Subgenre Sampler
Rental > Fantasy: 62 Films to Rent on VHS
- Peter Pan 2 - Return to Neverland (2002)
- Dir. Robin Budd, Donovan Cook
- Bright and energetic sequel to Disney’s original animation from 1953, set around Jane’s (daughter of Wendy) journey to the enchanted…
- Pinocchio (2002)
- Dir. Roberto Benigni
Feat. Roberto Benigni
- Pre–eminent Italian comic Roberto Benigni stages the greatest Italian fairytale as a prestige project, but belly–flops perhaps namely…
- Interstate 60 (2001)
- Dir. Bob Gale
Feat. James Marsden, Gary Oldman, Kurt Russell…
- An appealingly quirky teen road movie from the writer of the BACK TO THE FUTURE series, in which Marsden sets out on the mythical American highway,…
- Rat (2000)
- Dir. Steve Barron
Feat. Pete Postlethwaite, Imelda Staunton
- After a hard night at the pub, Pete Postlethwaite greets the day transformed into a white rat, giving a nicely surreal twist to this surprisingly…
- Strange Frequency (2000)
- Dir. Bryan Spicer, Mary Lambert
Feat. Eric Roberts, John Taylor, Judd Nelson
- This portmanteau of four 'urban myths' set in the contemporary music scene is surprisingly witty and satisfying. Segments 'My Generation' and 'Room…
- Alice in Wonderland (1999)
- Dir. Nick Willing
Feat. Robbie Coltrane, Whoopi Goldberg, Ben Kingsley…
- The creators of the MERLIN TV–series pull–off another updating, this time Lewis Carroll's childrens' classic. Seamless special effects…
- Apparition (Photographing Fairies) (1997)
- Dir. Nick Willing
Feat. Toby Stephens, Ben Kingsley, Emily Woof
- A sceptical, widowed portrait photographer investigates reports of everglade fairies and becomes transformed by otherworldly encounters. Inspired by…
- Mighty, The (Freak the Mighty) (1997)
- Dir. Peter Chelsom
Feat. Elden Henson, Kieran Culkin, Sharon Stone…
- Poignant, well–crafted story of two phenomenally mismatched boys who become perfectly complementary friends, escaping the slings and arrows of…
- Spawn - The Movie (1997)
- Dir. Thomas A Nelson
Feat. Keith David, Richard Dysart, James Keane
- Animated TV version of Todd McFarlane’s gothic comic book, melded into a feature–length movie. Includes the voices of Keith David, Richard…
- Frankie Starlight (1996)
- Dir. Michael Lindsay-Hogg
Feat. Gabriel Byrne, Anne Parillaud, Matt Dillon…
- Extensive flashbacks illustrate the unusual memoirs of a dwarf. This not–so–tall tale has a special blend of Irish whimsy, with native…
- Gargoyles (1996)
- Mythical winged warriors who fight evil, the Gargoyles awaken after a thousand years in 21st century New York, to find there's still plenty of work…
- Michael (1996)
- Dir. Nora Ephron
Feat. John Travolta, William Hurt, Andie MacDowell…
- Not even the star presence of John Travolta, William Hurt, and Andie MacDowell can revive this abysmal comic–fantasy about a cynical tabloid…
- Sex and Zen Pt. 2 (1996)
- Dir. Chin Man-Kei
Feat. Loletta Lee, Tat-Wah Lok
- A creepy polygamist meets his match in the 'mirage woman' in this twice–as–smutty, half–as–funny sequel to the outlandish…
- To the Ends of Time (1996)
- Dir. Markus Rothkranz
Feat. Joss Ackland, Christine Taylor
- Elaborate fantasy–tale concerns a sorceress who tampers with Time, causing young hero Joss Ackland to prematurely age. While also keeping an…
- Lord of Illusions (1995)
- Dir. Clive Barker
Feat. Famke Janssen, Daniel von Bargen, Kevin J. O'Connor…
- Cult author Clive Barker resumes megaphone duties on this melange of detective pic and sorcery epic. Points of interest include recent Bond girl,…
