Folk Horror

[The F Bomb]

Some good chat about folk horror in the Wicker Man thread and I thought worth a spin-off. It's a genre I'm very interested in and always enjoy, but I haven't seen an awful lot so I'd love any recommendations or just reading some insights and discussion.

The classic big names are The Wicker Man, Blood On Satan's Claw and Witchfinder General. Despite adoring the former and loving the sound of the latter two, I've not seen em. Good news, though, the lads at 88 Films are releasing them both on 4K in April so I'll wait. In the meantime...

There's a well-regarded documentary called Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched, directed by Kier-La Janisse which is available to stream and it also features on a big Region A Blu-ray boxset from Severin, All The Haunts Be Ours, which is about twenty discs of folk horror from around the world. I'm intermittently tempted but I gather that the stronger films are mostly available separately. It's also £150ish to import which is a fair old sum for a punt. Anyway, just mentioning for info...I really enjoyed the first hour of that doc (3hrs long) but I didn't want to spoil anything I've not seen but want to. There's also been a fair bit released by the BFI, I understand, but not seen any of them, either, although I have a few on the shelf.

There's also a discussion of what folk horror even is, and whatever definition you might agree upon it's something that Britain does particularly well, for whatever reason. Even stuff like Ghost Stories for Christmas are arguably folk horror. The hauntological scene is very folk horror. And so on. If you think my recommendations aren't folk horror, no worries, I'm perhaps being liberal with the genre parameters but there's a sensibility I recognise.

Here are three I'd recommend:


The White Reindeer (1952)

A rather short Finnish film with beautifully bleak, snowy cinematography. It's a dark, romantic fairy tale, full of cultural details and references which were completely new to me but which were easy to understand. I don't really want to spoil the plot, albeit it's a pretty stock folk story, but it's a very satisfying piece. It doesn't necessarily offer shocks but the stunning setting and the escalating inevitability gripped me throughout. Co-written by the director and his wife, who plays the lead, it's just a beautiful work which I can put on and enjoy whatever the weather. Nice Eureka Blu-ray release which was a blind buy a few years ago and turned out to be one of my favourites from them. Great commentary from Kat Ellinger who's all over this kind of thing.


Night of the Demon (1957)

This one's pretty famous, directed by Jacques Tourneur and based on an M.R James story, like plenty of folk horror, and this is one of my mum's favourite films. Again, I won't spoil too much about the plot but it's about an American psychologist who gets in too deep when investigating a murder involving a Satanic cult in England. This one is all about the atmosphere and cinematography, as well as one very sinister performance. There's just something unnerving about the film which stuck with me. I really feel like watching it today, actually. Very good Indicator Blu-ray, loads of extras.


Kwaidan (1964)

Again, this is hardly a deep cut but it definitely fits for me and it's one of my favourites. If you don't know, it's an anthology of three short horror stories based on Japanese folk tales. It's directed by Masaki Kobayashi, best known for Harakiri and The Human Condition, but this is a wonderful departure into the supernatural. As ever, atmosphere is the key. Each of the stories is presented so beautifully and tenderly. There's horror here, but much more. These are at turns sad, romantic, bitter, wistful, joyous and tragic. It's a classic of Japanese cinema which easily transcends the label of folk horror, but always worth a recommendation. Another excellent Eureka Blu-ray release, with some of the original stories in the booklet.

Any more for any more? I'd love to hear your thoughts and suggestions.

[jobotic]

Does the Estonian 2017 film November count?

I mean it probably should but do these things have to be retro? In the sense that you make a spaghetti Wetsern now but you could make a homage to them.

[The F Bomb]

Everything counts as long as you recognise some folk horror sensibility. What's that about? Worth a watch?

[iamcoop]

Witchfinder General is boss. Nasty little film, that. It used to be on YouTube if anyone is desperate to see it.

Blood on Satan's Claw is probably my least favourite of the classic Folk Trilogy although it still bangs.

[Egyptian Feast]

I love me some folk horror and the film I'm most looking forward to this year is a low budget Irish movie All You Need Is Death coming out over here next month. The director Paul Duane is a friend of a friend (the back of said friend's head apparently makes a cameo) and seems like a GBOL. I was already looking forward to it because of that, but reading the plot from the BBFC classification has got me even more intrigued. Literal folk horror.

[Norton Canes]

I'll go a bit left-field and suggest unsettling Australian outback nature-rises flick Long Weekend

[Sebastian Cobb]

If you're interested in the subject itself this doc is good.

https://woodlandsdarkanddaysbewitched.com/

[checkoutgirl]

Witchfinder General is boss.

