Best Goth Movies: A Collection of Dark and Atmospheric Films Worth Checking Out

Goth movies have existed for decades, allowing filmmakers to perfect the art of a perfectly timed jump scare and bone-chilling scenes. These top goth films are perfect for a haunting watch, from the suspense and jolting fear to the costumes and set design.

Goth films are a multi-faceted genre that focuses on creating an eerie atmosphere for the viewer — from the chilling background music to the unsettling dark lighting and sometimes the creepy feeling that something might just be lingering underneath the surface.

Vampires, demons, and other mystical creatures are standard features in most goth films. However, this diverse movie genre has multiple ways to leave you watching in horror. So, if you're in the mood for a good scare or enjoy the aesthetic, continue reading this list of some of the best goth films.

'Interview With the Vampire'

In 1994, Niel Jordan brought "Interview With the Vampire" to the silver screen, a film based on the Anne Rice novel of the same name. It starts with Brad Pitt playing Louis, a plantation owner unsatisfied with life.

However, that all changes when Lestat (Tom Cruise) turns him into a vampire, promising him endless power and eternal life. But Louis' tortured existence is soon filled with loss and suffering for decades, a tale he tells during a present-day interview with a reporter.

The movie, which had over 30 nominations, including two Oscars, won the 1995 BAFTA Film Awards for Best Cinematography and Best Production Design, among over 20 other Awards.

'The Changeling'

Peter Medak directed "The Changeling," an atmospheric horror about a composer (George C. Scott) who moves to a large Victorian mansion in an isolated part of Seattle after tragically losing his wife and child.

However, the composer's stay in the old home turns horrifying as he begins to experience several terrifying events, such as loud noises and ghostly apparitions that only escalate, forcing him to unravel the dark mystery of the manor.

'Crimson Peak'

Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro has received much praise for this 2015 gothic horror, which stars Mia Wasikowska, Tom Hiddleston, and Jessica Chastain. After a young author — who believes she has been haunted by the sight of ghosts all her life — gets married, she leaves her hometown and moves to a chilling manor with her outsider husband and his sister.

Once captured inside the four walls of the home, the young author is swallowed into a world of horror, and a sinister past as dark figures and the specters of the house itself torment her.

'Beloved'

"Beloved" is a 1998 adaptation of Toni Morrison's novel of the same name and stars Oprah Winfrey and Danny Glover as formerly enslaved people grappling with the lasting effects of racial oppression in the form of a tortured ghost (Thandiwe Newton).

This gothic horror is sure to leave a haunting effect on the audience, as it deals with unsettling supernatural horror and the mental and physical scars lingering on the plantation the enslaved people were once confined to.

'Bram Stoker's Dracula'

Bran Stoker's literary classic of the blood-sucking Dradulca has often been told. However, Francis Ford Coppola's 1992 adaptation is centered around the gothic aura of the original tale and depicts it through a dark, romantic lens.

The film, which stays true to the M.O. of gothic movies, stars Gary Oldman as the many transformations of Count Dracula and explores the well-known story of Vlad the Impaler, the ancient vampires that roamed the streets of Victorian London, and young Mina Harker.

The movie also stars Winona Ryder, Anthony Hopkins, Keanu Reeves, Richard E. Grant, Sadie Frost, Monica Bellucci, Michaela Bercu, Florina Kendrick, Jay Robinson, and more.

'Only Lovers Left Alive'

"Only Lovers Left Alive" was directed by Jim Jarmusch and stars Hiddleston and Tilda Swinton as two vampire lovers, Adam and Eve. However, instead of luring viewers in with scares, Jarmusch's film tells a dark and twisted love story.

Set in a desolate city, Adam and Eve are portrayed as more humanized vampires who spend their days reclused in a dark apartment, playing music, enjoying the silence, or tending to their blood-thirty needs.

'Let the Right One In'

"Let the Right One In" adds an international edge to a genre filled with classic American films. It is a Swedish adaptation of John Ajvide Lindqvist's novel of the same name. However, the movie's plot features more twists, deviating from the standard tale of vampires.

Instead, the film is centered around a bullied 12-year-old boy who develops a friendship with a creepy child in Blackeberg, a suburb of Stockholm. However, viewers soon realize the blood-hungry child is a vampire.

'Edward Scissorhands'

"Edward Scissorhands" tells the story of a young man (Johnny Depp) born with scissors for hands. Ostracized by society for his abnormality, Edward finds refuge in the attic of a dilapidated building.

However, after touching those around him with his good nature, his character reintegrates into society and finds love. While the film did away with blood and gore, its plot and aesthetic make it perfect to fulfil all your gothic desires.

The Tim Burton-directed movie starred Dianne Wiest, Kathy Baker, Winona Ryder, and more. It also garnered ten wins from 24 nominations, including one Oscar nomination.

'The Hunger'

Director Tony Scott has been credited for his film having one of the first contemporary approaches to vampire movies in this goth movie, which co-stars David Bowie, Catherine Deneuve, and Susan Sarandon.

When a vampire couple loses the eternal youthfulness that usually comes with the territory, they strike up an erotic relationship with a doctor who specializes in sleep and aging research.

'The Crow'

"The Crow" brings this list of goth films to a close and is based on the belief that crows take the souls of the deceased to the land of the dead. However, these chilling creatures sometimes bring the dead back, which was the case for Eric Draven (Brandon Lee).

After Eric and his fiancée are brutally murdered by a gang, the goth rocker is resurrected. He sets out on a gory quest to avenge his and the woman he loved's untimely demise in the dead of night while being hunted by a police officer.