The animated fantasy-horror movie The Spine of Night is coming to theaters, Digital, and On-Demand on October 29, 2021, just in time for Halloween.

Written and directed by Philip Gelatt and Morgan Galen King, the animated film stars Richard E. Grant, Lucy Lawless, Patton Oswalt, Betty Gabriel, and Joe Manganiello. Abby Savage, Larry Fessenden, and Rob McClure also star.

“The Spine of Night is an ultra-violent, hand-rotoscoped epic fantasy inspired by the cult classic works of animators Ralph Bakshi and Frank Frazetta. The film is set in a fantasy land ripe with magic and intrigue where a dark force is unleashed, sending humankind into an age of ruin. It falls on heroes from different eras and cultures to fight back.”

It’s an existential fantasy horror that embraces carnage in a big way and serves as a bloody reminder that not all animation is aimed at children. This R-rated epic is a loving ode to the fantasy-horror epics of yesteryear.

To get a feel for The Spine of Night (our review) ahead of its October 29 release, here are six mature-themed horror-fantasy movies worth watching.

The Black Cauldron

Consider this a toe-dip into the black waters of fantasy-horror, to ease you into the madness to come. Sure, The Black Cauldron is a PG Disney fantasy film, which makes it reasonably tame in terms of content. But the “Cauldron Born” undead warrior army is pure nightmare fuel. So is the Horned King. Naturally, being a Disney movie, the ending is happy, and the power of friendship proves key in keeping evil at bay. In other words, this is still kid-friendly, but for the braver kid. It’s still a solid and artistic gateway into this niche subgenre.

Rock & Rule

In this dystopian musical fantasy, a singer gets kidnapped by an aging rock star and forced to aid in the summoning of a demon. Her bandmates seek to rescue her. Oh, and the characters are all animal humanoids. It’s an animated rock opera set in a post-apocalyptic world. It features an earworm soundtrack that features Iggy Pop, Debbie Harry, Lou Reed, and Cheap Trick, all of who provide singing voices for the characters.

Heavy Metal

This 1981 animated anthology was adapted from Heavy Metal magazine and ran the gamut of science fiction and fantasy, spanning time and space. The segments were united by a core theme of unstoppable, vast evil. The anthology incorporated rotoscoping and boasted a soundtrack worthy of the film’s title- so much so that licensing the music for home video release became a massive headache. It also features plenty of gore, violence, sex, and nudity, which was terrible news for unsuspecting parents that rented it for their kids, unaware that animation could push the R-rated content far.

Wizards

If you’re looking for a thematic and narratively similar feature to The Spine of Night, Wizards is the best bet. Ralph Bakshi, who wrote and directed, served as a significant influence on Galen King and Gelatt. The story follows two warring factions led by powerful wizards; one represents the power of technology, and the other wields magic. It’s a heady dystopian sci-fi fantasy with an impressive voice cast, including Mark Hamill and Susan Tyrell.

Fire and Ice

A dark epic fantasy collaboration between Ralph Bakshi and Frank Frazetta, Fire and Ice marks another highly influential feature for Galen King and Gelatt. From an icy palace, an evil queen and her son seek to control the world through magic. The lone survivor of an attack aims to stand up to her with the help of the Fire king. It’s classic sword and sorcery by way of rotoscoped animation. This prehistoric high fantasy might be one of the more straightforward offerings, but its methodical pacing and adult themes mean it’s not for young viewers.

Belladonna of Sadness

Directed and co-written by Eiichi Yamamoto and inspired by Jules Michelet’s 1862 non-fiction book La Sorcière, Belladonna straightaway shatters any expectations for an uplifting animated movie. It follows Jeanne, a village girl who’s raped on her wedding night by a tyrannical warlord, an event that causes a ripple effect on her and her husband Jean’s lives. As things grow worse, she makes a pact with the devil for the power to fight back against injustice. Belladonna offers a strange juxtaposition of soft, delicate artwork against the lurid, dark subject matter. Expect a very psychedelic trip into madness, turning a straightforward narrative into something far more abstract and bizarre. In other words, this pick is for the adventurous, fans of experimental cinema, and those that think they’ve seen it all.

Look for The Spine of Night in theaters, Digital, and On-Demand on October 29, 2021.