It is quite a challenge to successfully fuse opposing film genres; horror and romance are two of the hardest to combine, but when done effectively can produce remarkable results. Some of cinema’s most exciting and memorable movies feature the combination of conflicting styles, with movie studios taking advantage of the fan base that adores each method. When filmmakers combine the passion of the romantic genre with the terror of horror, real magic can happen.
There’s something about the two styles of storytelling that really complement each other, proving that a movie can indeed be as gruesome as it is dreamy. The 19th century might have had great romantic horror, but cinema is catching up.
Updated December 28, 2022: If you’re a fan of both horror and romance, you’ll be happy to know that this list has been updated with additional content and movies.
For decades, the silver screen has been home to countless films that cross genres, with some attempts proving more fruitful than others. From modern retellings of classic movie monsters to adaptations of beloved gothic tales, the cinema is no stranger to multi-genre movies. Here are 5 movies that skillfully combine horror and romance.
Sleepy cavity
Loosely based on Washington Irving’s famous 1999 short story Sleepy cavity follows the quirky yet friendly Ichabod Crane, a police officer who is sent to the small village of Sleepy Hollow to investigate a series of grisly murders many fear may have been committed by the mysterious Headless Horseman. Johnny Depp stars as the quirky Crane, who falls in love with the beautiful Katrina Van Tassel, played by Christina Ricci, during his probe.
Tuned to frequent Depp collaborator Tim Burton’s stunning gothic backdrop and haunted atmosphere, Sleepy cavity is a creepy supernatural thriller that also features a delicate blossoming love story amidst all the murder and mayhem. The scenes of Ichabod and Katrina together are tender and timid, perfectly capturing the thrilling feelings of a new romance. The folk horror movie was praised by critics, with Timeout New York writing, “Like Burton’s best films, Sleepy cavity takes place in a world so richly imagined that, despite the horrors aplenty, you can’t help but want to step through the screen.
Warm bodies
Jonathan Levine’s romantic horror comedy Warm bodies is a quirky story that focuses on a zombie falling in love with a human, perfectly blending the rom-com and zombie genres. Nicholas Hoult and Theresa Palmer portray the star-crossed couple, despite being on opposite sides of the ongoing zombie apocalypse (one is breathing and the other is not). When R (Hoult) saves Julie (Palmer) from an undead attack, he begins to feel human again and his heart beats for the first time. As the two spend time together and bond, R slowly begins to return to human form.
The charming film is a unique take on both the horror and romance genres and features plenty of gore and tender infatuation. Warm bodies lead Theresa Palmer beautifully explained the essence of the movie The Boston Herald, saying: “For me, the core of the story is that love breathes life into people. That human connection saves us. People who have dimmed those lights within them become brighter when they fall in love.
Bones and all
The provocative yet hard-to-watch romantic horror movie from 2022 Bones and all stars Timothée Chalamet and Taylor Russell as two young cannibals in the 1980s who embark on a cross-country journey and eventually fall in love while living on the fringes of society. Luca Guadagnino’s photo chronicles the couple’s efforts to embrace the blossoming romance between them while also dealing with their murderous desires, leading to pivotal revelations by both of them. Guadagnino described Bones and all as “a very romantic story, about the impossibility of love and yet its necessity. Even in extreme circumstances.”
The horror film was praised for its great performances, stunning cinematography and fusion of genres, and went on to win the Silver Lion at the Venice International Film Festival. The protector raved about Bones and all in their five-star review, they called it an “extravagant and outrageous film: scary, nasty and surprising in its twisted romantic idealism.”
Bram Stoker’s Dracula
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Arguably the sexiest retelling of the story of Dracula, Francis Ford Coppola’s 1992 gothic horror Bram Stoker’s Dracula features the exceptional talent of Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder, Anthony Hopkins and Keanu Reeves. The lavish production chronicles the classic monster’s crusade to seduce Jonathan Harker’s fiancé, Mina Murray, who he believes is the reincarnation of his late wife. When Dracula settles down in London, mayhem and mayhem overwhelms the strange land as the iconic vampire will stop at nothing to reclaim his lost love.
