To accompany 50 Books, a Princess Reading List, here is a list of inspirational and fascinating films that are classics in my mind and heart. Films that tell fairy tales, famous books or simply beautiful stories. Please feel free to add your own in the comments, so we can build an even bigger list!
Marie Antoinette (2006)
Shimotsuma Monogatari (2004)
Dreamchild (1985)
The City of Lost Children (1995)
The Neverending Story (1984)
Stardust (2007)
Pride and Prejudice (1995)
Dangerous Liasions (1988)
The Phantom of the Opera (2004)
Emma (1996)
The Importance of Being Ernest (2002)
Valerie and her Week of Wonders (1970)
Donkeyskin (1970)
Alice through the Looking Glass (1985)
Return to Oz (1985)
A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004)
The Count of Monte Cristo (2002)
Ever After (1998)
Anna and the King (1999)
Legend (1985)
Little Women (1994)
A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1999)
My Fair Lady (1964)
Roman Holiday (1953)
The Princess Bride (1987)
The Slipper and the Rose (1976)
The Frog Prince (1986)
Sleeping Beauty (1987)
The Virgin Suicides (1999)
Penelope (2006)
Angel (2007)
The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)
Neverwas (2005)
Romeo & Juliet (1968)
Enchanted (2007)
The Swan Princess (1994)
The Affair of the Necklace (2001)
The Illusionist (2006)
Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975)
Labyrinth (1986)
Snow Queen (2002)
Amélie (2001)
Anne of Green Gables (1985)
The Brothers Grimm (2005)
Willow (1988)
A Little Princess (1995)
The Secret Garden (1993)
Vanity Fair (1998)
The Man in the Iron Mask (1998)
Related posts:
Lovely list
I’ve seen some of them and I’ll watch the rest soon!
The Duchess is another wonderful film!
Nicholas Nickleby (2002)
El Laberinto del Fauno (Pan’s Labyrinth) (2006)
MirrorMask (2005)
: )
Oh, I loved MirrorMask too!
The Wizard of Oz (1939)
Anastasia (1997)
Enchanted (2007)
And a couple upcoming films from Disney to look forward to:
The Princess and the Frog (2009)
Rapunzel (2010)
^Oops! Didn’t see Enchanted on the list, but sure enough, it’s already there.
I’m really looking forward to these new Disney Movies, especially Rapunzel!
Nice list!
There are some movies I’ve already watched (”enchanted” just yesterday)
My favourite movie on the list is “the importance of being Ernest”. It is funny and romantic at the same time. One of my favourite scenes is Colin Firth and Rupert Everett singing.
So cute!
I adore Cecily! Its one of my favourites too.
If i hade any room left on my 101 list, I’d add to watch all of these movies.
…i’ll do it anyways!
Oh, also I’d like to recommend a movie you might like. It’s called Ballet Shoes, starring among others Emma Watson. If you get the chance, see it!
22 and counting!
I think Impromptu, Copying Beethoven, Pan’s Labyrinth/El Laberinto del Fauno, Mirrormask, and Uptown Girls.
Great suggestions, thanks Megs!
Beautiful! I own all but ten movies on this list! Here are some others that I love:
~ First Knight(1995)
~ Snow White (2001)
~ The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988)
~Nicholas Nickleby (2002)
Great list!
I would add…
Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)
The piano part alone owns a piece of my heart.
There are too many good movies!!
I agree with adding that! I love that movie so much!!!
I love that film as well, and the original book.
I’ve only seen 16 of those…but this list does contain quite a few of my favorite movies.
I’d add:
-Tristan & Isolde (Have you seen this? I really love this movie.)
-Edward Scissorhands (It is similar to a fairy tale.)
-Princess Mononoke
-Spirited Away
I haven’t seen Tristan & Isolde, I heard negative reviews about it but perhaps I will have to give it a try!
I love Edward Scissorhands
Negative???
Well, I like a bunch of movies that not many other people like, so maybe this is one of those situations!
I don’t think it was bad at all, really.
It’s very similar to the story of Romeo & Juliet and I thought it was romantic.
A Little Princess (1995)
The Secret Garden (1993)
I loved these two so much when I was younger. They were a huge influence on my imagination ^^. As were The Last Unicorn and The Secret of Roan Inish. I HIGHLY reccomend the latter for you if you haven’t seen it yet, it’s absolutely beautiful.
I so second The Secret of Roan Inish! One of my favorite movies as a child… ^^
I think I may have seen that film a very long time ago, I should watch it again!
Wonderful list! There are several I’d forgotten about (and now want to watch again) and many more that I’m looking forward to seeing for the first time.
As for recommendations, I don’t think I saw on the list. It’s a fantastic movie based (somewhat loosely) on the true story of Mary Baker.
Also, I second Caer’s recommendation of The Secret of Roan Inish. It’s one of my favorites! ^_^
Sorry! I’ve never used the link fuction before… ^^’
The name of the movie is Princess Caraboo.
Oh, interesting! I will have to look up Princess Caraboo.
That’s a great list,I would add,Northanger Abbey (2007).
Great suggestion! That is my favourite Jane Austen book, and I adore Felicity Jones.
Several of my favorite movies are on this list, including Marie Antoinette, Amelie, My Fair Lady,and Labyrinth. I’m so glad to see your list of suggestions; I’m always looking for a good historic, magical-type of movie and there’s quite a few title here than I’ve heard prior and am now moreso encouraged to pick up!
Someone above suggested Howl’s Moving Castle, and I’d also suggest Spirited Away, or literally any of the Miyazaki/StudioGhibli films. Most all are magical and generally very fairy-tale like–a definite must for anyone who enjoys classically animated films and magical, fantastic stories!
