The Fantasy Film [Paperback]

• Includes analyses of a wide range of films, from early classics such as The Wizard of Oz and Harvey to Spiderman and Shrek, and blockbuster series such as The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Harry Potter films
• Provides in-depth historical and critical overviews of the genre
• Fully illustrated with screen shots from key films

Acknowledgements xi

1 What's in a Name: Defining the Elusive Fantasy Genre 1

2 Once upon a Time: A Brief Historical Overview 15

3 A Brief Critical Overview: Literary and Film Fantasy, Science Fiction and Horror 38

4 The Wizard of Oz (1939): Over the Rainbow 55

5 Harvey (1950): A Happy Hallucination? 68

6 Always (1989): Spielberg's Ghost from the Past 81

7 Groundhog Day (1993): No Time Like the Present 92

8 Big (1988): Body and Soul/ Hearts and Souls 104

9 Shrek (2001): Like an Onion 114

10 Spider-Man (2002): The Karmic Web 124

11 The Lord of the Rings (2001–3): Tolkien's Trilogy or Jackson's Thrillogy? 134

12 The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005): A Joyful Spell 145

13 Harry Potter I-VI (2001-9): Words are Mightier than the Sword 156

14 Conclusion: Imagine That! 171

References 175&ll$