Dead Poets Society & 14 Other Movies For Fans Of The Dark Academia Aesthetic

Boarding school, tweed jackets, Latin classes, black coffee – these are just some of the things that illustrate and depict the dark world of academia. Aesthetics have become a popular trend among young people who really want to broaden their horizons about almost anything under the sun, especially literature and art.

Dark scholarship is an aesthetic that romanticizes the thirst for knowledge, especially in classical literature and studies. It can be expressed through fashion, photography, writing and film. Dark academic films are often set at an Ivy League school or a prestigious university, possibly involving a murder or simply one’s journey to find one’s self.

UPDATE: 2023/01/16 14:00 EST Written by: SHAWN S. LEALOS

With the release Wednesday 2022 on Netflix, the addams family Fans not only get to see their favorite characters come to life, but they also get to see it in the dark world of academic cinema. However, even though it’s a streaming series, the only major entry in this year’s dark school movie ever was Magical Creatures: Dumbledore’s Secret, which in itself was a serious commercial disappointment. However, because the dramatic genre is so popular that it holds such a revered place in cinematic history, there are plenty of films to revisit with dark academic traits, from musty libraries to the love of all things art and literature. Love, and learning.

Association of Dead Poets (1989)

Rent now on Prime Video and Apple TV

Released in 1989, Dead Poets Society Probably the pinnacle of all dark school movies. The film stars the late Robin Williams as Mr. Keating, Ethan Hawke as Todd Anderson, Robert Sean Leonard as Neil Perry, and their academic life at the University of Weldon boarding school. Mr Keating was an unusual English teacher who inspired boys to pursue a love of poetry.

This emotional and tearful film will teach fans the importance of self-discovery and freedom of expression. It also highlights the role of teachers and how their lessons can impact students’ lives in the long run.

Hunting Goodwill (1997)

Stream now on HBO Max

good hunting is a dark academic drama that shows what happens when a guy from a low class walks into the high arts and finds that he no longer belongs anywhere he feels comfortable. Matt Damon plays Will Hunting, a brilliant math genius who can solve any math problem, helping him get a place in college, something none of his childhood friends can.

This gets him in trouble, his friends don’t understand his new mission. Robin Williams brilliantly plays his mentor, Dr. Sean Maguire, who does everything in his power to help Will adjust to a dark academy he knows nothing about.

Theory of Everything (2014)

Play now on Roku

Theory of everything is a biopic about the famous scientist Stephen Hawking. Eddie Redmayne won an Oscar for his role as Hawking for learning about his motor neuron disease and never letting it get in the way of his desire to achieve his life goals.

Given that the film kicked off Hawking’s career at Cambridge University as an aspiring astrophysicist, the film fits well into the dark world of academic cinema. Ultimately, it was Hawkins’ efforts that allowed him to rise above the scholars who taught him.

Golden Sparrow (2019)

Stream now on Prime Video

goldfinch Based on the novel by Donna Tartt, Ansel Elgort plays Theodore Decker. When his mother died in a terrorist bombing, he ended up in the world of crime, especially art theft.

The film follows Theodore’s life as he learns lessons along the way and grows up to be a man who lives without his parents, but with an innate sense of success and a desire to overcome trauma. cherished childhood. The film is a dark story, and Theodore’s involvement in the worlds of classical literature and art makes it a dark academic drama that doesn’t bother with the collective aspects of the genre. This.

Social Networking (2010)

Stream now on Fubo and Showtime

Social network is a movie that shows what’s wrong in the dark academy. Although the theme is literary romanticism, mostly set in a university setting, this film shows a dark side. This includes toxic masculinity, a snobby Ivy League team, obsessive work habits, and subsequent betrayal and intellectual property theft.

The film shows the rise of the founders of Facebook and the idea that the original concept was supposed to help connect students at Cambridge University. However, like any good idea, there is a shadow behind it that ruins everything it touches.

Beautiful Soul (2001)

Play now on Starz

Released by Ron Howard in 2001, beautiful mind Tell the story of mathematician John Nash. While the film is controversial for its inaccuracies about Nash’s life and his true story, dark academic cinematic themes pervade the entire film.

Nash arrives at Princeton as a Carnegie Mathematics Scholar and meets his new roommate, a literature student named Charles Herman. However, as the series goes on, things are not as they seem and Nash’s life ends in a crash while he still succeeds by winning the Nobel Prize in 1994.