- Magic in the Water (1995)
- Dir. Rick Stevenson
Feat. Mark Harmon, Joshua Jackson, Harley Jane Kozak…
- Loch Ness–monster concept is ably transposed to the Canadian lakeside hamlet of Glenorky, which has its own 'Orky' mystery. Thrills ensue for…
- Nostradamus (1995)
- Dir. Roger Christian
Feat. Tcheky Karyo, Amanda Plummer, Julia Ormond…
- Fact and fantasy seem at odds in this version of the life of famous visionary, Michel de Nostradame, however the subject provides plenty of intrigue.…
- Power Rangers: The Movie (1995)
- Dir. Bryan Spicer
Feat. Paul Freeman
- Homogenised big–screen translation of controversial kids TV show in which six Californian teens morph into Japanese superheroes to battle evil.…
- Witch Hunt (1995)
- Dir. Paul Schrader
Feat. Dennis Hopper
- Dennis Hopper plays P.I. Philip Lovecraft and becomes embroiled in the murder of a Hollywood producer with supernatural side–effects. Pleasing…
- Beanstalk (1994)
- Dir. Michael Paul Davis
Feat. Margot Kidder
- A modern retelling of the classic Jack and the Beanstalk yarn, made for small screen and younger viewers. Mad scientist Margot Kidder plants the…
- Hercules and the Amazon Women (1994)
- Dir. Bill L. Norton
Feat. Kevin Sorbo, Anthony Quinn, Michael Hurst…
- Made–for–TV caper has our brawny hero's plans for a wedding celebration come to ruin as he must defend his village against a marauding…
- Neverending Story 3, The (1994)
- Dir. Peter MacDonald
Feat. Jason James Richter, Jack Black
- "Fantasia" comes to Earth in this third installment, and get chaotic in when the magical book "Never Ending Story" falls into the hands of the…
- North (1994)
- Dir. Rob Reiner
Feat. Elijah Wood, Bruce Willis, Scarlett Johansson
- Perfect 11–year–old Elijah Wood 'divorces' his unappreciative ordinary parents an embarks on a journey across apple–pie America in…
- Accion Mutante (1993)
- Dir. Alex de la Iglesia
Feat. Antonio Resines, Alex Angulo
- A deformed terrorist group strike out against pretty society in this wildly irreverent satire that takes a gleeful turn into futuristic…
- Borrowers, The (TV Series) (1993)
- Dir. John Henderson
Feat. Ian Holm, Rebecca Callard
- First–class BBC serial about a family that live under the floorboards and 'borrow' everything they need from the 'giant' family who reside in…
- Kung Fu Cult Master (1993)
- Dir. Wong Jing
Feat. Jet Li, Sammo Hung, Chingmy Yau
- Extraordinarily over–the–top martial arts epic in which Jet Li procures invincible powers while negotiating the restless hordes from…
- Polar Bear King, The (1992)
- Dir. Ola Solum
- Splendid Scandanavian fairy–tale about a noble King who has been cursed with an evil spell making him a Polar bear by day and human unable to…
- Radio Flyer (1992)
- Dir. Richard Donner
Feat. Lorraine Bracco, John Heard, Adam Baldwin…
- Bittersweet story of two young brothers who free themselves from their wicked stepfather by transforming a red wagon into a fantastical flying…
- Chinese Ghost Story 3 (1991)
- Dir. Ching Siu Tung
Feat. Tony Leung (Chiu-wai), Joey Wong, Jacky Cheung
- Spirited retread of the first movie, in which the evil Tree Spirit is back with yet another ghost played by Joey Wong.
It takes place 100 years…
- Erotic Ghost Story 2 (1991)
- Dir. Lam Ngai Kai
Feat. Charine Chan, King-Man Chik, Yiu-Wah Kwok
- Sequel mixes up similar ingredients, but story is unrelated to the first.
