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Lore is often confused with worldbuilding in any movie genre, not just fantasy. But both are often considered to be more important to the fantasy genre than other genres due to the fact that many of the stories are told in a world or time period that is unfamiliar to audiences. Fantasy can include new worlds, unique magic systems, and mythology and folklore, in addition to new characters. All of these factors mean that extra help is needed to ground viewers when it comes to fantasy stories.
This is where lore comes in. Worldbuilding is the first part, as it shows the audience where they've just landed. Then, other stories will be told alongside the main timeline; sometimes these are stories that predate the current story and give backstory, and other times they further help expand the universe outward. Great lore in any fantasy movie can be tricky to find, but it's even harder to find in a movie that's considered to be a masterpiece.
Stardust Brings a Unique Take on Classic European Fairytale Archetypes
Originally a book written by Neil Gaiman in 1999, Stardust has long been considered one of the most underrated fantasy movies to exist, with a unique concept, well-paced journey, subtle humor, and an all-star cast consisting of Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert De Niro, Henry Cavill, and more. However, although the movie deserves more credit in multiple regards, the way it was taken from book to screen is truly well done, giving enough worldbuilding, lore, and story from the book to tell the tale, but also allowing for further curiosity about the book itself.
The lore of the 2007 movie is rooted in two worlds, the human world and the magical world beyond Wall, where the kingdom of Stormhold awaits. Although a bit of backstory is given at the beginning of the movie to help make sense of what is going on, the movie also has flashback scenes, expositional scenes, and lessons that help round out the rules of the world.
From this, the audience deciphers that the magical world has a political structure that has at least held two generations of princes who kill each other for the throne. Much of the economic structure lies in trade and bartering, with traditional work like farming having less glory and more rugged jobs like lightning farming being more lucrative. Power is rooted in money, physical prowess, and magical ability. People aren't truly free, and many live in danger of nobility and witches, including stars, who are hunted down for their immortality-granting hearts.
Whimsical and Wonderful, Song of the Sea Ties in Irish Folklore
This 2014 movie has less ground to cover than other fantasy movies, as it's a contemporary fantasy, but the nature of the mythology and folklore it speaks about is less well-known to the general public. Song of the Sea includes Irish/Celtic folklore in the movie, with many creatures and characters from famous tales brought to the modern world and melded in. This makes the lore both easier and harder to explain, because there's already existing material that needs to be altered for the sake of the plot.
Little Saoirse is a selkie who doesn't know that about herself until she finds a pelt that her absent mother left behind. She is part of this magical world, but her brother Ben is the one who actually knows the traditional tales and uses this knowledge to move through the story and tell the audience more about the folklore without doing too much exposition. As Ben learns more along his adventure to save his sister, battling the owl Macha and aided by the Na Daoine Sidhe, who want the selkie's song to help free them all, the audience learns more about the lore as well.
Pan's Labyrinth Pulls In Classic Fantasy Tropes
Perhaps the most unique addition to this list, Pan's Labyrinth exists in a space that questions if the fantasy of the story is real, or if it's in Ofelia's head. Ofelia lives in 1944 Spain during wartime alongside a mother who has just married a brutal soldier with far too much power, and this reflects subtly along her journey within the fantasy realm. Even with the lines blurred, the lore is done in a way that plays on past trends seen in fantasy and folklore, while still making the journey and creatures feel fresh.
For example, the Faun is not a character new to audiences, although his purpose and physical manifestation are unique. This is also true of the Pale Man, who resembles a Greek cyclops and the Japanese tenome. Then, there is the rule of three, seen often in fantasy. In 2006's Pan's Labyrinth, it pertains to the tasks she must complete, mirroring other stories like the original Aladdin folktale, Heracles, multiple stories with the Norse figure Askeladden, and the Greek heroine Psyche, among others.
By using these classic tropes that aren't often pondered on, audiences don't feel wildly out of place in the story. By the end, her sacrifice reflects that of many princesses in fantasy, so although the lines are blurred and by all means it would be easy to dismiss her whims as those of a child scarred by war, it is just as easy to imagine that her sacrifice brought her back to her kingdom.
Tying History and Folklore Together, Princess Mononoke Is a Perfect Balance
This meaningful and often graphic movie is different from others on the list in that what makes it unique isn't the ties to mythology or fantasy tropes; it actually has to do with the fact that its lore is deeply tied to Japanese history, and not just Japanese folklore. Princess Mononoke, released in 1997, is set during the Muromachi period, when bandits began to take control of the countryside and warlords began to form, destabilizing the Shogun system and leading to the Sengoku period, which is also known as the Warring States period.
Princess Mononoke takes this time and reflects on what would have happened if the Shinto religion manifested physically, with great beasts and spirits walking around and protecting the land. "Mononoke" itself is a spirit or otherwise supernatural being that is born from significant human emotion. From the beginning of the movie, the political setup of the land is clear, in which some people have been deemed worthy of survival by the emperor, and others have not. This pertains to creatures and gods as well.
It is clear from the beginning to every bit of new information added to the lore that war is coming. But for those who know the time period, this isn't a shock. Viewers are never surprised by the fantasy elements added, as the deep ties to the environment are deftly done and consistently touched on. Between gods, spirits, humans, and creatures, the worldbuilding makes it clear that balance is the best way to go about things, but there is no true evil or true good. Even the spirits themselves are flawed, as are all things.
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Is a Masterclass on How To Adapt Lore
Peter Jackson's take on Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings is one of the most beloved fantasy book-to-movie adaptations of all time, and for good reason. Jackson took his time and carefully crafted the scripts to perfectly represent the core of what Tolkien was trying to say with his words. And, as many know, Tolkien's books are lauded for how extensive the worldbuilding and lore are, with some influences from prior mythology but much of it unique to Tolkien's creative mind.
This being said, why choose only one movie as the masterpiece with the best lore? Simply, The Fellowship of the Ring contains the most elements that introduce the lore of Middle-earth to fans. One of the biggest elements of introducing lore in a movie is, as stated above in the introduction, worldbuilding.
Worldbuilding can be constructed through many avenues, but this core component of the film, in addition to backstory, flashbacks along the way, early character development that ties into key themes needed to understand the world, and more, helps introduce the expansive lore and world that Tolkien created. Obviously, this core element of understanding the franchise would need to happen at the beginning, and thus, The Fellowship of the Ring remains the best masterpiece fantasy movie for lore.
