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Theme
Genre

Folk Horror

Speculative and Fantastic Fiction

Folk horror is a subgenre of horror film and horror fiction that uses elements of folklore to invoke fear and foreboding. Typical elements include a rural setting, isolation, and themes of superstition, folk religion, paganism, sacrifice and the darker aspects of nature. Although related to supernatural horror, folk horror usually focuses on the beliefs and actions of people rather than the supernatural itself, and often deals with naive outsiders coming up against those beliefs.

Facts
Notable Example
The Wicker Man (1973) 1
Defining Trait
Focus on the beliefs and actions of people, with naive outsiders coming up against them 1
Connections

Form Of Genre

Horror Fiction, Genres
Sources
1. Folk horror - Wikipedia
  • Film section
    The British films Witchfinder General (1968), The Blood on Satan's Claw (1971) and The Wicker Man (1973) are pioneers of the genre.
  • Opening section
    Folk horror usually focuses on the beliefs and actions of people, rather than the supernatural, and often deals with naive outsiders coming up against these.
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