Ah, the “magic portal” fantasy sub-genre! Who doesn’t love it?
I’m talking, of course, about those stories that begin in the “real” world, but in which the character or characters are somehow transported to a magic one.
How? Usually through some kind of magical “gate” or portal. Let’s count down some of the all-time best, shall we?
8. The Magical Medallion in Magic Kingdom for Sale — SOLD!
Terry Brooks is at his best when he has no pretensions — when he doesn’t take himself too seriously, and when he lets the humor flow. The best example of this may be the Magic Kingdom of Landover novels, in which a depressed Chicago lawyer sees an ad for a “magic kingdom” for sale for a million dollars. Desperate for a clean change, he buys it, and is given a magical medallion that leads him through swirling mists to an actual magic kingdom. Naturally, what’s waiting for him there is not quite as simple as it sounds!
7. The Portal into John Malkovich’s Mind in Being John Malkovich
Like much of screenwriter Charlie Kaufman’s work, some of this movie is self-indulgent and distracting. But you gotta love the movie’s brilliant central premise: a door that leads people into the head of actor John Malkovich for 15-minute increments!
6. The Map of the Universe in Time Bandits
In my mind, Terry Gilliam is an undisputed visual genius. But I’m not sure he gets enough credit for some of the wonderful central “gimmicks” in his films, such as the map of the universe in his 1982 film, Time Bandits, which he co-wrote. A group of God’s workers were given a map of the “holes” in the space-time continuum. But rather than use the map to repair the holes as they’ve been ordered, they use it to dart in and out of time, stealing some of history’s greatest treasures. Along the way, they pick up Kevin, our eleven year-old hero — and they’re also being watched by Evil, who just might make use the map to break out of his Fortress of Ultimate Darkness.
Great visuals, great movie, great magical portals!
5. The Gates to Disneyland
Okay, sure, Disneyland (and Disneyworld) has become the attraction that everyone loves to hate, or at least grouse about. Yeah, the lines can be too long, and the food is too expensive. But more than 50 years after its founding, I think it’s difficult to truly appreciate what Walt Disney did with his famous theme parks. He made fantasy come to life! Not on a movie screen or in the pages of a book, but for real! Sure, there had been amusement parks before, but nothing like this. And, frankly, to this day, no one has done it better.
A real-life magical portal? You bet!
4. The Magic Well in Enchanted
Speaking of Disney, there’s a movie about an animated Disney princess who gets pushed through a magical well into the “real” world of New York City — and it stars Amy Adams and Susan Sarandon? Oh, please, I am so there!
3. The Dark Tower
What the hell is the Dark Tower? Not even those who’ve read Stephen King’s trippy, but breathtaking seven-book Dark Tower series can say exactly, but it seems to be some kind of a nexus where all universes coincide. But the tower is just one of a number of magic portals that enliven this classic, mind-bender of a series.
2. The Twister in The Wizard of Oz, the Rabbit Hole in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, and the Lookingglass in Through the Lookingglass, and What Alice Found There.
Some magical gates are literally doors or door-like, but other are more obscure, like the twister in The Wizard of Oz or the rabbit hole and the lookingglass that take Alice to Wonderland. And just as vaguely defined as the doors themselves are the reasons why they exist and why they go where they go. These children’s stories never really say — which is totally in keeping with their dream-like natures, and the fact that they speak the wonderful language of archetypes and imagination, not literal reality.
1. The Wardrobe in The Chronicles of Narnia
Was there any doubt? Yeah, this is the best magical portal of all-time, hands-down.
It’s partly the wardrobe’s wonderful synchronicity — how (assuming we read the books in their original order) we first encounter the wardrobe in the The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, but then eventually learn in The Magician’s Nephew how it came to be: Digory had it made from the wood of the tree that grew from the magical apple he brought back from Narnia to save his mother’s life. Later, Digory had it moved to his house in the country, where he became “the old Professor” from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.
The wardrobe works so well as a magical portal partly because of its quaint, old-fashioned, and British-seeming nature, which is perfectly in keeping with the tone of the books.
But mostly the wardrobe is so wonderful because it’s activated millions of imaginations; since the day Wardrobe was first published, it’s had generations of kids (and even some adults, including this one) forever peeking into the backs of closets and wardrobes … just in case.
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The wardrobe was a good one. I remember that in one of the houses I lived in the closet was so deep that you really did have to aways to get to the end of it. And it fits in so well with traditional imaginings about what lurks in closets and such.
For years, I checked out all wardrobes (which were rare in my world) and closets.
Not even a mention of Platform 9 3/4 from Harry Potter? I think that deserves a place over Enchanted.
That’s an interesting choice, but doesn’t Hogwarts and the wizarding world exist within the REAL world — it’s just hidden? In other words, that’s not exactly a magical “portal,” is it? Anyway, these lists are always a little subjective. :-)
Plus, I like ENCHANTED, because it plays with the paradigm — goes from the magical world TO the real world, not the other way around. Though, of course, from her perspective, the real world IS magical. Nice reverse, I think (even if the movie itself isn’t very good!).
I forgot how much I liked the movie, Being John Malkovich. Was Time Bandits the show with the late John Eric Hexum? Man, did I have a crush on him. Too cute and too old because I was like seven! Jeesh. Anyway, speaking of portals, there is one in my new novel, Origination. http://www.reblakeslee.com — Oh, and did I mention the hero doesn’t wear a shirt?
good website.
Great, great list!
Interesting that you included Disneyland. On reflection, it’s a good call. I went there at just the right age, I think (7!). I was truly in another, wondrous land the entire time I was there. All my favorite Disney fantasies came to life before my eyes. Of course now I know that this was not the ideal vacation for my wonderful parents, but they toughed out the silliness and spent ridiculous amounts of money so that my sister and I could have a magical experience. I wouldn’t hesitate to bring a child there now if I had one, even if I’d rather spend my vacations on a beach. It would be worth it, to give them a real-life fantasy trip like no other.
I’m rather glad Disney got on the list too. Now, granted, I’m in my early twenties now, but I got the chance to visit a couple of the Disney Hotels earlier this year for the first time (didn’t see the park) and even the hotels felt like a different place, even as an adult!
Really love the list, Disney deserves its spot. My fiance has been numerous times, and I’d love to go, so at the moment it’s at the top of our “honeymoon destinations” list!