Within the last five years, horror directors have helped popularize classic gothic tales of years past.Gothic novelsusually focus on traditional hauntings, and emphasize emotion while exposing true horror. The literary genre was popularized in the 18th Century with novels likeDraculaandThe Turn of the Screwthat are still read and referenced in other creative industries to this day. For decades, in fact, filmmakers have based plenty of movies on plots that these novels explore, and have drawn inspiration from classic gothic authors.
It can be difficult to translate the chilling details of gothic novels from the page to the screen, but these 10 movies and TV shows are perfect examples of how to adapt gothic literature.
10The Woman in Black (2012)
The Woman in Blackwas released in 2012 and was one of Daniel Radcliffe’s first major roles afterHarry Potter.The slow burn horror-drama plays out much like an English novel, focusing heavily on physical descriptions to assert a presence. In it, Radcliffe plays Arthur Kipps, a recently widowed lawyer whose latest case brings him to a remote village that harbors a dark secret and even darker presence. Plagued by the presence of a woman wearing black, Kipps discovers more about his lodging than he bargained for.
What Makes It Great
Setting and tone are two of the most important aspects of gothic literature. Often times, authors like Emily Brontë or Charles Dickens would over-extend setting descriptions because the place was not only central to the story, but also a character within it. This very much so applies toThe Woman in Blacknovel. Having this aspect carried over into the film not only cements it as being authentic to the source, but also helps place the viewer at the heart of every scene.
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9The Others (2001)
The Others
Grace (Nicole Kidman), the devoutly religious mother of Anne (Alakina Mann) and Nicholas (James Bentley), moves her family to the English coast during World War II. She awaits word on her missing husband while protecting her children from a rare photosensitivity disease that causes the sun to harm them. Anne claims she sees ghosts, Grace initially thinks the new servants are playing tricks but chilling events and visions make her believe something supernatural has occurred.
The Othersis a 2001 horror-drama based on the novel by Henry James calledThe Turn of a Screw.The Othersmodernized the plot to fit the tone of the millennium. Nicole Kidman plays Grace, a mother of two young children during the World War II era who are awaiting the return of her missing husband. As supernatural occurrences inflict the family of three, Grace becomes aware of a shocking truth that will explain everything.
What Makes it Great
The Othersdelivered one of thegreatest horror twistsof the early-2000s, and shocked audiences with the realization that “the haunted” were actually the ones haunting. The film, although slow at times, builds on the plot to make the reveal all the more shocking. This alone aided the film tremendously to supplement where it lacked.
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8Nosferatu (1922)
Nosferatuis a silent, black and white film that was released in 1922. The film is one of the most influential horror films ever made, and was an adaptation of Bram Stoker’s classic vampire novelDracula.The word “nosferatu” is the Romanian translation of vampire.Nosferatufollows a similar plot to both the novel and the 1931 adaptation, in which a vampire Count seeks to move to a new region by summoning a real-estate mogul to do his bidding.
Nosferatuexplores the idea of vampirism in a completely different way than 1931’sDracula.The film is one of the most well-known in the German expressionist movement of filmmaking, but what truly makes it a phenomenal adaption is the way it blends fantasy and reality. The use of light, space, and the manipulation of shadows are some of the most alluring elements when adapting a gothic novel.Nosferatuchecks all of these boxes, all while creating a vampire that actually looks like he belongs in the world of fantasy.
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7The Haunting (1963)
The Haunting(1963) is based on the 1959 novelThe Haunting of Hill House.This is the first film adaption ofHill House,which has long been considered one of the scariest gothic novels ever written. Directed by Robert Wise, the film follows a doctor and two supernaturally charged women to Hill House, which is presumably haunted. In his efforts tostudy the paranormal, these two women (especially Eleanor) are overwhelmed by how alive the mansion actually is.
The Hauntingis a great adaptation because it effectively explores the novel’s main themes of isolation and confinement. The use of shadows, quirky narration styles, and altering perspectives also help stay true to the overall sense of unease that the novel maintains throughout. Unlike the 1999 remake, 1963’s adaptation doesn’t attempt to adhere to a specified time period, allowing the house and the dynamic characters to exist in the supernatural realm of the drama.
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6Sleepy Hollow (1999)
Sleepy Hollow
The Legend of Sleepy Hollowand the infamous Headless Horseman was brought to life by the mind of Washington Irving in 1820. In 1999, Tim Burton adapted the short story for the big screen and to this day, the film remains to be the most popular adaptation.Sleepy Hollowthrows itself into the gloomy world of Tarrytown, New York, where Ichabod Crane finds himself at a crossroads with a horse and its headless rider. One of the best aspects about Burton’s film is that Christopher Walken’s Hessian Horseman is given more of a backstory rather than just being an ominous figure. The film isset to be rebootedby director Lindsey Beer, who has vowed that the new film will differ from Burton’s ‘99 adaptation.
Sleepy Hollowis one of the many great ’90s adaptations that hits the ball out of the park with an all-star cast. Burton’s ability to both isolate the main protagonist, all while building Irving’s world into a setting for the screen encapsulates the story ofSleepy Hollowperfectly. The overtly gothic tones, authentic costume design, and ever brooding fog aid the film by engrossing it in the world of a true gothic horror novel.
