Episode 85 - Modern Folk Horror

Wake Wood (2009), The Wind (2018), Apostle (2018)

Folk horror has its roots in tales of witches and paganism, stretching back centuries. In cinema, the term "folk horror" was first coined by Rod Cooper in Kine Weekly to describe the 1971 classic Blood on Satan’s Claw. However, the themes that define folk horror—witchcraft, ancient rituals, and the eerie power of nature—have been present since the earliest days of film. A prime example is Benjamin Christensen’s Häxan (1922), which delves into witchcraft and age-old rites.

Regardless of its origins or definitions, folk horror has endured over time, weaving its way through the history of cinema. In recent decades, the genre has experienced a remarkable resurgence, not just in the United States but globally. This renewed interest may owe much to Kier-La Janisse’s expansive 2021 documentary, Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched, which shone a spotlight on the subgenre and sparked widespread conversation.

With the recent release of Volume Two of Severin’s All the Haunts Be Ours box sets, now seems the perfect time to explore some of the standout modern folk horror films from the past two decades. So, venture with us into the remote villages, pagan rites, and shadowy woods where all the horrors sit waiting for you in the dark corners where people rarely go. 

Films mentioned in this episode:

Abigail (2024), Alucarda (1977), Apostle (2018), Birth/Re-birth (2023), Blood on Satan’s Claw (1971), Cuckoo (2024), Dracula (2006), Five Nights at Freddy’s (2023), Flesh and the Fiends (1960), Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024), Isolation (2005), Pet Sematary (1989), Rosemary’s Baby (1968), Underworld (2003), Wake Wood (2009), The Wicker Man (1973), The Wind (2018), Witchfinder General (1968), Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched (2021), Zombie (1979)