What I mean is Ravenloft clearly laid out a framework of gothic+classic horror. And I think classic horror is somewhat malleable, but the important thing is it is not modern: it draws from silent horror movies, black and white, and hammer films. And generally older movies based on classic monsters (i.e. it is a vampire, mummy and werewolf setting, not an atomic bug or the Thing setting). It isn’t Interview with the vampire, it isn’t Hellraiser, it isn’t friday the 13th, etc. The way I would put it is that Ravenloft is more of a blank and white setting (in the sense that it is more inspired by classic black and white films, than it is by 80s or 90s films). If you read the black box it is constantly contrasting itself with modern horror. I would say it is generally not venturing much past the early 1979s, and when it dies it cleaves more to stuff in the classic mold (I.e. the howling rather than Halloween).
and again I do like all those other genres. But I think Ravenloft really shines more when it is more focused