The Gothic Argument
No, this isn’t about whether The Cure counts as a legitimate goth band or not. Well…
Film historians have had a hard time contending with the definition of what embodies Gothic horror films. Some have called it a sub-genre while others do not because Gothic elements can appear in every other genre.
Even so, critics clash over what makes a Gothic horror to begin with. The Encyclopedia of the Gothic says that the foundation of Gothic film was the combination of Gothic literature, stage melodrama, and even German expressionism. Others believe it’s simply atmosphere and powerful visuals. Sexuality and even the presences of an anti-hero (or reluctant hero) are paramount.
Gothic Themes
Depending upon where you look, you may find that Gothic horror incorporates these themes: mystery, fear or suspense, setting and atmosphere, curses or omens, paranormal activity, some romance, emotional distress or anxiety, nightmares, and even a villain.
This does not mean that every Gothic horror film must meet the criteria. One may choose to argue that the themes of this probable sub-genre are tropes. However, tropes would be something more tangible than an “action”, like having a black cat appear in several frames or watching fog roll in over the moor.
Top Goth
Here’s my list (not the be-all, end-all, but the films I love the most), and I hope some of them are on your favorites list as well:
13. Black Sabbath (1963, Italy/France/USA) 3.5 stars
Mario Bava brings the atmosphere in this gripping anthology starring Boris Karloff. Enjoy one of the creepiest SFX dead bodies ever captured on film.
12. Shadow of the Vampire (2000, UK/USA/Luxembourg) 4 stars
Willem Dafoe gets into the head of Nosferatu star Max Schreck – who gets into the neck of someone else!
11. The Devil’s Backbone (2001, Mexico/Spain) 4 stars
Guillermo del Toro explores the horror of the Spanish Civil War with a young boy and an orphanage full of secrets.
10. Vampyr (1932, Germany/France) 4 stars
A silent era masterpiece of the macabre. Director Carl Theodor Dreyer lighting contrasts make the horror palpable.
9. The Woman in Black (1989, UK) 4 stars
Though it looks like filming had taken place in the late 60’s instead of the 80’s, this feature has one of horror cinema’s best endings.
8. Daughters of Darkness (1971, Belgium/France/West Germany) 4 stars
Honeymooners run into strong-willed countess and her aide. What can go wrong? Everything!
7. The Eyes of My Mother (2016) 4 stars
Nicholas Pesce’s dark, forboding, and disturbing tale will make you wish he had released the film in color to take the edge off.
6. Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992) 4.5 stars
Such a low-budget ride through a different interpretation of Bram Stoker’s classic vamp tale. Gary Oldman brings the charm and the rage.
5. The Pit and the Pendulum (1961) 4.5 stars
Vincent Price brings the leftover Spanish Inquisition cruelty to Barbara Steele and company in Roger Corman’s best horror film.
4. The Skeleton Key (2005, USA/Germany) 4.5 stars
Imagine being a hospice nurse who has to do double-duty sleuth to solve a mystery in a Louisiana swamp. Watch your step…
3. The Haunting (1963, UK) 4.5 stars
Robert Wise’s amazing film adaptation of Shirley Jackson’s novel is a masterpiece of psychology horror.
2. The Orphanage (2007, Spain/Mexico) 5 stars
Belén Rueda plays a mother who brings her family back to the orphanage where she grew up as a child. You really can’t go home again…
1. Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975, Australia) 5 stars
Considered to be Australia’s first modern Gothic horror, Director Peter Weir brings a dark and chilling mystery to girl’s boarding school.
Goth Runner’s Up
The following are wonderful Gothic horror films in their own right that capture the atmosphere and the right flavor.
These are in order as well. I guess you can say this is actually a top 20 list, but a top 13 sounded oh so good:
The Black Cat (1934) 3 stars
The Curse of Frankenstein (1957, UK) 3.5 stars
Romasanta (2004, Spain/UK) 3.5 stars
House of Usher (1960) 3.5 stars
Mill of the Stone Women (1960, Italy/France) 3.5 stars
The Church (1989, Italy) 3.5 stars
Black Sunday (1960, Italy) 3.5 stars
The Plot Sickens: Crash calls for the killing of Character Stereotypes!
Billy Crash
Also known as William D. Prystauk, he loves great, in-depth characters and storytelling in horror, and likes to see heads roll, but if you kill a dog on screen he’ll cry like a baby. Crash, an award-winning screenwriter and novelist, co-hosts THE LAST KNOCK horror podcast on iTunes, and can also be found on Twitter, LinkedIn, IMDb, Amazon, Behance, YouTube, and Instagram. He’s currently in pre-production on a dramatic thriller feature while working on the third novel in his #KinkNoir crime thriller series.
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(Picnic at Hanging Rock movie still from British Empire Films.)