Gretel & Hansel and 4 Other Dark Fairy Tales to Watch After The Ugly Stepsister
These scary tales are definitely not meant for children.
Recently, the body horror movie The Ugly Stepsister, based on the fairy tale Cinderella, was released. It reimagines the original story in an extremely dark and frightening way.
However, classic fairy tales have often become the basis for creepy horror movies.
1. Snow White: A Tale of Terror, 1997
A pack of wolves attacks Lord Frederick Hoffman's carriage, which is carrying his pregnant wife, Lady Hoffman. The woman is mortally wounded and begs her husband to save their child.
They name the girl Lilli in honor of her mother, and thanks to an ancient legend, she receives the nickname Snow White. A few years later, Lord Frederick marries the redheaded beauty Claudia.
She soon becomes pregnant but has a miscarriage. Desperate after losing her child, the mother resorts to ancient magic.
2. Tale of Tales, 2015
The movie is set in three fairy-tale kingdoms: the Kingdom of Longtrellis, the Kingdom of Strongcliff, and the Kingdom of Highhills. In the first kingdom, the queen is unable to conceive and turns to a necromancer for help.
In the second kingdom, the king is forced to marry his daughter to a giant. In the third land, the ruler falls in love with the beautiful voice of two ugly old women.
3. Beauty and the Beast, 1946
Belle is the youngest child of a broke merchant and is forced to do menial tasks around the house.
When her father leaves on a trip to improve the financial situation, her sisters ask him to bring back exotic souvenirs. However, Belle only asks for a beautiful rose.
On the way home, the merchant finds himself in an enchanted castle. He picks a rose for Belle, and at that moment, a monster appears and threatens to kill him unless someone takes his place. Belle volunteers to go to the castle.
4. Gretel & Hansel, 2020
After their father dies, their lonely, poor mother throws her children – 16-year-old Gretel and 8-year-old Hansel – out of the house.
Following a hunter's advice, the kids set out through the forest in search of shelter and work. They soon lose their way, however, and stumble upon a black house where an old woman lives.
She lets the children stay and feeds them in exchange for help around the house. Hansel is happy, but Gretel suspects that something is wrong. Every night, she dreams of children screaming, and constantly notices a devilish figure near the hut.
5. Red Riding Hood, 2011
Valerie lives in a small village on the edge of the forest. She dreams of marrying Peter, a lumberjack. However, her parents arrange a marriage for her to the son of a wealthy blacksmith in order to pay off a debt.
Valerie and Peter then decide to run away together, but their plans are thwarted by the appearance of a werewolf terrorizing the village.
This gothic thriller, based on the fairy tale of the same name, will be a special treat for fans of Twilight.