The 10 Best Dark Fantasy Movies (That Are Actually Scary)

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As a lover of all things fantastical and a self-proclaimed connoisseur of dark, unsettling tales, I simply cannot get enough of these extraordinary films. These cinematic gems, crafted by visionaries like Allan Scott and Nicolas Roeg, have undoubtedly left an indelible mark on the genre of dark fantasy.

In these challenging times, dark fantasy series with eerie visuals, dreamlike landscapes, and ominous storylines can provide solace for numerous viewers. When our actual world is filled with frightening events, immersing ourselves in a fantastical underworld where discovering hidden hope and beauty demands extraordinary strength can make the burden seem slightly more manageable. While horror films are engaging, adding exquisite costumes, impressive practical effects, and a wealth of surrealistic world-building creates an escapist experience that can alleviate the disheartening impact of the evening news or looming financial worries.

It’s unfortunate that high-quality dark fantasy movies are not as common as we’d like, often failing to make big box office numbers initially but eventually gaining cult status after passionate fans champion them for years or even decades. On the bright side, for those who love this genre, there’s always a hidden gem of a truly dark fantasy waiting to be uncovered – and thankfully, you don’t need to rummage through dusty stacks of DVDs anymore to find these gems.

The Dark Crystal

If you haven’t watched Jim Henson and Frank Oz’s 1982 dark fantasy film “The Dark Crystal,” it could be challenging to understand what makes it scary, given that it features puppets, even when those puppets are some of the most beautifully crafted in the movie industry. However, a race of malevolent creatures who use a crystal with hypnotic powers to drain other beings of their life force, which they then convert into an anti-aging energy drink, is nothing less than terrifying. This film is a deep, moody fantasy set on a planet with three suns. The plot follows two elf-like characters called Gelflings as they compete against the Great Conjunction to repair the long-broken crystal and stop the vulture-like Skeksis from ruling their world forever.

The Head Hunter

“The Head Hunter

In a chilling, largely speechless Nordic horror movie that takes place across a vast, frozen wilderness, “The Head Hunter” manages to instill fear in much the same way as “The Blair Witch Project”, but it also delves deeper into complex emotions through its explorations of sorrow, bereavement, and retribution.

Legend

If you’re a fan of intricately designed dark fantasy, Ridley Scott’s 1985 movie “Legend” is packed with appealing elements: A youthful, enchanting couple dressed in fashionable renaissance fair attire, radiant unicorns, a spirited fairy (a will-o’-the-wisp) adorned with copious amounts of glitter, and at one point, a stunning transformation into a gothic beauty.

In one of his earlier performances, Tom Cruise shares the screen with Mia Sara, famously known for her role as Ferris Bueller’s girlfriend in “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” (1986). This film also boasts Tim Curry as a formidable Lord of Darkness and Robert Picardo, who later became the Emergency Medical Hologram doctor on “Star Trek: Voyager,” portraying a forest witch named Meg Mucklebones. This film is a fantastical interpretation of the fall from the Garden of Eden, focusing on two young characters – a princess (Sara) and a woodland boy named Jack (Cruise) – whose purity seems to herald the end of days.

Pan’s Labyrinth

One way to rephrase the text in a more natural and easy-to-read manner is:

As a captivated admirer, I found myself swayed by the enigmatic faun, famed contortionist and acting legend Doug Jones (better known as Captain Saru from “Star Trek: Discovery”), who claimed I was the reborn incarnation of the underworld queen Moanna. Intrigued, I embarked on a quest to accomplish three tasks in order to regain my lost kingdom. Despite being told through a child’s perspective, the haunting creatures such as the Pale Man (brought to life by Jones once more) transformed “Pan’s Labyrinth” into a chilling fairy tale with an ominous allure.

Crimson Peak

In a different phrasing, the movie “Crimson Peak,” another work by Guillermo del Toro, blends his distinctive blend of dark fantasy and horror into a haunting gothic tale set in the twilight years of Victorian England. The narrative follows Edith (Mia Wasikowska), an American heiress with dreams of becoming a writer, as she enters into matrimony with the Sharpe siblings – the enigmatic Lucille (Jessica Chastain) and Thomas (Tom Hiddleston) – whose household is on the brink of collapse.

