Cheap B Grade Fantasy Flicks...
- Thread starter The Fool
- Start date
Assenpfeffer
First Post
Krull - Relatively high budget, but with a b-movie feel. I don't care for this one as much as some others do, but there's some decent dialogue and effects, they story's not too bad, and the whole thing is made worthwhile by the Widow of the Web (Francesca Annis from Dune,) the Emerald Seer and Freddie Jones as the Old Man.
The Sword & the Sorcerer - An underappreciated classic. Aside from the weird shooty-sword thing, this film is arguably a better translation of Howard's Conan to the screen that the Conan movies are, in feel if not in character. The opening scene from the film is lifted directly from the opening of The Hour of the Dragon.
The Beastmaster - A fun small-scale fantasy with a fairly unique bronze-age feel. Stay as far away as possible from the Beastmaster sequels - they're dreadful, and not in a good way. Think Highlander 2 bad. Boot to the Jimmy bad. Ass on Toast bad.
Excalibur - great movie, and the definitive film treatment of Arthurian legend outside of kids' crap like Disney's The Sword in the Stone.
Dragonslayer - It's as close as anyone's come to Ars Magica: The Motion Picture. To my knowledge it's not available on DVD yet.
Clash of the Titans - Best portrayal of the Olympian gods ever on film. Other stuff in this vein include the Sinbad movies, which are great fun - look for Tom Baker as the evil sorcerer in one of them and an awesome, awesome battle against a 6-armed golem
Jason and the Argonauts - Another great Harryhausen classic, but make sure you're not buying the crap sandwich miniseries version from a couple of years ago.
The Sword & the Sorcerer - An underappreciated classic. Aside from the weird shooty-sword thing, this film is arguably a better translation of Howard's Conan to the screen that the Conan movies are, in feel if not in character. The opening scene from the film is lifted directly from the opening of The Hour of the Dragon.
The Beastmaster - A fun small-scale fantasy with a fairly unique bronze-age feel. Stay as far away as possible from the Beastmaster sequels - they're dreadful, and not in a good way. Think Highlander 2 bad. Boot to the Jimmy bad. Ass on Toast bad.
Excalibur - great movie, and the definitive film treatment of Arthurian legend outside of kids' crap like Disney's The Sword in the Stone.
Dragonslayer - It's as close as anyone's come to Ars Magica: The Motion Picture. To my knowledge it's not available on DVD yet.
Clash of the Titans - Best portrayal of the Olympian gods ever on film. Other stuff in this vein include the Sinbad movies, which are great fun - look for Tom Baker as the evil sorcerer in one of them and an awesome, awesome battle against a 6-armed golem
Jason and the Argonauts - Another great Harryhausen classic, but make sure you're not buying the crap sandwich miniseries version from a couple of years ago.
Brown Jenkin
First Post
Depends on what you mean by cheap b grade.
On the better side there is also:
Willow - Probably the best epic fantasy until LotR. While there are a few bad moments, overall this had the most D&D feel of anything up until its time.
Princess Bride - Great swashbuckling comedy. Certainly amoungst the top fantasy films of all time.
Legend - Somewhat more sureal, but you can expect that from Ridley Scott. Beuatiful in look even if the story is a little weak.
Record of Lodoss War - Anime D&D. While Japanese this has nothing to do with Japanese tradition and everthing to do with D&D strait out of the PHB. Even if you arn't normally an anime fan this is well worth checking out.
If on the other hand you mean cheap in the sense of bad, but still enjoyable from a bad=funny perspective there are a couple more I would recomend:
Hawk the Slayer - All your classic fantasy elements but done with all the quality you would expect from a 1980 B movie. Long a favorite of my old friends for its unintentional humor.
Sorceress(1982) - Truely one of the worst efforts ever at fantasy. Once again however if you thing bad=funny this movie is great. There are a few lines that are classics (I won't spoil them) that became catchphrases in our old D&D campaigns. I'm surprised I never saw this on MST3K.
On the better side there is also:
Willow - Probably the best epic fantasy until LotR. While there are a few bad moments, overall this had the most D&D feel of anything up until its time.
