.
While some fantasymovies from the 1970shave become cornerstones of popular culture, such as timeless classics likeMonty Python and the Holy GrailorWilly Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, this barely scratched the surface of what that decade could offer. Looking back on 1970s fantasy movies, lots of filmmakers, like Ralph Bakshi and Terry Gilliam, pushed the boundaries of the genre, and even directors outside the Western world were making unique and idiosyncratic fantasy films. There were just so manyunderrated fantasy movies from the 1970s.
The Golden Voyage of Sinbad
Cast
The Golden Voyage of Sinbad is a fantasy adventure film directed by Gordon Hessler. It follows the legendary sailor Sinbad, portrayed by John Phillip Law, as he voyages to a mysterious island to find a magical artifact. Sinbad faces a series of mythical creatures and trials, accompanied by an eclectic crew, including a Vizier and a slave girl. The movie features the iconic stop-motion animation of Ray Harryhausen.
The Golden Voyage of Sinbadwas a 1970s fantasy adventurebased on theArabian Nightstales of Sinbad the Sailor. This was the second of threeSinbadmovies by Columbia Pictures, the first beingThe 7th Voyage of Sinbadfrom 1958 and the second beingSinbad and the Eye of the Tigerfrom 1977.The Golden Voyage of Sinbadused cutting-edge stop-motion effects to push the boundaries of what could be achieved in a fantasy film and delivered an exciting adventure for the entire family.
The Golden Voyage of Sinbadwas a box office hit and even won the first Saturn Award for Best Fantasy Film. Despite memorable performances, a distinctive style, and an exciting story filled with magic and villains, this Gordon Hessler-directed feature has not achieved the same level of mainstream recognition as other major fantasy films of the 1970s and has been underrated by modern viewers.The Golden Voyage of Sinbadwas a solidly enjoyable fantasy adventure that deserved to reach a larger audience.
Wizards
On a post-apocalyptic Earth, a wizard and his faire folk comrades fight an evil wizard who’s using technology in his bid for conquest.
The freaky psychedelic trip that wasWizardsstood as the first fantasy film by Ralph Bakshi, who was previously known for urban films likeFritz the Catand later made his ownanimated version ofThe Lord of the Rings. Bakshi’sWizardswas a creative tour de force that pushed the limits of contemporary animation as it told an adult-centric fantasy story about opposing wizards fighting using magic and technology. With Nazi imagery being used to represent the horrors of war, at times,Wizards’messaging may have been a little too on the nose, yet it still stood as fascinating filmmaking.
Wizardsmixed polemic political statements related to nuclear war and man’s inhumanity toward man with awe-inspiring animation, strong characterization, and unique stylistic expression. It’s a testament to the boundary-pushing era of 1970s cinema that a film likeWizardsreceived a theatrical release and even went on to find financial success at the box office.Wizardswas an allegorical fantasy whose bombastic style and over-the-top messaging meant it did not endure within popular culture in the way other more mainstream fantasies have.
Time After Time
H.G. Wells pursues Jack the Ripper to the 20th Century when the serial murderer uses the future writer’s time machine to escape his time period.
Time After Timewas a unique sci-fi fantasy that starred Malcolm McDowell as the British author H. G. Wells, using a time machine to pursue Jack the Ripper in the 20th century. As an amusing, light-hearted fantasy story, the performances were fun, and the energy was kept consistently high while its clever story juxtaposed Victorian England and contemporary America. WhileTime After Timewas well-received at the time of its release, it has not achieved the kind of enduring recognition that the quality of this film deserved and stands as a highly underrated release.
McDowell was joined by a talented cast of secondary characters, which included Mary Steenburgen as Amy Robbins. Steenburgen’s role bore many striking similarities to her later portrayal of Clara Clayton inBack to the Future Part III. Much like in that future sci-fi classic, inTime After Time, Steenburgen also found herself falling for a time-traveling man from a different era. This fascinating connection was just one of many reasons that viewers should be sure to check outTime After Time.
Belladonna of Sadness
Belladonna of Sadness is a Japanese animated film directed by Eiichi Yamamoto. Originally released in 1973, the film is renowned for its avant-garde style and its story centered on Jeanne, a peasant woman who makes a fateful pact with the Devil after suffering brutal injustices in a feudal society. The film’s unique blend of watercolor visuals and psychedelic sequences has since gained it a cult following.
