The horror genre is so prevalent within cinema that the term “horror movie” hardly needs a definition. They’re movies that are scary. They aim to unnerve viewers. But within the horror genre are various subgenres, and each tends to have unique ways in which they attempt to scare, frighten, and unsettle audiences who feel brave enough to sit in the dark and watch them for two hours (on average).
Gothic horror is one of the most significant of these horror subgenres, and indeed has its roots in literature that existed long before film was invented.Gothic horror tends to be rich with metaphors, complex villains, and landscapes that are more often than not shrouded in darkness and fog. Gothic horror can deal with the supernatural, but not exclusively; sometimes, man can be the real monster, after all.Gothic horror succeeds in being subtly creepy and unsettling, with the following titles exemplifying the subgenre wellwithin the medium of cinema.
30. ‘Nosferatu’ (2024)
Directed by Robert Eggers
There have been plenty ofNosferatumovies, with 2024’sNosferatubeing the most recent of the bunch. For better or worse, it’s what you’d expecta Robert Eggers-directed take onNosferatuto be, taking the same core story from the 1922 original and doing a few interesting things with it… and that film, in itself, did familiar things with the originalDraculastory/film.
Eggers knows how to make a movie that’ll get under your skin, and it’s whenNosferatuis at its creepiest that it’s also at its best. Youmight get a feeling of déjà vu, at times, when watching it, but the feel of the film, and its overall atmosphere, make it worthwhile. It’s also just such a good story, at its core, that most horror fans will likely be fine getting a new take onNosferatuevery few decades or so.
29. ‘Vampyr’ (1932)
Directed by Carl Theodor Dreyer
Though it’s calledVampyr, those expectinglots of in-your-face vampire-related scaresmight feel a little underwhelmed by this one, but it thankfully also has plenty else to offer. It’s also an impressive film considering its age. Even with it being more than nine decades old, there are sequences and individual shots here that still prove – perhaps timelessly – eerie.
As for whatVampyris actually about, it largely centers on various strange supernatural occurrences happening in and around a small village, and an individual’s increasingly desperate attempts to get to the bottom of what’s behind it all.Vampyrkeeps a feeling of mystery persistent throughout the film’s entire runtime, and it’s easy to view it asan overall quintessential gothic horror movie; one that likely influenced many in various ways throughout the following decades.
28. ‘Shadow of the Vampire’ (2000)
Directed by E. Elias Merhige
Though it’s nottechnically aNosferatumovie,Shadow of the Vampireis linked to the original movie of that name, seeing as it’s a fictionalized story about the making of the iconic silent horror film. It’s also neat thatWillem Dafoestars in this asMax Schreck, who originally played Count Orlok, and then Dafoe went on to play a different role in the aforementioned 2024 version ofNosferatu.
In a sense, this movie about the making of an iconic gothic horror movie also works, in its own right, as a gothic horror movie, especially because it breaks from reality and has an inventive supernatural spin to things, growing more prominent as the film progresses.Tonally, it’s a bit of an odd film, but oddness can be a good thing to see every now and then, andShadow of the Vampireis the right kind of odd.
Shadow of the Vampire
27. ‘The Haunting of Julia’ (1977)
Directed by Richard Loncraine
Sometimes known asFull Circle,The Haunting of Juliais a bit of an underrated gothic horror film, and though not a perfect one by any means, it has a decent amount to offer to those who like this kind of horror movie. Admittedly, you also have to be okay with things being bleak to appreciate this one, since it starts with the death of a child, and then deals with the grief the parents feel throughout the rest of the runtime.
As a drama,The Haunting of Juliais pretty effective, andthen when it starts to lean into horror a little more in its second half, it’s also generally successful. There have been better horror movies that focus on grief, sure, but this one’s still very interesting, and boasts a compelling central performance by the ever-reliableMia Farrow.
26. ‘Only Lovers Left Alive’ (2013)
Directed by Jim Jarmusch
Jim Jarmusch is prominently known forhis work within the arthouse sphere, but that doesn’t mean he’s against making a horror film every now and then. Sometimes, he misses a little, as was the case withThe Dead Don’t Die, but then at other times, you get something likeOnly Lovers Left Alive, which ended up feeling like a genuinely fresh take on vampires and the gothic horror genre more broadly.
