Why Fantasy Horror Is a Dark and Wonderful Dread
Fantasy and horror combined together can create these amazing and beautiful tales into something grisly and dark.
These kind of fantasy tales are defined as “dark urban fantasy,’ their story now focusing on a grotesque environment with their characters and setting. There are six elements that can create a dark fantasy tale:
- Supernatural creatures - they are practically in every fantasy horror story.
- Ambiguous characters - we always need those strange and mysterious characters.
- A creepy tone - I think every fantasy horror tale has this eerie setting.
- Fear - supernatural creatures would definitely bring in the fear factor.
- Terrible deaths - these deaths are always so freaking brutal.
- Pure evil - of course we need some evil bastards for the main heroes to battle.
- Dark magic - the evil or strange characters need some kind of dark magic to make the fantasy horror story feel complete.
One great example that contains all of these examples in the dark fantasy story is the remake to the horror film, Suspiria.
The story follows the journey of a young woman who is determined to be accepted into a dance school, and her dream comes true...but it turns out that something is deeply wrong with the school. We as the audience learn that evil witches own the studio, and are searching for the perfect girl to use for their ritual that will awaken a 'special witch' that will rule them.
This film has everything that I love about fantasy horror.
The witches are evil and a complete mystery, and they delight in torturing people in brutal ways. There is one scene where a poor woman is targeted by the witches, and they put a powerful spell on her, that causes her body to contort in any direction. The witches decide to keep her alive for their future sick ritual.
Pretty evil, huh?
The viewers receive a little bit of backstory, but we don’t really know the full story as to why these witches are choosing to live horrible lives like this. Several of them clearly state their disapproval of the witch clan, but the only escape is death; and it is rarely a quick one.
This tale is deeply disturbing, and there are hardly any happy moments throughout the entire film.
The couple happy scenes we do get is the main character spending time with her new friend at the dancing studio, or the poor older man who misses his wife dearly after so many years.
This fantasy film remains gritty until the end, and even though there was somewhat of a happy ending for one of the main characters, the ending darkly implies that the witches are going to continue their reign of evil.
That is why I love fantasy horror.
It’s sort of like ruining a painting, and watching the colors mix together into something horrible.
As a horror fan, that’s probably the best way I can truly describe fantasy horror.
Fantasy horror likes to challenge the genre, and it never holds back to make the viewer feel uncomfortable when they realize they are admiring the terrible things that are taking place in the story.
The horror fantasy genre likes to play with the heads of their audiences, making them ponder if there is something wrong with them. I have even questioned myself sometimes, but I can’t help but love the genre.
Fantasy horror is never afraid to leave their audiences
scarred for life, and they are willing to expose anyone into their
dark world.
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