Tag: Folk Horror
After File 01 went off with a bang, Koji Shiraishi’s Senritsu Kaiki File Kowasugi! File 02: Shivering Ghost (2012) tries something different and turns out unexpectedly good. The first episode of the mockumentary series didn’t disappoint in serving Koji’s found footage brands and Japanese myth goodness, showing how his knack for storytelling and genre
It’s understandable why Japanese filmmakers focus so often on the feudal era in their horror cinema. It’s a setting so naturally horrific in the plight and pain of the peasant class that few supernatural elements are necessary to invoke dread in audiences. The stark reality of daily life alone is enough to make the viewer
Coming-of-age stories with horror backdrops typically have the upper hand when it comes to bringing a unique vision due to the genre’s ability to tackle topics in ways that other films might not. I hadn’t really thought about it before, but there are quite a number of titles that fall into this category and are
“Probation officer Cathy Madden is given the task of rehabilitating notorious killer ‘Bloody’ Mary Laidlaw back into society after she was imprisoned 20 years earlier for butchering her husband with an axe. Cathy has always believed that every client deserves a shot at redemption, but her beliefs are firmly tested when two children disappear near
Explore the rural roots, occult creeds and cultural lore that continue to shape international cinema. The folk horror genre is as diverse as the countries, cultures, and eras in which is is or has been created, and continues to evolve today. However, there are key fundamentals of folk horror that translate no matter where or
In 1980, Canadian psychiatrist Lawrence Pazder published Michelle Remembers. Based on sessions with his patient (and later wife) Michelle Smith, the book documents Smith’s uncovering of repressed abuse with the aid of recovered-memory therapy. This book has since been debunked, the style of therapy discredited, but according to Pazder and Smith, she had suffered ritualistic
In the past few years, Facebook Watch has grown in popularity, consistently releasing quality web-series. Debuting in 2017, Facebook Watch is a video on-demand service that is available to viewers free of cost and offers an assortment of shows that vary in length from just a few minutes to some that are over a half
Sitting at the southeastern corner of Asia lies the Philippines, which like any other Asian countries such as Japan or Thailand, has its own fair share of cinematic horrors. Filipino or “Pinoy” horror is mostly rooted in local folklore and religion, a result of the country’s beliefs and culture before and after it has been invaded
“Southold, New York, 1843: Young Mary (Stefanie Scott), blood trickling from behind the blindfold tied around her eyes, is interrogated about the events surrounding her grandmother’s death. As the story jumps back in time, we witness Mary, raised in a repressively religious household, finding fleeting happiness in the arms of Eleanor (Isabelle Fuhrman), the home’s
From director Banjong Pisanthanakun and writer Na Hong-jin comes a Thai-Korean, Shudder exclusive feature exploring the thin line between humans and spirits – and what happens to those who cross that line without appropriate psychic protection. Presented as part travel documentary and part found footage, The Medium takes place in Isan, the northeastern part of