You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
Want to add more newsletters?
Every Friday
GamesRadar+
Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.
Every Thursday
GTA 6 O'clock
Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.
Every Friday
Knowledge
From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.
Every Thursday
The Setup
Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.
Every Wednesday
Switch 2 Spotlight
Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.
Every Saturday
The Watchlist
Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.
Once a month
SFX
Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!
10. Monty Python And The Holy Grail (1975)
9. Aladdin (1992)
The Movie: Borrowing heavily from 1940's The Thief Of Bagdad, Disney adds music and comedy to the best-known of Arabian folk tales.
Most Magical Moment: Aladdin rubs the lamp. Out pops the Genie, who has the voice (and comic timing) of Robin Williams.
8. Orphe (1950)
The Movie: Jean Cocteau borrowed the Greek myth of Orpheus' journey into the underworld as the basis for his surreal modern-day drama about a man plagued by visitations from Death and weird radio messages.
Most Magical Moment: Orpheus (Jean Marais) plunges his hand into a mirror - the gateway to the underworld - and it dissolves into liquid.
7. How To Train Your Dragon (2010)
The Movie: Less a specific myth than an abstraction of Viking and dragon lore, this DreamWorks classic - with assistance from cinematography legend Roger Deakins - redefined how epic animation can be.
Most Magical Moment: Hiccup and Toothless take flight. Wow.
6. The Adventures Of Robin Hood (1938)
The Movie: The definitive screen version of Sherwood Forest's finest sees Errol Flynn speak treason (fluently) as he robs from the rich to give to the poor.
Most Magical Moment: Robin's climactic duel with Guy of Gisborne sees the men spar with words as much as swords. "Do you know any prayers, my friend?" asks Guy, to which Robin cheekily replies, "I'll say one for you!"
5. Princess Mononoke (1997)
The Movie: The clue is in the name. 'Mononoke' means spirit, and Hayao Miyazaki's historical fantasy creates its dramatis personae from the various spirits of traditional Japanese folklore.
Most Magical Moment: The kodama (tree spirits) awaken to watch the 'nightwalker', the Great Spirit of the Forest.
4. The Lord Of The Rings (2001-3)
The Movie: Peter Jackson does J.R.R.R.R.R.R. Tolkien. Worth remembering, though, that Tolkien based much of Middle Earth on his lifelong interest in Old Norse mythology.
Most Magical Moment: "You shall not pass!" Gandalf - modelled partially on Norse god Odin - makes his stand against a Balrog on the Asgard-esque Bridge of Khazad-dm.
3. Nosferatu (1922)
The Movie: Let's be honest, we could fill this list with films based on vampire legends. Instead, we're singling out the most influential: F.W. Murnau's silent adaptation of Dracula, which swaps Bram Stoker's urbane gentleman vampire for Max Schreck's hideous monster.
Most Magical Moment: Count Orlok rises from his coffin. Shudder.
2. Jason And The Argonauts (1963)
The Movie: Jason (Todd Armstrong) goes in search of the Golden Fleece, but - thanks to Ray Harryhausen's iconic creature designs - it's the journey, not the destination, that counts.
Most Magical Moment: Jason kills the Hydra only for its teeth to re-emerge as sword-wielding skeleton warriors - one of the most complex live-action/stop-motion sequences ever devised, but worth the effort.
1. Pan's Labyrinth (2006)
The Movie: Amidst the horrors of the Spanish Civil War, reality and fantasy collide as young girl Ofelia finds her way into a labyrinth controlled by a faun-like creature modelled on Pan, the Greek god of hunting.
Most Magical Moment: Ofelia is pursued by the Pale Man - in fact, a nightmarish creature from the imagination of Guillermo Del Toro rather than any overt mythological basis, but so creepy you'd believe he'd been haunting us for centuries.
