A "macabre tale" refers to a story or narrative that is disturbing, gruesome, or chilling. It often includes dark or horrifying elements, such as death, violence, or supernatural elements. Full definition
In other categories, Disney / Pixar's uproarious and inspiring Ratatouille was named Best Animated Feature, and Paramount's macabre tale of vengeance, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, was honored for Best Art Direction. (dcfilmcritics.com)
It's an amazing read, a very dark, macabre tale set in Victorian London. (theguardian.com)
From what I heard, John Carpenter was hoping this could be the future of the Halloween franchise, with every subsequent film having been a different macabre tale centered around Halloween. (thewolfmancometh.com)