Beware - here be dragons - or trolls, or Wisps that want nothing more than to lead you through
a deadly swamp and keep you imprisoned for eternity in their murky depths.
Of course - it’s folklore.
It’s a tapestry of a story that each and every one of us has some kind of a thread
in.
The oral tradition has been one of the most important aspects of sharing information - and
the historical significance of the shifting shapes of stories have forged ahead into contemporary
fiction.
Folklore and horror cinema often go hand in hand, as they subvert our childhood fears
- and bring them up to date in a much more horrifying fashion than we could ever expect.
And that simple equation, has made for some terrifying horror movies.
So, let’s take a look.
Hello horror fans - what’s going on, and once again welcome back to the scariest channel
on YouTube - Top 5 Scary Videos.
As per usual, I’ll be your horror host Jack Finch - as today, we curiously take a look
at the Top 5 Scariest Horror Movies Based On Folklore.
Roll the clip.
For the curious amongst you, of course--that clip is from Guillermo del Toro’s Magnum
Opus - Pan’s Labyrinth, one of the most vivid, surreal, terrifying yet captivating
depictions of dark fantasy and folklore horror of recent times.
And while it deserves the most honorable of mentions, Pan’s Labyrinth is also noteworthy,
as del Toro pretty much threw all caution to the wind--and created his own dark, twisted
folklore: Pale Man included.
It also leads us to a very important point, because there are so many horror classics
that are rooted within Folklore, but I’m going to approach this list a little different--and
hopefully, you’ll find a few new horror films to add to your to-watch list.
Kicking off at Number 5 - Willow Creek, 2013
And for our first brush with Folklore in Horror Cinema--we’re heading over to North America,
with perhaps one of the most legendary paranormal creatures and sources of Forestry Urban Legend--Bigfoot.
And while you may think that Bigfoot has historically been more miss than hit in horror cinema--this
film definitely has something to say about that.
Written and directed by Bobcat Goldthwait in his first ever foray into horror cinema,
Willow Creek is your standard indie found-footage handheld-horror--about Bigfoot Lore, and is
heavily influenced by the legendary Patterson-Gimlin footage of 1967.
However, while on the surface, this film definitely doesn’t do anything new, and it doesn’t
exactly break any new-ground for horror cinema, as we step through the woods of Northern California--the
folklore of the Sasquatch and Bigfoot, has never been more real.
Willow Creek tells the tale of Jim and his long suffering girlfriend, Kelly.
Jim is a fanatic believer of Bigfoot lore--and an avid amateur-cryptozoologist in pursuit
of the big hairy unknown.
In classic found footage fashion, Jim’s idea of a romantic getaway, is to head into
the Six Rivers National Forest, and hopefully find the infamous dry-sandbar deep in the
woods, where the Patterson-Gimlin footage was shot--and film the whole thing along the
way.
It’s a simple premise, with a relatively simple interpretation of folklore.
Bigfoot--it’s just a giant hairy elusive humanoid that lives deep in the wild, right?
Well, Willow Creek definitely believes that--but it has a lot more to say about the implications
of the unknown.
I’ll say no more, because whilst this film is short and straightforward in its approach,
it also packs in so, so much more and expands upon an already intriguing folklore.
Also, mark my words--the last few frames of this film will make your hair stand on end
in some way or another.
Coming in at Number 4 - Borgman, 2013
And for our next entry, we’ll be heading over to the mysteries and dark fantasies of
Germanic Folklore--and whilst this film isn’t exactly the most clear cut interpretation
of a fairy tale, it’s mechanics are a much more modern description of an age-old fear.
2013’s Borgman isn’t exactly the clearest or most obvious of horror films.
In fact, in many ways, it’s a film that relies on the psychology of fear to land its
punches--but it’s in the surrealism of this horror movie where things really get interesting.
Written and directed by Dutch filmmaker Alex van Warmerdam--Borgman paints the intriguing
picture of a mysterious homeless man, that goes by many names throughout the film--but
in all reality, he is none other than an Alp--the nightmare demon of Germanic Folklore.
In the oral tradition of central European society, the Old High German creature--the
Alp--was likened to an often malevolent nature god or demon, similar to that of a Faun, that
would later be morphed into the elves of Celtic and Scandinavian lore.
In Borgman, this simple formula gets a much more modern retelling--as the mysterious homeless
man, otherwise known as Anton, gets chased out of his underground home deep in the wilderness
by a priest and two armed men, where he seeks refuge in a wealthy families home.
And then, as we expect--things take a much more mystical turn.
I won’t say any more, because Borgman is a surprisingly shocking film, and the final
act of this movie is pure evil.
It’s almost like Michael Haneke’s Funny Games--just with an ancient Germanic Alp instead.
And that’s what makes it great.
Next up at Number 3 - Little Otik, 2000
And where the hell do I even begin with this film?
I know I say that a lot--but perhaps the most fitting example on that phrase *is* this film.
Way back in the day, when I was taking Film Class at college--we were studying European
Surrealism, and this film just so happened to rock up one day on my watchlist--and still
to this day, I think back at how utterly messed up it is.
But don’t get me wrong.
This film isn’t messed up in the sense of say, A Serbian Film.
This film is messed up because it’s just so--strangely weird.
Bizarre.
Not quite like anything you’ve ever seen or will see.
It’s not even a horror film.
In fact, it’s pretty damn hilarious in places.
But trust me--Little Otik is a horror experience.
Written and directed by the legendary surrealist Jan Svankmajer, Little Otik is a Chezch film
based upon the Otesanek fairytale from 19th century Czechoslovakia.
And what’s that, you may ask?
Well.
Otesanek is a dark, European cautionary folk-tale, about a couple that have been struggling to
conceive a child together.
