I love talking about folk horror in May. We’ve done it on Final Girls Feast since we started. Given my latest silent film interest, I wanted to round up some silent films that were either folk horror or, at the very least, adjacent to it. Folks assume that folk horror in film started with The Unholy Trinity, but that just isn’t the case! I’m here to share some recs of earlier films that touch on the same ideas and even dive into folklore. Sadly, this month got away from me, and this article took me more time than I planned. I wish I could have gotten it out sooner, but it’s here before the month ends! That said, I do plan to keep this as an evergreen post, where I will add more films as I watch or when I get to some of the films I wanted to include but couldn’t. Enough about the logistics, though, let’s get started!
Silent Folk Horror Recommendations
- Häxan (1922)- Grave robbing, torture, possessed nuns, and a satanic Sabbath: Benjamin Christensen’s legendary silent film uses a series of dramatic vignettes to explore the scientific hypothesis that the witches of the Middle Ages and early modern era suffered from the same ills as psychiatric patients diagnosed with hysteria in the film’s own time. When it comes to silent folk horror, this is probably the most recognized. Part documentary, part horror film, Häxan provides an interesting look at witchcraft through a 1920s lens.
- The Golem: How He Came Into the World (1920)- In 16th-century Prague, a rabbi creates the Golem, a giant creature made of clay. Using sorcery, he brings the creature to life in order to protect the Jews of Prague from persecution. The Golem has been a part of Judaism/Jewish folklore since the early days of the religion. This film marks the 3rd film Paul Wegener directed about the titular creature (the first two are considered lost). It is a beautiful example of German expressionism, and it’s easy to see how it’s influenced directors like Tim Burton.
- Meren Kasvojen Edessä (1926)- A man stays with a fisherman and his adult daughter in coastal Finland, develops feelings for the daughter, and begins to uncover a terrible secret haunting the family. This film isn’t explicitly folk horror, but it does feature a lot of the familiar elements. The most prominent being a city dweller inserting himself into an island community. There are also strange dreams, ghostly figures, and a boat figurehead that is used as a sort of message of foreboding. This doesn’t have a readily available physical or VOD release, but can be viewed here.
- The Headless Horseman (1922)- The Headless Horseman is the oldest surviving film adaptation of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Some might disagree with its inclusion on this list, but I’d argue that it does feature core elements of folk horror. This particular adaptation is fairly close to the story, with the exception of a scene where Ichabod is almost tarred and feathered because of a prank instigated by Brom Bones. He convinces a village child to say he was bewitched by Ichabod. Also, like the source material, it isn’t all that scary or fast-paced, with all of the action happening at the end. Despite that, from a historical standpoint, I’d say it’s worth a watch.
Honorable Mentions
- The Night Before Christmas, aka Christmas Eve (1913)- It is Christmas Eve, and the town witch’s son, a blacksmith, seeks an honest marriage to his love, who wishes for a pair of shoes fit for the Tsarina. A mischievous devil is trapped into providing service to the smith. This is on the honorable mention list because while there is a demon, it doesn’t really lean into horror or the things I’d consider elements of folk horror. That said, there is enough folklore to make it worth taking a look at. There isn’t a readily available physical release of this film, but it can be found on YouTube.
As I mentioned above, there are a few movies I’m planning to check out. Those titles include: The Arrival from the Darkness aka Příchozí z temnot (this will be getting a release in the next 6 months from Deaf Crocodile), St. Wenceslas aka Svatý Václav (this will also be getting a Deaf Crocodile release), and Tabu: A Story of the South Seas. They may or may not make the cut, but they are on the list. I would also love to give a shout-out to Movies Silently, Benjamin Schultz-Figueroa, and everyone else who chimed in on my BlueSky post! If you have any other silent folk horror recs for me, let me know in the comments below!