Miyazaki films are simply enchanting, they should definitely be added to the list! Thank you Katie.
You seem to have ommitted Iron Man…disappointing
Haha, you know I haven’t even seen that yet Jeff.
Just two additions. The versions I’ve found only have English subtitles.
Tampopo (Japanese)
Japanese noodle Western. For inspiration to follow your dream as far as you can, no matter what your dream might be, and a reminder to keep an open heart and mind when help comes from strange places.
King of Hearts (or Le Roi de Coeur, French)
World War One movie gone…odd. For inspiration to follow your own code of honor no matter what the world thinks of you, and a reminder that whether your life is beautiful or wretched only depends on two things: your point of view, and the inner beauty of the people around you.
I haven’t seen either of these, I’ll have to look them up! I loved your summaries Rosie.
Thank you, I’m glad.
I hope you enjoy these movies, they impacted me in a big way.
Pan’s Labyrinth
Brotherhood of the Wolf
2 of my foreign favorites!!
I found Brotherhood of the Wolf scary! Great films though.
It reminded me a bit of the Sherlock Holmes story “Hound of the Baskervilles.” I also forgot to add The Last Unicorn (this still makes me cry!!)
A lot of great movies have been added to your great list! I got some more!
5 Centimeters per Second (Byôsoku 5 senchimêtoru)2007.
Hero (Ying xiong) 2002.
Totoro (Tonari no Totoro) 1988.
I’m a cyborg, but that’s OK (Saibogujiman kwenchana) 2006.
Big Fish 2003.
Nana 2005.
Corpse Bride 2005.
I also love Disney’s Snow white and Cinderella =)
Great list! I especially love 5 Centimeters per Second and Big Fish. I’ve seen all of these except for the korean one!
I like alot of movies on this list!
Mirrormask is another great movie that takes bits from Alice in Wonderland, and the effects are kinda cute and creepy at the same time =]
I have 23 of these movies to find and watch. (I love following themed lists of things to do.) I was looking for them on-line to get a better idea of what’s readily available and I can not find Angel (2007). Could you provide more information on it? (I feel really out of the loop asking this!)
My recommendations:
(I like the glamour of the early to mid part of last century)
Standard Time (2002) (”Anything But Love” in the USA) A very sweet story about love and being true to your dreams with a wonderful soundtrack.
It Happened One Night (1934) A classic about a spoiled rich girl and an adventure that changes her.
Legally Blonde (2001) I think this sweet movie id just filled to the brim with the message that you should be nice to everyone and true to yourself.
My Man Godfrey (1936) A screwball comedy about a wealthy madcap family and a butler who takes care of them. Beautiful, fun and full of heart.
Pride and Prejudice (1940) Though widely disclaimed as straying quite a bit from the novel (it was based on the play) if you can overlook (or even enjoy) the hoop skirts and several plot changes you can enjoy the romance and witty banter between Darcy and Elizabeth which is the true heart of the story anyhow.
I actually liked the first Legally Blonde too.
I wrote a review of Angel here: http://princessportal.com/archives/755
Ack! And I read that too! My mind is a sieve… I guess I couldn’t find much about it here in the States because it looks like it was released in your fair land. Using inter-library loan I could only find 3 copies in Australia and New Zealand!
Pride and Prejudice was the first movie my parents ever owned, and I watched it over and over as a child. ^^
Fairy Tale: A True Story - movie about the Cottingley Fairies incident. Very sweet.
Hellboy 2 - Del Toro does another amazing job capturing the fey in his settings, words, costumes and characters. Very captivating.
Lady Hawke - Classic 80’s fantasy
Willow - Another classic 80’s fantasy
Oh, I haven’t seen Fairy Tale in so long but that film was charming!
My reccomendations:
Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland (2010)
Princess: A Modern Fairytale (I don’t know if this is available on DVD, but I know you can find it online). A bit like Enchanted, I guess…
LadyHawke (1985). Two lovers are being kept apart by an evil spell that transforms the man into a wolf at nightfall and the woman into a hawk at sunrise, so they are “always together yet eternally apart,” as they can never touch in human form.
The Last Unicorn (1982). Can’t believe you left this one off!
Ella Enchanted (2004). I really really like this film, and I love Anne Hathaway ^^
Also I agree with Pan’s Labrynth, Rapunzel (2010), and Princess Caraboo (she used to live very close to where I live now!)
I can’t wait to see Tim Burton’s Alice when it comes out!
Thank you for the suggestions.
I totally agree with most of those. There are some that I haven’t seen, I will check them. I wouldn’t have put Marie Antoinette on the list, but everyone have their own tastes. ^^
I’d definitely add Big Fish, it’s a magical movie. Edward Scissorhands that was suggested by someone else is a good choice too.
And in an animation movies list, Spirited Away which is my favourite Miyazaki movie. But really most of his movies could be on the list. I’d also add The Beauty & the Beast (Disney) on this list.
I love book. They bring a smile to my face =] even though not all books have a prine and princess they all have meaning.
Here are a few choice ones I love
So.B.it-Sarah Weeks
Rumble Fish
The outsiders
The giver
and most defiantly
The count of monte cristo
One of my favorites is not technically a movie, but a miniseries: The 10th Kingdom (2000). It’s about a girl who is transported from present-day New York to the land of fairy tales…kind of Enchanted in reverse. The whole thing is about 7 hours long but I make a point to watch it at least once a year.
I’d suggest Labyrinth(1986) it kind of scared me as a child 0.o