Top 10 Gothic Romance Movies That Blend Love and Darkness.

Hills faded from wind and rain, bristling bare forests, damp corridors of ancient estates, family crypts, unknown rooms, dresses with corsets, secret diaries, poems with a pen, night walks, sadness, fatality, the search for truth…

Today, I present the best gothic romance movies, from dramas to thrillers, that will take you into a world of dark fantasy and love with a taste of tragedy. I included two stills from every tape so that you can feel and enjoy the wonderful atmosphere.

21 Best Gothic Romance Movies You Need to Watch.

Mary Shelley, 2017

You will see England in the nineteenth century and the love story of two legendary personalities—writer Mary Shelley and poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. You will discover the whole truth about Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein, which was born from pain and personal tragedy. The film is very rich in the meanings and feelings of people of the Romantic era.

Drama and mysticism envelop the entire film, although there are no real monsters. The beginning of the 19th century in England is conveyed quite accurately: costumes, scenery, locations, architecture, music—everything is top-notch. All fans of “Frankenstein,” Elle Fanning, or good costume dramas should almost definitely watch it.

The Story of a Murderer, 2006

Cruel, never-knowing love, orphan Jean-Baptiste Grenouille achieved real success in only one field—among perfumers. He has never had an equal. High society goes crazy for his perfume, not suspecting what a terrible price will be paid to obtain the last, ideal scent. This movie undoubtedly shook the world with its beauty, spectacle and exciting plot.

From the visual side, the picture is magnificent, exceptional and revolutionary. The abundance of incredible angles and competent play with light and shadow distinguishes this picture from most modern projects on this topic. The shooting occurred in natural landscapes in France and Spain, in architectural ensembles of the 17th-18th centuries.

Crimson Peak, 2015

It is a story of love, betrayal, family secrets, and a curse in an old mansion. In my opinion, this picture crowns all collections of Gothic films and can rightfully be considered the genre standard.

The film’s aesthetic is at its best; every frame has charm, beauty, and magic. Del Toro has a unique knowledge of the Victorian era and personally supervised all the scenery elements. Many antique furniture, old tapestries, and household items were used during the filming. The wallpaper pattern was developed according to his sketch: it is dotted with moths—a symbol that the house catches people in the net.

Bram Stoker’s Dracula, 1992  

 It is the end of the 19th century. Jonathan and Mina are planning to get married. However, Jonathan is forced to leave his bride for a while and go on business to Transylvania to Count Dracula, who wants to buy real estate in London. There, the guy becomes a prisoner of the Count, who is very interested in Mina.

Thirty-three years after the film’s release, you realize that Francis Ford Coppola has made a masterpiece about the main vampire of all time. His hero does not repel but looks attractive, even sexy. And, of course, the gorgeous visuals. The film, executed in mystical and gothic tones, is so beautiful that every frame can be hung on the wall – the incomparable sets, costumes, and makeup- a well-deserved Oscar.

Sleepy Hollow, 1999

New York, 1799. Young constable Ichabod Crane is sent to investigate mysterious murders in Sleepy Hollow. All the victims died from the sword of the headless horseman – they were decapitated, and their heads disappeared. Crane must find out if this is just a story or something truly terrifying.

Once again, I am convinced that Barton is a truly great storyteller. Like no one else, he knows how to create such an atmosphere on the screen that you want or not, but you are immersed completely and falling out of reality. Every frame here is sad and hopeless but still beautiful. The film was shot through a special blue filter to enhance a fairy tale’s atmosphere and emphasize the blood’s expressive brightness.

Emily, 2022

 The wayward Emily Bronte hardly ever leaves her family estate in Yorkshire. She lives in a world of sad dreams, idolizes her brother, and tolerates the patronage of her older sister. One day, their house welcomes a guest, the charming vicar William Weightman. Emily falls in love with him, experiencing secret passion, rebellion, and ups and downs. Check out my Emily 2022 movie review if you want to know more.

It should be noted that the film immediately captures the atmosphere with its soft colors, ascetic furnishings, and pale maidens with a burning gaze. The heroines’ resemblance to the only portrait of the sisters, painted by Branville Bronte, is impressive. It is a fantastic film about the writer’s soul, sometimes exquisite, sometimes excessively sensual, occasionally wise, and sometimes highly naive.

The Illusionist, 2005

The great magician is in love with the bride of the future monarch. The magic of feelings against the charms of power in Edward Norton`s drama is a film with a stunning ending that will surprise you.

