All the haunts be ours : a compendium of folk horror.
(Blu-ray) 

Disc 1. Woodlands dark and days bewitched : a history of folk horror / Severin Films presents ; produced by Kier-La Janisse, David Gregory and Winnie Cheung ; directed by Kier-La Janisse. (2021, 192 min., 1.85:1, color). In English and Portuguese. Summary: This documentary explores the folk horror phenomenon from its beginnings in the 1960s through its proliferation on British television in the 1970s and its culturally specific manifestations in American, Asian, Australian and European horror, to the genre's revival over the last decade. Touching on over 200 films and featuring over 50 interviewees, the film investigates the many ways that we alternately celebrate, conceal and manipulate our own histories in an attempt to find spiritual resonance in our surroundings. Special features: video introduction by writer/director/producer Kier-La Janisse (8 min.); Animating folk horror, a conversation with Ashley Thorpe (12 min.); Outtake: What is folk horror? (2 min.); Outtake: Harvest hymns, the sounds and signals of folk horror (22 min.); Outtake: Terra Assombrada, expressions of folk horror in Brazil (7 min.); Folk poetry (5 min.); trailer.

Disc 2. Eyes of fire / Elysian Pictures presents ; an Avery Crounse film ; produced by Philip J. Spinelli ; written and directed by Avery Crounse. Cast: Dennis Lipscomb, Guy Boyd, Rebecca Stanley, Sally Klein, Karlene Crockett, Fran Ryan, Rob Paulsen. (1983, 86 min., 1.85:1, color). In English. Summary: On the western frontier of 1750's North America, a minister and his followers are driven from their pioneer settlement because of his serial adultery and other deviations from orthodoxy. Their choice of a new town site in the wilderness is even more disastrous, thanks to Native American spirits who may be lurking there. Special features: audio commentary with Colin Dickey, author of 'Ghostland: an American history in haunted places'; The secret is in the trees, Nightmare USA author Stephen Thrower interviews writer/director Avery Crounse (29 min.); 'Crying blue sky' alternate, longer cut; trailer. Short films: The legend of Sleepy Hollow (Sam Weiss, 1972, 13 min.); Transformations (Barbara Hirschfeld, 1972, 8.5 min.); Backwoods (Ryan Mackfall, 2018, 15 min.).

Disc 3. Leptirica = She-Butterfly / Radio Television Belgrade, Drama Division ; script by Djordje Kadijević ; directed by Djordje Kadijević. Cast: Mirjana Nikolić, Petar Božović, Slobodan Perović, Vasja Stanković. (1973, 65 min., 1.33:1, color). In Serbian. Based on the short story "After ninety years" by Milovan Glišić. Summary: A young man wants to marry the beautiful daughter of a landowner who refuses to allow the marriage. To prove his worth, the young man becomes a miller in a vampire-infested local mill. Special features: "Radical fairy tales," interview with director Djordje Kadijević (31 min.); Štićenik, short film (Djordje Kadijević, 1973, 45 min.); "Diary of an inmate," interview with Štićenik actor Milan Mihailovic (10 min.); Devičanska Svirka, short film (Djordje Kadijević, 1973, 60 min.); "Prisoner of song," interview with Devičanska Svirka actor Goran Sultanovic.

Disc 4. Kladivo na čarodějnice = Witchhammer / Filmové Studio Barrandov ; screenplay, Otakar Vávra and Ester Krumbachová ; directed by Otakar Vávra. Cast: Vladimír Šmeral, Elo Romančík, Josef Kemr. (1970, 107 min., 2.35:1, black and white). In Czech. Based on the novel by Václav Kaplicky. Summary: In the 1600s, an overzealous clergy hauls innocent women in front of tribunals, forces them to confess to imaginary witchery, and engages in brutal torture and persecution of their subjects. Special features: audio commentary with Czech film historian and curator Irena Kovarova; "The womb of woman is the gateway to hell," appreciation by essayist and critic Kat Ellinger and film historian Michael Brooke (22.5 min.); "The projection booth" podcast, Witchhammer episode with host Mike White and guest critics Samm Deighan and Rahne Alexander (62 min.) --

Viy / Mosfilm ; Artistic Association "Luch" ; screenplay by A. Ptushko, K. Yershov, G. Kropachyov ; directed by K. Yershov and G. Kropachyov. Cast: Leonid Kuravlyov, N. Varley, A. Glazyrin, N. Kutuzov. (1967, 76 min., 1.33:1, color). In Russian or English. Based on the short novel by N.V. Gogol. Summary: In 19th-century Russia, a seminary student is forced to spend three nights with the corpse of a beautiful young witch. But when she rises from the dead to test his faith, it will summon a nightmare of fear, desire, and the ultimate demonic mayhem. Special features: "From the woods to the cosmos," John Leman Riley on the history of Soviet fantasy and sci-fi film (34 min.); trailer. Silent short films: Satan exultant (1917, 20 min.); The queen of spades (1916, 16 min.); The portrait (1915, 8 min.).

