Wizards, dragons, goblin kings, magical gemstones, yellow brick roads...there’s nothing better than a good fantasy film, is there? With their sweeping landscapes and wonderful costumes, fantasy movies are a real feast for the eyes and for the soul! They’re a chance to get lost in another world for a little while, and to get swept up in the danger and adventure alongside our favourite heroes and heroines.

While there are so many amazing fantasy films to choose from out there, we’ve picked five of our Dragonspace favourites to shine a spotlight on this week:

#1 THE LORD OF THE RINGS TRILOGY (2001 - 2003)

It’s always hard to adapt a beloved book series onto the screen, but Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy did Tolkien’s fantasy masterpiece undeniable justice. The film trilogy isn’t just adored by fantasy fans—it’s a true legend of the film world in general. The third installment in the series, The Return of the King, was the first fantasy film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture, and it currently holds the record for the highest Oscars sweep. So who says that fantasy films are niche?

There’s so much about The Lord of the Rings trilogy to love. The films are visually stunning, thanks to the epic New Zealand landscapes that were used to bring Middle-earth to life. The superstar cast—including Sir Ian McKellan, Viggo Mortensen, Elijah Wood, Andy Serkis and Cate Blanchett—deliver stellar performances. And the visual effects of the films still manage to hold up, even decades later. Yep, as fantasy movies go, The Lord of the Rings is as good as they come, and is yet to be de-throned in our opinion!

(If you're a fan of Tolkien and Middle-earth, check out our range of Tolkien books here!)

#2 LABYRINTH (1986)

Fantasies and musicals are two film genres that aren’t often combined, but if anyone’s going to pull such a trick off, of course it would be Jim Henson, George Lucas, Brian Froud and David Bowie! Joined by Jennifer Connelly as the film’s heroic lead, this team created Labyrinth, the 1986 musical-fantasy classic. With Henson as director, Lucas as exec-producer, Froud as costume designer, and Bowie playing the Goblin King, Labyrinth brought us a world like no other. Goblins dance and sing, monsters become friends, and staircases turn upside-down in this wild adventure, in which protagonist Sarah must navigate a mystical labyrinth to rescue her baby brother from the dark Goblin King.

The thing that makes this film so unique is its fantastical puppetry. With the exception of Connelly and Bowie’s characters, the rest of the characters in the film are puppets created by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop (best known for The Muppets). The distinctive puppetry of Labyrinth gives the film an eerie surreal aesthetic, which still stands out in an age when most fantasy is heavy CGI. And of course, Labyrinth delivers some great singalongs, courtesy of the late great Bowie. A lot of fantasy films tend to be quite serious, so Labyrinth is a refreshingly quirky and comical addition to the genre.

#3 THE DARK CRYSTAL (1982)

But before there was Labyrinth, there was The Dark Crystal. This 1982 fantasy adventure classic is also the creation of Jim Henson and Brian Froud, along with famous puppeteer Frank Oz. Like Labyrinth, The Dark Crystal, relies heavily on puppetry and animatronics to bring the fantasy characters of the film to life. As Jen, the ‘Gelfling’ hero of the story, undertakes a quest to restore a powerful gemstone, he traverses a weird and wonderful world that’s now become iconic.

The Dark Crystal was actually the first live-action film without any human beings on screen. Perhaps due to its ground-breaking and unprecedented nature, the film received mixed reviews when it was first released. It was much darker than Jim Henson’s Muppet work, so people didn’t quite know what to think. Now, however, The Dark Crystal is a firm fantasy favourite! And good news for all fans of the movie—there’s actually going to be a prequel produced in association with Netflix, so we all get to explore the surreal world of The Dark Crystal even further.

(If you're a fan of Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal, check out our full range of Brian Froud books here, featuring his distinctive and imaginative artwork.)

#4 THE WIZARD OF OZ (1939)

Technicolor musical The Wizard of Oz isn’t just one of the greatest fantasy films of all time—it’s one of the greatest films of all time in general. Released in 1939, The Wizard of Oz was one of the first examples of a film shot in colour, and it definitely used vivid Technicolor to its advantage, from the bright Yellow Brick Road to the glittering Emerald City.

Based on the children’s classic The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, the film follows the adventures of Dorothy (played by Judy Garland) and her little dog Toto as they enter an incredible fantasyland via a tornado. The friends Dorothy makes along the way—the Tin Man, the Scarecrow and the Cowardly Lion—are iconic, as are the dazzling show-tunes that pepper the story. The Wizard of Oz won Academy Awards for Best Music - Original Score, and Original Song for Over The Rainbow, which is now a classic. From the munchkins to the Wicked Witch of the West to Dorothy’s ruby slippers, The Wizard of Oz made a lasting legacy that hasn’t faded even eighty years later!