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5Crimson Peak (2015)
Crimson Peak
Guillermo del Toro’sCrimson Peakis actually not based on any works of gothic fiction. However, some Reddit users speculate that the film has ties to a 1938 novel titledRebecca.Like many gothic novels,Rebeccaentrances readers with a classic story of a haunting and a character that had no intention of becoming haunted. Once familiarizing yourself with the overall plot of the novel, its fingerprints become pretty clear on del Toro’s work. However, according toCinema Blend,the film is an account from the director’s own imagination and was inspired by an experience his mother had as a child.
Crimson Peakfollows Edith (played by Mia Wasikowska), whose recent marriage to a charming bachelor finds her swept away to a remote English Mansion. As she settles in to her new home, Edith comes to find that Allerdale Hall has other inhabitants whose secrets scream to find their way to the surface.
Despite the film’s questionable link to having roots in a gothic novel,Crimson Peaktackles the genre flawlessly. Guillermo del Toro’s approach almost becomes a mental game as dark truths are brought to the surface, as does any true gothic plot. It is in the simplicity of the reveal and the alluringly large haunted house thatCrimson Peakfinds itself compared to some of the great novels of the past.
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4The Fall of the House of Usher (2023)
The Fall of the House of Usher
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Edgar Allan Poe is arguably one of the most well-known horror authors of all time. Poe’s dynamic range of works always focus on the main themes of death, the descent into madness, and the short-comings of humanity. Mike Flanagan takes seven of Poe’s original works and transforms them each into a unique episode of their own, carefully tailored to fit into a character’s downfall. Each episode sits under the main story arch of one of Poe’s short stories,The Fall of the House of Usher.Flanagan utilizes each theme, plot device, and element of horror to his advantage to deliver a beautifully crafted miniseries that is easily thebest Edgar Allan Poe adaptation.
The Usher family is a pharmaceutical powerhouse, who has evaded repercussions of their highly addictive drugs for decades. Yet, as all six of the Usher children begin to succumb to grim deaths, Roderick Usher (played by Bruce Greenwood) must face an asset of his past he had too soon forgotten.
What’s truly more gothic than Death incarnate? Carla Gugino’s Verna acts as a reaper or harbinger of death to each of the members of the Usher family. However, even in the end, it is unclear as to what she truly is in Flanagan’s universe. Her illusive nature, and ability to shape-shift into each sibling, helps underscore her supernatural elements. Yet it is in her presence alone, especially in an Edgar Allan Poe series, that grounds the gothic undertones into the series’ plot.
3Frankenstein (1931)
Frankensteinis one of the early films in the Universal Monster’s collection that was based on Mary Shelley’s novel of the same name. The novel was written during the Romantic literature movement and carries strong undertones of gothic themes. The film plays on these very undertones all the same, and Boris Karloff’s portrayal of “the monster” is one of thegreatest horror performancesof all time.
Frankensteinis about a “mad scientist” who has been robbing graves to build an undead human of his own. Once he has a brain, the perfect brain, he achieves his goal. However, the doctor gains more obstacles with his obstruction than praise.
1931’sFrankensteinstays true to the novel’s message and storyline. However, the film serves as a visual voice for “the monster” by being able to capture his emotions on-screen. One of the many themes in gothic literature is the idea of belonging or non-belonging, so to speak. All ghosts, threatening or not, are in a realm that they no longer are a functioning part of. Often trapped and misinformed, the hauntings impact both the seen and unseen. The same can be said about “the monster” and his desire to find a place in a society he doesn’t belong in.
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2Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)
Bram Stoker’s Dracula
Bram Stoker’s Draculais an adaptation that takes all the elements of the novel and completely brings them to life. The star-studded cast adds to the excitement of the film itself, as it places a slew of90s acting iconsin the main roles. However, this adaptation captures the romantic elements of the Count himself in a way that the 1931 production didn’t address.
In this adaptation, a love-struck Count Dracula seeks the assistance of Jonathan Harker (played by Keanu Reeves) in his attempt to move to London. However, once the Count realizes Harker’s bride-to-be resembles a love that he has lost, he vows to stop at nothing to have her.
A key element inBram Stoker’s Draculathat ties it to gothic themes resides in the Count himself. Gary Oldman’s interpretation of Dracula captures the tortured soul of the count and his longing to be reunited with his lost love, whom Mina (Winona Ryder) resembles greatly. The elements surrounding his longing to be reunited conflict with his immortality, which Francis Ford Coppola explores in depth throughout the film.
1The Haunting of Hill House (2018)
The Haunting of Hill House
The Haunting of Hill Housepremiered in 2018 and was highly regarded for its terrifying nature. Mike Flanagan’s miniseries was based on a novel by the same name, but focused its plot on a family’s dynamic in their childhood haunted house. The Crain family, heavily tormented by the literal ghosts of their past, find it hard to move forward from Hill House even in their adult lives. Flanagan’s ability to mix raw emotion, family drama, and horror helped the series to become the masterpiece that it is today.
The Haunting of Hill Housemodernizes the aspects of a paranormal haunting, by rooting itself in the aftermath that ensues. Set through a series of flashbacks, the Crain siblings face traditional ghosts in their past and present lives. Flanagan draws a parallel in traditional gothic traits and modernizes them into a horror-drama miniseries.
