Top 9 Timeless Period Piece Horror Films
Ted Hentschke
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6) Shadow of the Vampire (2000):
I intentionally didn’t add any of the classic Frankenstein or Dracula films to this list since those stories are only period pieces by virtue of when they were written. Shadow of the Vampire gets to squeak by, though, as it’s a vampire period piece about the making of Nosferatu. If Bram Stoker’s Dracula was about Bram Stoker writing Dracula, then it would also get a pass.
There’s a lot of Shadow of the Vampire that’s historically inaccurate and done for laughs. A lot of the main characters are killed but in fact lived long and happy lives, and Max Schreck is not in fact a real life vampire. I also highly doubt that Murnau was so evil as to kill people just to get the perfect shot. As a metaphor for the ruthless early days of filmmaking, it’s both clever and compelling. It’s unique and fun, and Willem Dafoe’s portrayal of vampire Schreck rivals Schreck’s portrayal of vampire Orlok. How’s that for meta?!?
5) I Sell the Dead (2008):
Honestly, I have no idea if grave robbing was a huge part of the socioeconomic class struggle of the working poor in late 1800’s England. I’m sure there’s a lot to be read into regarding Blake and Grimes’ flimsy morals in light of their uncouth profession. Reading too much into a horror comedy about grave robbers who graduate from pilfering regular graves to pilfering supernatural graves makes you lame. I don’t want to be lame. This one can just be here for fun.
That’s not to say it’s a dumb movie. I Sell the Dead is witty, clever, and a hell of a lot of fun. It’s the kind of macabre setting that black humor flourishes in, but it also isn’t afraid to be slapstick and goofy from time to time. It’s got a great cast of anti-heroes and villains and a subject matter that I’d wager is 70% genius and 30% drugs. It is the best movie out there about people who steal zombies/vampires/banshees for a living.
4) The Woman in Black (2012):
Remember what I said about not murdering wronged Victorian women in mansions? That goes double for making them commit suicide. That’ll net you a whole village worth of curse, with a bonus death of your firstborns to boot.
I used to have a joke with my friends that this movie should have just been called Harry Potter Gets Spooked for 90 Minutes in a Creepy House. It wasn’t an entirely fair assessment, as the movie does subtly reflect the eugenics movement of the early 20th century, especially in regards to women judged to be mentally infirm. It’s a tragic little piece of history to dig into, so feel free to do so on your own. The movie only briefly hints at this, as most of it is dedicated to creepy dolls and jumps scares. I’d normally deride a film like this, but it’s exceptionally well done. You have to respect a movie that you like despite typically not caring for the style. Between the candlelit corridors and cackling ghost, The Woman in Black wins you over.