Disc 5. De dødes tjern = Lake of the dead / Norsk Film ; written and directed by Kåre Bergstrøm. Cast: Erling Lindahl, Bjørg Engh, Henny Moan, André Bjerke, Per Lillo Stenberg, Georg Richter, Henki Kolstad. (1958, 77 min., 2.40:1, black and white). In Norwegian. Based on the book by Bernhard Borge [André Bjerke]. Summary: A group of friends travel to a cabin in the Norwegian forest. A local legend tells about a man who lived there once killed his sister and her lover and then drowned himself in the lake. Since then, it is said that anyone who stays in the cabin will be driven to the same fate. Special feature: audio commentary with film historians Jonathan Rigby and Kevin Lyons --

Tilbury / Ríkisútvarpið-Sjónvarp ; written and directed by Viðar Víkingsson. Cast: Kristján Franklín Magnús, Helga Bernhard, Karl Ágúst Úlfsson, Erla Skúladóttir. (1987, 57 min., 1.33:1, color). In Icelandic. Original story by Þórarinn Eldjárn. Summary: Set in 1940 during the British occupation, a country boy discovers his childhood sweetheart is having an affair with a British soldier who the boy suspects could be an evil creature described in local tales. Special features: audio commentary with director Viðar Víkingsson and screenwriter Þórarinn Eldjárn, moderated by film scholar Gudrun D. Whitehead; "With enough Tilbury butter, anything is good," interview with Karl Ágúst Úlfsson (6 min.); "A boy from the country," interview with Kristján Franklin Magnúss (3 min.); student filme, 'White spot in the back of the head' (Viðar Víkingsson, 1979, 33 min.); 'The moon fades, death rides,' Viðar Víkingsson discusses the folklore origins of "White spot in the back of the head" (5 min.).

Disc 6. The dreaming / an FGH presentation for International Film Management Limited ; a Genesis Films production ; written by Mario Andreacchio, Rob George, Stephanie McCarthy ; produced by Craig Lahiff and Wayne Groom ; directed by Mario Andreacchio. Cast: Arthur Dignam, Penny Cook, Gary Sweet, Laurence Clifford, Kristina Nehm. (1988, 90 min., 1.85:1, color). In English. Based on a story by Craig Lahiff & Terry Jennings. Summary: A doctor treats a sick aborigine, who had defied a tribal taboo and visited a sacred cave. The doctor soon finds herself having disturbing dreams and finds herself involved in a 200-year-old mystery. Special features: audio commentary with director Mario Andreacchio, moderated by film historian Jarret Gahan; trailer --

Kadaicha / Premiere Film Marketing Limited presents ; in association with Medusa Communications Limited ; a David Hannay production ; screenplay by Ian Coughlan ; produced by David Hannay, Charles Hannah ; directed by James Bogle. Cast: Zoë Carides, Tom Jennings, Eric Oldfield. (1988, 88 min., 1.33:1, color). In English. Summary: The residents of a housing development find themselves in trouble after they discover that their development was built on top of a sacred aboriginal graveyard, on which a curse was placed upon anyone who disturbed it. Special features: audio commentary with director James Bogle, moderated by veteran film journalist Michael Helms (Fatal Visions); "The final girl of Kadaicha," audio interview with actress Zoe Carides, conducted by film historian Jarret Gahan (13 min.); "Composing Kadaicha," audio interview with composer Peter Westheimer, conducted by film historian Jarret Gahan (17.5 min.); behind the scenes of Kadaicha (7 min.); trailer.