One day, out in the fields--the husband finds a strange log of wood, that curiously resembles
the figure of a baby--and so he decides to bring it home to his wife.
The couple are completely overjoyed by their new wooden-child, and suddenly--that log-baby
comes to life and demands to be fed.
But then, as time passes--the baby can’t stop eating, and Otesanek gets hungrier--and
hungrier--and you can see where this is going, right?
Little Otik is incredibly straightforward with it’s narrative, but Jan Svankmajer
manages to squeeze every last terrifying and intriguing drop out of this fairytale.
He blends strange, twisted stop-motion animation with live-action set pieces--and this film
really is a feast for your eyes.
Although it isn’t a traditional *horror* film so to speak, if you haven’t seen Little
Otik, please do--because you won’t be forgetting it in a hurry.
Swinging in at Number 2 - November, 2017
This film is *beautiful*--and sick, and twisted--and brilliant, and everything you could ever want
from a horror fantasy based on folklore, because it’s a hodge-podge of all of those things,
woven beautifully in those same surreal, dark tones of Northern Europe.
This film shot way, way under the radar--and admittedly, it may be a little too arthouse
for some people--but forget about that, because visually speaking--from a horror perspective,
this film is worth so much.
There’s nothing like it.
It’s exciting, and it’s brilliant.
And film’s like this, as well as Robert Eggers The Witch--are important entries into
both folklore and horror cinema.
Written and directed by Rainer Sarnet, November is an Estonian dark fantasy horror--based
upon the novel Rehepapp ehk November by Andrus Kivirahk--which is essentially a modern Grimm
Fairytale about the price of young love and the dangers that come with it.
Aren’t they all, eh?
Set in a small 19th century village in Estonia--that is unwittingly besieged by every magical creature
in the forest, spirits, wood elves, trolls, knolls and even the devil himself--the folklore
elements of November are juxtaposed by a very historical reality.
You see, the town is also besieged by the Black Death--The Plague, and the Church are
trying their utmost to save some souls.
Behind that though, is the backdrop of a young-love triangle, trying their best to circumvent
each other’s hearts desires in the classic cautionary fashion that we expect.
I don’t say this lightly, but this film is Shakespearean.
There’s so much calamity going on--that it’s almost like a horror depiction of A
Midsummer Night's Dream, and it lends itself perfectly to the ingenuity of Baltic folklore
and literature.
Despite that though, November also crams in all the dirt, grime, and the very physical
gore of pain and existence out in the rural mire of 19th century Europe--and that alone
makes it worth a watch.
This film’s brilliant.
Give it a watch.
And finally, coming in at our Number 1 spot - Sauna, 2008
Let me preface this with a very important point.
This film is hella messed up.
And you will either love this film, or you will hate it.
It’s as simple as that.
But the reason this film takes our Number 1 spot, despite me being a massive fan of
it, is down to it’s no-nonsense approach to the stark realities of folklore--and the
price of human life that is often paid in its cautionary tales.
2008’s Sauna does not pull any punches, it doesn’t sugarcoat the realities of death
with the magical or mystical, and because of that it is perhaps one of the starkest
interpretations of myth and legend of recent times.
Sauna, otherwise known as Filth--or Evil Rising in it’s English release--tells the tale
of two brothers in Finland in 1595.
It takes place at the end of the bloody Russo-Swedish War--and the brothers, one of them a violent
and grizzled warrior, and the other a kind and timid scholar--are tasked with marking
the new border between Finland and Russia.
So, what does a Sauna have to do with it?
Well, I’ll leave that for you all to discover--because part of the appeal of this film is pulling
at the threads of its mystery.
But heading into this film, you need to know, although it may not seem like it, the folklore
connotations of one of Scandinavia’s most ancient past-times--the steamed hut and hovels
of a Sauna--play a very significant, and horrifying role in this film.
There are so many tales throughout Finnish folklore about the dangers of meeting mischievous
figures behind the ancient mists of a sauna, but this film is instead concerned with it’s
surprising spiritual connection, and the role it played in the cleansing of sins.
You may have to dig deep into this film to truly understand it’s significance to Folklore--but
put it this way.
The Sami people of Northern Finland were one of the last bastions of the Ancient Paganism,
and remained unconverted by Christianity until the 18th century.
Keep that thought in your head--and then watch this film.
I’ll say no more.
Well, there we have it folks, our Top 5 List for the Scariest Horror Movies Based On Folklore.
What do you guys think?
Do you agree?
Do you have any more that you’d like to add?
Then please, let us know your thoughts--as well as your own Top 5 List, down in the comment
section below.
Before we depart from today’s video though, let’s first take a quick look at some of
your more creative comments from over the past few days.
First up, Iver Klausen says --
Jack: “Thomas Jane is always awesome” Mutant Chronicles: “Hold my beer”
-- Alright, alright.
I get your point, but we can’t always knock em out the park.
Sometimes you have a bad day.
Mutant Chronicles was terrible.
But Thomas Jane was still awesome.
Because he’s always awesome.
And finally, Pop Culture Psychology says --
Jack, never stop the dad jokes.
On behalf of all dads who share a love of horror movies with their kids, it’s something
for us too!
-- Well, Pop Culture Psychology, I think this may just be my favourite comment in a long
time.
Thank you very much.
I’m still trying to master the true art of the dad joke--but hopefully I can learn
from some of the best.
Well, there we have it horror fans--unfortunately, that’s all we’ve got time for in today’s
video--cheers for sticking around all the way until the end.
If you were a fan of this video, or just Top 5 Scary Videos in particular, then please
be a dear and hit that thumbs up button, as well as that subscribe bell--and I’ll be
seeing you in the next one.
As per usual, I’ve been your horror host Jack Finch--you’ve been watching Top 5 Scary
Videos, and until next time, you take it easy.