'Frankenstein' and 4 Other Best Adaptations of Gothic Novels, Ranked by IMDb
Stories about dark passions, forbidden knowledge, and the monsters lurking within the human soul.
Gothic literature, with its gloomy castles, supernatural forces, and tragic heroes, has inspired filmmakers for centuries. From Mary Shelley's Frankenstein to Bram Stoker's Dracula, these tales of monsters, madmen, and doomed love have laid the groundwork for countless adaptations.
5. 'Wuthering Heights', 2011
IMDb Score: 6.0/10
Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights has been adapted for the screen more than a dozen times. In Andrea Arnold's version we are only introduced to the first half of the original's plot. Yet the atmosphere of Brontë's England, with its misty, heather-covered moors, is captured to perfection.
The film opens with Mr. Earnshaw returning from a journey. He has brought back a dark-skinned teenager, a runaway from a West Indies plantation whom he found on the streets of Liverpool.
Earnshaw names the boy Heathcliff. No one welcomes the new arrival, and the boy himself has a rough, rebellious nature. He finds common ground only with Earnshaw's daughter, Catherine.
4. 'Dorian Gray', 2009
IMDb Score: 6.2/10
Dorian is a young man from the countryside who comes to London after his grandfather dies, leaving him the family estate. He quickly befriends people in high society, including Basil Hallward, a renowned artist.
Immediately struck by Dorian's extraordinary beauty, Basil attempts to capture that allure on canvas and takes the young man under his wing. At a social gathering, Dorian meets Lord Henry.
Dorian is impressed by Henry's uninhibited manner, and Henry is intrigued by Dorian's innocence. Henry teaches Dorian how to use his looks to his advantage. Influenced by Henry, Dorian begins to gradually lose the purity of his soul.
3. 'The Woman in White', 1997
IMDb Score: 7.0/10
Walter Hartright is a young artist who accepts a position as a drawing master at the wealthy Limmeridge estate. He was hired to teach Laura and Marian Fairlie, the half-sisters.
When he arrives in the area late one evening, he encounters a mysterious woman dressed in white on his way to the estate.
She behaves strangely, appearing frightened and speaking in riddles. She asks for help, but then vanishes without a trace upon hearing the sound of an approaching carriage. The Fairlie family solicitor, who meets Walter, suggests that the woman is simply a local resident.
2. 'Jane Eyre', 2011
IMDb Score: 7.3/10
Jane Eyre is often mentioned in discussions about feminist themes in classic literature. In his adaptation, director Cary Joji Fukunaga emphasizes this aspect by portraying the main character as a victim of the patriarchy.
Terrified, Jane flees Thornfield Hall, the estate where she had worked for several months. Exhausted, both physically and emotionally, she knocks on the first door she comes to, which turns out to be the home of the Rivers family.
The family welcomes her warmly and helps her regain her strength. As she rests, she reflects on the events of her life that have led her to this moment.
1. 'Frankenstein', 2025
IMDb Score: 7.4/10
Guillermo del Toro, a master of dark fairy tales, directed this new adaptation. Set in 1857, the story follows a Danish ship bound for the North Pole that becomes trapped in the Arctic ice. Nearby, the crew finds an unconscious, injured man.
Soon, a mysterious monster appears, demanding that they hand over Victor, the stranger's name.
The ship's captain refuses to yield to the creature's demands, and the sailors manage to push the beast beneath the ice. After regaining consciousness, Victor warns that the monster will return because it cannot be killed – he created it.
