India, June 4 -- Gothic movies can be irresistibly captivating. It is probably the eerie grandeur of decaying castles, the misty moors or the tragic characters who seem more like shadows than humans. Or perhaps, it's how these horror films fuse a surreal sense of beauty with macabre themes, romance, comedy and anxiety, making it difficult to forget them. The best gothic movies are nothing but a combination of all this with fine storytelling, reinventing horror with gripping narratives and spell-binding mystery.

At their heart, gothic horror movies are all about atmosphere. Defining themes include desolate settings - ancient mansions, flickering candles, and secrets hidden behind stone walls. These visuals, often influenced by German exp...