The sensual and operatic adaptation beautifully retells the breathtaking classic story, and Oldman and Ryder shine on screen with their captivating chemistry. Bram Stoker’s Dracula is one of the best cinematic examples of the effective fusion of horror and romance. Film critic Richard Corliss praised the film, saying “Coppola brings the old spooky tale to life… Everyone knows Dracula has a heart; Coppola knows it takes more than an organ to drive a stake… This one lavish film restores the creature’s nobility and gives him peace.”
Only loved ones who are still alive
In the compelling 2013 film Only loved ones who are still alive, Tilda Swinton and Tom Hiddleston play two worldly vampires married for centuries who reconnect after spending time apart; the pair ponder the meaning of life and the tragic state of humanity. Hiddleston is fantastic as Adam, a gifted musician battling intense depression who finds himself in a better mood after reuniting with his beloved wife Eve (Swinton); their joyful union is jeopardized by the arrival of Eve’s reckless and dangerous sister (a scheming Mia Wasikowska).
Only loved ones who are still alive features fantastic performances from both Swinton and Hiddleston, whose chemistry as the lovelorn yet perpetually haunted vampires really propels the mesmerizing image. It then competed for the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival and in 2016 ended up on the BBC List of the 100 Greatest Movies of the 21st Century.
Crimson peak
From the visionary mind of Guillermo del Toro comes the 2015 romantic horror film Crimson peak, set in Edwardian-era England and follows young aspiring writer Edith as she moves into a remote Gothic mansion in the English hills with her new husband and his sister. Once she arrives, Edith discovers a mystery surrounding the estate and is visited by ghostly apparitions that make her question not only her surroundings, but reality itself.
Starring an A-list cast including Mia Wasikowska, Tom Hiddleston and Jessica Chastain, Crimson peak is a beautiful, romantic gothic horror (similar to Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights) full of terrifying ghosts and gruesome secrets that push its heroine over the edge. Edith’s new husband Thomas awakens desire and love in her heart as the two try to deepen their relationship despite the dark and menacing mansion. del Toro called the film a “ghost story and gothic romance” which he described as “a very set-oriented, classic yet modern take on the ghost story.”
The mummy
Stephen Sommers’ remake of the 1932 horror classic of the same name, from 1999 The mummy is a fantasy film that focuses on American adventurer Rick O’Connell as he travels to Hamunaptra, the City of the Dead, with quirky librarian Evelyn and her comedic brother Jonathan. The trio accidentally awakens the cursed High Priest Imhotep, who wreaks havoc in Egypt as he searches for the reincarnation of his long-lost love, Evelyn.
With a dynamic combination of Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz, The mummy is an energetic and exciting adaptation that really has it all: a ruthless monster seeking revenge, a charming and bickering romantic couple full of sizzling chemistry and a beautiful Egyptian backdrop.
The blockbuster hit has its fair share of gruesome horror, hilarious humor and tons of action, but it’s Rick and Evelyn’s burgeoning romance that really makes The mummy the ultimate crowd pleaser (and audiences want more of it). For the twentieth anniversary of the horror adventure, writer noted Maria Lewis that its cinematic triumph is due to its successful blend of “heart, humour, [heroics]and horror.”
Let the right one in
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In Tomas Alfredson’s suspenseful 2008 romantic horror hit Let the right one in, a bullied and sensitive boy in Stockholm finds both comfort and love in his new mysterious neighbour, not realizing that the beautiful but melancholic girl is actually a vampire responsible for local murders. The adolescents develop a deep and profound bond despite initially being forbidden to see each other, and when Oskar discovers the true nature of the peculiar Eli, he is forced to confront his true feelings and the limitations of love.
Adapted from John Ajvide Lindqvist’s novel of the same name, the film garnered widespread critical acclaim upon release, winning numerous accolades including a Saturn Award and the British Independent Film Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Critics raved about the gentle and understated approach and the love story between the children despite the blood and violence. with Roger Ebert calling Let the right one in “the best modern vampire movie.”