10 Best Gothic Horror Films

Made in 1960, this was hugely controversial for its graphic subject matter, with audiences allegedly fainting in cinemas upon its release. Despite modern audiences being far more desensitised to horrific imagery, it still certainly packs a punch. After a father is driven mad by guilt over mutilating his daughter’s face in a brutal car accident, he lures young women to his lab where he tries to remove their faces in order to recover his daughter’s appearance

The title focuses far more on the characters and atmosphere, opting to show very little gore or violence. What it does show however, is exceptionally nasty. The unflinching shot of a woman’s face literally being removed is unforgettable, yet the film doesn’t let you forget the tragedy of the whole story. It’s clear that Goodnight Mommy, the terrifying 2014 film, took inspiration from this nightmarish tale of how identity ties in so fundamentally with overall aesthetic appearance.

The idea of losing your face and having it attached onto someone else is beyond comprehension and taps into a deeper fear of being impersonated or not being able to recognise who you are in a mirror. Not only that, but the desperate attempts of the plastic surgeon to help his daughter are oddly sympathetic, despite the depravity to which he sinks. It’s beautiful, brutal and will stay with you long after the credits have rolled.