The Japanese surrealist art filmBelladonna of Sadnesswas a powerful fantasy story for adults only. As the third and final entry in Mushi Production’s adult-orientedAnimeramatrilogy, afterA Thousand and One NightsandCleopatra, this intense story followed Jeanne, a peasant woman who made a Faustian deal with the Devil and was sexually assaulted by local nobility on the day of her wedding. AlthoughBelladonna of Sadnesswas a commercial failure upon its release, it has since built up cult status among cinephiles.
Through intense psychedelic imagery,Belladonna of Sadnessaddressed urgent themes of misogyny, feudal oppression, moral depravity, rebellion, and witch-hunting. By mixing religious imagery with erotic and violent tendencies, director Yamamoto achieved an incredibly dynamic film-watching experience that may be too much for some viewers to bear. Over 50 years since its release,Belladonna of Sadnessstill holds the power to shock modern audiencesthrough its extreme nature and uncompromising avant-garde style.
The Point
A father reads his son a bedtime story about young Oblio, who is banished from the fantastical kingdom of pointed heads and things for having no point.
Among 1970s music fanatics,The Pointwas an animated cult classic that blended incredible music with a fantastical story that could be enjoyed by children and adults alike. Directed by Fred Wolf and with a story andmusic composed by singer-songwriter Harry Nilssonjust a few years after he found success with “Everybody’s Talkin’ from theMidnight Cowboysoundtrack, this was a unique and idiosyncratic production that deserved more love than it got. Presented as a bedtime story,The Pointwas a fantasy film about young Oblio, a round-headed boy in a world full of pointed things.
The Pointwas an enjoyable fairy-tale story that was packed with incredible music from Nilsson and featured Dustin Hoffman as the narrator in its first telecast before he was replaced by Ringo Starr for the home video release. The message ofThe Pointrelated to self-acceptance, as the story encouraged children not to reshape themselves to fit into a pre-established system and to embrace their unique nature.The Pointwas an incredibly underrated 1970s fantasy movie whose soundtrack also acted as Nilsson’s sixth studio album.
Jabberwocky
Jabberwocky, directed by Terry Gilliam, is a medieval comedy following the journey of Dennis Cooper, who ventures into a kingdom plagued by the fearsome creature known as the Jabberwocky. As Dennis seeks his fortune, he encounters a series of humorous adventures, reflecting the film’s Pythonesque style.
Director Terry Gilliam, the man behind one of the most highly-rated fantasy movies of the 1970s,Monty Python and the Holy Grail; however, many may not be aware he also made one of that era’s most underrated fantasy films,Jabberwocky. With a title taken from the nonsense poem “Jabberwocky” from Lewis Carroll’sThrough the Looking-Glass,Jabberwockywas every bit as absurd as its name suggested. With plenty of slapstick humor, Michael Palin starred in this British fantasy about a clumsy hero’s efforts to hunt and kill a dragon.
Jabberwockymimicked many of the same stylings that madeMonty Python and the Holy Graila success, but that previous film had far more enduring popularity. With themes of money, corruption, and the search for meaning in life,Jabberwockywas a worthy addition to Gilliam’s unique filmography, which included subsequent fantasies likeThe Fisher KingandThe Brothers Grimm. For Monty Python lovers looking for something similar,Jabberwockywas an exciting, underrated discovery.
The Hobbit
The Hobbit, an animated movie released in 1977, follows the adventure of Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit recruited by the wizard Gandalf and a group of dwarves to help reclaim their homeland from the dragon Smaug. The film is based on the classic novel by J.R.R. Tolkien and features the voice talents of Orson Bean as Bilbo and John Huston as Gandalf.
Although Peter Jackson found success adapting the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, it must be noted that the first feature-length Middle-earth adaptation actually came with the release ofThe Hobbitin 1977. This animated movie told the story of Bilbo Baggins as an NBC television special animated by Topcraft.The Hobbitreceived a mixed reception upon release and was criticized for omitting key plot points from the fantasy novel as well as the lackluster quality of its animation.
