What I find extremely lacking these days, in cinemas or on tv, are good gothic horror films which were abundant during the 90s. Present day audiences prefer their horror films to be more visceral. Amongst three of my favourites (all produced by Francis Ford Coppola) are Dracula (1992), Haunted (1995) and Sleepy Hollow (1999). All films were big budget films which starred big names like Gary Oldman, Anthony Hopkins,Wynona Ryder, Keanu Reeves, Johnny Depp, Christina Ricci, Christopher Walken and were remakes of classic stories except for Haunted which was a lesser known film which starred the often underrated Aidan Quinn, Anthony Andrews and the then unknown Kate Beckinsale. The film, adapted from a James Herbert novel of the same title, contains some adult themes (not unlike the other 2 films) and has all the elements of a good gothic horror story, lots of atmosphere, a haunted house, mysterious characters with hidden pasts and lots of surprises. Despite being often overlooked and forgotten, this film still remains my favourite amongst the three films simply because it was very well made and written.The deceptively simple plot about a skeptical professor who arrives (at the behest of an elderly nanny) to debunk the paranormal going-ons at her country estate may seem cliche at first but the story later reveals the characters complicated backstories which eventually ends with a surprising twist. I can't help but wish more films like these were produced but I guess gothic horror don't really appeal to the younger audience anymore. Apparently, "sparkly" vampires do ;) .
Addendum (5th May 2024) : Provided links below for those who are interested in the above movies.
Haunted 1995 DVD Amazon US (paid link)
Dracula Amazon Prime (paid link)
Dracula Blu-Ray Amazon US (paid link)
Sleepy Hollow Amazon Prime (paid link)
Sleepy Hollow 20th Anniversary Blu-Ray Amazon US (paid link)
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