Adventure Movie Primer

Another month means another genre primer. This month is looking into the adventure movie genre. This is one of the oldest genres of movies as oftentimes these movies were made from popular books like Treasure Island, The Three Musketeers, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and many more. This was one of the tougher genres to make a list for as the adventure genre oftentimes gets blended with other genres but regardless of that, there are still quite a few films that are defining to the adventure genre. This was another genre that I had to settle with 11 films as I just couldn't get the list down to 10. With all that said, here is the Adventure Movie Primer.

1. King Kong (1933)

King Kong is one of the original adventure movies and is a movie that is still relevant and culture even though it is over 90 years old. It was the first big monster movie and was groundbreaking with its use of stop-motion animation in the creation of Kong. The movie also has the iconic image of King Kong climbing up the Empire State Building which is still ingrained in culture today. The movie was so successful that it launched its own franchise that still has movies coming out now with Godzilla X Kong. The movie was also groundbreaking in its way of making Kong more than just a beast, something that has been used in countless adventure films since then.

2. The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)

The Adventures of Robin Hood was another big adventure film from the 1930s. Aside from doing a great job of adapting a popular book, it was so successful that Robin Hood films are still being made today. The film was groundbreaking in its use of Technicolor as it was one of the first films to utilize the three-strip technicolor process resulting in colorful visuals. The movie also pioneered the swashbuckling vibe to adventure movies with its sword fighting, archery, and chases. You don't see many adventure films today without at least one of those elements.

3. Treasure Island (1950)

Treasure Island is another essential adventure movie based on a classic book. While it wasn't the first adaption of Treasure Island, this version of the film was the most influential to the genre. This is the movie that set the image of pirates that would still be held today introducing elements such as deserted tropical islands, X marks the spot, one-legged pirates, and treasure maps. Without this film, we wouldn't have pirate movies like we do today. The story has also become a staple as it has been adapted many times over the years.

4. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

Raiders of the Lost Ark is widely regarded as the definitive action movie. While it does pull some influence from James Bond, it is a classic and original story that has held the test of time. Indiana Jones is one of those characters that everybody knows as has such an iconic outfit that people still use it to spoof him today. This was one of the movies that launched Harrison Ford's career and made him the household name he is today. This movie has so many iconic scenes from the boulder chase to the faces melting and also has an extremely famous score composed by John Williams. So many movies today still pull influence from Indiana Jones with new adventure characters often described as an Indiana Jones-type characters. I don't think adventure movies would be where they are today without this film.

5. Romancing the Stone (1984)

Romancing the Stone was one of the big films to introduce the romance adventure genre. This film was one of the first to make famous the idea of a female being unexpectedly tossed in the jungle and paired with a handsome adventurer. The movie also has memorable chemistry between Michael Douglass and Kathleen Turner. The movie also set the format for authors in their own story type of movies that was followed up with things like The Lost City and Argyle. Finally, the movie was so successful that it allowed Robert Zemeckis to make Back to the Future.

6. The Goonies (1985)

The Goonies is one of those iconic 80s movies that essentially created a subgenre. The Goonies made famous the idea of a band of kids working together to find a treasure. It was so successful that it created knockoffs labeled as "The Goonies but _____" such as Super 8, The Sandlot, It, Stranger Things, and Skeleton Crew. The movie is also known for its moderately successful child stars such as Sean Austin, Josh Brolin, Ke Huy Quan, and Corey Feldman. The movie also just has messaging and a story that can stand the test of time.

7. The Princess Bride (1987)

The Princess Bride is probably one of the most popular adventure movies of the 80s. While I did put it in the fantasy movie primer, it is equal parts fantasy and adventure. It has romance, adventure, comedy, and fantasy. While it plays more as satire to the fantasy adventure genre, it is still an essential part of the genre. Many other movies have referenced its storytelling style. Just take a look at Once Upon a Deadpool. The Princess Bride also has so many quotable lines that have been present in the culture for the last 38 years. The movie is also just one of those cult-following movies that is beloved by many.

8. Jurassic Park (1993)

Jurassic Park may be a bit of a stretch on this list but I feel it is adventure more than any other genre. It has trekking through the jungle and dinosaurs which both fit in an adventure. Jurassic Park is one of the most iconic movies ever made. It revolutionized the way CGI was used in movies with its near-perfect dinosaurs. This movie launched a whole genre of (mostly bad) movies of dinosaurs attacking people. The movie also has one of the most iconic scores of all time composed by John Williams. Jurassic Park is also one of those movies that is constantly referenced and spoofed further cementing itself as a key foundation of culture.

9. The Mummy (1999)

The Mummy was the big pure adventure movie of the 90's. The movie balances many different genres such as fantasy, adventure, horror, and romance. It was also one of the big movies that brought back the globetrotting treasure adventure genre after it faded a bit in the mid-80s. The Mummy was also one of the key films that launched Brendan Frasier's career and caused him to be in a lot of films through the mid-2000s. The Mummy is also noted for being a key influence on several more modern adventure films.

10. Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)

While Treasure Island set the stage for pirate adventure movies, Pirates of the Caribbean is what brought it up as a cultural phenomenon. Of course, Pirates of the Caribbean gave us the cultural icon of Jack Sparrow who is probably the most popular pirate these days but the movie also has so many iconic fight scenes and boat chases. The second film was groundbreaking in its CGI of Davy Jones with no movie having come close to that since. The Pirates of the Caribbean movies are so popular, that Disney redid their ride and a portion of their theme park to be tied to the movies.

11. National Treasure (2004)

National Treasure is the most recent film in the primer and is known for spotlighting the historical treasure-hunting subgenre. National Treasure was a very popular film in the early 2000s for its likable cast and references to American history. This was one of the first major films in a while to incorporate American history into treasure hunting and mystery. The movie also laid the framework for other popular films such as Night at the Museum and The Da Vinci Code. The movie also brought Nicolas Cage back to relevance after his fame in the 1990s.