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Folk Horror Appreciation Thread

Interesting blog post here about Cider With Rosie, a book I've never read but had assumed - similarly to the author - was a bucolic tale of country life for kids. Might have to track a copy down cause it sounds pretty dark.

It's an excellent book. It seems to have gained a reputation for giving a rose-tinted view of village life, but seemingly only because the world is full of people who prefer to only remember the nice bits and successfully block out things they don't like - it is described as 'enchanting' for example, despite the incest. It certainly has positive things to say about the final era of village life proper (before people could travel much more easily), but it definitely offers a mixed picture. I don't know if he understood much about the economics of the village he was brought up in, he seemed a bit sheltered from that, but other aspects are very good.
 
Interesting blog post here about Cider With Rosie, a book I've never read but had assumed - similarly to the author - was a bucolic tale of country life for kids. Might have to track a copy down cause it sounds pretty dark.

Interesting article. It's definitely worth reading (as are his other books), mainly for Lee's beautiful and lyrical prose, and most of it isn't dark.

Lee touches on the darker issues in a matter of fact way, which is out of line with current sensibilities. It's almost anti-folk horror as he's narrating issues such as suicide, incest, bestiality etc. as a backdrop to his lived experience.
 
How do I get tickets to a single film to watch online because theres a bunch there I might be interested in.

If you have to buy a pass... bugger that.
 
All day passes for the physical event and I think it’s 40 quid for the digital offering with that. I see there’s a bit of blurb about more info on the digital stuff in August though.
Festival and day passes go on sale first, they then usually release tickets for single films a few weeks later. The Frightfest website for ticket sales has always been a bit shit.
 
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Severin have announced a US Blu Ray release for Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched on December 7th.

Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched: A History of Folk Horror [Blu-ray] (PRE-ORDER 12/7) – Severin Films

Says it's region free. If you don't fancy ordering from them direct, or from the US, other Severin documentaries have had UK releases, or have been available via Amazon.uk or else through Ebay resellers of course. It's a sought after film so I'd guess it will also be coming to a naughty corner of the internet pretty rapidly.

If you're feeling very keen and/or flush with funds it's also available as part of a very large multi-disk/cd/book package. Interesting list of films included. Yours for a mere $170.00 plus shipping.

All the Haunts Be Ours: A Compendium of Folk Horror [Blu-ray Box Set] (PRE-ORDER 12/7) – Severin Films
 
Severin have announced a US Blu Ray release for Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched on December 7th.

Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched: A History of Folk Horror [Blu-ray] (PRE-ORDER 12/7) – Severin Films

Says it's region free. If you don't fancy ordering from them direct, or from the US, other Severin documentaries have had UK releases, or have been available via Amazon.uk or else through Ebay resellers of course. It's a sought after film so I'd guess it will also be coming to a naughty corner of the internet pretty rapidly.

If you're feeling very keen and/or flush with funds it's also available as part of a very large multi-disk/cd/book package. Interesting list of films included. Yours for a mere $170.00 plus shipping.

All the Haunts Be Ours: A Compendium of Folk Horror [Blu-ray Box Set] (PRE-ORDER 12/7) – Severin Films
The Bundle isn't an option available to international customers (those who are interested in paying around $100 just for shipping have to contact them direct to discuss :eek: )
 
The Bundle isn't an option available to international customers (those who are interested in paying around $100 just for shipping have to contact them direct to discuss :eek: )
I've gotten US blu-rays and box sets by niche labels via second sellers who imported them on Amazon or eBay before. It's all gotten much more difficult since the pandemic and the decline of physical media though. I'll keep en eye out for it, but I'm fairly broke at the moment anyway.
 
The Bundle isn't an option available to international customers (those who are interested in paying around $100 just for shipping have to contact them direct to discuss :eek: )
True, but the 'bundle' which includes posters among other things is different to the 'basic' box set (if a 12 blu ray, 3 CD and book package can really be described as 'basic' :D). Shipping on the box is only $30. However the total cost will still be above the £135 threshold so a customs charge may apply here in the UK, possibly plus additional carrier charges for collecting it.

It's fair to point out that I've seen people on another board expressing reservations about ordering from Severin direct. Never done so myself.
There will likely be UK based resellers on Ebay not long after the box is released but there will be a noticeable mark up.

Note that two of the Blu Rays in the box - 11 and 12 - are Region A locked. The rest are region free.

Buying just the documentary disc should be comparatively straightforward however. It may well become available through Amazon.uk. Some US goods are available from an Amazon.us marketplace store although finding stuff in it via their search engine can be a challenge. [Apologies: Even by my longwinded standards this was pretty crappily expressed. There is an amazon global store which you can order from through Amazon.uk. Although it won't affect the single disc, for more expensive items prices include an estimate of any customs charges due so in most cases there shouldn't be any surprise extra charges. I see an earlier Severin box set is currently available this way. Of course this does involve buying stuff through those cunts Amazon).

Or it may get a UK release - I think Severin's Al Adamson documentary did. I'd assume there would be more potential interest in this one.
 
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The Icelandic Lamb recently screened at Cannes, has been described as folk horror and was well received. Cute and scary are my two favourite flavours, so this looks like it was made for me.


Really wanted to like this, but it didn't work for me.
 
I saw Border the other night, which I think kind of fits in this genre, in as much as it fits in any genre (i.e. not very well). I suspect the director would object to it being called horror. Anyway, it's very good and I recommend it. Raises very difficult questions about the costs of being both insider and outsider in society.
 
I saw Border the other night, which I think kind of fits in this genre, in as much as it fits in any genre (i.e. not very well). I suspect the director would object to it being called horror. Anyway, it's very good and I recommend it. Raises very difficult questions about the costs of being both insider and outsider in society.
Its based on a novel by John Ajdvide Lindquist who also wrote the novel Let the Right One In. He keeps shoehorning the theme of pedophilia into his books without adequately dealing with it. The film of Let the Right One In was so much better than the novel for leaving it out and for me Border was so much worse for leaving it in. Border does fit into the folk horror genre though even if it leans more into low fantasy than horror.



 
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Interesting thread.

We don't really have folk horror in Ireland.

If the Wicker Man had been set in Co. Mayo, it would have ended with Lord Summerisle being chased over the bog by the parish priest and a squad of Gardaí.

"Caught red-handed the pagan blaggard. Wait there 'til we get you".
 
Interesting thread.

We don't really have folk horror in Ireland.

If the Wicker Man had been set in Co. Mayo, it would have ended with Lord Summerisle being chased over the bog by the parish priest and a squad of Gardaí.

"Caught red-handed the pagan blaggard. Wait there 'til we get you".
it's there if you look for it eg Bending to Earth
and any country which bore the likes of sheridan le fanu, lord dunsany and bram stoker must have a tradition of folk horror in books and short stories if not in film
 
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