Tale of Tales

Year: 2016

Runtime: 133 min

Language: English

Director: Matteo Garrone

HistoryFantasyHorrorRomance

A collection of three interwoven fantasy stories unfolds in a world of majestic castles and powerful rulers. One king’s indulgence leads him down a path of excess, while another becomes captivated by a mysterious being. A queen’s desperate longing for a child pushes her to make a perilous bargain. Featuring fantastical creatures and drawing inspiration from the timeless stories of Giambattista Basile, this film blends romance, horror, and fantasy into a mesmerizing and imaginative experience.

Tale of Tales (2016) – Spoiler-Free Movie Summary & Plot Overview

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In a realm where towering castles loom over mist‑filled valleys, the kingdom of Longtrellis broods with a quiet yearning. A king and queen, bound by love yet haunted by an emptiness that no crown can fill, seek a solution whispered by ancient magic. Their longing sets the tone for a tale that balances the delicate wonder of enchanted forests with a lingering sense of foreboding, hinting that every wish may demand a price beyond the ordinary.

Across the border, the court of Strongcliff pulses with a different kind of desire. The King of Strongcliff becomes entranced by a voice that drifts on the night wind, belonging to a pair of enigmatic sisters. Dora, the younger, radiates a fleeting allure that promises rejuvenation, while Imma watches from the shadows, protective yet restless. Their presence introduces a thread of seductive mystery, weaving romance and the subtle chill of the uncanny into the fabric of the kingdom’s politics.

Further inland, the hilltop realm of Highhills harbors an odd obsession. The King of Highhills cultivates a seemingly trivial creature that grows into something both wondrous and unsettling. When the creature’s fate is sealed, he offers a promise that entangles his daughter Violet in an unexpected pact. The promise hints at a trial of courage and ingenuity, as Violet navigates a world where the line between mythic beasts and regal duty blurs.

Each of these narratives glimmers with the film’s signature blend of romance, horror, and fantasy, unfolding against a backdrop of sumptuous visuals and haunting melodies. As the stories converge—at a moment of regal celebration illuminated by fire‑walking performers—audiences are invited to linger in the space where desire meets destiny, and where every enchanted whisper may reshape a kingdom’s future.

Last Updated: August 10, 2025 at 03:59

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Dark Baroque Fantasy Movies like Tale of Tales

Visually rich and emotionally heavy tales where fairy tales turn grotesque.If you enjoyed the opulent and grotesque world of Tale of Tales, explore more movies like it. This collection features visually stunning dark fantasies, similar fairy tale adaptations, and films with a heavy emotional weight where beauty and horror coexist in mesmerizing yet unsettling experiences.

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Narratives in this thread often involve interwoven stories or singular tales where longing, obsession, or a pact leads characters down a dark path. The journey is rarely heroic; instead, it explores the fatalistic and often tragic outcomes of human desire within a magical yet oppressive world.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped by their shared aesthetic of baroque grandeur, a dark and melancholic tone, and a focus on mature, often grotesque, fantasy themes. They offer a similar experience of being visually mesmerizing while emotionally heavy and thematically complex.

Movies About Obsession and Consequences like Tale of Tales

Stories where desperate longings lead to inescapable and haunting outcomes.For viewers who appreciated the themes of desperate desire and its dire consequences in Tale of Tales, this list gathers similar movies about obsession. Discover other complex narratives with a bittersweet or bleak ending feel, where characters are consumed by their longings, leading to emotional weight and transformative, often tragic, outcomes.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern follows characters whose single-minded pursuit of a goal blinds them to the moral and physical dangers involved. Their actions, often involving a dangerous bargain or extreme measures, inevitably lead to a climax that underscores the destructive nature of their obsession, resulting in a bittersweet or bleak resolution.

Why These Movies?

These movies share a core thematic focus on the destructive power of obsession, a dark or tense tone, and a narrative structure that methodically builds towards a heavy, consequential ending. The emotional throughline is one of loss and the haunting price of desire.

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Tale of Tales

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