- Grampire (Moonrise) (1991)
- Dir. David Blyth
Feat. Al Lewis
- The Munsters' Al Lewis turns up on our shores to star in a ghoulish comedy as the blood–sucking but well–meaning grandfather of a…
- Toto the Hero (1991)
- Dir. Jaco Van Dormael
Feat. Michel Bouquet
- Fascinating tragicomedy about an old man who bitterly reflects on his life and the privileged life he feels was stolen from him. Intricate and fresh…
- Volere Volare (1991)
- Dir. Maurizio Nichetti
Feat. Maurizio Nichetti
- From the director of THE ICICLE THIEF comes another enjoyable comic fantasy inter–relating real and fictional worlds. Nichetti himself plays a…
- Zeram (1991)
- Dir. Keita Amamiya
Feat. Yuko Moriyama, Kunihiro Ida, Yukijiro Hotaru
- A ninja babe bounty hunter and two hapless mortals are stalked by a mutating alien in this engaging live–action 'manga'. Beefing up its…
- Alice (1990)
- Dir. Woody Allen
Feat. Mia Farrow
- Whimsical fantasy tale of a rich, bored housewife who takes on a new lease on life when prescibed with mind–altering herbs from a Chinese…
- Chinese Ghost Story 2 (1990)
- Dir. Ching Siu Tung
Feat. Leslie Cheung, Joey Wong, Jacky Cheung
- The original cast return for another surreal, big–budget fantasy that delivers as much as the first one, with more of a comedic slant.
This…
- Erotic Ghost Story (1990)
- Dir. Lam Ngai Kai
Feat. Amy Yip
- Buxom starlet Amy Yip lets it all hang out with other 'foxes' in this Eastern spin on the WITCHES OF EASTWICK. Generous nudity and dry ice steam up…
- What the Moon Saw (1990)
- Dir. Pino Amenta
Feat. Pat Evison
- A family delight from across the Tasman about a young boy who attends a pantomime of Sinbad's Last Adventure, and finds himself caught up in a wild…
- George's Island (1989)
- Dir. Paul Donovan
Feat. Ian Bannen, Sheila McCarthy, Maury Chaykin…
- Fleeing his nasty foster parents, 10–year old George goes in search of Captain Kidd's buried treasure, having to outwit, among other adults,…
- Star Trek V - The Final Frontier (1989)
- Dir. William Shatner
Feat. William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley…
- This time Shatner tries his hand at directing, in what turns out to be one of the less memorable missions of the series. The crew travel through…
- Tommy Tricker and the Stamp Traveller (1988)
- Dir. Michael Rubbo
- Tommy Tricker is a crafty lad who discovers how to shrink oneself onto postage stamps and thus be mailed anywhere in the world. Quality,…
- Chinese Ghost Story, A (1987)
- Dir. Ching Siu Tung
Feat. Leslie Cheung
- The first of a marvellous trilogy of outrageous fantasies set in Ming Dynasty–era China, in which student Leslie Cheung falls in love with an…
- Girl Who Lived Twice, The (1987)
- Dir. Francois Villiers
Feat. Julian Sands
- Julian Sands stars in this fantasy/drama about an Indian girl's obsession with finding her alleged rich husband of a past life. Shot in Nepal.
- Lionheart (1987)
- Dir. Franklin J. Schaffner
Feat. Eric Stoltz, Gabriel Byrne, Nicholas Clay…
- Young knight Eric Stoltz and a band of medieval tykes join King Richard II's crusade to defeat the Black Prince.
- Star Trek IV - The Voyage Home (1986)
- Dir. Leonard Nimoy
Feat. William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley…
- Kirk and his crew must travel back in time to the 20th century in order to save the Earth. Far more comedic than previous entries in the series, as…
- Dreamchild (1985)
- Dir. Gavin Millar
Feat. Coral Browne, Ian Holm, Peter Gallagher
- The real–life Alice who inspired Lewis Carroll's stories, reflects upon her life and offers some insight into his eccentric and fantasiacal…
- Explorers, The (1985)
- Dir. Joe Dante
Feat. Ethan Hawke, River Phoenix
- Imaginative space adventure film also has enormous fun at the expense of American popular culture. Among the explorers are a very baby–faced…
- Garbo Talks (1984)
- Dir. Sidney Lumet
Feat. Ron Silver, Greta Garbo, Anne Bancroft…
- This enchanting film sees Ron Silver attempting to fulfil his dying mother's last request; to meet Greta Garbo. Fine supporting cast.