The overall setting of this film is also gorgeous: costumes, color palette in the frame, architecture—all this conveys the atmosphere of the mid-19th century. The film’s setting adds romance to everything that happens, returning the viewer to when men expressed their feelings in songs and thought only about high feelings. That fairy tale, and I would say the bookish atmosphere of that time, is conveyed masterfully by the director.

In Secret, 2013

A young woman, Teresa, who grew up under the watchful eye of her domineering aunt, married her cousin, Camil. The sickly and selfish Camil never attracts Teresa much, and at the first opportunity, she starts a stormy affair with one of his friends.

This film gives food for thought. There will be no unexpected turns, but it will not be boring. Real eroticism and passion, intrigue, lies – who loves secrets or has their own should feel empathy for the young heroes of this film. The film is presented in gothic dark tones, an absolute pleasure for visuals. The acting is magnificent.

Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles  1994 

Vampire Louis comes to sensation-hungry journalist Malloy to tell him his life story. In 1791, young Louis, having lost his wife and child, wants to die, but a meeting with the vampire Lestat opens him to eternal life. It is a mystical fantasy drama with Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise.

The film has a gothic atmosphere and vampire aesthetics that absorb you from the first minutes and hold you until the end. This real vampire movie stands out for its beautiful and monstrous visuals, excellent acting, and equally beautiful ending.

Jane Eyre, 2011

An orphan named Jane Eyre becomes a governess on a wealthy estate, where she becomes the object of increased attention from its owner, a man of difficult character named Mr. Rochester. Despite all her social and class differences, a deep feeling arises between a nineteen-year-old girl and her much older man. However, Mr. Rochester’s past makes their marriage impossible.

This version most accurately corresponds to the original source of all the film adaptations. The film turned out to be incredibly atmospheric: while watching, you plunge headlong into the era of Victorian England and sincerely empathize with the main character. With superb acting, sumptuous costumes, stunning music, and beautiful location shooting, it’s impossible not to fall under the spell of this version of Charlotte Bronte’s novel.

The Phantom of the Opera, 2004

Young opera singer Christine becomes an obsession for the Phantom, the disfigured inhabitant and unofficial master of the Paris Opera. The music composed by the Phantom enchants Christine, but her childhood friend Raoul begins to court her. The Phantom is ready to do anything to win the beauty.

My God, I don’t even know if this can be called a film! It is a stunning, complete musical creation, like a painting – in the best traditions of the Renaissance. Everything is beautiful here: the scenery, the costumes, the atmosphere, candles, masks, flowers, crystal chandeliers, bright makeup. Everything is bright, sparkling and eye-catching.

Ready or Not, 2019

A witty horror film about the meeting between the bride and the groom’s family. A young girl, Grace, marries Alex, the scion of an influential aristocratic family with established centuries-old traditions. One of them is a board game party on the wedding night. Grace could not even suspect leisure time with new relatives could become a death trap.

The trailer promises an interesting bloody story set in the gloomy scenery of an old mansion, seasoned with good black humor. The actors play lively, the decorations of the house are ominous, the choice of colors emphasizes what is happening in the film, enhancing the effect, and the music is atmospheric. The mystical subtext pleased me, but there was too much blood for me. The film also has a good message for girls who get married and enter a rich family, hoping to impress.

Rebecca, 2020

After the wedding, the girl feels the invisible presence of her husband’s dead wife. Rebecca is a stylish, beautiful, and very academic detective with excellent actors, proving once again that the classics are immortal and look interesting even in a film without visible refinements.

The director succeeded in playing on the characters’ emotions, who showed us a romantic story in the first third and a thriller with a touch of mysticism later. I liked the costumes, colors, hairstyles, makeup, lighting, and visual effects. Applause to the creators!

Wuthering Heights, 1992

It is a love story, a revenge story, a story of two families living on either side of the moors whose lives are intertwined. But at the heart of this story, there are two people – Catherine and Heathcliff, with whose impossible love the story begins. They, wild and passionate, cannot afford to be together. They weave their games, causing a lot of pain.

It’s unlikely to be shown on prime-time television. This film can only be seen on a late autumn night when restless raindrops drum on the eaves and a lonely door creaks sharply somewhere on the street. The main feature of the 1992 film was its obsessive Gothicism. Earnshaw’s house here is a real castle, looking into which the blood runs cold in the veins. Almost the entire movie is accompanied by cloudy backgrounds; a sudden thunderstorm predicts the fate of Catherine Earnshaw.

