Horror movies and fantasy go hand-in-hand, as is proven by certain whimsical chillers that blur the lines between genres with their aesthetic and tone. Considering the inherent fantasy of the best supernatural horror movies, taking place outside the confines of reality with monsters, ghouls, and ghosts, it’s no wonder that horror films end up being fantastical more often than not. But some distinct horror movies push even further into fantasy territory with their whimsical feels and spooky fairy tale visuals.

The scariest fears for horror movies to prey on will always hinge on the concept of the unknown, something fantasy worlds with no clear rules or scientific principles to them have in spades. Not beholden to the laws of reality, certain dark fantasy movies lean hard into horror despite being almost childish in their commitment to representing a dreamy, fable-like story. After all, nothing is more frightening than being reduced to a child-like state in an unfamiliar world.

9

Bram Stoker’s Dracula

Still one of the best takes on an iconic villain

Few horror villains have had as many cinematic interpretations as Bram Stoker’s Dracula, but Francis Ford Coppola’s movie of that exact тιтle still holds up as one of the best. A relatively straightforward adaptation of the novel, the movie boasts an all-star cast consisting of Keanu Reeves, Winona Ryder, Anthony Hopkins, and none other than Gary Oldman as the blood-sucking Count himself. The movie visually cuts to the core of the vampire mythos, examining the dynamics of eroticism and power at the heart of Dracula from the beginning.

It’s so interesting how the characters of Bram Stoker’s Dracula are only able to defeat the тιтular vampire when they release their inhibitions, rallying against the conservative culture of the time period. Beyond the striking themes, the film is also relentlessly scary, with Oldman acting his heart out as the vile yet somehow sympathetic Count Dracula. Keanu Reeves’ terrible accent notwithstanding, Bram Stoker’s Dracula is a nightmare fantasy that tears down reality to make room for something more ghastly.

8

Pan’s Labyrinth

A dark fantasy cultural touchstone

At this point, the works of Guillermo del Toro have become famous for their propensity for blending horror with childlike wonder. To this day, del Toro’s magnum opus is still arguably Pan’s Labyrinth, a dreamy descent into a nightmare world that only barely manages to outdo the horrors of reality. The story follows the young Ofelia as she goes down the rabbit hole into a twisted fantasy realm in the wake of political turmoil in her real life that forces her to grow up all too quickly.

Pan’s Labyrinth is still one of the best showings of Guillermo del Toro’s penchant for creative creature design, especially the famous and terrifying Pale Man. The horrors of the real world are just as captivating, with Sergi López conveying a frighteningly fervent zeal for war as Captain Vidal. It’s interesting how Pan’s Labyrinth leaves the true nature of the fantasy up for interpretation, with only the viewer being able to decide if Ofelia got her happy ending or if her time in the Underworld was just a dream all along.

7

Border

A bizarre Scandinavian fairy tale that defies expectation

Not every great dark fantasy horror movie is an obvious hit, and obscure gems like Border can contend with the best of them. The 2018 Swedish film centers on Tina, a border patrol agent with unconventional looks who uses her uniquely sensitive sense of smell to root out criminals, much to the befuddlement of her co-workers. When she meets another person like her, Tina soon realizes that she may not be a normal human after all, and embarks on a maddening journey of self-discovery.

It’s not often that modern movies are able to encapsulate the feeling of a nightmarish Brothers Grimm fable quite like Border. The worldbuilding and unbelievable developments of Tina’s true heritage are hard to believe simply airdropped into a seemingly normal present-day setting, but the dreamlike procession of logic somehow works. Slow, methodical, and uneasy to watch, Border is a unique gloomy fantasy enjoyable for those that can weather its weirdness.

6

Sleepy Hollow

A delightfully twisted retelling of an iconic legend

No one might be better known for blending a sense of whimsy with bone-chilling spookiness like Tim Burton. But while his proclivity for gothic and somber material is well-known, it’s rare that his work truly breaches into genuine horror territory. Enter Sleepy Hollow, one of Burton’s few unabashedly gory and disturbingly raw films that cuts to the heart of his inclinations for both fantasy and terror.

True to its name, Sleepy Hollow is a cinematic retelling of the classic American recount of the Headless Horseman, complete with Johnny Depp as one Ichabod Crane. At its core, the film is a love letter to the British Hammer horror films of old, complete with bright red fountains of blood and ghastly performances stemming from stageplay amounts of drama. With a visual idenтιтy just as twisted and gnarled as the trees that lurk in the background as the Headless Horseman runs down his latest victim, Sleepy Hollow is a perfect fairy tale of carnage.