- Hobbit, The (1977)
- Dir. Jules Bass, Arthur Rankin Jnr
Feat. Orson Bean, Richard Boone, John Huston…
- A homebody demi–human in Middle Earth gets talked into joining a quest with a group of dwarves to recover their treasure from a dragon.…
- People That Time Forgot, The (1977)
- Dir. Kevin Connor
Feat. Patrick Wayne
- Sequel to THE LAND THAT TIME FORGOT, sees Patrick Wayne return to the monster–ridden island in search of lost colleagues.
- Spiderman (1977)
- Dir. E.W. Swackhamer
Feat. Nicholas Hammond
- Becoming The Webbed One when bitten by a radioactive spider, Nicholas Hammond goes on to display wall–hugging behaviour and lumpy costume, with…
- Ultimate Warrior (1975)
- Dir. Robert Clouse
Feat. Max von Sydow, Yul Brynner
- Post–Armageddon tale with Max Von Sydow as a tyrannical dictator and Yul Brynner a rebel street–fighter.
- Golden Voyage of Sinbad, The (1973)
- Dir. Gordon Hessler
Feat. John Phillip Law, Caroline Munro, Tom Baker…
- Arabian Nightish saga with Tom Baker (Dr Who) as Sinbad's adversary. The swordplay of a six–armed statue is but one of the Harryhausen FX…
- Projectionist, The (1970)
- Dir. Harry Hurwitz
Feat. Chuck McCann, Rodney Dangerfield
- An experimental, off–beat collage of social commentary, in–jokes and satire, about a projectionist who constantly imagines himself as…
- Frank's Greatest Adventure (Fearless Frank) (1967)
- Dir. Philip Kaufman
Feat. Jon Voight, Severn Darden
- Curious superhero spoof in which Jon Voight is topped by gangsters and reincarnated as a crime–fighter extraordinaire. The director's career…
- Jack the Giant Killer (1962)
- Dir. Nathan Juran
Feat. Kerwin Mathews, Judi Meredith, Torin Thatcher…
- From the same stable as Sinbad, comes another fantasy using wonderful stop–motion animation. Jack, against all odds, fights the evil Pendragon…
- Kismet (1955)
- Dir. Vincente Minnelli
Feat. Howard Keel, Ann Blyth
- An Arabian–Nights style musical, with Howard Keel attempting to woo wicked wizar's wife Ann Blyth.
- 5000 Fingers of Dr. T (1953)
- Dir. Roy Rowland
Feat. Tommy Rettig, Hans Conried
- From the genius of Dr. Seuss comes this live–action fantasy worthy of his wondrous imagination. A nine–year–old boy's daydreams of…
- Wonder Man (1945)
- Dir. Bruce Humberstone
Feat. Danny Kaye, Virginia Mayo, Vera-Ellen…
- A typically zany fairy–tale for Danny Kaye, as a mild–mannered student persuaded by the ghost of his dead twin to seek out his murderer.…
- Les Visiteurs Du Soir (1942)
- Dir. Marcel Carne
Feat. Arletty, Marie Dea, Fernand Ledoux…
- Two of the Devil's henchmen are dispatched to a fairytale–like 15th century castle with an eye to corrupting its inhabitants, especially a pair…
- Wizard of Oz, The (1922)
- Dir. Larry Semon
Feat. Oliver Hardy, Larry Semon
- Original adaptation of the L Frank Baum story, conjures up more laughs than the Judy Garland version, with Oliver Hardy as the Tin–Man, and…
- Rik Mayall's Grimm Tales
- Feat. Rik Mayall
- Television's most famous Young One, Rik Mayall channels his raucous exuberance into narrating and performing a series of Grimm fables for your young…