Beauty and the Beast (1978)

Beauty and the Beast - Juraj Herz - Czechoslovakia - 1978 - 91" -  Czech - English subtitles

A bankrupt merchant travels in search of a noble lord, with the hopes of raising funds by selling a painting of his late wife. However, after seeking shelter in the home of the monstrous Beast, the Merchant becomes indebted the monster, who takes the his young daughter as collateral. 

Juraj Herz´s "Beauty and the Beast" is without a doubt the scariest adaptation of the popular fairy tale. The film's dark, overly dramatic aesthetic bears all the hallmarks of a gothic horror novel, with titular Beast being more akin to a Count Orlok than the furry, lion-like creature of the Disney version.