Top Ten Tuesday: Best Movie Wizards

10. The Wizard of Oz (The Wizard of Oz, 1939)

He was supposed to have all the answers through his wonderful wizardry but what they came to find out is that he wasn’t exactly what he seemed. That didn’t stop the Wizard of Oz from helping solve all of their problems, he just went about it in a different way. So what, he isn’t really a Wizard, but come on, the movie is named after him!

9. Ulrich and Galen (Dragonslayer)

Ulrich (Ralph Richardson) is an old wizard and Galen (Peter MacNicol) is his young apprentice. The two wizards are hired by a king to rid him of his agreement with the dragon that calls for sacrificed virgins in exchange for leaving their villagers alone. After taking the gig, Ulrich meets his death, leaving the young and relatively inexperienced Galen to uphold their agreement and save the king’s daughter from being the dragon’s next victim. MacNicol is perfect as the weak wizard with low self-esteem, who would go on to later inhabit similar modern day roles such as Dr. Poha in ‘Ghostbusters II’.

8. Ergo “The Magnificent” (Krull)

Ergo “The Magnificent” (David Battley) is a cowardly, shape-shifting magician in this action-fantasy that follows a group of hopeful heroes attempting to save their princess from The Beast and his army of Slayers. Ergo is a talented wizard in his own right, but lacks the scruples to be a hero. ‘Krull’ was originally slated to be the official Dungeons & Dragons movie, but ended up being a fun special FX-driven cosmic-fantasy about a band of misfits brought together to save the world.

7. Willow Ulfgood (Willow)

How many “little people” wizards do you know that are cooler the Willow? I didn’t think so. Although small, he was a super badass and was willing to take down anyone and everyone in his path to deliver Elora back to her rightful owner. Seriously though, he was my favorite movie character growing up (next to Dolph Lundgren’s He-Man) and still warms my heart to this day even if he wasn’t the best wizard to ever live.

6. Vincent Price as Dr. Craven (The Raven, 1963)

So, maybe it wasn’t the best movie but it was still cool. Regardless, Vincent Price is “price”less (ha ha) regardless of what he does. In this case, he plays Dr. Erasmus Craven, a once great wizard/sorcerer who is called upon by a hack magician named Bedlo (Jack Nicholson) to help him undo a spell that turned him into a raven. Bedlo uses Dr. Craven’s love for his long lost wife Lenore as leverage in getting what he wants. The film is loosely based on Edgar Allen Poe’s classic poem.

5. Merlin (Excalibur, 1981)

Nicol Williamson portrayed the powerful Merlin in John Boorman’s exquisitely-photographed 1981 ‘Excalibur’. The film was a serious retelling of the classic tale of the might sword, a legend deeply rooted in the lore of Merlin. Williamson brought a wonderful depth to the character and did so with a realism and dignity that so often in later portrayals of the character has been let slide in favor of humor, or overshadowed by special FX.

4. The Wizard, played by Mako (Conan the Barbarian)

“Between the time when the oceans drank Atlantis, and the rise of the sons of Aryas, there was an age undreamed of. And unto this, Conan, destined to wear the jeweled crown of Aquilonia upon a troubled brow. It is I, his chronicler, who alone can tell thee of his saga. Let me tell you of the days of high adventure!” — The Wizard

Mako plays the nameless wizard that travels with and assists Conan the Barbarian in his journey to rescue Princess Yasmina from the evil sorcerer Thulsa Doom. Mako also serves as the narrator for the film, which chronicles Conan’s rise from an orphaned child to realize his ultimate revenge against his parents’ murderer. Mako is an understated character that adds a lot to the story without a need for many words.

3. Merlin (The Sword in the Stone, 1963)

How much fun was this movie? One of the truly forgotten gems of an earlier era of Disney greatness. Voiced by Karl Swensen, Merlin was a gentle, clumsy and whimsical character in this interpretation but he had a good heart and the best intentions. The forgetful Merlin saw in Wart the signs of greatness as he takes the boy under his wing and helps him to become the great King Arthur. I’ll never forget Merlin’s truly epic magical duel with the mad Madam Mim.

2. Dumbledore (Harry Potter movies)

Oh Albus Dumbledore… Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, the best headmaster that Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardy. Besides having the white, majestic hair, health code disapproved beard, and regal embroidered robes all standard of a true wizard, he is the only Wizard that Lord Voldemort has ever feared, which is why it was only smart to place Harry Potter under his care at the school. He worked his way up from teaching Transfiguration (The magic of changing an object into something else) to becoming headmaster, as well as being the leader of the Order of the Phoenix, a group dedicated to stand up and fight “he who must not be named”. Even though he is all powerful, he knows that young Potter will be the only one with a chance to beat Voldemort once and for all, and must place him through challenges, trials and tribulations to prepare him for what is to come. Heck, Dumbledore’s Army has even spilled over to the Muggle world and has turned out many philanthropy groups with the mission to fight evil and help humanity. He is a Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, and holds the ranking of Order of Merlin, First Class for Grand Sorcery… ooooooooohhhhhhhhh! Plus, you have to respect any wizard that is a Master Duellist.

1. Gandalf the Grey (The Lord of the Rings trilogy)

“You shall not pass!” That scene still makes chills run down my spine just thinking about it. You tell me that Gandalf isn’t the coolest, most powerful and badass wizard out there while still being a great guy and I’ll show you proof that Elvis is still alive and Santa Claus really does exist, AND that they’re the same person! Ian McKellan has always been an outstanding actor, but this role truly made him a genre fan favorite. Hey, I’m not even a fan of the books… well, I can’t say that because I’ve never read them. I don’t care. The movies stand on their own and Gandalf was a major factor in answering the question why. Either grey or white, Gandalf can hold his own despite being an old geezer. Dumbledore is nifty, but Gandalf is The Man!