Fantasy is a genre that appeals to everyone. It offers not only entertainment, but also pleasure, an escape from the stresses of reality, and an outlet for creativity.

In the movie business, fantasy has undergone several transformations, evolving from the puppets in the 1980s, to claymation in the 90s, and finally to the realm of digital graphics in the 21st century. With action-packed thrillers topping the movie charts today, film makers are pressed to bring fantasy to life. People want to really believe that such magical lands exist. They want to see life-like images dance across the screen.

Have the movies of the past lost their resonance in today’s society, where realistic graphics are pervasive? Do the movies of the 90s, and especially the oh-so-distant 80s really not hold the same captivating power over audiences as do the digital animations of today?

Curious, I decided to spend a night, bundled up on my couch with my friend Katie, watching three of my favorite films from the 80s: Labyrinth, The Dark Crystal, and The Neverending Story. It was an amusing night. I could not believe what I remembered from the films and what I had forgotten!

What impressed me most was how, using the (in regards to today’s technological advances) limited resources available to them, the directors managed to create engrossing, magical, entertaining tales of fantasy, magic, and adventure. Several parts were very fake, but instead of detracting from the movies, they only added a certain comical aspect, and did not take away from the magic of the story.

When I first saw The Neverending Story, I was blown away by the gigantic pink luck dragon. Watching the film today, however, the beast appeared so obviously puppeteered that watching it left Katie and I in fits of laughter.

The evil skeksis in The Dark Crystal frightened me so much when I was little that I often had to leave the room when they slunked onto the screen. Even now, the mutilated bodies send a shiver down my spine, their cackles make me curl into a ball, hiding my face.

The puppet creatures in Labyrinth were my favorite characters of all the movies, and I instantly recognized each face and personality: the spunky Sir Didymus, the gentle oaf Ludo, and the cowardly dwarf Hoggle. It was like revisiting old friend, watching them perform their parts!

The Neverending Story, released in 1984, was derived from a famous German story written by Michael Ende. In the story, the young protagonist, Bastian Bax, discovers a magical book while hiding from some bullies. Entranced, young Bastian reads well into the night, bunking in the attic of his school house.

This book tells of the mystic land of Fantasia, where the Nothing is gradually wiping away its existence, and has caused the childlike Empress to fall ill. To discover the cause of the Nothing and to devise a cure, the boy hero Atreyu is sent on a quest.

Atreyu is Bastion’s mirror image in the land of Fantasia, and that Fantasia itself is the land of make-believe kept alive by the dreams of people. The Nothing came into being when people stopped believing in all things fantastical. Bastian manages to save Fantasia by, of all things, renaming the childlike Empress “Moon Child”.

Of the three movies, The Neverending Story is the most comical. Though it possesses a good moral (keep on believing), the story is somewhat scattered and fanciful. Several scenes, such as Atreyu’s random encounter with the Great Beast or the gathering of travelers near the beginning of the tale, seem to detract from the overall storyline. Good for laughs and short in breath, The Neverending Story is entertaining, but it doesn’t hold a candle to today’s fantasy films.

The Dark Crystal, released in 1982, was a groundbreaking film in regards to the animatronics used to bring an all–puppet cast to life. The movie was directed by Jim Henson and Frank Oz, creators of The Muppet Show. The Dark Crystal has a decidedly darker storyline than the more family-oriented shows Henson and Oz usually produced, but nonetheless garnered a large audience.

In the imaginary world of Thra, the Crystal governing the lands was split, and a single shard separated and was lost exactly a thousand years ago. Upon this division, the predominate race at the time, the Urskeks, split into two individual races: the Skeksis and the Mystics.

At the same time, a prophecy came into being predicting the restoration of the Crystal by none other than a Gelfling-one of the other races inhabiting Thar. To prevent this, the Skeksis had the entire race of Gelflings wiped out. Only two survived: Jen, who was adopted by the Mystics, and Kira, who was adopted by the Podlings.

On his death bed, the old Mystic explains the prophecy to Jen, and urges him to find the crystal shard and repair the Crystal. Jen is saved by Kira and her adorable pet, Fizzgig. Together, the two heros find the shard and repair the Crystal to its original form, saving Thar from the corrupt rule of the Skeksis.

The Dark Crystal is rife with innuendo and imagery. The Skeksis, who are shown plotting, gobbling gluttonous banquets, and draining the life force from Podlings, are a non-too-subtle jab at modern-day politicians. They care only of furthering themselves, and destroy entire races of people as well as members of their own race.

Though the cast is entirely composed of puppets-the long-knecked mystis, the twisted skeksis, and the smooth-faced Gelfling protagonists, The Dark Crystal captivates from beginning to end with a fantastical plot and memorable characters (my favorite was Fizzgig, the adorable fuzzy pet of Kira). It’s portrayal of the corruption in government, in the form of the conniving Skeksis, is as humorous as it is terrifying. In all, The Dark Crystal is easily as entertaining and relevant as today’s fantasy movies.

Labyrinth was a failure in the box office upon its release in 1986, but gradually earned a cult following. As recently as 2007, the film has been reintroduced, first with showings in movie theaters in California, then with the creation of a Goblin King doll for sale in toy stores. Marvel comics also took up the story, producing first a print version of the movie, then a follow-up entitled Return to Labyrinth.

Starring David Bowie, as the Goblin King Jareth, and a young Jennifer Connelly, as protagonist Sarah Williams, Labyrinth begins with Sarah being forced into babysitting her baby half-brother again while her father and stepmother go out. Sarah, tired of being treated as a “slave”, calls upon the Goblin King to take away her baby brother.

When it turns out there actually is a Goblin King, who comes and takes away baby Toby, Sarah is distraught. She never really wanted Toby kidnaped. She strikes a deal with Jareth: to win Toby back, she must complete the Goblin King’s labyrinth. So begins a comical quest, where Sarah meets many fanciful creatures and endures arduous trials. In the end, Sarah outsmarts Jareth and saves her baby brother.

Of the three, Labyrinth is, in my opinion, the best in regards to script, acting, and filming. Even compared to today’s graphics, Labyrinth presents a very functional and realistic cast of puppets (who portray goblins and creatures in the film) that possess a full range of vocal and mobile skills. Only five actors (three of which play minimal roles) are human, while three of the puppets hold vital leading roles.

Fantasy has been a pervasive movie genre since first bursting onto the scene with The Thief of Baghdad in 1924. This genre is particularly hard to film due to the slew of imaginary characters and magical events the camera must illustrate for audiences.

Over the years, the means of reproducing such images for viewers has drastically improved. The fantasy films of the past, however, still prove pleasurable to watch today, despite their lack of digital graphics. To their credit, none of the films have ever been remade, but all are still sold in their entirety in movie stores.

The Neverending Story, The Dark Crystal, and Labyrinth are three films from the 80s that entertain even modern day audiences. Though short of producing the captivating images digital graphics can provide, these films possess interesting plots, memorable characters, and remarkable use of resources that bring fantasy into the realm of reality.