The following ten movies had the biggest impact on my imagination as a child in the 1980s. To this day, they remain favorites of mine, and I have made it a point to watch all of them with my child.
I truly believe no childhood can be complete without watching these films, and they are best enjoyed with the family.
Originally my Listmania collection on Amazon, I give you my Favorite Fantasy Family Movies From the 80s:
LABYRINTH
"This movie is great for families with toddlers because the goblins are silly, obnoxious puppets, instead of the slimy, scary ones in other movies. David Bowie entertains the adults as the Goblin King, singing songs he wrote just for this movie. I also recommend getting the soundtrack."
THE DARK CRYSTAL
"Henson comes together with artist Brian Froud to create an elaborate cast of puppets, while still maintaining a live action film. This movie does have a some darker moments that had my child concerned for the characters, but nothing that actually scared him. The depth of the plot combined with the various characters makes this a family classic."
THE NEVERENDING STORY
"First, I was never impressed with the sequels. The original Neverending Story is a movie that mixes fairytale elements with action & adventure for all ages. Children, especially, will love the luck dragon, Falcor, who resembles a big white dog. The plot involves a boy reading an old book, only to discover that he was part of the story all along, & our imaginations are more powerful than we think."
WILLOW
"Willow is an excellent choice to ween your kids away from animation & CGI, and get them interested in a live-action film. The score is beautiful orchestral music, as opposed to modern music. The characters look like they just stepped out of a fairytale, & Val Kilmer is just a sample of the talent. The most interesting fact about the story is that it is based on an actual Celtic myth."
THE PRINCESS BRIDE
"This is a movie based on a book that was written by a father for his daughters, so you are guaranteed an excellent bedtime-story. The movie begins with a grandfather visiting his sick grandson, and we watch as the story unfolds, and takes a life of its own. Do not let the title fool you, this movie is perfect for girls and boys!"
LEGEND (Theatrical version, NOT Director's Cut)
"This is one of Tom Cruise's best movies, but you'll never hear him admit it. Tim Curry also stars as the evil Darkness, but you can't recognize him. His goblin servants are the scary-looking kind. My then 3yr old was not frightnened at all, but it's not for those who do scare easily. It's a great story about a wild boy, & some elves trying to save a unicorn. (For some reason, the director's cut removes the famous Tangerine Dream score and adds a lot of unnecessary slow scenes.)"
KRULL
"This movie might not be able to hold the attention of a younger child, unless he or she is crazy about sword-fighting, horses, and questing. It is live-action with limited special effects, but never a dull moment. While the movie has elements like a castle, and a cyclops, the bad guys happen to be aliens trying to take over the universe. This movie mixes sci-fi & fantasy quite well."
THE GOONIES
"Not exactly a fantasy movie, but a great kids' adventure. A bunch of kids use an old map to hunt treasure, while evading bad guys. (I think National Treasure stole their ideas from this movie.) Of course, the villains chasing them are far from scary. The theme song is sung by Cindi Lauper. I also recommend keeping some Baby Ruth candy bars nearby...when you watch the movie, you'll understand."
THE MONSTER SQUAD
"A group of kids, obsessed with monsters, form their own club --just in time to fight some real monsters. This is the perfect movie to introduce Dracula, the Mummy, Frankenstein's monster (who turns out to be a good guy), and the Werewolf, without scaring your little ones. My favorite scene from the movie is when the youngest boy writes a letter in crayon to the 'Army guys.'"
TIME BANDITS
"This movie is about a young boy who travels through time and space with some of God's creation assistants who have stolen a map of doorways. The humor is much like Monty Python for kids, but it also teaches a valuable lesson about what is most important in life. I love the twists on famous historical moments."
Any of these movies would be great for family nights or slumber parties. Perfect for all ages!
As always,
AstraDaemon
FROSTBITE 2: LABYRINTH by Dave Jeffery is a sequel to the author's original mix of sci-fi, horror and crime drama. The second installment picks up with Knowles and Sully in pursuit of their common enemy. The author introduces a new rescue team with some intriguing backstories, giving readers several reasons to wonder how Appleby Enterprises might be connected to the killers in the Himalayas.
