10 Best Gothic Horror Films

This film is one of the best gothic horror films ever. It has the big creepy house, it has supernatural goings on, tall and handsome strangers with dark secrets, repressed Victorian sexuality, beautiful cinematography and a compelling protagonist who carries the viewer through this beautiful story.

Despite its arguably very heavy-handed aesthetic (it absolutely lets you know that you’re watching a gothic horror film), it is also very delicate, carefully weaving a mystery with shocking twists.

Directed by the genius Guillermo Del Toro, he builds upon fantastical elements we saw in his 2006 film Pan’s Labyrinth. As always with Del Toro, the special effects are divine, with actor Doug Jones once again bringing real and tangible life to the spooks that like to follow Edith Cushing around and upset her.

The downfall of this film was being marketed as only a horror film however. As is often the case with Del Toro, it is a delicious mix of horror and fantasy. Released in the days prior to Halloween 2015, audiences expected a terrifying jump-scare ridden ghost story. They were instead greeted by something far more intelligent and endearing.

That isn’t to say the film isn’t scary, it has some truly horrific moments but where the film excels is being able to balance that with the brooding and heavy tone that swirls around the story.