In Guillermo del Toro’s latest film, Crimson Peak, aspiring novelist Edith Cushing explains that the ghost in her story is a metaphor for the past, an idea she puts to practical use when she later meets the many inhabitants of Allerdale Hall.
Explore some ghostly pasts yourself with 7 films full of gothic intrigue. Light some candles, brew your favorite cup of tea, and enjoy the show
Rebecca (1940)
Widowed aristocrat Maxim de Winter charms an unnamed young woman into a whirlwind marriage. Marital happiness soon turns to loneliness and mistrust as the heroine finds herself at the de Winter home, Manderley, plagued by the shadow of Maxim’s late wife and harassed by conniving housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers.Alfred Hitchcock’s film adaptation of the Daphne du Maurier novel of the same name may as well include a warning to beware of Crimson Peak, er, Manderley.
The Innocents (1961)
A young woman becomes the governess to two children who may or not be possessed by ghosts who may or may not exist! Is she going mad?Don’t expect any jump scares or gore in this film. The Innocents tells the story of Henry James’s The Turn of the Screw in a way that makes the viewer feel the protagonist’s unease and uncertainty by withholding the standard supernatural reveals. By the end, you may feel you’ve gone a little mad yourself.
Interview with the Vampire (1994)
If the only vampire movie you’ve ever seen is Twilight, you need to jump start your gothic education with this film adaptation of Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire.
These vampires may not sparkle, but Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise do shine as two angst-ridden monsters preying upon hapless mortals. Goodbye romance. Hello sexy.
Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)
Speaking of sexy, Francis Ford Coppola’s injection of a love story into Bram Stoker’s classic novel is one instance where you’ll forgive the change. This Dracula is scary and disgusting yet sexy and sympathetic. Like Rice’s vampires, you’re more likely to sweat than swoon despite the copious blood loss you’ll see on screen.
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1994)
Kenneth Branagh. Helena Bonham Carter. Robert De Niro. Need I say more?More faithful to its source material than countless other Frankenstein flicks, Branagh’s vision is a visceral depiction of giving birth to what may be a monster. You’ll cringe, but you can’t look away.
Nosferatu (1922)
Soak up the foreboding atmosphere of this classic silent film while marveling at early special effects that allow us to see the specter of Dracula and the ethereal horse-drawn carriage that leads to his lair. Unfortunately, the original soundtrack did not survive court-ordered destruction by the Stoker estate, which sued and won for copyright infringement. Thankfully, the film itself escaped complete obliteration and can be viewed with a number of scores (my favorite is Silent Orchestra).
The Fall of the House of Usher (1960)
What list of creepy period films would be complete without Edgar Allan Poe and Vincent Price?
Insanity, death, family strife, and a house indelibly connected to its occupants makes for another great movie to follow your viewing of Crimson Peak.
What did I forget? Is there a gothic classic you love that wasn’t on the list?