It’s perhaps even more of a romantic drama than it is a full-on horror film, butOnly Lovers Left Aliveis still being counted here for present purposes because the lead characters are vampires. They’ve fallen in and out of love, and said love has lasted centuries, with the film thereby having interesting things to say about the nature of love, the way it hasits ups and downs, and what it can really mean to tell someone you want to be with them “forever.”
Only Lovers Left Alive
25. ‘Crimson Peak’ (2015)
Directed by Guillermo del Toro
Guillermo del Torois a filmmaker who tends to have unsettling and disturbing elements in his movies, even when those movies don’t specifically belong to the horror genre. As such, when he embraces horror wholeheartedly - as he did for 2015’sCrimson Peak- the results are spectacularly spooky.
Crimson Peak’sa movie that clearly demonstratesdel Toro’s love for this subgenre, with it beingdistinctly old-fashioned narratively and aesthetically, with amazing sets and a story about an unusual familyand various people with tragic pasts clashing. It’s not the kind of horror movie that will terrify or traumatize, but it’s eerie in a kind of (oddly) fun way, and one of the best gothic horror throwbacks in recent memory.
Crimson Peak
24. ‘The Old Dark House’ (1932)
Directed by James Whale
Anyone who likes both gothic horror and stories where people are confined in one locationought to check outThe Old Dark House, which combines such things very effectively. Furthermore, it’s unique among gothic horror movies for having a fairly light-hearted approach to things, despite the moody setting, making it an early example of a horror/comedy film.
At 72 minutes, it’s also a breeze to watch, with the interesting characters and their interactions inside the titular house being more than engaging to sustain an entire movie. It’s not the most essential or impactful piece of gothic horror cinema out there, but its quirkiness and entertainment value still make it a winner.
The Old Dark House
23. ‘Interview with the Vampire’ (1994)
Directed by Neil Jordan
Based on the acclaimed 1976 novel of the same name byAnne Rice,Interview with the Vampireis one ofmany notable movies released in 1994. It’s intriguing based on the strength of its cast alone, given the two leads here are played by superstarsBrad PittandTom Cruise, with a strong supporting cast including the likes ofAntonio Banderas,Kirsten Dunst, andChristian Slater.
As the title suggests, a vampire gives a detailed look back at his life through an interview, which serves as a framing device and allows the film to have a rather epic scope and cover many years.It deals with undead characters grappling with the sorts of things regular humans do, making it work as both a gothic horror/fantasy film and a solidly compelling drama.
interview with a vampire
22. ‘Sleepy Hollow’ (1999)
Directed by Tim Burton
Sleepy Hollowis based on a short story calledThe Legend of Sleepy Hollow, which was written in 1820, emphasizing how far back in history the gothic horror subgenre’s roots go. It’s set in the town of Sleepy Hollow, and follows Ichabod Crane (Johnny Depp) as he investigates a series of gruesome murders there.
The killings are thought to have been committed by the Headless Horseman, who’s a figure from folklore that goes back even earlier than 1820; perhaps even to the Middle Ages. In this 1999 adaptation,director Tim Burton rides a fine line between keeping things eerily old-fashioned yet a little more modern/freshin other places, thanks to the extravagant style and greatly exaggerated violent content.
Sleepy Hollow
21. ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’ (1945)
Directed by Albert Lewin
In 1890,Oscar Wilde pennedThe Picture of Dorian Gray, which centered on a man who was able to stay youthful while his likeness in a portrait aged in his place. 55 years later, it got a film adaptation that holds up surprisingly well, and is an example of a decades-old horror movie that still manages to feel eerie to this day.
Just like all gothic horror should,The Picture of Dorian Grayhas a tremendous amount of atmosphere, and is also notable for having some brief shots in the film memorably appear in color, while the rest of it’s shot in black and white. It takes the original story and does it justice in a new medium, and is itself something of a classic.