Kill Your Baby (2013)

Live on Tubi

kill your baby Based on the lives of poets Allen Ginsberg and Lucien Carr, who attended Columbia University and were implicated in the murder of one of their acquaintances. Ginsburg, played by Daniel Radcliffe, has an unusual friendship with Carl (Dane DeHaan).

The film received positive reviews due to the chemistry of the two actors and the overall plot. As for its historical accuracy, Ginsburg’s secretary confirmed a number of inaccuracies that were worth nothing.

Morris (1987)

Play now on Tubi and Kanopy

Adapted from the novel of the same name by EM Foster, Morris A remarkable story about two people falling in love for why. When Morris Hall was a student at Cambridge University, he met and befriended the wealthy Clive Durham. Morris admits that he loves Clive, he slowly realizes that he is also attracted to his friend.

Both pursue their interests, but because Clive wants to protect his reputation, they decide to go their separate ways. Fans will love the chemistry between these two actors in this intense and tumultuous love and loss story.

Mary Shelley (2017)

Stream now on AMC+

This historical drama follows the early life of romance writer Mary Shelley and the creation of her best work, Frankenstein. This delightfully visual gothic film set in the 1800s is sure to awaken the writer in every fan of literature.

Mary Shelley, played by Elle Fanning, is the wife of poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. Along with their friends Lord Byron, John Polidori and Clare Claremont, Mary’s half-sister, they are trapped in a house near Lake Geneva. Lord Byron came up with a horror story-writing game, and that’s how the concept of Frankenstein began.

Tolkien (2019)

Play now on Fubo and FX

Everyone knows JRR Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings This biopic explores the early life of the English professor and what inspired him to create the famous series. Tolkien finds love and inspiration in a group of outcasts. Their brotherhood grew stronger as Tolkien dealt with his relationship with Edith Bratt and the outbreak of World War I.

These experiences later inspired the fantasy world he created hobbits And Lord of the Rings. The film has all the elements of a dark academic film, from dressing to going to college, showing off beauty everywhere.

Sherlock Holmes (2009)

Now streaming on Netflix and HBO Max

Of course, the genius detective Sherlock Holmes fits the dark school movie theme very well. Although the whole movie is not set in a university, his love of knowledge fulfills every aesthetic aspect. Everyone knows Sherlock Holmes, and those with a little knowledge of detectives and criminals will surely enjoy his adventures.

The background and dark atmosphere of the film exudes the atmosphere of ancient London, full of the sinister and evil of the gangster. The majority of fans will be in their seats for much of this action-packed and exciting movie.

Imitation Game (2014)

Streaming on Netflix

Britain’s newly formed intelligence agency recruits Cambridge math genius Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch) to crack Nazi code that crypto analysts believe is unbreakable. Turing analyzed the Enigma messages when he built the machine to decode them. But what should have been a happy ending goes awry when they find out he’s gay and he’s thrown in jail.

One of the most common themes in dark academic films is LGBTQ+ issues. This aesthetic embraces all genders and thus often presents stories of self-discovery and self-expression.

Rebel Club (2014)

Stream now on AMC+

Starring Sam Claflin, Max Irons, and Douglas Booth, the film tells the story of a group of Oxford University students who join a secret society, where they learn that reputations can change overnight. . The Riot Club is an old fashioned drinking club that prides itself on money and hedonism, as most dark school fans know all too well.

The aesthetic of the film is visually appealing, especially since the actors are all handsome guys in school uniforms. Fans will also revel in the spectacular cinematography and depiction of the British upper class.

The Dreamer (2003)

Play now on DirecTV

This Franco-British film stars Eva Green, Michael Pitt, and Louis Garrel, three students who develop an unusual friendship with each other. Isabel and Theo are twins who meet American student Matthew, and together they dream of utopian love and self-discovery in an age of revolutionary idealism.

The film has gone viral on social media with the three running and frolicking around the museum, a scene that is sure to shake the hearts of dark school fans.

Dorian Gray (2009)

Stream now on Prime Video

Attracted by your own beauty, Gray Dorian Decided to sell his soul to the devil to preserve his youth. Based on the novel by Oscar Wilde, Dorian Gray represents the human desire for immortality. Dorian, played by Ben Barnes, is a student who meets the influential artist Basil Hallward and Lord Henry Wotton.

The three become good friends until Lord Wharton poisons Dorian’s young heart and discovers Basil’s portrait of him has some unknown secret, and he decides to lock it up. The story involves murder and debauchery, which adds some evil to the film.