#5 THE HARRY POTTER SERIES (2001 - 2011)

J.K Rowling’s Harry Potter franchise created a world-wide fantasy mania that had never been seen before. And it wasn’t just the books that had fans lining up for midnight releases—the movies caused just as much of a stir! The film series ended up stretching over ten years, and viewers saw the young cast—with British actors Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint at the helm—literally grow up on screen.

Including film legends like Dame Maggie Smith, Alan Rickman, Robbie Coltrane, Kenneth Branagh and dozens of others, the cast of the Harry Potter films are one of its main strengths. But they’re also very visually impressive, with incredible set design, costuming, props and visual effects. When you watch these films, you truly feel like you’re inhabiting the wizarding world and joining in the adventures and trials of Harry and his comrades. Which is what all good fantasy films should make you feel!

(If you love Harry Potter, check out our new range of Harry Potter & Fantastic Beasts mini activity kits here!)

You might have guessed that we love dragons here at Dragonspace. Perhaps our name gave it away? We're fascinated by these enigmatic beasts and the stories they inspire. Guardians, protectors, sages, monsters, villains, friends and companions - dragons have appeared in lore and legend as all these things and more.

Though long associated with tales of old, dragons are still going strong in popular culture, becoming icons in some of our favourite contemporary fantasy stories. Let's take a look at a few of our favourites:

Puff

Are you already starting to sing the song? Puff was immortalised by the '60s pop-folk group Peter, Paul and Mary, though the lyrics to the famous tune are actually based on a poem by a university student named Leonard Lipton. In the song, Puff the dragon lives in a magical land called Honahlee, where he gets up to all kinds of adventures with his friend Jackie Paper. Puff is undoubtedly a docile friendly dragon, though his story isn't all sunshine and rainbows. At the end of the song, Jackie Paper stops coming to visit Puff, causing the dragon to "sadly slip into his cave." The tale is said to be about growing up and the loss of innocence - Puff represents the magic of childhood, when the imagination roamed free. Maybe that's why dragons continue to hold a mystical grip on us.

Smaug

Fearsome Smaug is the antagonist in Tolkien's The Hobbit tales. Like a traditional dragon of Western lore, Smaug greedily guards the treasure in the Dwarf kingdom of Erebor and launches a fiery attack on the village of Laketown. Some scholars theorise that Tolkien was inspired by the 'old night-scather' from the epic poem Beowulf when creating Smaug, as Tolkien was a Beowulf expert. Vengeful, treasure-hungry and aggressive, Smaug embodies the villainous dragon archetype. Tolkien interestingly chose to give Smaug the ability to talk, making him a little more humanoid than monstrous.

Falkor

Falkor the luckdragon is the faithful companion of heroes Bastian and Atreyu in the Germany fantasy novel The Neverending Story. In appearance, Falkor takes elements from a traditional Oriental dragon as well as a domestic dog, specifically a Golden Retriever or a Labrador...notoriously faithful animals! Falkor is optimistic, wise and friendly, and possesses extraordinary luck even in impossible circumstances. He's the type of dragon we'd definitely want as a pet, though he'd need a bigger backyard than your standard dog.

Mushu

Witty firecracker Mushu often steals the scene in the 1998 Disney animated film Mulan. In many ways, Mushu is a traditional Chinese dragon, with his blue horns, gold mustache and lack of wings, more resembling a lizard or serpent than a Western dragon.  Once a guardian spirit of the Fa ancestors, Mushu was demoted after failing to protect a family member and is desperate to regain his prior position throughout the film. While Mushu is comedic and sometimes buffoon-like, he is ultimately a guardian and protector to Mulan. In Chinese mythology, dragons represent luck, fortune and protection, so Mushu fits the bill.

Drogon, Rhaegal and Viserion

Game of Thrones has recently catapulted dragons back into pop culture fame. Even since Daenerys Targaryen stepped out of the fire holding her babies, these dragons have created some of the television show's most stunning scenes. While Daenerys's dragons are ultimately faithful to her - their mother - they're also wild and unpredictable, causing her to have to lock them up when she realises she can't completely control them. Fierce and impressive, everyone's looking forward to seeing what role these beasts will play in books and episodes to come. But no spoilers...

Norbert

Not a lot of people would use the word 'adorable' to describe a dragon, unless you're Rubeus Hagrid, of course. In the first of the Harry Potter books, we get to meet Norbert, the Norwegian Ridgeback baby dragon that animal-loving Hagrid hatches from an egg in his hut. In appearance, Norbert is a traditional Western dragon that looks like a 'crumpled black umbrella' with large spiny wings, stubby horns and orange eyes. Sadly, Hagrid has to give Norbert up to a dragon reserve in Romania after the dragon develops a reputation for biting. Norbert is just one of the dragons that feature in the series, from fierce Hungarian Horntails to Common Welsh Greens and Swedish Short-Snouts. We'd love to meet all the dragons of J.K Rowling's imagination (from a safe distance, of course).

