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Folk horror on film: Return of the British repressed
What is folk horror and how culturally significant is it? This collection is the first study to address these questions while considering the special importance of British cinema to the genre’s development.
The book presents political and aesthetic analyses of folk horror’s uncanny landscapes and frightful folk. It places canonical films like Witchfinder General (1968), The Blood on Satan's Claw (1971) and The Wicker Man (1973) in a new light and expands the canon to include films like the sci-fi horror Doomwatch (1970–72) and the horror documentary Requiem for a Village (1975) alongside filmmakers Ken Russell and Ben Wheatley.
A series of engrossing chapters by established scholars and new writers argue for the uniqueness of folk horror from perspectives that include the fragmented national history of pagan heresies and Celtic cultures, of peasant lifestyles, folkloric rediscoveries and postcolonial decline.
The book presents political and aesthetic analyses of folk horror’s uncanny landscapes and frightful folk. It places canonical films like Witchfinder General (1968), The Blood on Satan's Claw (1971) and The Wicker Man (1973) in a new light and expands the canon to include films like the sci-fi horror Doomwatch (1970–72) and the horror documentary Requiem for a Village (1975) alongside filmmakers Ken Russell and Ben Wheatley.
A series of engrossing chapters by established scholars and new writers argue for the uniqueness of folk horror from perspectives that include the fragmented national history of pagan heresies and Celtic cultures, of peasant lifestyles, folkloric rediscoveries and postcolonial decline.
264 pages, Hardcover
Published October 10, 2023
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
October 1, 2025
“Folk horror is, in fact, unconventional alongside ‘horror horror’ as, rather than being horrific, it has a tendency to be more weird, unsettling or vaguely eerie…The killer or threat is unlikely to be vanquished or escape in a folk horror narrative, if we even know who or what the threat is: it may be an entire community or it may even be ourselves.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.✨
I can’t think of a better way to kick off October than with a review of a nonfiction book all about folk horror films!
But first off, thank you @manchester_university_press for sending me a free copy of this book for review.
What I Liked:
1. This book is highly readable. Despite being academic, is was easy to get into, it was compelling and very accessible. I started it on my flight to Toronto and finished it halfway through the return trip. I couldn’t put it down!
2. My favourite aspect was how it doesn’t shy away from the problematic side of the horror/film industry. It digs into the systemic tropes the genre has historically leaned on such as racism, antisemitism, homophobia, and misogyny. Plus it highlights how more recent films are critiquing and deconstructing those patterns.
3. I appreciated the way the book examined films within their historical, political and socioeconomic climates, showing how cultural moments shaped the horror films being produced.
4. It provides a thorough explanation of what makes a film “folk horror.” From setting, sound, plot, themes, and atmosphere, it clearly distinguishes folk horror from other subgenres.
What I Didn’t Love:
1. I wished there had been more discussion of cinematography, such as lighting, use of colour, camera angles, etc. than there was. Those elements are so integral to creating atmosphere, their absence felt like a missed opportunity.
Overall, I loved this book. If you’re a horror fan, or simply looking for a nonfiction read to get you in the mood for spooky season, you will want this one on your shelf!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.✨
I can’t think of a better way to kick off October than with a review of a nonfiction book all about folk horror films!
But first off, thank you @manchester_university_press for sending me a free copy of this book for review.
What I Liked:
1. This book is highly readable. Despite being academic, is was easy to get into, it was compelling and very accessible. I started it on my flight to Toronto and finished it halfway through the return trip. I couldn’t put it down!
2. My favourite aspect was how it doesn’t shy away from the problematic side of the horror/film industry. It digs into the systemic tropes the genre has historically leaned on such as racism, antisemitism, homophobia, and misogyny. Plus it highlights how more recent films are critiquing and deconstructing those patterns.
3. I appreciated the way the book examined films within their historical, political and socioeconomic climates, showing how cultural moments shaped the horror films being produced.
4. It provides a thorough explanation of what makes a film “folk horror.” From setting, sound, plot, themes, and atmosphere, it clearly distinguishes folk horror from other subgenres.
What I Didn’t Love:
1. I wished there had been more discussion of cinematography, such as lighting, use of colour, camera angles, etc. than there was. Those elements are so integral to creating atmosphere, their absence felt like a missed opportunity.
Overall, I loved this book. If you’re a horror fan, or simply looking for a nonfiction read to get you in the mood for spooky season, you will want this one on your shelf!
Displaying 1 of 1 review