Alfred Clark, Execution of Mary, Queen of Scots - 1895
Gothic in the sense of barbarous:
A 15 second film depicting the beheading of Mary Queen of Scots
Méliès, Le Manoir du Diable (The Haunted Castle) - 1896
It contains two of the three definitions of “gothic”: barbarous and medieval A 3 minute trick film which contained various elements that could be considered gothic, such as: transformation from a bat to a demon; the presence of spirits and skeletons; and a gothic setting (a castle) The ending scene will go on to become part of collective imagery: Mephistopheles dies after seeing a crucifix.
Méliès, Le Manoir du Diable (The Haunted Castle) - 1896
Although presenting gothic themes, these films were not consciously gothic, as they were more forms of experimentation of the newly introduced special effects.The presence of supernatural elements was justified by these effects (origin of the transformations or objects moving by themselves ecc.)Also, the ideas behind the films didn’t come from gothic novels, but folklore and fairy tales. Gothic themes (such as witchcraft, sorcery and Faustian pacts) were also used because of the setting (middle ages), being that they were linked to those times (it would of been much harder to add those themes to a film set in modern times)
During the transitional era of cinema (the start of classic Hollywood cinema) the film production process changed, causing an end to trick films, and the start of films with a more continuous storyline, where emotional (and not just visual) impact was important. Supernatural events would create moments of terror or suspense, deepening the plot.
Literary adaptations, such as Frankenstein by Mary Shelley surfaced, the first being “Frankenstein” by J. Searle Dawley (one of the most important “transitional films”). There were also adaptations of Bram Stoker's novel, Dracula, but the most important author was Edgar Allan Poe, whose books became the inspiration behind innumerable films, such as The Pit and the Pendulum (1909, Henri Desfontaines) and The Plague Stricken City (1912).
German films also took inspiration from romantic gothic novels, such as Murnau’s Nosferatu, based on Dracula.
During the 30's the horror genre was established, produced by Universal Pictures. Gothic themes were integrated into the genre, such as creatures like the vampire and Frankenstein's creation. Although the subgenre of gothic horror would be created later, it provided a backing for future films. This was solidified by James Whales’ Frankenstien (1931), which became a milestone in gothic cinema. It saw the commercialisation of gothic monsters, creating visual models recognised worldwide, becoming even more recognisable than the novels that they were based on.
In the early 40's, horror films favoured an urban setting over a gothic one. They were more realistic, which consequently channelled a deeper sense of horror in the viewers. Due to this, the few gothic films that were released stuck to traditional storylines, as they had proven to be successful in the past. Gothic novels like The Hunchback of Notre-Dame were adapted into films, but they favoured a more romantic aspect, so the gothic elements were hardly present.
With the advent of technicolor, gothic films left behind the 40’s melodrama, preferring more shocking visuals (since there was the possibility to use saturated colours, specifically when it came to blood).
An example of this is Hammer’s Dracula. Hammer films differ from Universal, as they are in full colour and return to the traditional gothic with topics such as taboo and violence, recovering all the major gothic archetypes.
By the 80’s gothic films in the classical sense were no longer produced, but the aesthetic remained in films such as The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975), which adapts gothic themes to modern society. Literary adaptations are rarer, and some of the only films to gain success are F. F. Coppola’s Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992), and The Mummy by Stephen Summers (1999).Once terrifying and monstrous characters start to become more human, having personalities other than being a monster. This is seen in The Lost Boys (1987), which stars a group of vampires that have adapted to modern subcultures.Tim Burton films such as Vincent and Frankenweenie reference early gothic horror like Whale’s Frankenstein and Edgar Allen Poe novels, whereas Eward Scissorhands can be seen as an adaptation of Frankenstein.
