There is Something in the Forest - A Folk Horror Primer - Written by Wren Jones

Written by Wren Jones

Recently I was watching Eli Roth’s History of Horror, there was a new season, and being the genre I enjoy the most I’m always interested in insights and behind the scenes stories to better understand the stories being told. The second season took the format of focusing on genres within horror; haunted houses, witches, body horror, etc. But I was struck by the omission of a hugely important genre that encompasses many of the favorite horror movies people in our community have. It seemed like a lost opportunity at best, and just complete ineptitude at worst. That genre is Folk Horror.

Folk Horror is a long standing, prolific genre, and if you want to get pedantic, pretty much all ‘witch’ horror exists under its umbrella. It is most obviously defined by its use of folklore and pagan traditions to derive fear and horrific situations. Delving deeper, in most cases it explores our relationship between modernity and the natural world. Often showing nature to be more wild and dangerous than we could ever imagine. In many cases it details the failings of christianity and other modern social structures and alludes to a more naturalistic, peaceful existence within the loving embrace of nature. Or black goats that offer butter.

When you think of folk horror, the most obvious entry that comes to mind would be Wicker Man, be it the original or the unique Nic Cage interpretation. If you think about it though, many of our favorite current movies fall within this genre. Midsommar, The VVitch, even The Lighthouse is folk horror, just with a setting that feels almost alien to the genre, as a rocky outpost with a lighthouse does not evoke the same pastoral images we are used to in folk horror. Gretel & Hansel, Haggazusa, The Blair Witch Project, even Pet Semetary fall within the boundaries of the genre. 

The gods and monsters that exist within folk horror do so without the permission of modern society, and even in the face of modernity, challenging them to blink first. In the movie Apostle, a brother, a former christian missionary, travels to a secret commune to save his sister being held captive by the cult, who have enslaved a god to do their bidding. There are no witches in this movie, and despite the horrific god they have enslaved, the horror comes from the leaders of the cult and the idea of religiosity in general. It is as much a rebuke of religion as it is of those who seek power, especially within religion. Folk horror movies have the power to convey a lot of meaningful ideas within the language used that defines the genre.

Folk horror is a rich and varied genre with entries for everyone. Its recent explosion in popularity and entries into the genre is a boon for all lovers of horror and the occult. Here are some recommendations and entries that might surprise you.

-Haxan (1922)

-Witchfinder General(1968)

-Wickerman (1973; 2006)

-Children of the Corn (1984)

-A Field in England(2013)

-The Borderlands (2013)

-The VVitch (2015)

-The Ritual(2017)

-November(2017)

-Hagazussa(2017)

-Errementari (2017)

-Midsommar (2019)

-La Llorona (2019)

-The Lighthouse (2019)