An exploration of the cinematic history of the folk horror, from its beginnings in the UK in the late sixties; through its proliferation on British television in the seventies and its many manifestations, culturally specific, in other countries; to its resurgence in the last decade.
Abraham Castillo Flores Adam Scovell Alexandra Heller-Nicholas Alice Lowe Amanda Reyes Andy Paciorek Bernice M. Murphy Briony Kidd Bruce G. Hallenbeck Carlos Primati Chad Crawford Kinkle Darren Charles Dejan Ognjanović Dennis Widmyer Dennison Ramalho Emma Tammi Gail-Nina Anderson Geraldine Beskin Howard David Ingham Ian Cooper Ian Ogilvy Jasper Sharp Jeremy Dyson Jesse Wente John Cussans John Leman Riley Jonathan Rigby Kali Simmons Kat Ellinger Show All…
Dennis O'Clair Donal Murphy Elle Schneider Iain Marcks Jacqueline Castel Jarret Gahan Jeff Wedding Jim Kunz John Chadwick Jonathan Zaurin Josh Johnson Justin McConnell Keith Pendred Laird Jimenez Marijan Cvetanović Marionaldo José Da Silva Jr. Matthew Harmer Michael Felsher Neil Edwards Paul Goodwin Ray Loyd Ryan Stick Sarah Appleton Velimir Stojanović Walid Jabri
English German Icelandic Italian Japanese Norwegian Polish Portuguese Russian Serbian Spanish Tagalog
포크 호러의 황홀한 역사, 漆黑林地与着魔时日：民俗恐怖电影史, Folk horror: bosques sombríos y días de embrujo, Шабаш ведьм во мгле лесов: История фолк-хоррора
USA
South by Southwest Film Festival
Norway15
Oslo Pix
Netherlands
International Film Festival Rotterdam
Australia
MIFF
Canada
Fantasia International Film Festival
USA
Fantastic Fest
USA
Nashville Film Festival
Canada
VIFF
Spain
Sitges Film Festival
Switzerland
Lausanne Underground Film Festival
South Korea
Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival
Portugal
FinlandK-16
Philippines
Australia
Canada
Finland
Netherlands
Norway
Philippines
Portugal
South Korea
Spain
Switzerland
USA
A terrific work of criticism, never for a moment feeling remedial, and which goes far beyond the typical clip-reel enthusiasm of this type of thing to become a sort of collage, full of formal curlicues that allow the films under appraisal to talk to each other in real time. As essential a text as House of Psychotic Women, really formidable.
Everything you always wanted to know about pagan blood sacrifices and the lingering psychic traumas of colonialism (but were afraid to discover for yourself), Kier-La Janisse’s “Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched” crams an entire semester’s worth of Hauntology 101 into a numbingly comprehensive 193-minute documentary that unearths the history of cinematic folk horror in such loving, erudite, and seductive detail that you almost can’t wait for it to be over so you can start watching some of the 100+ films that are excerpted along the way.
Not that such patience will necessarily be required. Trusting that her subject matter is fertile enough to merit such a scholarly approach, and also bewitching enough to survive it, Janisse connects the dots between…
Usually these type of documentaries are glorified extra features or animated Wikipedia entries. This stands on its own as an encyclopedia, an academic critique, and a love letter to a whole "mode" (as one interviewee puts it) of genre fiction. Am I biased because I did a small bit of archival assistance on this film? No, it's great. I hope Kier-La Janisse makes more movies!
Incredibly comprehensive documentary about one of my favorite sub-genres of horror and I mean COMPREGODDAMNHENSIVE! Kier-La Janisse doesn’t miss a beat in giving you everything you could possibly want to know about folk horror. Sure, some of my favorite smaller indie films aren’t covered here, but there are actually so many movies that are covered I had to start a list of ones I haven’t seen! And I couldn’t believe how many I haven’t! Talk about important work to do, mmkay?
At almost 3.5 hours, it does push the limits of how much one can watch in one sitting and since it’s not dependent on a plot, I might suggest watching it over 2 sittings? I got a little restless…
the 193 minute runtime is daunting, but this is absolute catnip for genre fans - full of film clips (definitely of stuff you’ve never seen before) and talking heads that have no shortage of insight on the topic, this is every bit the deep dive that I was hoping it would be and the rare epic doc that I can’t wait to revisit
major props to Kier-La Janisse and the Severin team for pulling this off
Yes, I did rewatch Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched not even 24 hours after my last viewing. I love folk horror!!! And I wanted to put together a list of all the films mentioned in order of appearance.
SXSW Watch #16
Possibly the greatest piece of filmed cult cinema criticism I’ve ever encountered. Academic, yet never dry. Thorough, yet never overwhelming. Long, but hypnotically edited. To be quite frank: intimidating. Embarrassed to admit my new list of works to track down resembles a college syllabus. If you’re remotely a champion of movies or curiosity, I have no idea how this isn’t for you.
“If non-indigenous people are going to be afraid of Indian Burial Ground then I’ve got news for you, it’s all an Indian Burial ground.”
Kier-La Janisse, author of ‘House of Psychotic Women’, and very probably North America’s most interesting horror film scholar, has created something extraordinary. An exploration of the tonal, thematic, and symbolic construction of ‘folk horror’ and its application as an idea or an engine in our literature and cinema. And, also, in our lives.
This always insightful film is never more so than when it calls out real world ‘folk horror’, like Nazi national socialism, or profound U.S. southern poverty after the civil war, or urbanizing society’s fear of nature, or the entire human history of otherizing…
Quite possibly the best documentary on anything horror related I've ever seen. Kier-La Janisse's deep dive into folk horror spreads so much rich analysis and sinister imagery over 3 hours, making for an unrelentingly mind-blowing examination. Not one talking head here feels like filler as every single writer, filmmaker, and genre-based thinker provides articulate theories further widening the scope and power of this gnarly topic.
Starting with the OG trilogy of Witchfinder General, Blood on Satan's Claw, and The Wicker Man, we get our first taste of what is considered "Folk Horror" before moving through more British, then American, and then into other notable parts of the world. With every new region, the ideas are diversified but cemented with it…
This is a documentary made by Severin and included in their excellent folk horror box set. It's a rather comprehensive look at folk horror. The film spans over three hours, but is broken down into sections - starting with an dissection of three classic films (Witchfinder General, Blood on Satan's Claw and The Wicker Man) and then breaking down folk horror by region and links to religion. The documentary features clips from the films along with discussion from various filmmakers and critics, all creating a very interesting analysis of something that is a concept in cinema rather than a genre. The whole "folk horror" concept is broadened out beyond just the obvious films with links to witchcraft and folklore. The…
Folklore is my jam. In college, I took several classes on folklore and, if there were actually paying jobs in the field, I likely would have been a folklorist. Instead, it is just a passion.
Oh, and I love movies (obviously), so folk horror is exactly the sort of thing that I have a high interest in.
For me, this three-hour documentary on Folk Horror in film just flew by. I could have watched six hours or nine. It references historical events, famous writers, books, and many, many films--ranging from 1922 silent films to great recent folk horror films (Midsommer, The Witch, The Lighthouse). My watchlist has grown.
If you love folk horror and want an academic look inside the genre, this documentary is for you.
Bonus: if you want to watch a GREAT folk horror film from 2022, check out You Won't Be Alone (2022)
In depth, comprehensive, bad ass.
I'd been planning some videos on horror movies and their origins and this documentary makes that feel wholly unnecessary
