Wikipedia describes Folk Horror as a subgenre of horror film and fiction that uses elements of folklore to invoke fear and foreboding. Common traits include rural settings, isolation, and themes of superstition, folk religion, paganism, sacrifice, and the darker aspects of nature. While often linked to supernatural horror, folk horror typically centres on people, their beliefs, and their actions — often with naïve outsiders stumbling into ancient rituals or hostile communities.
Although examples can be traced back to the 1940s and 1950s (and even earlier, depending on interpretation), the genre truly came into its own during the late 1960s and 1970s, with what critics often call the “Unholy Trinity” — Witchfinder General (1968), The Blood on Satan’s Claw (1971), and The Wicker Man (1973).
Shudder’s excellent documentary Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched: A History of Folk Horror is a must-watch for horror fans, offering the most comprehensive look at the genre’s roots and evolution.
With that said, here are my top 10 Folk Horror films of all time, drawn from across the world.
10. The Blair Witch Project (1999 | 1990s)
Synopsis: Three film students vanish after travelling into a Maryland forest to film a documentary on the local Blair Witch legend, leaving only their footage behind.
Credited as one of the pioneers of the found footage craze, The Blair Witch Project became a cultural phenomenon. While later sequels lost their way, the original remains a terrifying example of modern folk horror, built on atmosphere, suggestion, and the fear of what lurks unseen in the woods.
9. The Ritual (2017 | 2010s)
Synopsis: A group of old college friends reunite for a trip to a forest in Sweden, but encounter a menacing presence stalking them.
One of the standout horror films of the 2010s, The Ritual makes excellent use of its Nordic setting. Beautiful yet unnerving landscapes create the perfect backdrop for a tale of grief, betrayal, and supernatural terror. Its mix of folklore-inspired imagery, psychological dread, and a truly memorable creature design ensure its place on this list.
8. Midsommar (2019 | 2010s)
Synopsis: A couple travels to Northern Europe to visit a rural midsummer festival. What begins as an idyllic retreat quickly devolves into violent and bizarre rituals at the hands of a pagan cult.
Ari Aster’s Midsommar is folk horror at its most stylish and unsettling. With sun-drenched cinematography that hides nightmarish violence, it lures audiences into a false sense of security before unleashing shocking brutality — including the infamous “Blood Eagle” sequence. It’s equal parts disturbing, hypnotic, and unforgettable.
7. Kwaidan (1964 | 1960s)
Synopsis: A collection of four Japanese folk tales with supernatural themes.
A masterpiece of Japanese cinema, Kwaidan adapts traditional ghost stories with breathtaking visuals. From snow demons and ghostly warriors to vengeful spirits and cursed tea, each tale unfolds with eerie grace. Less about jump scares and more about atmosphere, it remains one of the most captivating folk horror anthologies ever created.
6. The Wicker Man (1973 | 1970s)
Synopsis: A Puritan police sergeant arrives on a remote Scottish island in search of a missing girl — whom the Pagan locals insist never existed.
Part of the “Unholy Trinity” of British folk horror, the original Wicker Man is still one of the most unsettling horror films ever made. Its deceptively cheerful villagers, haunting folk songs, and shocking finale cemented its place in horror history. Forget the Nicolas Cage remake — this is the definitive version.
5. Children of the Corn (1984 | 1980s)
Synopsis: A young couple stumbles upon a remote town where a cult of children believes all adults must die.
Based on Stephen King’s short story, Children of the Corn is a quintessential folk horror tale of isolation, religion, and corrupted youth. The sequels are hit-and-miss at best, but the original remains an unnerving classic that blends rural unease with supernatural menace.
4. The Lair of the White Worm (1988 | 1980s)
Synopsis: When an archaeologist uncovers a strange skull, a nearby town is plagued by disappearances and bizarre occurrences.
