Six Romantic Horror Films We Love to Love
Move over cheesy rom-coms, this year the folks at What Sleeps Beneath are putting a stake in the heart of traditional Valentine’s Day films and are relishing in the romantic (and sometimes twisted) horror movies. Contrary to popular belief, amidst all the jump scares, gore, and hauntings, a few love stories are hidden within the otherwise dark and spooky genre. Whether you’re binge-eating candy hearts and chocolate or avoiding the holiday altogether, we hope that you’ll find new reasons to gush over the occasional story where love and horror intertwine.
Warm Bodies (2013)
Warm Bodies, image via IMDb.
As a plague devastates the world, the infected population becomes divided between zombies and humans. Amidst this grim reality, an atypical zombie named R (Nicholas Hoult) witnesses a woman named Julie (Teresa Palmer) being attacked and intervenes to save her. Recognizing R's uniqueness among the zombie horde, Julie and R forge an unconventional connection. As their relationship deepens and R undergoes a remarkable transformation towards humanity, a series of events is set in motion that holds the potential to reshape the entire desolate world.
The Lost Boys (1987)
Teenage brothers Michael (Jason Patric) and Sam (Corey Haim) relocate with their mother (Dianne Wiest) to a fictional beach town in northern California. As Sam befriends fellow comic-book enthusiasts Edward (Corey Feldman) and Alan (Jamison Newlander), Michael finds himself drawn to Star (Jami Gertz), who is entangled with David (Kiefer Sutherland), the charismatic leader of a local vampire gang. Now, Sam and his newfound companions must unite to rescue Michael and Star from the clutches of the undead.
A Ghost Story (2017)
A man who has recently passed away comes back as a ghost to his suburban home, aiming to comfort his grieving wife. However, he discovers that in his spectral form, he is trapped in a timeless existence, compelled to observe helplessly as the familiar life he once had and the woman he holds dear gradually fade away.
Edward Scissorhands (1990)
Scientist Vincent Price creates an animated human, Edward (Johnny Depp), but dies before finishing him, leaving Edward with scissor blades for hands. Saleswoman Peg (Dianne Wiest) finds and brings Edward home, where he falls for Peg's daughter (Winona Ryder). Despite his kindness and artistic talent, Edward's unconventional hands make him an outcast.
Misery (1990)
Following a severe car accident, novelist Paul Sheldon (James Caan) is saved by Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates), a former nurse who professes to be his biggest fan. Taking him to her secluded cabin for recovery, Annie's fixation turns ominous when she learns that Sheldon is eliminating her favorite character from his novels. While Sheldon plots his escape, seemingly kind, but obsessive Annie turns violent, compelling the author to tailor his writing to satisfy her distorted fantasies.
Love and Monsters (2020)
Seven years post-Monsterpocalypse, Joel Dawson (Dylan O'Brien) and the remnants of humanity shelter underground, dominated by colossal creatures. Rediscovering his high school girlfriend Aimee (Jessica Henwick), now at a distant coastal colony, through radio contact, Joel rekindles feelings for her. Faced with the realization that staying underground offers him nothing, Joel braves the perilous journey through monster-infested terrain to reunite with Aimee 80 miles away.
Article by Destiny King
Destiny is a supporting member of the Horror Writers Association who’s been working in B2B publishing for nearly a decade. Her favorite horror subgenres are true crime, found footage, and psychological thrillers. Find her on Letterboxd.
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