The story centers on a traditional romantic pursuit. Barnabas Collins seeks a surrogate for his lost fiancée, reinforcing a heteronormative framework of longing and lineage.

Narrative agency is concentrated in the male protagonist, Barnabas. Female characters primarily function as objects of romantic obsession or the 'lost love' archetype.

The film reflects Eurocentric casting norms typical of its 1795 setting. The ensemble is largely homogeneous, focusing on the aristocratic Collins family.

The film utilizes classical gothic traditions like family curses and ancestral legacy. It operates within a traditional moral framework of good versus evil.

Vampirism is treated as a supernatural curse or predatory state. These elements serve horror tropes rather than providing a nuanced exploration of lived disability.