Yeah it's a belter. Love the satire angle.

Wake Wood (2009) is ok but has Sean Gillen so... Has a rural setting and supernatural gubbins could be folk horror.

The Ritual (2017) is more my bag. Has Rafe Spall and a forest so probably qualifies.

Men (2022) was very enjoyable if that is folk horror, I dunno.

And of course The VVitch (2015) which I really love. Just the shot of the side of the forest was enough to give me the willies.

Does the film Inbred (2011) count? It's sort of a B movie thing and not very god but...

There's a French film called Calvaire (2004) about a bloke running around a little French village of inbreds trying to kill him. That one was pretty good.

[ros vulgaris]

Blood on Satan's Claw is probably my least favourite of the classic Folk Trilogy although it still bangs.

Spoiler alert

It's good until the ridiculous Hairy Satan ending.

[close]

[The F Bomb]

It's good until...

Any chance of editing out your spoiler?

I've edited out all the unpleasant things I had to say to you, in kind.

[checkoutgirl]

There's a film from a couple of years ago with Noomi Rapapace and she's messing around on the side of a mountain with a sheep that looks a bit like a girl. Or a girl that looks a bit like a sheep. Is that folk horror? Anyway it's not bad but the ending is a bit shit.

[ASFTSN]

Never been quite convinced about the term itself as I feel there's a bit of retrofitting going on similar to 'hauntological' but definitely enjoy some of the greats.

My recommendation, if you're down with found footage (I'm often not but this surprised me) is Final Prayer aka The Borderlands (2013). Do not under any circumstances look up a synopsis, major spoilers out there! Anyway, basically a fairly absurd premise somehow ends up working due to likeable downbeat characters - it's got the bloke from Down Terrace in - essentially the Vatican dispatch a two-priest plus AV tech team to investigate poltergeist-y goings on in rural England, and it's all recorded Peep Show style via their head cams. Sounds shit, but it just works!

Also obligatory Kill List mention but I imagine everyone's seen that.

[ASFTSN]

There's a French film called Calvaire (2004) about a bloke running around a little French village of inbreds trying to kill him. That one was pretty good.

Brilliant film though I thought it was Belgian? The way it inverts the trope of 'screaming woman horror protagonist' is pretty clever! I need to rewatch it.

[checkoutgirl]

Never been quite convinced about the term itself as I feel there's a bit of retrofitting going on similar to 'hauntological' but definitely enjoy some of the greats.

Yeah you can see me struggle with the idea, does that fit, does this fit? This one has bumpkins but they're not in a forest. This one has horror in the countryside/forest but no bumpkins. Where's the line exactly?

A quick glance at Wikipedia reinforces the ambiguity.

[checkoutgirl]

Brilliant film though I thought it was Belgian?

Wikipedia lumped it in with the New French Extreme genre which I've taken an interest in. Although that genre probably poses the same issues with categorisation etc.

[The F Bomb]

I'm not trying to come off rude with this observation, so forgive me if I do, but I'm genuinely surprised at how pretty every recommendation is from the 21st century.

@Egyptian Feast That film sounds great, I'll keep an eye out.

@Norton Canes Likewise, that sounds right up my street. I have a real fondness for Aussie cinema, the setting is insanely entertaining to me even in shit films.



As for the parameters of folk horror and categorisation and so on, ehh...I personally think it's more cultural than geographical or related to a rural setting. Ultimately, I don't give a fuck so I'm not going to shit on anyone's suggestions.

[Magnum Valentino]

Spoiler alert

It's good until the ridiculous Hairy Satan ending.

[close]

Yeah, at which stage it becomes GREAT!

[kalowski]

How about Race with the Devil (1975) as a US entrant to the folk horror world?

[Mister Six]

Does the Estonian 2017 film November count?

Ooh, thanks for the reminder! Mrs Six and I meant to watch that at the time after seeing trailers, but we never got around to it.

There's a film from a couple of years ago with Noomi Rapapace and she's messing around on the side of a mountain with a sheep that looks a bit like a girl. Or a girl that looks a bit like a sheep. Is that folk horror? Anyway it's not bad but the ending is a bit shit.

That's 2021's Lamb, and yeah the ending is shit. It's very well shot and has good FX, but doesn't add up to anything much at all.

