5 Best Dark Academia Movies for Fans of Mysterious University Tales
Secrets within the walls of elite universities? Give us two!
Closed educational institutions, university campuses, craving for forbidden knowledge, gothic setting, dash of mysticism, and even the presence of murder are all part of the Dark Academy style.
And October is just the perfect time to immerse yourself in this aesthetic.
1. The Riot Club, 2014
The works of dark academia often show the other side of closed circles. The Riot Club is devoted entirely to the subject of secret societies at prestigious universities.
At Oxford, many freshmen dream of joining a secret society called the Riot Club. But only a select few can get in, and they all should undergo a series of tests. The new members turn out to be Alistair and Miles, between whom a spark of competition immediately arises.
And if the former, spoiled by money and power, feels at home, the latter, on the contrary, soon realizes the ethical ambiguity of the closed club.
2. Mona Lisa Smile, 2003
The action takes us to the 1950s – young ladies who understand art sit in a classroom. Soon a wise mentor appears in their lives – a young teacher, Katherine Ann Watson.
The freedom-loving teacher stands out from her conservative colleagues and brings a little chaos into the lives of the schoolgirls. Before meeting Katherine, the promising students never thought they could have a career in addition to a family.
3. Cracks, 2009
The movie immerses the viewer in a prestigious English boarding school. A group of friends idolize their teacher, the femme fatale Miss G, played by Eva Green. Everything changes when a new girl joins the class: Fiamma sees right through the teacher and quickly realizes that she is hiding many secrets.
It is rare that a movie in the dark academia aesthetic can feature girls instead of boys in the lead roles. For this reason, Cracks is something of a hidden gem of the subgenre, overshadowed by Mona Lisa Smile.
4. Picnic at Hanging Rock, 1975
In 1975, Peter Weir gave the world one of the most important films in the dark academia aesthetic – Picnic at Hanging Rock. The story of the lost college girls captivates with its mystical atmosphere, and from the first frames to the end credits, it frightens with an anxious mood.
1900, Australia. On the last Valentine's Day of the 19th century, a group of students from a women's college, along with two mentors, go on a picnic to Hanging Rock. Strange things begin to happen in the wilderness: time on the clock stops, and soon three students and a teacher disappear without a trace.
5. Saltburn, 2023
Last year's Saltburn divided viewers into two camps: some found the movie too pretentious and superficial, while others could not take their eyes off the atmosphere of Oxford life and the country estate of British aristocrats.
Emerald Fennell's movie perfectly conveys the style of dark academia. First, the action begins at the university. Secondly, the story revolves around an outcast who tries to enter the circle of the privileged and rich.
Once in Oxford, Oliver, an ordinary guy, makes friends with Felix, a representative of the upper class. Soon, his new friend invites Oliver to spend the summer at his family's estate, Saltburn. The boy finds himself in a world he has always dreamed of and will never want to leave.