The release of Robert Eggers' 2024 Nosferatu marks the successful return of the gothic romance. The film also sparked a controversy and set a debate ablaze about what the film represents. But the genre is unfamiliar to many, yet it's important to understand this film style to appreciate the vision behind Nosferatu and other gothic romance movies.
Gothic romance, much like the film's tagline, is all about allowing yourself to succumb to an inner darkness that simultaneously symbolizes freedom. The genre dates back to the late 18th and early 19th century and features horror elements while focusing on suspenseful emotions between the characters. These movies are typically set in a dark, foreboding atmosphere, as is true in Nosferatu.
Supernatural elements also tend to be sprinkled throughout gothic romance films and are oftentimes used as metaphors to address real-life issues plaguing society like classism, racism, and sexual repression. Looking through the gothic romance lens, Eggers' Nosferatu and retelling of the classic story follows a young woman named Ellen Hutter (played by Lily-Rose Depp) as she navigates her tempestuous connection to Count Orlok (played by Bill Skarsgård). Ellen's desire for this monster represents a woman embracing her sexuality and realizing that it's normal to crave pleasure.
Gothic romance movies' element of "darkness" can be easily misconstrued as something more grotesque, but it's more than anything serving as a vehicle and allegory to artistically reveal the human experience, at its most fundamental levels. To get acquainted with the genre, keep scrolling to discover 11 classic gothic romance films to watch from 1930s hits to more recent pictures.
One of the top classics, The Bride of Frankenstein directed by James Whales, is the sequel to the 1931 film Frankenstein. This gothic tale follows Henry Frankenstein as he's persuaded to continue his scientific experiments and ultimately creates a companion for the Monster from the original film and Mary Shelley's original novel Frankenstein.
The 1940 film Rebecca was directed by none other than the great Alfred Hitchcock, one of the most influential directors in cinematic history. This film is a blend between romance and a psychological thriller as it follows a woman adapting to the role of an aristocrat's wife while seeing apparitions of his first wife. Starring Joan Fontaine and Laurence Olivier, the gothic romance movie is an adaptation of Daphne du Maurier's 1938 novel of the same name. There's romance and suspense, both enticing elements.
Edward Scissorhands was another film in Tim Burton's catalog that defined the '90s. The director is known for delving into unconventional genres and storytelling, and this fantasy film is no different. The movie stars Johnny Depp as the animated human, Edward, who has scissors for hands and falls in love with Winona Ryder's character, Kim. It's what gothic romance movies are all about: a heartfelt story that explores loneliness and self-acceptance with a tragic love story at the center
Bram Stroker's Dracula, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, from the dark atmosphere of 19th century England and Romania to the vampiric supernatural element, perfectly embodies the gothic romance genre. The film adapts the 1897 masterpiece written by Bram Stroker and tells the tale of Count Dracula (Gary Oldman) and his time-spanning connection to Jonathan Harker's (Keanu Reeves) fiancée, Mina Murray (Winona Ryder) as she bears a great resemblance to his wife. This film created a blueprint that other gothic romances and vampire movies still follow today.
The 1999 reiteration of the classic headless horseman story Sleepy Hollow is another Tim Burton classic that stars Johnny Depp and Christina Ricci. Depp's Ichabod Crane is a young detective investigating mysterious beheadings plaguing the village where he meets Ricci's Katrina Van Tassel, whom he falls in love with. Depp's character is hesitant to believe that there's a sinister supernatural force behind the murder despite the village people urging him to believe the folktales about the headless horseman. With the paranormal elements blended with the crime-solving, this movie is a thrilling ride.
Tim Burton and Johnny Depp's creative and personal friendship has created some of the most camp and unorthodox films in the gothic genre. Corpse Bride brought the iconic duo back together to venture into the adventure that is an animated film. The gloomy ambiance, a signature of Burton's, falls within the gothic romance expectations along with the love triangle between Victor (Johnny Depp), Victoria (Emily Watson), and Emily (Helena Bonham Carter). Victor and Victoria are arranged to be married, but a major freakout on Victor's behalf leads him to the woods where he meets Emily, an undead woman who was murdered on the night she was to be married. There's music to accompany the tragic story and despite the malevolent machinations, a happy ending is promised.
The Phantom of the Opera (2004)
Adapted from Andrew Lloyd Webber's iconic Broadway musical, The Phantom of the Opera made its big screen debut in 2004. Directed by Joel Schumacher, the film is set in 19th-century Paris, France, and follows the Phantom (Gerard Butler) who haunts the opera house as his admiration becomes an obsession for Christine Daaé, a young Soprano. Both the musical and the film contain all of the tropes of a gothic romance. The back-and-forth between the Phantom and Christine creates a sense of yearning that's captivating to watch.
Jane Eyre (2011)
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë is a classic piece of English literature and the inspiration for the 2011 film adaptation with the same titular name. The film stars Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender as Jane Eyre and Mr. Edward Rochester. Jane becomes the governess at Rochester's estate where strange occurrences appear to be normal. There've been many adaptations of Brontë's brilliant work, but the 2011 adaptation emphasizes gothic romance themes from the novel. Fassbender's Rochester accurately portrays the Byronic hero seen in the genre as he remains a mystery to Jane and seems to be withholding dark secrets. The film also tackles those societal issues like gender roles and classism.
Only Lovers Left Alive (2013)
Jim Jarmusch's Only Lovers Left Alive stars Tilda Swinton and Tom Hiddleston as two vampires living in isolation until Swinton's character's younger sister (Mia Wasikowska) arrives to interrupt their love bubble. If there's anything that a vampire dreads more than anything, it's having to experience eternity alone and this film addresses those fears of loneliness and remaining isolated from the ever-changing world. Jarmusch's singular vision is an exhilarating take on vampire lore.
Crimson Peak (2015)
Mia Wasikowska and Tom Hiddleston reunite in Guillermo del Toro's Crimson Peak. The gothic romance film tells the story of a young writer Edith (Wasikowska) who catches the attention of the charming and seductive Sir Thomas Sharpe (Hiddleston) and sweeps her off her feet to his eerie mansion. Both its vibes all around and the dark revelations that match the gothic architecture make this film worth any viewers while.
Nosferatu (2024)
Robert Eggers' reimagining of Nosferatu celebrates the gothic romance genre and introduces it to a new generation of movie buffs. The cinematic masterpiece stars Lily-Rose Depp and Bill Skarsgård as Ellen Hutter and Count Orlok. Since she was a child, Ellen has been tormented by vision-like nightmares of a mysterious man shrouded in shadow who's developed an obsessive hold over her. Despite the controversy, the film addresses an important topic surrounding feminine sexual repression and does a beautiful job at debating the ideology that a woman seeking pleasure is "bad."
