Life can be unpredictable at times. One moment you’re taking a lovely stroll through a forest of ancient oaks, and the next some grumpy sorcerer with a face of lichen transforms you into a spoon. And when you’re a spoon, it’s difficult to watch movies. So it’s best to enjoy these 10 folk horror films while you still can.
1. The Wicker Man is a folk horror classic brimming over with music and mystery and marvels. It’s one of my favorite movies of all time.
2. Penda’s Fen is a fascinating, multilayered teleplay where a smorgasbord of imaginative imagery reflects the main character’s dynamic internal transformation. Also, there’s a cool little demon guy.
3. Joko Anwar is one of my favorite modern horror directors, and Impetigore is an atmospheric and suspenseful masterpiece. The use of traditional shadow puppets is captivating.
4. Kill List is perfect for fans of disturbing cult films like Midsommar. Ben Wheatley isn’t afraid of bending genres and bending minds.
5. Lokis: A Manuscript Of Professor Wittembach is a Polish folk horror film set in Lithuania based on a novella by a French writer. Everything about this film is stunning, from the cinematography to the settings to the mutton chops.
6. Häxan is a documentary of sorts about the history of witchcraft and witch hunts. The dramatized vignettes within the film are literally wild as all hell. Witches line up during a black mass to kiss Satan’s butt. Old women throw buckets of pee. The devil churns butter in a highly suggestive frenzy.
7. Viy epitomizes the word phantasmagoria. The pace of the film is somewhat sluggish, but the slow burn builds to a fiery inferno with an unforgettable, monster-packed climax.
8. Kwaidan is a horror anthology featuring stories based on Japanese folk tales and ghost stories. Each shot is simultaneously beautiful and eerie.
9. November is a fairy tale fever dream. The Estonian village where this movie takes place is swarming with folk magic and supernatural beings. The magically-powered automatons are cute as heck, and after watching this movie, you’ll probably want to summon your very own.
10. The Dark Secret of Harvest Home is technically a miniseries and not a film, but I’m including it on this list anyway, because my website is a realm of chaos. The miniseries is based on the book Harvest Home, which is one of the best folk horror novels of all time. Bette Davis plays Widow Fortune, the town matriarch, and her performance is as amazing as you would imagine. Once you experience this miniseries, you’ll never think of corn the same way again.
Jeremy C. Shipp 