Heroic fantasy in the cinema traditionally drew inspiration from myths and legends. In the 60s and 70s Ray Harryhausen made movies based on the myths of ancient Greece. The Italian 'sword and sandal' genre prospered.
"Star Wars" (1977) changed all this. In the wake of George Lucas' stunning success, film makers were on the lookout for fantastic subject matter. Heroic fantasy, or 'swords and sorcery', seemed to fit the bill.
"Conan the Barbarian" (1982) was an early success. It featured a splendidly rippling Arnold Schwarzenegger in one of his first roles. A mini-boom followed, of variable quality. The strangely enjoyable "Beastmaster" (1982), Ridley Scott's unique "Legend" (1985), and the frankly embarrassing "Willow" (1988), are typical examples.
What handicaps these films, apart from limited budgets, is the unconvincing nature of the cinematic reality they present. It takes skill and imagination to realise a successful fantasy setting; for the most part directors treated their subject matter with scant respect.
"The Lord of the Rings", as the original and best heroic story was, of course, the glittering prize. For a long time it was considered too difficult to film. Ralph Bakshi's animated version was a brave attempt, but was foiled through lack of money.
In 1998, Peter Jackson, a director best known for comedic horror such as "Bad Taste" (1987) and "Meet the Feebles" (1989), put his name forward for"Rings". For the first time the ingredients were in place to make the quintessential cinematic fantasy. Money was in abundant supply and the director demonstrated a passion for the source material.
The success of "The Lord of the Rings" will probably depend on how well the director can live up to JRR Tolkien's vision.
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