BIRTH.VIDEO.DEATH.: An Introduction To Folk Horror

When we think of folk horror, it’s easy to let our brains go straight to films that take place in beautifully lush, wooded areas. Movies like Apostle, Blood on Satan’s Claw, and the fifteen other films that immediately hopped to your mind when you think of after you read “lush, wooded areas” definitely fall under the folk horror umbrella. But the genre expands much further past murder rituals under pretty trees.

For those who want to know more, we’ve got a handy little explainer handy for those headed into Ari Aster's Midsommar, which hits theaters today (we've seen it, and the news is good). Check it out!

Some folk horror only ticks some of the boxes discussed in the video. Others, like Ari Aster’s Midsommar, pretty much cover the folk horror gamut. Often beautiful and bloody, the best folk horror will leave viewers with a certain air of what the hell when the credits roll. Shout out your folky faves in the comments!