10 of the best romantic horror movies to watch on Valentine's Day

10 of the best romantic horror movies to watch on Valentine's Day

So, you like horror films but the special person in your life enjoys romantic movies. What to do? Easy! Pick one or two titles from the list below of the best romantic horror movies of all time.

An American Werewolf in London (1981)

It’s an age-old story: Boy meets girl, girl likes boy, boy turns out to be a werewolf. David Naughton and Jenny Agutter are the full-moon-crossed lovers in writer-director Jon Landis’ horror classic.

The Fly (1986)

Arguably the most disgusting love story ever. Jeff Goldblum’s scientist falls for Geena Davis’ journalist — and then falls to bits after his DNA gets mixed up with that of an insect.

Near Dark (1987)

Adrian Pasdar’s Caleb thinks he’s met the woman of his dreams when he encounters Jenny Wright’s May. But matters turn nightmarish when he learns she’s a vampire, and the rest of her band of bloodsuckers — played by Lance Henriksen, Bill Paxton, Jenette Goldstein, and Joshua John Miller — aren’t too thrilled about her new beau.

Candyman (1992)

Tony Todd’s titular character may be an undead killer with a hook for a hand and ribcage full of bees — yet Virginia Madsen still swipes right.

Let the Right One In (2004)

A young Swedish boy loses his heart to a girl who appears to be roughly the same age but is in fact a 200-year-old vampire. Who says May-December romances can’t work?

Shaun of the Dead (2004)

An American Werewolf in London is one of the films that inspired a young Edgar Wright to become a director, so it makes sense that his first proper feature would boast a similar mix of romance and raw horror. Wright’s co-writer Simon Pegg is Shaun, a somewhat feckless Londoner attempting to woo back his girlfriend, Liz (Kate Ashfield), during a zombie apocalypse. A genuine slice of fried gold!

Warm Bodies (2013)

Another rom-zom-com, Warm Bodies stars Nicholas Hoult as a zombie called R who somehow catches the eye of Teresa Palmer’s still-breathing Julie.

Spring (2014)

Lou Taylor Pucci’s vacationing American falls for Nadia Hilker’s woman-with-a-dark-secret while traveling through Italy. The result is clearly indebted to H.P. Lovecraft, but the author never came close to featuring the kind of romance expertly engineered by writer-directors Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead.

The Shape of Water (2017)

Sally Hawkins embarks on a romance with Doug Jones’ fish-man in Guillermo del Toro’s Oscar-winning movie. The stag night should be interesting. See also GDT’s previous film, the gothic romance Crimson Peak.

After Midnight (2020)

Writer, co-director, and star Jeremy Gardner’s bar owner has a few things on his mind in After Midnight (out Feb. 14). First: the disappearance of his longtime girlfriend (Brea Grant). Second: the fact that a goddamn monster keeps trying to break into his house every night!

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