From cuddly companions to wicked villains, dragons certainly add conflict and colour to some of our favourite stories! Who's your top dragon? Let us know in the comments below.

OUR FAVOURITE DRAGON PRODUCTS:

See our full dragon collection here!

Stepping into Dragonspace is a sensory experience, with visuals, scent and sound all coming together to create our little fantasy world. A lot of the visual wonder is thanks to the talented fantasy artists whose works line our shelves, adorning gift cards, art books, t-shirts, tarot decks, statuettes and more. These artists bring our imaginations to visual life, from the Gothic realms of Anne Stokes to the vivid wonderlands of Josephine Wall.

Here’s a bit more about the artists you’ll find as you roam the store:

 Amy Brown

American artist Amy Brown is known for her fairies, which she’s been painting since 1992. Amy predominantly uses watercolours in subdued hues that remind us of the changing seasons. We particularly love the eclectic fashions on Amy’s fairies, which are clearly inspired by fashions throughout history - Victorian corsets, striped stockings, medieval gowns, white furs and Steampunk goggles. There's a real sense of story to Amy's often wistful fairies, and you can't help but want to know more about them as you peek inside their worlds.

Amy is also the artist behind our fantastic fairy teacup collection (which sold out quickly - but let us know if you want us to notify you when we get more in!)

Browse our full collection of Amy Brown products here.

Anne Stokes 

Anne Stokes is a well-known British fantasy artist with a penchant for the Gothic. Her work is easily identified by its striking subjects and moody aesthetic, from fallen angels and vampire queens to dragons with their princesses. Her art also litters the world of pop culture - her illustrations have been featured in the Dungeons & Dragons books, and in the early days of her career, she designed tour merchandise for bands like Queen and the Rolling Stones, and fashioned jewelry lines for Discword and Harry Potter brands (what an enviable resume!) We love the boldness of Anne’s art, and the way she shows the shadowy side of the fantasy world without being sinister.

 Browse our full collection of Anne Stokes products here.

Josephine Wall

Who doesn’t love visiting the surreal rainbow landscapes of Josephine Wall’s imagination? Josephine’s art is a dream come to life, recognisable for its gorgeous use of light and colour, with a heavy focus on purples, pinks, bright blues and yellows. You have to stare at Josephine's pieces for a while to truly appreciate them, as they’re often a collection of images that blend into one another to form a larger whole. British-born Josephine is heavily inspired by nature, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a piece of her art that doesn’t have some kind of natural element in it - curved shells, bright flowers, shimmering moons, dancing butterflies, sprawling trees, the list goes on and on.

If you’re in England, you might actually get a chance to visit Josephine. Her magical gallery is in Dorset and she welcomes visitors by booking.

Browse our full collection of Josephine Wall products here.

Nene Thomas

American artist Nene Thomas’s art is Romantic and intriguingly realistic, even if the content is mythical. Her fairies have a real human quality and intricate fashions that you can admire for ages. Like Anne Stokes, Nene Thomas has also contributed art to fantasy role-playing games, working with Magic: The Gathering at the start of her career. While early on she favoured watercolours, Nene now creates all her art digitally - adding a  modern aesthetic to traditional fantasy. Nene’s work spans the dark and light ends of the magical world, featuring Gothic fairies, whimsical forest scenes, romantic embraces, snowscapes, oceanscapes, beauties and beasts of all kinds.

 Browse our full collection of Nene Thomas products here.

Brian Froud

While all our featured artists have large followings, Brian Froud's work has probably had the biggest influence on popular culture. If you've seen cult fantasy films The Dark Crystal or The Labyrinth (and who hasn't?) then you've come across Brian's art - he was a conceptual designer on both films. His work is quirky and gloriously grotesque, with his most famed illustration collections including Goblins, Trolls, Good Faeries/Bad Faeries and Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Book. There's a huge sense of humour and playfulness to Brian's art, and his partnership with Jim Henson's Creature Shop (responsible for The Muppet and Sesame Street) seems only natural. His wife, Wendy Froud, is also a talented fantasy artist and puppet-maker. We'd love to see what their dinner parties are like!

Browse our full collection of Brian Froud products here.

We're forever in awe of the artists that help make Dragonspace even more magical with their spell-binding creations. Do you have another favourite fantasy artist you think we should check out? Let us know in the comments below!