There are some great Gothic films available. Here I list some of highly recommended films, including some new and some made for TV that you might have missed.

This list is in order of the family friendly certification. The first is suitable for all the family, the middle are suitable for teenagers, the final films are adults only.

1. Northanger Abbey (2007) staring Felicity Jones is a film version of the gothic romance classic by Jane Austen.

2. Jane Eyre (2011) starring Mia Wasikowska is the modern film version I’d recommend based on the classic by Charlotte Bronte.

3. Turning to a modern theme Beautiful Creatures (2013) is based on the book by Margaret Stohl.

Of course, like many films, it stands as entertaining in its own right unless you’ve read the book. A common problem, films rarely do justice to the full book. The same problem faced by the next book/film on the list.

4. My Cousin Rachel (2017) staring Rachel Weisz (romantic thriller). This is one of those films that make people complain it was nothing like the book by Daphne du Maurier.

If you haven’t read the book recently, then you can enjoy the film for what it is, a piece of work in it’s own right only loosely based on the book but with much changed hence it’s just under two hours long.

5. Let’s turn our attention from a modern film of a Daphne du Maurier book to an old classic. Very old in cinema terms. Jamaica Inn (1939). Hitchcock was, of course, a master gothic film maker. His films are as enjoyable today as they ever were. I need say no more.

Don’t be put off by the date of the low budget, early Hitchcock film made in the UK. It is well worth watching.

6. A second Hitchcock film I’d suggest is based on a book by Ethel Lina White, The Lady Vanishes (1938).

7. The Monk (2012) (15) is based on the dark classic written by Matthew Lewis and first published 1796. It is dark dramatic suspense rather than outright horror.

The film is set in Spain but made in French. It’s imagery is stunning and a clever crafting of the story based on the book.

8. The Monk (book) inspire the Pit and the Pendulum by Edgar Allan Poe and made into a film starting Vincent Price (1961). Note a horror film which originally had a high age limit but now is approved for a much younger audience (12 in the UK).

The film is a creepy gothic horror classic.

There are more films based on classic and modern gothic books, so expect more similar lists to appear on this site. I’d love to hear your thoughts and film recommendations in the comments.