If you’re a fan of eerie, atmospheric horror that crawls under your skin, chances are you’ve heard of folk horror. In recent years, this subgenre has risen from the dark corners of the horror world to mainstream popularity. But what exactly is folk horror, and why does it resonate so deeply with modern audiences? Let’s dig into the eerie world of folklore, superstition, and the chilling tales they inspire.
What is Folk Horror?
At its core, folk horror weaves together ancient folklore, rural settings, and old-world superstitions to create a sense of dread and unease. Unlike traditional horror, which may rely on ghosts, monsters, or serial killers, folk horror taps into the primal fears associated with forgotten rituals, pagan beliefs, and the mysterious power of nature. It's a return to the horrors lurking in remote villages, isolated forests, and old-world communities where dark secrets have been passed down through generations.
The term "folk horror" itself wasn’t widely recognized until relatively recently, but its roots go way back. The 1970s saw the birth of some of the most iconic folk horror films, like The Wicker Man and Blood on Satan's Claw, which blended ancient beliefs with sinister modern consequences. These movies helped establish the key elements of folk horror: rural isolation, ancient rituals, and an ever-present sense of doom tied to forgotten traditions.
The Power of Folklore in Horror
Folklore is deeply ingrained in many cultures and serves as a way to explain the unexplainable. It’s filled with tales of curses, monsters, and mythological beings that exist just on the edge of reality. Folk horror taps into these stories, bringing them to life in ways that modern audiences find particularly unsettling.
What makes folklore so terrifying in horror fiction is its sense of authenticity. These stories have been around for centuries, passed down through oral traditions, and often rooted in real fears. The combination of rural isolation, ancient practices, and unseen forces creates an atmosphere where anything could happen—and usually, something terrifying does.
Consider the use of witchcraft in folk horror. It’s not the Hollywood version with wands and potions, but a darker, more ritualistic magic tied to nature and ancient pagan beliefs. The film The Witch (2015) is a prime example of how folk horror uses witchcraft to create a story dripping with tension and fear. Set in 1600s New England, the film uses historical superstition and religious paranoia to craft a story that feels both authentic and horrifying.
Superstition: The Fuel for Fear
Superstition plays a vital role in folk horror. Unlike straightforward monster movies, where the threat is clear, folk horror often plays with the audience's mind. Is the horror real, or is it simply a result of the characters' superstitions? In folk horror, the lines between reality and imagination are deliberately blurred.
Superstitions, such as the belief in cursed land, evil spirits, or sacred rituals, often act as the driving force behind folk horror narratives. In Ari Aster’s Midsommar (2019), for example, the unsettling horror grows from the seemingly benign rituals of a pagan community. What starts as cultural curiosity slowly unravels into an inescapable nightmare driven by ancient beliefs.
Modern horror films like The Ritual (2017) also showcase how superstition shapes the genre. In the movie, a group of friends encounters an ancient pagan deity in the remote wilderness, and their superstitions about old gods become all too real. This blend of the psychological and supernatural makes folk horror uniquely disturbing.
Why Folk Horror is on the Rise
So why is folk horror having a moment now? Part of the appeal lies in the contrast between modern life and ancient traditions. In a world dominated by technology, folk horror strips away the comforts of the 21st century and thrusts characters (and viewers) into a primal, untamed environment. The isolation of rural settings, far from the reach of civilization, creates a feeling of helplessness that modern audiences find incredibly chilling.
There's also a sense of nostalgia for simpler times that folk horror taps into, but with a sinister twist. Rather than idealizing the past, folk horror suggests that our ancestors knew things we’ve since forgotten—terrifying, dark secrets that should have stayed buried.
Another reason for folk horror's resurgence is its global appeal. While the roots of the genre are often tied to British and European folklore, cultures around the world have their own rich traditions of supernatural tales. Films like La Llorona (2019) bring Latin American folklore to life, showing how folk horror can transcend borders and speak to universal fears about death, the supernatural, and the consequences of our actions.
How Folklore Influences Modern Horror Fiction
Folk horror isn’t just limited to the big screen. Modern horror fiction is filled with folk tales and superstition. Authors like Adam Nevill, T. Kingfisher, and Carmen Maria Machado have tapped into these ancient fears to craft novels that feel both timeless and terrifying.
For example, Adam Nevill's novel The Ritual (which inspired the aforementioned film) delves into the ancient Norse mythology that still haunts the Scandinavian forests. Similarly, T. Kingfisher blends folklore with modern storytelling in books like The Twisted Ones, where rural legends come to life in creepy, unexpected ways.
The Lasting Impact of Folk Horror
What makes folk horror so effective is its connection to the unknown. It explores the gray area between superstition and reality, ancient belief and modern skepticism. Folk horror doesn’t rely on jump scares or gore but rather builds its tension slowly, suffocating the viewer or reader with a sense of inevitable doom.
As folklore and superstition continue to shape the modern horror genre, it’s clear that these ancient fears have staying power. Whether it’s in the form of films, novels, or short stories, folk horror taps into something deep and primal—something that reminds us that perhaps the old ways should remain in the past, where they belong.
Whether you’re watching a folk horror film or reading a chilling folk-inspired novel, there’s no denying the growing impact of folklore on the modern horror genre. So, the next time you venture into the woods or hear a strange story about an ancient ritual, remember—there may be more truth to those tales than you think.
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Thomas Tryon "Harvest Home". Great book, praised by King, was the inspiration behind Children of the Corn.
Check it out if you haven't already. Folk Horror at its finest