Leave it to Ken Russell to turn a little-known Bram Stoker novel into a surreal folk horror fever dream. With snakes, vampirism, pagan ritual, Christian symbolism, and Russell’s trademark excess, The Lair of the White Worm is wild, campy, and unforgettable. Gothic weirdness meets folk terror in one gloriously bizarre package.
3. Witchfinder General (1968 | 1960s)
Synopsis: A young soldier vows to stop a sadistic witch-hunter terrorising his fiancée and her family.
Vincent Price delivers one of his most chilling performances in Witchfinder General. Based loosely on real events during the English Civil War, it depicts the cruelty of witch trials with shocking realism. Brutal, relentless, and deeply unsettling, it stands as both a horror classic and a grim reminder of historical atrocities.
2. The VVitch: A New-England Folktale (2015 | 2010s)
Synopsis: A Puritan family in 1630s New England is torn apart by witchcraft, black magic, and possession.
Robert Eggers’ debut film is a slow-burn masterpiece, steeped in period detail and religious paranoia. Shot in natural light and using authentic 17th-century dialogue, The Witch creates an atmosphere of creeping dread. Its exploration of isolation, repression, and the supernatural makes it one of the most significant modern entries in the genre.
1. The Blood on Satan’s Claw (1971 | 1970s)
Synopsis: In 17th-century England, children in a rural village slowly form a coven of devil worshippers.
Completing the “Unholy Trinity” of British folk horror, The Blood on Satan’s Claw is both disturbing and hallucinatory. Its fragmented, dreamlike narrative enhances the sense of unease, while its shocking imagery and period setting solidify it as one of the most important films in the subgenre. A must-watch for any folk horror fan.
Honourable Mentions
- Onibaba (1964 | 1960s) – A chilling Japanese folk tale of survival and temptation set in feudal Japan, where two women lure and kill passing samurai before a demonic mask brings terror to their lives. Minimalist, eerie, and steeped in folklore.
- The Devils (1971 | 1970s) – Ken Russell’s infamous exploration of hysteria, religion, and corruption in 17th-century France. More political and confrontational than typical folk horror, but its use of ritual and paranoia cements its place in the genre.
- Eyes of Fire (1983 | 1980s) – Long overlooked until its recent restoration, this American folk horror follows settlers who encounter witchcraft and supernatural forces in the wilderness. Atmospheric, strange, and deeply rooted in frontier folklore.
- A Field in England (2013 | 2010s) – Ben Wheatley’s surreal trip into alchemy, paranoia, and hallucinatory terror during the English Civil War. A modern example that channels the spirit of 1970s folk horror through a contemporary lens.
- Kill List (2011 | 2010s) – A genre-bending British film that begins as a crime thriller before descending into occult rituals and shocking folk horror. Its final act is one of the most disturbing of the century.
- Kuroneko (1968 | 1960s) – Another Japanese folk horror gem, this one involving vengeful spirits of women killed by soldiers, who return to prey on samurai. Gorgeously shot and dripping with atmosphere.
The Roots of Folk Horror (1940s–1950s)
Although the genre flourished in the 1960s and 1970s, earlier works foreshadowed the tropes of folk horror.
- The Queen of Spades (1949 | 1940s) – A chilling British tale of obsession and supernatural folklore.
- Night of the Demon (1957 | 1950s) – Jacques Tourneur’s masterpiece blends scepticism, witchcraft, and cursed runes in rural England.
- Häxan (1922 | 1920s) – A silent documentary-drama about witchcraft that, while predating the genre label, influenced its visual and thematic DNA.
These early films showed that folklore and superstition could create horror just as effectively as monsters or haunted houses, paving the way for the folk horror boom that followed.
Epilogue
Folk horror thrives on what lies beneath — the old ways, the forgotten rituals, the unease of rural isolation. Whether in the misty fields of England, the forests of Scandinavia, or the folklore of Japan, these films remind us that horror doesn’t need skyscrapers or slashers to terrify. Sometimes, the scariest stories are the ones that feel timeless, rooted in the soil itself.
