Love & Horror
My Top 5 Love Stories in Horror and Sci-fi
Valentine’s Day is here so I thought it would be fun to name the top love stories in Horror and Sci-fi films. I came up with these 5 picks but I need your help. Give me some more ideas for Love in Horror Films (not horror in love stories).
5) Frankenstein and his Bride – The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
There are few heartbreaking scenes in horror as poignant as the one where the Frankenstein Monster is rejected by his newly reanimated bride. Love is supposed to heal all, but even from his own kind there is no love in this world for the monster. Despite all the face make-up you can see the humility and dejection in the monster‘s actions and movements; praise to Karloff for his ability to act through this creature design. His bottom lip quivers; one tear falls from his eye as he pulls the lever that explodes the castle.
4) Verden Fell and Lady Ligeia – The Tomb of Ligeia (1964)
“Man need not kneel before the angels, nor lie in death for all eternity, save only for the weakness of his feeble will…” E.A. Poe
These are the last words spoken by Verden Fell’s wife, Ligeia before she dies. Verden visits Ligeia’s graveside often and speaks of her returning from the tomb. To his new wife’s dismay, Verden’s behavior becomes even stranger when they move into his Abbey after their honeymoon. Rowena begins to believe that Ligeia has already returned in the deep hours of night, stalking the halls and towers of their home, perhaps hiding by day in the body of a mysterious black cat. This fine Poe adaptation is a remarkably underrated film and one of Price’s classic character portrayals. Love can never die, but it can kill.
3) Seth Brundle & Veronica Quaife
Aka: Veronica and BrundleFly – The Fly (1986)
It tugs at your heart, every time Veronica goes to see her love, scientist Seth Brundle, and finds he has become more fly-like than human. To her horror, Veronica finds out she is pregnant. Seth kidnaps her with plans to enter the telepod and become the ultimate family unit – man, wife and baby, sharing one body. Now that is true love and true love can certainly transform a person into something… better. Donuts, anyone?
2) Count Dracula and Mina – Bram Stokers Dracula (1992)
Love never dies, it just comes back to bite you in the… neck. Dracula could have easily mesmerized her and taken control, to gain what he wanted. But Count Dracula wanted Mina to fall in love with him again and discover her past life without his supernatural influence. He risks life and limb for this love to flourish, and it does in the end, just in time for him to die his final death. The film leaned heavy on the romance between Dracula and Mina, more so than in the book.
1) King Kong and Ann Darrow – King Kong (1933)
He took her to the ends of the earth and to the top of the world, but still, this love was not acceptable in a modern world. He risked it all for his love, and lost it all. This is your basic Beauty and the Beast story, reinvented for the 19th century. If Kong could only speak… “What’s with all the screaming? Come on, you like me, You’re just playin’ hard to get. Look, I’ll beat up this pteradactyl. How you like me now?”
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So tell me, what are your favorite love stories in this genre?
Let me know and I will add films to the list.
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Honorable Mentions/ Readers choices:
***Curt and Julie – Return of the Living Dead 3 (1993)
Great suggestion from Creature With the Atomic Brain
***Oskar and Eli – Let the Right One In (2008)
Another great suggestion from Porkchop
***Francesco and ‘the woman’ – Cemetery Man (1994)
aka: Dellamorte, DellAmore
OK, this should probably be in my Top-5. It also contains one of the most bizarre sex scenes (in a graveyard) I’ve ever seen in a horror film.
Thanks, Rob!
***David and Nurse Alex – An American Werewolf in London (1981)
Great choice offered by Brian, Hard Ticket to Home Video
***May and Adam – May (2002)
(& Polly & Petey & whatever that thing is at the end)
Never seen this but read the synopsis and seems like a good choice.
I am definitely going to have to see this. Recommended by The IPC
***Yu & Hai’er – from the ‘Going Home’ segment of ‘3 Extremes II’ (2002)
Never saw this one either. Recommended by GaryLee
***Mark and Anna – Possession (1981) Gotta’ see this one again!
And in my ‘got a clue’ moment of the year, I’ve just realized that Sam Neill has been in a lot of horror and sci-fi movies! Recommended by Jeff
***Eban and Stella – 30 Days of Night (2007)
Okay, late entry, but had to get this one in. Recommended by my tech-challenged RLF, Tommy.
