dark fantasy It is a popular genre that mixes surrealism, horror and magic in its settings and stories. Ancient myths and legends are popular themes of dark fantasy, so when a foreign film fits into the dark fantasy category, local legends and occult elements are often part of the story.
Other times, these films are closer to adaptations of classic stories or, in some cases, inspirations for them. From ancient legends to modern mockumentaries, these are the The best foreign language dark fantasy movies.
7
black orpheus
A modern adaptation of a dark legend
- Original language: Portuguese
- Directed by: marcel camus
- Starring: Breno Mello, Marpessa Dawn
- Release date: June 12, 1959
The ancient Greek legend of Eurydice and Orpheus is one of the original dark fantasy stories, telling the story of a mortal who travels to the underworld and makes a deal with the God of Death to return his lost love. This film is an adaptation of a play called Orfeu da Conceiçao by also Brazilian Vinicius de Moraes, who also recreated that ancient legend.
the story of black orpheus It is set against the frenetic and colorful backdrop of a Carnival celebration in a typical Brazilian “favela” or working-class neighborhood. The story is told using a critically acclaimed soundtrack that helps create a bright yet haunting atmosphere along with some very creative lighting and costume choices. With characters like Hermes also present, it’s also a beautiful example of the ancient world depicted in the film.
6
Pan’s Labyrinth
A twisted story with an unhappy ending
- Original language: Spanish
- Directed by: guillermo del toro
- Starring: Sergi López, Maribel Verdú, Ivana Baquero
- Release date: May 27, 2006
One of Guillermo del Toro’s masterpieces, the film is known as Pan’s Labyrinth in its native Spanish and is one of the best modern examples of fantasy and horror in cinema. The director intended to create a parable set in a fairy tale world, and the vivid connections to a reality set in the final days of World War II only heighten the tension. The 22-minute standing ovation this film received when it screened at Cannes indicates that it was successful.
The protagonist of this story is a little girl named Ofelia, who moves to a new city with her pregnant mother to be with her new stepfather. She comes to believe that she is the reincarnation of a mythical princess from the underworld and, through a tragic series of circumstances, she travels through a labyrinth to find her way back.
5
Hero
The fantasy of the murder of a king
- Original language: Chinese
- Directed by: Zhang Yimou
- Starring: Jet Li, Tony Leung, Maggie Cheung
- Release date: October 24, 2002
Hero It is described as a “wuxia” film, meaning it is part of a genre that uses ancient Chinese literature and legends as source material. It tells a story of sword masters, kings and martial artists during the time of the Warring States Period, specifically between 227 and 221 BC.
The film is a combination of historical fiction and the power of the supernatural, and the costumes and sets are famous for their color-coded motifs that are meant to symbolize the elements, gods or powers of each character. They have names like Long Sky, Flying Snow, and Broken Sword, while the hero of the story remains nameless.
4
troll hunter
A dark fantasy mockumentary
- Original language: Norwegian
- Directed by: André Ovredal
- Starring: Otto Jespersen, Hans Morten Hansen, Tomás Alf Larsen
- Release date: October 29, 2010
Comedy and dark fantasy are a fun and entertaining combination, and many movies and TV shows that take this angle seem to be from Norway. troll hunter is an example. The Trolls of Norwegian mythology are giant humanoid creatures with powers such as immense strength, astonishing longevity, and a keen sense of smell. The aesthetic of this film is very documentary, with some unequivocal references to films like Tornado, except it’s the Trolls that the main characters chase instead of tornadoes.
What begins as a group of college students searching for information on a bear poacher turns into an entirely different type of project when the suspect “confesses” that he hasn’t been hunting bears, but rather trolls. The students ask the Trollhunter, known as Hans, if they can follow him on a hunt. He consents, but only if you do exactly what he says. Both horror and hilarity ensue.
3
The city of lost children
Steal dreams and create nightmares
- Original language: French
- Directed by: Marc Caro and Jean-Pierre Jeunet
- Starring: Ron Perlman, Daniel Emilfork, Judith Vittet
- Release date: May 17, 1995
Nightmares, monsters who cannot dream, and hideouts on abandoned oil rigs are part of the story of this dark fantasy sci-fi film from France. Viewers who like a facet of mecha-horror reminiscent of films like David Lynch’s Dune either time bandits You will also appreciate the aesthetics of The city of lost children.
The main character is a creature named Krank, who was created by a scientist who passed away a long time ago. Krank uses the dreams of kidnapped children to slow his aging process. The rest of the plot involves a cyborg cult, a carnival, and a girl who learns to manipulate dreams to defeat the bad guy, which may sound familiar to fans of Nightmare on Elm Street.
2
Beauty and the beast
The original French film adaptation
- Original language: French
- Directed by: Jean Cocteau
- Starring: Jean Marais, Josette Day, Mila Parély
- Release date: October 26, 1946
The original story of Beauty and the beast was published in 1757, so this dark fantasy film took almost two centuries to make. The way camera work and editing are used to create a fantastical, surreal world within the Beast’s castle at a time when special effects were limited is nothing short of amazing, which is one of the reasons why That this movie has aged so well.
This version follows the original and describes Bella’s father as a formerly wealthy man who lost everything at sea and is currently struggling to care for his three daughters. One day, he goes to another city to recover a good payment and asks his daughters what they want. Adelaide and Felicie ask for frivolous gifts, but the modest and charming Bella only asks for a rose, which turns out to be the most expensive gift of all.
1
Together with the gods: the two worlds
Hidden fantasy from another world
- Original language: Korean
- Directed by: Kim Yonghwa
- Starring: Ha Jung-woo, Cha Tae-hyun, Ju Ji-hoon, Kim Hyang-gi
- Release date: December 20, 2017
Written in the original Hanguel, the literal translation of this title is Next to God: sin and punishmentwhich gives the viewer a better idea of the plot and draws on various ideas about the afterlife. It begins when the main character, a firefighter named Kim Ja-hong, dies on the job and is escorted to the afterlife to stand trial.
Ja-hong doesn’t have to face the trial alone. He has three guardians assigned to assist him by escorting him to his trials and acting in his defense, and they have 49 days to achieve this goal. Ja-hong has to navigate through several hells, such as the Hell of Murder, the Hell of Indolence, and the Hell of Filial Pity, just to name a few, before he can be reincarnated. His problems become even more complicated when a close relative dies and becomes an evil spirit demanding revenge.