Princess Bride - Great swashbuckling comedy. Certainly amoungst the top fantasy films of all time.
Legend - Somewhat more sureal, but you can expect that from Ridley Scott. Beuatiful in look even if the story is a little weak.
Record of Lodoss War - Anime D&D. While Japanese this has nothing to do with Japanese tradition and everthing to do with D&D strait out of the PHB. Even if you arn't normally an anime fan this is well worth checking out.
If on the other hand you mean cheap in the sense of bad, but still enjoyable from a bad=funny perspective there are a couple more I would recomend:
Hawk the Slayer - All your classic fantasy elements but done with all the quality you would expect from a 1980 B movie. Long a favorite of my old friends for its unintentional humor.
Sorceress(1982) - Truely one of the worst efforts ever at fantasy. Once again however if you thing bad=funny this movie is great. There are a few lines that are classics (I won't spoil them) that became catchphrases in our old D&D campaigns. I'm surprised I never saw this on MST3K.
Assenpfeffer
First Post
I disliked both Willow and Legend, though both have their high points. Neither are what you could call "B-Grade," but I listed some of those myself.
The Princess Bride, while it might be borderline fantasy, is a great movie.
Lodoss War is D&D in all but name. A great series, and I'm not a big anime fan in general.
I hang my head in shame at never having seen Hawk the Slayer
Another decent film is The Dark Crystal. Puppets, but well done puppets, and there are some genuinely neat things in there, like life-sucking mojo.
The Princess Bride, while it might be borderline fantasy, is a great movie.
Lodoss War is D&D in all but name. A great series, and I'm not a big anime fan in general.
I hang my head in shame at never having seen Hawk the Slayer
Another decent film is The Dark Crystal. Puppets, but well done puppets, and there are some genuinely neat things in there, like life-sucking mojo.
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Tyrrell
First Post
Cheap B grade.
Dungeons and Dragons: While perhaps not as closely related to D&D as "Hawk the Slayer" it's sets and effects are stronger than many of the other cheap B grade pictures. While the plot is weak and most of the acting is poor Jermy Irons hams up an evil wizard that is hilariously over the top.
Conan: James Earl Jones as the the leader of the snake Cult. A few good lines by the supporting characters. Adequate effects and acting. (I don't know about the sequels)
(IMHO The Princess Bride was one of the finest comedies ever filmed.)
Dungeons and Dragons: While perhaps not as closely related to D&D as "Hawk the Slayer" it's sets and effects are stronger than many of the other cheap B grade pictures. While the plot is weak and most of the acting is poor Jermy Irons hams up an evil wizard that is hilariously over the top.
Conan: James Earl Jones as the the leader of the snake Cult. A few good lines by the supporting characters. Adequate effects and acting. (I don't know about the sequels)
(IMHO The Princess Bride was one of the finest comedies ever filmed.)
Assenpfeffer
First Post
Tyrrell said:
That film is so lousy I didn't even think to mention it in the company of bad movies.
My pick in the "wretched but hilarious" category remains Battlefield Earth.
Let me nitpick for a moment.
No way is that a B movie. For a number of years it was the highest-grossing movie ever released in the month of May (until Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,) and was considered a big hit. It has A-list talent associated with it (John Milius, Oliver Stone, Basil Poldouris, James Earl Jones,) was lavishly produced, and launched Arnie's career (even though he'd been in some stuff before that, Conan the Barbarian made him a bonafide action superstar.)That said, I think the sequel stinks, a B movie made with A money.
reapersaurus
Explorer
could someone that is able to search just bump one of the other 10 threads that have collected all possible fantasy or B movies imaginable?
You'll have to go for 2 weeks to catch up to the lists that have been compiled which are only a few page-clicks away, if you knew where they were.
And The Fool should have defined what he meant by "B" movie - there are too many subjective opinions about what merits "A" or "B" status in people's minds.
As for Dungeons & DRagons, if you actually think that movie qualifies as "incredibly bad" in the same thread where people are offering up Hawk the Slayer, Beastmaster, etc, than I question your objectivity.
