Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched: A History of Folk Horror

Sometimes you’re just in the mood for an older movie. Choosing what to watch can sometimes be difficult and you need a little help. This documentary will lead you onto some interesting paths. It’s a path I have taken more often than I had remembered, but I don’t think I’ve ever actually enjoyed a folk horror film. The recent movie Midsommer is obviously this genre and that’s why I never watched it despite much prodding from friends.

Just as a documentary I recommend this to you if you are at all interested in an intense learning experience. The makers cover an amazing amount of information and if you would like there is a fold out map for a viewer to follow along. My eyes began to glaze over for a moment, because this is like cramming a semester’s worth of film study into three hours. It’s a lot. Beautifully organized, discussion begins with perhaps the three most famous movies, Michael Reeves’ Witchfinder General (1968), Piers Haggard’s Blood on Satan’s Claw (1971) and Robin Hardy’s The Wicker Man (1973). I saw the second one in the theater and was totally freaked out, I have only seen clips of the first one and can’t imagine watching despite it starring Vincent Price, and seeing bits of the third one in this documentary underscored my aversion.

I understand now why these films unnerve me. The stories are a nihilistic struggle of individual freedom and thought against dangerous and always inescapable groupthink. At least with my beloved zombies a person stands some kind of chance, if you stay calm and aim for the head.

There is a lot of commentary by original filmmakers and experts on the subject who didn’t strike me as conspiratorial nerds looking for a moment of fame, and some fine animation and beautifully narrated poetry.  Probably the biggest surprise for me is the mind numbing quantity of movies from an immense folk horror library. There are hundreds of clips which gives the film a great forward momentum. Separated into British, American and The Rest of the World, I was astounded at how many American movies I had seen, and how similar they are to the British versions even as there is a distinct Hollywood feel. As I mentioned before, I was never tempted to watch any of them ever again because they were super disturbing to me. Knowing why does not make me want to look at them again.

I highly recommend seeing this documentary, but don’t even try to see it all in one sitting because it will fry your brain, too. It’s so good that I intend to watch it again, even though I still have no interest in watching any of the movies shown.

Triggers: extreme creepiness in the clips

Available on: Tubi (free), YouTube, YouTube TV, Amazon Prime, Fandango at Home, Philo, Google Play, Apple TV

LINKS:

• Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched – Official Website
• Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched – IMDB
• Wikipedia: Kier-La Janisse, Write, Producer, Director | Folk Horror

CFR: In Addition

Oh Cranky, you are back! At least that is what I thought when I read this. You are writing about horror and that is so you! Squee. I really like what you say about zombie movies too.

I don’t know if I will ever watching this, but wow and well done to all who made it.