WhileThe Hobbitmay not be the definitive cinematic version of Tolkien’s story, it must be admitted that it captured the sense of fun and adventure that the novel portrayed so well. At the time of release,The Hobbitwas produced to be an enjoyable children’s adventure and did not have to compete with the lofty standards set by Jackson’sThe Lord of the Ringstrilogy. Among acclaimed movies likeThe Return of the King, this animated version ofThe Hobbitwas often forgotten and deserved to be rediscovered by a contemporary audience.
The Phantom Tollbooth
The Phantom Tollbooth is an animated fantasy film based on Norton Juster’s novel. It follows Milo, a bored young boy who receives a magical tollbooth that transports him to a whimsical world. There, he embarks on a journey through various fantastical lands, each representing different aspects of knowledge and learning, and meets a host of peculiar characters who challenge his perspective on life and education.
With strange music, creative writing, and an educational message,The Phantom Tollboothwas among the most underrated children’s movies of the 1970s. Utilizing live-action and animation,The Phantom Tollboothfelt ahead of its time with its unique style as a young boy named Milo overcame his sense of apathy by entering a gateway to an incredible parallel magical universe. From here, Milo traveled to different lands, such as the letter-based King of Words named Dictionopolis or the number-centric Kingdom of Mathematics named Digitopolis.
The Phantom Tollboothwas a frantic 89-minute adventure that packed a lot of characters and ideas into its swift runtime. With a psychedelic aesthetic that placed it firmly in the early 1970s,The Phantom Tollboothwas pure fantasy propelled by a unique sense of humor. As a forebear to later films that attempted to blend live-action and animation,The Phantom Tollboothcould be viewed as a precursor to everything fromWho Framed Roger RabbittoSpace Jam.
The Man Who Fell to Earth
The Man Who Fell to Earth is a sci-fi movie where David Bowie stars as an alien who comes to find a way to save his dying planet, but uses his advanced knowledge to create a global business empire and eventually loses sight of his original mission. A 2022 TV series starring Chiwetel Ejiofor and Bill Nighy continued the story of the 1976 film.
The Man Who Fell to Earthblended fantasy and sci-fi for an unusual alien story that felt like no previously released film. WithDavid Bowie as Thomas Jerome Newton, a strange humanoid alien who traveled to Earth to seek water for his drought-stricken planet,The Man Who Fell to Earthsoon became less about his mission and more about falling victim to the vices of humankind’s worst depravities. Bowie was appropriately cast as this gaunt otherworldly figure, as during the production of this film, he was amidst his own cocaine dependency as his personal life mimicked the struggles of Newton.
Today,The Man Who Fell to Earthwas mostly remembered for its association with Bowie and how it influenced his stage persona of The Thin White Duke and the music he released during the mid to late 1970s. However, this ignored what a unique and interesting film director Roeg had produced, as its themes of environmentalism, social decay, and use of surreal imagery have stood the test of time.The Man Who Fell to Earthwas an experimental triumph that went on to influence other acclaimed films, such asUnder the Skin.
Zardoz
Zardoz, directed by John Boorman, is a 1974 science fiction film set in a dystopian future. Sean Connery stars as Zed, an exterminator who uncovers the truth about the god-like entity Zardoz, who controls his society. The film explores themes of class division and human evolution within a surreal and complex narrative.
There were manyinsane facts about the 1974Zardozmoviestarring Sean Connery. As an unusual science fantasy written and directed by John Boorman,Zardozwas full of trippy visuals and special effects that firmly rooted it in the 1970s. In a post-apocalyptic world,Zardoztold the story of stone-worshipping barbarians growing food for a hidden elite called the Eternals. Once Zed (Connery) became curious about the stone idol, Zardoz, he was caught between the two camps in a brutal development that peaked during its gun-fueled shoot-em-up climax.
Zardozwas shot entirely in Wicklow, Ireland, andfeatured Connery in an outrageously skimpy outfitthat had to be seen to be believed. Despite receiving a lackluster critical response upon its release,Zardozhas since been reappraised and developed into a true cult classic of fantasy cinema. It’s ambitious, outrageous, and often pretentious, butZardozwas well worth checking out, even if it’s only to see Connery’s get-up.