My Cousin Rachel, 2017

Philip is very attached to his adoptive father, Ambrose. However, during a trip to Italy, Ambrose meets Rachel, his distant relative, marries her, and soon dies. Philip is sure that Rachel, the insidious beauty, killed her guardian to get her husband’s fortune. While perfecting his plan for revenge, he does not notice how he falls in love with Rachel.

The beauty of the interiors and landscapes does not need any comments. In this picture, every detail, every gesture, every look, and changes in lighting and color convey the atmosphere, emotions, and feelings more than words. If you love a well-made English drama that requires attention to detail, you will enjoy this film.

Stonehearst Asylum, 2014

A young doctor arrives at a psychiatric clinic where suspicious rules reign. Who to believe if everyone around is crazy? A screen adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe’s story.

The first thing that attracts attention to the film is its amazing atmosphere and unforgettable locations. The action takes place in a snowy winter far from civilization. All the main events take place in a majestic house, which is also a hospital. Many rooms, tapestries, antique kerosene lamps, and furniture create a gloomy, unique atmosphere. We seem to be transported back centuries, when a car was something outlandish, and cinema had not yet penetrated the lives of most ordinary people. The director simply perfectly recreated the atmosphere of madness.

The Beguiled, 2017

Back in the Civil War, there was a secretive southern boarding school for girls that managed to stay under the radar until one fateful day when a wounded young northerner seeking help and shelter stepped on its threshold. From that moment on, the boarding school’s inhabitants found themselves in captivity to fatal temptation.

The story is soft and quiet as if it is implied. There is a war somewhere, but here it is cream and brandy, and the beds need to be weeded daily. I enjoyed mesmerizing southern gothic in pastel colors. It’s a feel-good movie that’s perfect for a little visual treat. Will everyone like it? I doubt it. But you must see Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst, and Elle Fanning in the image of beautiful but poisonous roses. 

Red Riding Hood, 2011 

Valerie, a girl in a red hood, has to reveal who is the werewolf in her home village. Meanwhile, things are not so simple on the personal front for Valerie either: her mother wants to marry her off to a wealthy blacksmith, Henry, while the girl is in love with the bad guy Peter, a local woodcutter.

If you want to enjoy the film, don’t take it seriously. Remember that you are watching a film adaptation of a fairy tale. The atmosphere inherent in horror films and the mood of eternal love envelops the entire film. The movie has a lot of beauty: cute ribbons, belts, blue flowers, a red cloak, and a black wolf. I think it is one of the most beautiful gothic romance movies.

Byzantium, 2012

The heroines are two mysterious girls who appear in a sleepy seaside town. They have a secret: they are a mother and daughter who became vampires many years ago. Now, their paths have diverged: while one survives and hides from her fellow tribe members pursuing her, the other tries to tell her chilling story to at least someone.

The film has its special magic. It is mysterious and unhurried, permeated with riddles and secrets. The past is intertwined with the present. One time seems to pass into another, enveloping the viewer, and at some point, you understand that you cannot tear yourself away from the screen. And there are no rivers of blood here and no bloody grin. Everything is so aesthetically pleasing and graceful.

The Count of Monte Cristo, 2002

On his wedding day with the beautiful Mercedes, the young sailor Edmond Dantes becomes a prisoner of the Chateau d’If. Because of a false accusation, he was to languish in a cell for the rest of his life, but he still managed to escape. Having acquired untold riches and changed his name, the Count of Monte Cristo begins to take revenge.

If you are looking for a reasonable and high-quality production of the famous novel The Count of Monte Cristo, do not watch it. You will not like it anyway. But if you like interesting films that are watched in one breath—welcome! You will definitely enjoy it! The film has high-quality visuals and stunning landscapes, and the sword fights are a special delight. The musical accompaniment is absolutely superior to all other film adaptations.

Crooked House, 2017

It is a screen adaptation of Agatha Christie’s novel about the investigation of the murder of a Greek tycoon, adapted by the author of Downton Abbey.

In technical terms, the film is almost perfectly executed. This concerns the juicy and attractive picture, gorgeous musical background, and wonderful makeup and hairstyles, which are generally a separate art form. Even though the film accurately repeats the plot of the novel, it is interesting to watch what is happening. But the real star here is, of course, Glenn Close. Her demonic appearance is a real cherry on this cake.

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P.S.

Leave your doubts and watch these beautiful gothic romance movies alone or with your loved one. Immerse yourself in the beautiful and scary world of these stories…

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