photographer Sophia Oster
stylist Sophia Oster 
journalist Hannah Herdman 
director Mariah Thompson 
graphic designer Jaiden Creggor 
makeup artist Nora Beilmeier
models Melanie Do, Avery Felix, Marina Froelich, Mary Germilhac, Hannah Herdman, Maddie O'Mara and Mariah Thompson

photographer assist Deshon Smith
stylist assist Jackie Morton and Joshua Slosser 
 

Combining ominous themes and ambitious characters with mystical visuals and heart-wrenching storylines encapsulates the genre of dark fantasy. Dark fantasy movies are laced with countless enticing attributes, making them appealing to watch. The genre of dark fantasy plays on the idea of mystical beings and gothic atmospheres. However, the characters in these movies are often innocent or naive and the combination of the two leaves the viewer with a feeling of intrigue toward dark fantasy movies. 

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Dark fantasy movies were incredibly popular during the 1980s. This has left the public nowadays with a sense of nostalgia regarding old dark fantasy films. There are many reasons why these films have such a radiating feeling of deep reminiscence, however, first acknowledging why these films came to be is of utmost importance. In the 1980s, there were many notable dark fantasy movies made. As someone who was born more than two decades after the ‘80s, I can list multiple dark fantasy movies made in this decade. To me, that speaks volumes about the prominence of these movies in our culture.  

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“...sci-fi films were high-quality entertainment and fueled the public’s desire and fascination with the unknown,” read an article by Sonoma State University. 

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This article toys with the idea that people are fascinated with the unknown. It’s human nature to be curious, so as dark fantasy movies became more popular in the 1980s, curiosity transitioned to creativity and entertainment. Dark fantasy movies were being released rapidly and people adored them.  

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Those who lived their childhood during the 1980s or even decades after, like me, are overcome with a sense of nostalgia when watching specific movies. One of the most memorable dark fantasy movies for me personally is “The Neverending Story,” a movie made in 1984. Considering this movie was made 20 years before I was born, it was extremely impactful on my childhood.  

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Other powerful movies include "Labyrinth” and “The Princess Bride” both have ongoing themes of childhood, which is a contributing factor to nostalgia. These movies include coming-of-age themes as well. Dark fantasy has impacted our culture as a whole in multiple ways. The impact of dark fantasy is more noticeable nowadays because of technology. This is because there was no major social media in the ‘80s. 

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Combining the serene feeling of nostalgia with the newest technology and social media makes for some interesting trends. With the rise of TikTok in the past decade, there are new trends every week. The newest TikTok trends usually include at least one of the following: trending products, new dances, comedy and news topics. Something that has taken the world by storm is the invention of Artificial Intelligence. With AI becoming normalized and more AI platforms being created, it seems that anyone can do anything, and there are no limits to what AI can do. 

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Specifically, a trending topic on TikTok has been AI-generated photos and videos. By simply asking an AI bot to create an image based on a provided description, the bot will interpret the description and generate an image. The description could be extremely vague, yet the AI bot will still create something, which is what makes the idea so trendy. Depending on what’s currently popular, there are many different aspects of this trend. With the dark fantasy genre being so popular, it has become a trend to ask AI to generate dark fantasy versions of Disney princesses. Although this seems slightly random, there is some context to this trend. Dark fantasy was a genre that defined the ‘80s as a decade, which, in hindsight, is very similar to the Disney generation. Although Walt Disney as a company was creating movies and princesses for decades before the ‘80s, it started peaking with the creation of Disney Channel and every television show aired on the channel.  

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There is a sense of resemblance between the genre of dark fantasy and the noticeable picture of Disney princesses. Both carry an intense amount of nostalgia for two different decades. Given the opportunity to combine them with this new technology, although it might seem random, it genuinely makes sense for the generation. “The detail in some of these images is incredible,” said Spencer Gurley in a YouTube video titled, Why all the 80's Dark Fantasy Films?  Besides the nostalgia factor, there’s also this fascination with testing the limits of AI. Since it’s such a new invention, its capabilities are not fully known. By asking it to create random and obscure photographs, it gives a better understanding of what AI can do. 

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Nostalgia and social media trends would not exist if it weren’t for the aesthetic. Aesthetics and atmosphere are some of the most important aspects of movies. It sets the stage for the entire experience, working as a hypothetical glue for the whole operation. Without a set aesthetic, a good plot can turn into a bad plot, and a cool shot can turn into a boring shot. It all depends on the aesthetics and how the directors choose to showcase the plot, imagery and characters. 

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“Henson’s ‘Labyrinth’ transported viewers into another world—a world of goblins, tea-drinking worms and bogs of eternal stench,” states Sckylar Gibby-Brown in an article called The 80s Was The Best Decade For Fantasy Films And It’s Not Close, published on Giant Freakin Robot. What does the aesthetic of a dark fantasy movie from the ‘80s look like? Well, there are no limits as to what the movie contains; the plots of dark fantasy movies are on an extremely broad spectrum that is impossible to simplify. However, despite the differences in plots and storylines, dark fantasy movies have a distinguished look to them.  

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The aesthetic is based around innocent princesses with long glowing hair and nasty villains with rotted teeth and terrible intentions. The interesting concept of most dark fantasy movies is the contrast between the two. Taking something so pure and innocent like a princess and exposing it to the darkest, grossest evil villain. The differences between the two are very interesting to view and create a great aesthetic. 

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Being able to effectively convey a theme is highly important. It gives viewers a chance to connect and romanticize the fictional world, which makes the film that much more special.  

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Dark fantasy has one of the most well-portrayed aesthetics of every movie genre. The aesthetic is so distinguished that personally connecting to any dark fantasy movie is not difficult, and there are hundreds of dark fantasy films that serve as a representation of that.  

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Along with the dark and mysterious aesthetic, the lessons within ‘80s dark fantasy films are just as important. The morals and life lessons provided in dark fantasy movies aid the nostalgic feeling and unique aesthetic.  

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Lessons in old dark fantasy movies often run according to the theme. Whether that be self-discovery, never giving up, the importance of family and so much more. Depending on the film, there is always something valuable to learn from a dark fantasy movie. Dark fantasy is an eerie but inspiring theme, dabbling in the unknown but proving its lesson and morals clear.