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Thanks to everyone that contributed to this list and for making it one of my most veiwed posts at Parlor of Horror. I have to check out a few of these that I have not seen and ya’ll should do the same. Unless there are any late entries, this list is done, and I am moving on. Happy Valentine’s Day – 2-14-2013
Great blog. All good movies. Bride of Frankenstein is one of my all time favorites.
Can you think of any films I could add to the list?
Audition perhaps? Not sure if it fits your list though. The only other film I can think of is My Bloody Valentine (more original than remake).
But that doesn’t seem to fit your list too well either.
Were either of the characters in Audition actually in love with the other? I don’t remember the film so well, I watched with my hands over my eyes, peeking through my fingers, lol.
No not really. Asami was just insane lol. So yeah wouldn’t fit.
I haven’t seen it in a few years I need to revisit. The final act was crazy!!
The Fly, good choice 😀
It was on AMC the other night, now there’s an example of a remake that I think is outstanding.
They can be done right 😀
If you have any suggestions let me know, I’m updating the post with honorable mentions/readers choice reccomendations. Already added some to the list.
The Thing 1982 is an obvious one and Dawn of the Dead wasn’t bad either 😀
Great list. Love that The Fly is on here. How about Let The Right One In?
Excellent recommendation!
Actually, I never saw it. I saw the english version, Let Me In and wasn’t to impressed, so I’ve been slow to watch the original.
Original is far superior to the American version, IMO. It really is a love story too. Check it out. 🙂
I think you’re right and I posted ‘Let the Right One In’ in the honorable mentions, check it out.
Awesome!
BTW your blog has inspired me to write a horror movie/Valentine’s Day related post myself. Thanks!
Great idea for a list. Might have to steal it ;D If I end up posting a romance list, I’ll link to yours.
And I will link back 🙂
Wow, love stories and horror, great idea for an article
thanks, if you have any suggestions let me know. I’m posting them as honorable mentions/readers choice in the post.
I would have included Return of the living dead: part 3, it’s not a great film, but it always stuck with me as the zombie film with a love story 😀
Great Post 😀
Ah ha! excellent suggestion. Its posted – take a look.
Hey Mike, how about Cemetery Man?
Oh man, forgot about this one – great suggestion! its posted.
All cool except I can’t stand that version of Dracula. What about Army of darkness the tale of a man and his love of looking out for himself.
Lol, “Gimme some sugar, baby” BTW, checked out your V. Price post, have you ever seen The Tomb of Ligeia?
I have seen it. It’s a good one and rather serious for Corman. I used to have it on VHS, but have never gotten around to getting it on DVD.
Yeah, its a great movie and not really talked about that much.
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This is one of the most grossly underrated and unknown films, but on the “3 Extremes part 2” series one of the 3 stories (around 40 minutes long) is called “Going Home”. It is truly a beautiful love story! It epitomizes what you’re looking for for this article.
I’m more looking for full-length films that 2 romantic horror fans can watch on Valentine’s Day. But you got my interest, I will have to check out ‘3 Extremes 2’.
I know exactly what you’re looking for, and “Going Home” suffices! Trust me. Girls were writing on the message board that the story made them cry. You will not find another film better suited. Forget about the length. You’re just going to have to trust my expertise on this one.
Okay, I will trust your opinion. its posted 🙂
Good deal! 🙂
What about An American Werewolf In London? Alex’s love for David is pretty central to the plot and especially the climax.
Great choice, and, I just like that you used the word ‘climax’ in a post about love, lol. Its posted.
I was referring to the porn theater at the end.
How about Lucky McKee’s “May”??
Never seen it but added it after reading the synopsis. Now that I’ve seen pics, I want to see it.
Have you seen Splice. Now that’s creepy and the sex scene is definitely out of this world. I was truly creeped out.
No I haven’t seen Splice, probably because it looked like a Species copykat movie. I’ll have to check that out.
It does have similarities but it’s so creepy. I just watched Species again Friday night! Probably because of talking about Splice.
I just watched Barricade from Netflix and what a let down. So convoluted, and never really did pull it together. The ending was confusing and fell flat.
KING KONG 1933: classic film…and it’s even older than me! 🙂
LOL older than me too!
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