If you want to watch Noomi Rapace in a really great 2020s Euro-folk horror flick, check out 2022's You Won't Be Alone, which was one of my favourite films of that year. From my top films of 2022 round-up:

4- You Won't Be Alone (Goran Stolevski)

I love this flick - it has the languorous pacing and sumptuous cinematography of an arthouse film, but the thoughtful character development and clear meaning of a mainstream drama. It's a fascinating concept, too: a young girl raised in isolation discovers what humanity is - in every sense - thanks to a grisly shapeshifting technique bestowed upon her by a malevolent witch. A film to sink into.

[holyzombiejesus]

There was something that could possibly be crammed in to the folk horror category that I saw a few years ago I think it was foreign language and

Spoiler alert

there's a weird monster/ man and I think he has sex with a woman and he has a weird penis that wiggles about

[close]

. Anyone remember what it is?

[Noodle Lizard]

There was something that could possibly be crammed in to the folk horror category that I saw a few years ago I think it was foreign language and

Spoiler alert

there's a weird monster/ man and I think he has sex with a woman and he has a weird penis that wiggles about

[close]

. Anyone remember what it is?

Would that be a slightly misremembered Border?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Border_(2018_Swedish_film)

[thenoise]

If you want the Severin box, or anything they put out, get on their waiting list and wait for a sale. I paid less than £100, pretty reasonable given the number and obscurity of the films.

Or preorder if you want a load of stupid extras like Christmas tree baubles or reproductions of the Owl Service Dinner plate (the Owl Service is not in the boxset, bar a short clip in the documentary).

Talking of which:

The Owl Service (1969), weird and wonderful children's TV that isn't suitable for children or most adults. After that try tracking down Red Shift, Children of the Stones, Murrain (Nigel Kneale), etc. All the old weird British telly.

[holyzombiejesus]

Would that be a slightly misremembered Border?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Border_(2018_Swedish_film)

Yes! Thanks!

[Brundle-Fly]

Night Of The Eagle AKA Burn, Witch, Burn (1962)

Surprisingly good film with Peter Wyngarde not camping it up as beleaguered professor married to a witch.



Neither The Sea, Nor The Sand (1972)

This movie takes place on the Isle of Jersey where a troubled wife has come to sort out the tumult of her life. She encounters a lighthouse-keeper there and they quickly become lovers. Together they flee to Scotland. Then, it all goes a bit weird. That's all I'm saying. I'm sure a certain very popular early nineties Brit romcom drama film was influenced by this moody oddity but I'm saying nothing more. Oh, and it was written by the then ITN newsreader, Gordon Honeycombe.

[Catalogue Trousers]

No one mentioned A Field In England yet? Then I will.

Oh, and Midsommar. I know that some Phiilstines sneer at it as a Wicker Man ripoff, but to me it's an enjoyable homage that brings enough stuff of its own to the table to make it worthwhile.

[no no natus natus no]

I watched Robin Redbreast a little while ago and loved it, Play for Today from 1970.

The same writer did another one a few years later called A Photograph, definitely worth a look as well although less of a folk horror than RR.

[The F Bomb]

Great suggestions rolling in, cheers.

[The F Bomb]

Rewatched the first two stories of Kwaidan this evening. I had misremembered, there are actually four parts to it! What a delight. I'm off to bed now but looking forward to watching the other two tomorrow. Melancholic and beautiful, stunning painted sets, all very theatrical, haunting atmosphere.

If you've seen the modern stuff but not Kwaidan, do yourself a favour before you pass on into the next life.

[George White]

The Outcasts (1982)
Fascinating early Film on Four, a co-pro with Telly Eireann, set in pre-famine Ireland, starring Mick Lally (of Irish soap Glenroe) as the mystical shamanic fiddler Scarf Michael, with Cyril Cusack as a matchmaker.

Poitin (1978)
Tales of the Unexpected-esque story (even featuring Cyril Cusack again plus Lally too),  about Gaeltacht moonshiners and rural revenge.

Eyes of Fire (1983)
Oirish-accented 'British' settlers (including a young Rob 'Pinky/Yakko' Paulsen) in early North America get haunted. Unsettling, strange, not really describable.

Harvest Home (1978)
70s US miniseries, kind of like a US Robin Redbreast (even Leslie Halliwell noted it as belonging within 'the same strand of drama', basically folk horror), about descendants of Cornish druids in New England. With Bette Davis looking like an evil Josephine Tewson, and Donald Pleasence as some audiobooks

[Egyptian Feast]

Rewatched the first two stories of Kwaidan this evening. I had misremembered, there are actually four parts to it!

Been meaning to watch this since I got it for Xmas, but haven't managed to fit it in. Might be a good idea to watch over a couple of evenings.

I mainly added it to my wishlist as I used it as a password for years at my old job, but I'd never actually seen it.