You'll have to go for 2 weeks to catch up to the lists that have been compiled which are only a few page-clicks away, if you knew where they were.
And The Fool should have defined what he meant by "B" movie - there are too many subjective opinions about what merits "A" or "B" status in people's minds.
As for Dungeons & DRagons, if you actually think that movie qualifies as "incredibly bad" in the same thread where people are offering up Hawk the Slayer, Beastmaster, etc, than I question your objectivity.
Assenpfeffer
First Post
reapersaurus said:
*shrug* That's the price we pay for being on a board which doesn't have the search function available to all.
It's admittedly subjective. A good discussion can be found at:
http://www.bmoviecentral.com/bmoviecentral/articles/What Is A B-Movie.html
I maintain that Conan the Barbarian is not a borderline case, however, unless one subscribes to the idea that any fantasy or sci-fi movie is by definition "B" (and thus by extension cheap and tacky.)
The query was for B movies, after all. Hawk the Slayer isn't Casablanca by anybody's definition. It's possible for a movie to be bad and still be fun, after all. From all I've heard (and I appear to be just about the only person in the hobby who hasn't seen it,) Hawk fits that description.
I did see the D&D movie, though, and thought it was just bad. At least The Beastmaster didn't have a coke-fueled Jeremy Irons delivering the worst performance of his life, or silly-looking henchman with blue lipstick that would have been out of place at a goth club. Or any of the Wayans brothers.
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Brown Jenkin
First Post
reapersaurus said:
I've been reading the lists since they were redone and don't recall seeing such a thread. This doesn't mean it doesn't exist but I don't think that the topic has been overdone or I likely would have seen one of these threads. Now if someone with a search ability would like to point us in the right direction that would be great.
COOL!
----------
If on the other hand you mean cheap in the sense of bad, but still enjoyable from a bad=funny perspective there are a couple more I would recomend:
----------
Yes thats exactly what i meant
, sorry i should of specified...
OMG
Sorceress! [What a fantastically cool B Grade flick that was]
I forgot all about it
I will definalty check out alot of the films listed...
Hawk the Slayer (what a great flick as well )
Record of Lodoss War sounds very interesting as well...
If someone that has the search function can find that link
id be very greatful
Also a question, Im in Australia, and there is no way i can get
these flicks here
I asked about importing and they want an arm and a leg in cost and freight charges
Is there any way i can get my hands on a whole bunch of these flicks as cheaply as possible?
Also there are two films that im interested in but i have no idea
what they are like...
Brotherhood of the Wolf
*The movie with Heath Legder as a Jousing Knight*
Forgot the tittle
---
My to get list so far:
The Sword & the Sorcerer
The Beastmaster
Dragonslayer
Clash of the Titans
Jason and the Argonauts
Princess Bride
Record of Lodoss War
Hawk the Slayer
Sorceress
Thanks ALL!
Keep the suggestions coming please!
The Fool
----------
If on the other hand you mean cheap in the sense of bad, but still enjoyable from a bad=funny perspective there are a couple more I would recomend:
----------
Yes thats exactly what i meant
, sorry i should of specified...OMG
Sorceress! [What a fantastically cool B Grade flick that was]
I forgot all about it
I will definalty check out alot of the films listed...
Hawk the Slayer (what a great flick as well
)Record of Lodoss War sounds very interesting as well...
If someone that has the search function can find that link
id be very greatful
Also a question, Im in Australia, and there is no way i can get
these flicks here
I asked about importing and they want an arm and a leg in cost and freight charges Is there any way i can get my hands on a whole bunch of these flicks as cheaply as possible?
Also there are two films that im interested in but i have no idea
what they are like...
Brotherhood of the Wolf
*The movie with Heath Legder as a Jousing Knight*
Forgot the tittle
---
My to get list so far:
The Sword & the Sorcerer
The Beastmaster
Dragonslayer
Clash of the Titans
Jason and the Argonauts
Princess Bride
Record of Lodoss War
Hawk the Slayer
Sorceress
Thanks ALL!
Keep the suggestions coming please!
The Fool
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