5

Van Helsing

An unapologetically creative action-horror romp

It might be surprising to some that Hugh Jackman never piloted another multi-movie franchise after his success as Wolverine in the Fox X-Men movies. But that exact thing was attempted with Van Helsing, an unabashedly fun thrill ride through a dark fantasy world. Jackman stars as the famous vampire hunter, facing off against all manner of creatures of the night inspired by folklore and Universal’s classic movie monsters. Van Helsing teams up with Kate Beckinsdale’s Anna to take down Dracula once and for all.

Despite its box office success, Van Helsing is often disparaged for its campy, over-the-top world and flat performances. However, the film is a diamond in the rough when it comes to dark fantasy horror, with some cackling ghouls and creative creature designs that give Van Helsing some truly ghastly quarry to hunt. With its earnest spookiness and exciting action, Van Helsing is a cult classic fantasy movie steeped in monstrous fun.

4

Little Shop Of Horrors

A wonderful waltz through a macabre comedy

Musical numbers and horror aren’t typically thought of as two cinematic elements that blend well together, but Little Shop of Horrors somehow merges them smoothly to excellent results. An adaptation of the famed stage musical of the same name, Little Shop of Horrors follows the nebbish and desтιтute Seymour as he encounters an intelligent, carnivorous alien plant. In an attempt to use the plant to gain notoriety and impress the love of his life, Seymour ends up steeping to greater and greater levels of violence.

Little Shop of Horrors somehow finds laughs in the most morbid of places, turning domestic abusers and bloodthirsty extraterrestrials into charming antagonists. Armed with endearing practical effects and slam-dunk music numbers like Dentist! and Grow For Me, Little Shop of Horrors isn’t just one of the best horror fantasies, but one of the best musical film adaptations ever made. It might not be the most genuinely frightening thing, but it juggles genuine dread with gut-busting laughs like no other.

3

Coraline

The perfect horror movie for kids

Horror isn’t typically thought of as a genre that is appropriate to be aimed at children, but certain films like Coraline manage to strike a delicate balance of being scary without being overly mature. Based on the book of the same name, Coraline tells the story of a neglected girl who moves to a boring new house. Finding a portal to an eerie alternate reality that seems to be better in every way, save for the “Other” versions of her friends and neighbors having doll-like ʙuттon eyes, Coraline soon winds up in more danger than she thought possible.

From its dreamy nonsensical score to its wacky cast of eclectic characters, Coraline is ᴀssuredly fantastical as the terrifying Other Mother slowly sinks her claws into the cynical young heroine. The rules of the strange alternate reality are never overly-explained, working with a childlike sense of logic that defies convention to thrilling effect. Genuinely frightening while still somehow remaining child-appropriate, and laden with stunning stop-motion animation to boot, Coraline is a triumph of horror fantasy.

2

Trick ‘R Treat

Among the best Halloween-themed horror movies

Plenty of Halloween-themed horror movies have come and gone over the years, from the Halloween slasher series to lesser-known gems like Murder Party. But none of them capture the spirit of the holiday quite like Michael Dougherty’s Trick ‘R Treat, a horror anthology film that tells a handful of different stories set concurrently in a small Ohio town in which Halloween is taken very seriously. Ominously linking all of them is the adorable pint-sized slasher Sam, who stalks the characters before joining in the fun himself.

Trick ‘R Treat gets more and more fantastical as it goes, with murderous parents advancing into zombies, werewolves, and killer pumpkin creatures. The whole thing has an urban-legend appeal that gives the vibe of a series of stories one might hear in hushed whispers as a kid. All the better that each story examines Halloween at a different stage of life; A trick-or-treating child, a partying young adult, a parent pᴀssing out candy, and a senior citizen who has outlived the festivities.

1

House

The most infamously fantastical horror movie ever made

The prestige of Japanese horror movies has become well-observed by Western audiences over time, but none of them indulge in the fantastical quite like House. Also colloquially known as Hausu, the 70s haunted-house flick centers on a group of teenage girlfriends who spend summer vacation at one of their aunt’s house. When the manor turns out to be very haunted, the girls are picked off one-by-one in a series of increasingly absurd supernatural deaths.

House begins with a clear disdain for reality from the very beginning, with ethereal editing choices and nonsensical story elements, such as the characters having simple descriptive names like “Gorgeous” or “Kung Fu”. The jaw-dropping methods of execution employed by the mysterious aunt and her haunted house have to be seen to be believed, blowing straight past