"Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched: A History of Folk Horror"
review by Diablo Joe



I, Portrait
WoodlandsDarkAndDaysBewitched.com

There has always been something about the folk horror genre (a concept in and of itself challenged in this documentary) that has provided a wholly unique take on terror. In a way that others cannot, it delivers a deeply internalized sense of dread and unsettling terror. It often does this without jump scares, monsters, or even overt violence. Folk horror draws upon a core of cultural synergy that makes it a fascinating topic for the horror fan.



"Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched: A History of Folk Horror" is Kier-La Janisse's exhaustive and immersive overview of the topic. Going far beyond the most oft-referenced films of the genre, Janisse delves deep. Really deep. Even the most rabid horror fanatic will find themselves saying, "what is this?" as the director unrolls a litany of obscure films and TV teleplays. But rather than resulting in a mish-mash of data, these films are used to prop up the underpinnings of the thematic arguments presented by Janisse and the equally comprehensive cadre of writers, filmmakers, and historians gathered for the film.



Kier-La Janisse has broken the documentary into chapters, each with an apropos title evoking ritual and magic. But there is, topically, much bleed-through from one to the next. But rather than giving it an episodic feel, it appropriately evokes (invokes?) a liturgy of sorts. The familiar leads ever-deeper into stranger and more peculiar territory. And the brief but evocative, animated interludes and score by Jim Williams weave themselves wonderfully with the bountiful clips and interviews.



At 3 hours and 14 minutes, "Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched" exceeds even the latest Bond blockbuster in length. But it never feels padded or plodding. Like many of the films it highlights, it can be a slow-burn of an experience that will reward those who stay with it. The doc is scholarly in its depth and thoroughness but never pedantic. Janisse and her gathering of adepts are so well-versed in folk horror arcana and esoterica—and so willing to initiate the viewer into the higher orders of knowledge—that we become converted.

Exhaustive, yes, but never exhausting.



If there is one downside to "Woodlands," it is that the litany of films cited, so many of them, especially the 70s British TV programs, are so obscure that many will be inaccessible to most all of us. But, Severin Films is releasing a massive 10-disc box set filled with features, shorts, BTS documentaries, and interviews. And, of course, "Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched."



As if an example of the "strange things found in fields," Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched: A History of Folk Horror" lifts a veil to reveal a new world. It’s a hypnotic world that many of us may have previously only glimpsed from the corner of our mind’s eye. But devotees of cinematic horror should enter this realm without fear. For it is glorious indeed.



This devil of a reviewer gives “Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched: A History of Folk Horror” 5 out of 5 imps.