Folk Horror
- Thread starter Cherrybomb
- Start date
Folk Horror Revival - love this group!
- Joined
- Mar 11, 2008
- Messages
- 6,108
- Likes
- 6,610
- Points
- 294
Hi all
Here's something thats been bothering me recently:
What is the difference (if there is one) between Folk horror and the Fortean?
Here's something thats been bothering me recently:
What is the difference (if there is one) between Folk horror and the Fortean?
I'm guessing that folk horror takes traditional folk tropes, druids, witchcraft, spirits and creatures, (elves, pixies, etc), and bases a horror film around it. WitchFinder General. A horror film based on Mathew Hopkins and his purge of wise women. Troll Hunter would be one. The Grudge for me would be another.
Fortean Films would take a broader view of the strange and paranormal, and how people interact with the high or minor strangeness.
I'm guessing Donnie Darko, (only seen it once), 23, K-Pax, etc could be classed as Fortean films. Although Donnie has a Pooka in it
- Joined
- Aug 2, 2001
- Messages
- 12,136
- Likes
- 8,869
- Points
- 309
The BFI has a useful webpage about the term Folk Horror.
It mentions an issue of Sight & Sound from 2010, which I have stashed away somewhere, devoted to films of "Old Wyrd Britain."
It mentions an issue of Sight & Sound from 2010, which I have stashed away somewhere, devoted to films of "Old Wyrd Britain."
Hi all
Here's something thats been bothering me recently:
What is the difference (if there is one) between Folk horror and the Fortean?
Here's something thats been bothering me recently:
What is the difference (if there is one) between Folk horror and the Fortean?
Of those three, I would say only the third one contains genuine Fortean elements.
I've watched, from a distance, this new Folk Horror thing as it's grown. Don't much care for it- despite being interested in a lot of the same things. Seems a bit hip...a bit cliquey. I'm naturally repelled from groups. ANd I'm with Groucho when it comes to clubs...
A good friend of mine was very kind and bought me this -
which I enjoyed very much.
However - the whole "scene" thing is not my cup of tea. And to answer the original question - what is folk horror? Well it seems to be whatever is considereed cool enough to be. Hence my antipathy towards it.
A good friend of mine was very kind and bought me this -
which I enjoyed very much.
However - the whole "scene" thing is not my cup of tea. And to answer the original question - what is folk horror? Well it seems to be whatever is considereed cool enough to be. Hence my antipathy towards it.
- Joined
- Aug 24, 2009
- Messages
- 152
- Likes
- 248
- Points
- 49
Hmm - as 'Children of the Stones' had such an impact on me as a child, and Witchfinder General / Blood on Satans Claw and later on (thanks to Moviedrome) Wicker Man are among my all time favourite horror films, it seems I've always been a fan of folk horror - albeit without needing to title it.
As for the difference between folk horror and the Fortean, I'd (personally) class films such as Night of the Demon or The Devil Rides Out as straddling both folk and Fortean territory.
Now I've discovered the folk horror youtube channel my afternoon is truly screwed..!
As for the difference between folk horror and the Fortean, I'd (personally) class films such as Night of the Demon or The Devil Rides Out as straddling both folk and Fortean territory.
Now I've discovered the folk horror youtube channel my afternoon is truly screwed..!
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2009
- Messages
- 322
- Likes
- 522
- Points
- 109
If you are talking about the original Wicker Man then I would suggest it is definitely Fortean in its imagery harking back to an ancient time of druids, celts and pagans. Where as the hollywood remake with Nick Cage was utter rubbish made even more so by the lack of Britt Ekland in it.
The original film had quite an effect on me when I saw it for the first time as a boy ... although maybe the fact that Britt Ekland's clothes keep falling of had something to do with it
The original film had quite an effect on me when I saw it for the first time as a boy ... although maybe the fact that Britt Ekland's clothes keep falling of had something to do with it
Last edited:
IMO Fortean implies unexplained and equivocal. Most horror films don't leave things unexplained. Magic is real, Vampires are real. Things that go bump in the night really are poltergeists.
People seem to like a tidy ending so it's rare to find a film that allows ambiguity. I'd propose The Mothman Prophecies as being a truly Fortean film. The nature of Mothman is left unexplained and the Richard Gere character is left frustrated in his search for 'proof' that it even exists.
People seem to like a tidy ending so it's rare to find a film that allows ambiguity. I'd propose The Mothman Prophecies as being a truly Fortean film. The nature of Mothman is left unexplained and the Richard Gere character is left frustrated in his search for 'proof' that it even exists.
"- as 'Children of the Stones' had such an impact on me as a child, and Witchfinder General / Blood on Satans Claw and later on (thanks to Moviedrome) Wicker Man are among my all time favourite horror films, it seems I've always been a fan of folk horror - albeit without needing to title it."
Have you seen Ben Wheatley's 2011 movie Kill List?
It felt like a throw-back to the classic folk horror genre, with some blatant hat-tips to The Wicker Man. Definitely worth a look.
Also honourable mention to the movie Wake Wood - another that demonstrates the folk horror genre can exist in the 21st century.
Have you seen Ben Wheatley's 2011 movie Kill List?
It felt like a throw-back to the classic folk horror genre, with some blatant hat-tips to The Wicker Man. Definitely worth a look.
Also honourable mention to the movie Wake Wood - another that demonstrates the folk horror genre can exist in the 21st century.
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2009
- Messages
- 322
- Likes
- 522
- Points
- 109
Here's another one that may qualify as folk horror ... Videodrome ... starring James Woods and Debbie Harry
It probably wasn't folk horror on its release in 1983 but the passage of time has allowed it to move into a folk horrorish sphere of influence.
This is what wikipedia says about it ...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Videodrome
It probably wasn't folk horror on its release in 1983 but the passage of time has allowed it to move into a folk horrorish sphere of influence.
This is what wikipedia says about it ...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Videodrome
Last edited: