Dead Poets Society & 9 Other Movies For Fans Of The Dark Academia Aesthetic

Boarding schools, tweed jackets, Latin classes, black coffee – these are just some of the things that illustrate and describe dark academia. The aesthetic became a popular trend among young adults who are genuinely keen on broadening their perspectives on just about everything under the sun, but particularly the art of literature.

Dark academia is a type of aesthetic that romanticizes the yearning for knowledge, especially in literature and classical studies. It could be expressed through fashion, photography, writing, and films. Movies with dark academia themes are often set in Ivy League or prestigious universities, could involve a case of murder, or simply one’s pursuit of self.

10 Dead Poets Society (1989)

Released in 1989, Dead Poets Society is probably the peak of all dark academia films. It stars the late Robin Williams as Mr. Keating, Ethan Hawke as Todd Anderson, and Robert Sean Leonard as Neil Perry, and their academic lives inside the boarding school of Welton Academy. Mr. Keating was an English teacher with unconventional methods, which inspired the boys to pursue their love for poetry.

This heartwarming as well as tear-jerking movie will teach fans the importance of self-discovery and freedom of expression. It also emphasizes the role of teachers and how their lessons can impact the lives of their students in the long run.

9 Kill Your Darlings (2013)

Kill Your Darlings is loosely based on the lives of poets Allen Ginsberg and Lucien Carr, who attended Columbia University and got involved in the murder of one of their acquaintances. Played by Daniel Radcliffe, Ginsberg has found an unusual friendship with Carr (played by Dane DeHaan).

The film garnered positive reviews because of the two actors’ chemistry and overall plot. As for its historical accuracy, Ginsberg’s secretary confirmed some inaccuracies, which are only of small value.

8 Maurice (1987)

Based on the novel of E.M. Forster of the same title, Maurice tells the extraordinary story of two star-crossed lovers. When Maurice Hall attends Cambridge University, he met and befriends the rich Clive Durham. Maurice confessed that he is in love with Clive, and the latter gradually realizes that he is also attracted to his friend.

Both of them pursued their own passions, but because Clive needs to protect his reputation, they decide to go separate ways. In this intense and chaotic tale of love and loss, fans will definitely love the chemistry between these two actors.

7 Mary Shelley (2017)

This historical drama narrates the early life of the Romantic writer Mary Shelley and the creation of her best work, Frankenstein. Set during the 1800s, this visually pleasing and gothic-inspired film will surely awaken the writer in every literature fan.

Played by Elle Fanning, Mary Shelley is the wife of the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. Together with their friends, Lord Byron, John Polidori, and Mary’s half-sister, Claire Clairmont, they get stranded in a house near Lake Geneva. Lord Byron proposes a game of writing a horror story, and that was the beginning of the conception of Frankenstein.

6 Tolkien (2019)

Everyone knows J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings and this biographical movie tells the early life of the English professor and his inspiration towards creating the popular franchise. Tolkien finds love and inspiration among a group of outcasts. Their brotherhood gradually strengthened as Tolkien deals with his relationship with Edith Bratt as well as the outbreak of World War I.

These experiences later inspired him to create the fantasy world of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. The film has all elements of dark academia, from their outfits to attending universities, everything displays the aesthetic.

5 Sherlock Holmes (2009)

Of course, the genius detective Sherlock Holmes perfectly fits the dark academia theme. Though the whole film is not set in a university, his love for knowledge satisfies every aspect of the aesthetic. Everyone knows Sherlock Holmes and everyone who has a knack for mysteries and crime will surely adore his adventures.

The dark setting and atmosphere of the film give off the ambiance of old London, which is full of a sinister and wicked society. Fans will be at the edge of their seats most of the time in this action-packed and mind-blowing film.

4 The Imitation Game (2014)

The newly created British intelligence recruits Cambridge mathematics genius Alan Turing (played by Benedict Cumberbatch) to crack Nazi codes that cryptanalysts thought were unbreakable. Turing analyzes the Enigma messages as he builds a machine to decipher them. But the supposed-to-be-happy ending turns sour as he is sent to prison when they find out he’s gay.

One of the most common themes in dark academia films is homosexuality. This aesthetic covers all genders and is very much inclusive, so it often presents stories of self-exploration and expression.

3 The Riot Club (2014)

Starring Sam Claflin, Max Irons, and Douglas Booth, this film follows the narrative of a group of students attending Oxford University who join a secret society where they learned that a reputation can be ruined in just one evening. The Riot Club is an established drinking club that prides itself on money and hedonism, things that most dark academia fans are very well aware of.

The film’s aesthetic is visually appealing, especially when the cast is all handsome boys in school uniforms. Fans will also indulge in its spectacular cinematography and the portrayal of the British Elites.

2 The Dreamers (2003)

This French-English film stars Eva Green, Michael Pitt, and Louis Garrel, three students who found an unusual friendship in one another. Isabelle and Theo are twins who meet an American student, Matthew, and together they dream of utopian love and self-discovery in the age of revolutionary idealism.

The movie became popular on social media because of the scenes where the three were running and frolicking around a museum, a sight that will surely stir the hearts of dark academia fans.

1 Dorian Gray (2009)

Enthralled by his own beauty, Dorian Gray decided to barter his soul to the devil to keep his youth. Based on the novel by Oscar Wilde, Dorian Gray is a representation of the human desire for immortality. Played by Ben Barnes, Dorian was a student who met the artist Basil Hallward and the influential Lord Henry Wotton when he first came to London.

The three became good friends until Lord Wotton poisoned Dorian’s young mind and upon discovering that his portrait painted by Basil has some dark secrets, he decided to lock it away. The story involves murder and debauchery, which bring some wickedness into the film.