Once they had moved into their ancestral manor, Allerdale Hall, Edith found herself haunted by ghostly figures, tinted red and waxy in appearance (portrayed by renowned prosthetic actors Doug Jones and Javier Botet). The estate was also blanketed with an unsettling red snow, a result of the red clay mine hidden beneath. In true Guillermo del Toro fashion, these spirits were truly terrifying – yet, it’s not the scariest aspect of this tale.

Gretel & Hansel

2020 saw the debut of the intriguing dark fantasy horror, “Gretel & Hansel”. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, it became one of the many productions that didn’t get the attention it deserved. If not for everyone being preoccupied with finding toilet paper during lockdown, this film might have been a success among viewers.

Under the guidance of horror director Oz Perkins, who is the son of famous actor Tony Perkins from “Psycho”, and focusing on Gretel’s perspective, portrayed by Sophia Lillis known for her roles in “It” and “It: Chapter Two”, this fresh take on a dark fairy tale finds Gretel and her brother Hansel getting lost in a forest inhabited by witches. This chilling reinterpretation of the Brothers Grimm story, with Alice Krige from “The Borg Queen” as the witch, delivers an eerie and captivating experience in “Gretel & Hansel”.

The Witches

Speaking about things that can give you chills, it’s hard to beat the 1990 movie “The Witches.” This movie is a spooky yet intriguing reinterpretation of Roald Dahl’s 1983 dark fantasy novel for children titled “The Witches” as well. In this film, an 8-year-old boy named Luke (played by Jasen Fisher) uncovers a sinister plot where witches with evil intentions aim to transform all the world’s children into mice.

The unsettling nature of this movie lies in the design of the witches, as they remove their faces like ill-fitting tights to unveil horrifying visages connected to the twisted, bald heads concealed beneath their wigs. This chilling scene, which left a lasting impact on many viewers’ childhoods, was written by Allan Scott, a Scottish screenwriter who later co-produced “The Queen’s Gambit.” The movie was directed by Nicolas Roeg, a filmmaker whose innovative style inspired the likes of Christopher Nolan and Charlie Kaufman.

Return to Oz

“One of Disney’s most unsettling films, ‘Return to Oz,’ is a steampunk sequel to ‘The Wizard of Oz.’ In this film, Fairuza Balk, who was quite young at the time, made her screen debut as Dorothy Gale. This performance earned her a Saturn Award nomination. When it was first released, critics found the movie strange, dark, eerie, and too frightening for children, especially when contrasted with its vibrant original material. However, those very aspects are what have made ‘Return to Oz’ a cult classic, especially among Gen-Xers who fondly recall being petrified by it.

Exasperated by Dorothy’s unwavering belief in Oz, the young girl’s aunt commits her to a mental institution instead, where she undergoes electric shock treatments. As she struggles to break free, she encounters a world ravaged by horrors such as the grotesque Wheelers and a monstrous princess (Piper Laurie) who beheads her victims and adorns herself with their heads like high-fashion accessories.

Coraline

A stop-motion movie titled “Coraline,” adapted from a novella by Neil Gaiman, tells the tale of a young girl who finds herself drawn into an alternate world when her parents are preoccupied with work and fail to notice her. In this film, Dakota Fanning portrays Coraline, whose family moves into an old Victorian house. The narrative unfolds as Coraline navigates this mysterious universe and encounters its peculiar inhabitants.

In her adventures, Coraline discovers a puzzling tunnel, which opens up into an alternate world inhabited by near-identical versions of her parents, distinguished only by black buttons for eyes. Unlike her actual parents, these duplicates appear to always have time for Coraline. A haunting tale that touches on the existential dread common in children, “Coraline” is at once visually captivating and psychologically chilling, serving as a cautionary reminder that if something seems too good to be true, it likely is.

The Green Knight

For enthusiasts of English Literature with a geeky twist, “The Green Knight” emerged as a gripping dark fantasy interpretation of the 14th-century chivalric story “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.” Drawing inspiration from films like “Willow,” “Barry Lyndon,” and “Ladyhawke,” this movie was entirely filmed in Ireland. The narrative follows Sir Gawain (played by Dev Patel) on an epic quest to confront the Green Knight, one of King Arthur’s fearsome adversaries.

Notably, the imaginative, out-of-time medieval costumes designed by Malgosia Turzanska were particularly enchanting. These designs earned her an award from the Seattle Film Critics Society, as well as nominations from various institutions such as the Fangoria Chainsaw Awards, the Costume Designers Guild, and more.

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2024-09-29 18:00