Disc 7. Celia / Seon Films presents ; a film by Ann Turner ; produced by Timothy White, Gordon Glenn ; written and directed by Ann Turner. Cast: Rebecca Smart, Nicholas Eadie, Victoria Longley, Mary-Anne Fahey (1989, 103 min., 1.85:1, color). In English. Summary: An imaginative and somewhat disturbed young girl fantasizes about evil creatures and other oddities to mask her insecurities while growing up in rural Australia. Special features: "Celia and me," interview with director Ann Turner (40 min.); "From Crawfords to Celia," interview with veteran editor Ken Sallows (17 min.); "The rabbit in Australia," documentary (1979, 24 min.) --

Alison's birthday / an Australian Film Commission, Fontana Films presentation ; a David Hannay production ; produced by David Hannay ; written and directed by Ian Coughlan. Cast: Joanne Samuel, Lou Brown, Bunney Brooke, John Bluthal, Vincent Ball (1981, 99 min., 1.85:1, color). In English. Summary: A young woman is subjected to a reign of terror so that her soul can be transferred into the body of an old crone. Special features: extended interviews from "Not quite Hollywood" with producer David Hannay and cast members Joanne Samuel and Belinda Giblin (12 min.); "The devil down under," satanic panic in Australia from Rosaleen Norton to 'Alison's birthday' (15 min.).

Disc 8. Wilczyca = She-wolf / Film Polski presents ; screenplay, Jerzy Gierałtowski ; dialogue, Jerzy Gierałtowski, Marek Piestrak ; directed by Marek Piestrak. Cast: Krzysztof Jasiński, Iwona Bielska (1983, 103 min., 1.33:1, color). In Polish. Summary: A cavalry officer named Kasper returns home to find his wife dying. With her last breath she confesses that she has sold her soul and will return as a she-wolf. Special feature: "Unleashing the she-wolf," interview with director Marek Piestrak (10.5 min.) --

Lokis, rekopis profesora Wittembacha = Lokis, a manuscript of Professor Wittembach / Film Polski presents ; written for the screen and directed by Janusz Majewski. Cast: Józef Duriasz, Edmund Fetting, Gustaw Lutkiewicz, Małgorzata Braunek, Zofia Mrozowska, Hanna Stankówna (1970, 100 min., 1.66:1, color). In Polish. Based on the novel by Prosper Mérimée. Summary: A pastor studying folklore in remote parts of 19th-century Lithuania is invited to stay with a young nobleman who the locals believe is the son of a bear. Special feature: "Wild country of the were'bear," interview with director Janusz Majewski.

Disc 9. Clearcut / Cinexus presents ; a Stephen J. Roth production ; a Richard Bugajski film ; screenplay by Rob Forsyth ; produced by Stephen J. Roth and Ian McDougall ; directed by Richard Bugajski. Cast: Ron Lea, Graham Greene, Michael Hogan, Rebecca Jenkins, Floyd Red Crow Westerman (1991, 98 min., 2.35:1, color). In English. Based on the novel 'A dream like mine' by M.T. Kelly. Summary: A white lawyer finds his values shaken when he is paired with an angry Indigenous activist who insists on kidnapping the head of a logging company to teach him the price of his destruction. Special features: archival video introduction by director Ryszard Bugajski (7.5 min.); audio commentary with scholar and anthropologist Shaawano Chad Uran (White Earth Anishinaabe); archival audio interview with director Ryszard Bugajski and journalist Allan MacInnis (98 min.); "A dream like Arthur's," audio interview with actor Graham Greene (16 min.); Composing 'Clearcut,' interview with composer Shane Harvey (17 min.); 'The ballad of Crowfoot', short film (Willie Dunn, 1968, 10 min.); audio commentary for 'The ballad of Crowfoot' with Kevin Howes and Lawrence Dunn; 'You are on Indian land,' short film (Michael Kanentakeron Mitchell, 1969, 32 min.); 'Consume,' short film (Mike Peterson, 2017, 20 min.).

Disc 10. Il demonio = The demon / Titanus presents ; an Italian-French coproduction, Titanus S.p.A., Vox Film S.p.A., Les Films Marceau Cocinor ; produced by Ugo Guerra, Federico Magnaghi, Luciano Martino ; story by Brunello Rondi ; screenplay by Ugo Guerra, Luciano Martino, Brunello Rondi ; directed by Brunello Rondi. Cast: Daliah Lavi, Frank Wolff (1963, 100 min., 1.85:1, black and white). In Italian. Summary: A lonely, sexually-uninhibited young peasant is subjected to exorcism after she hexes a man who rejects her advances. Special features: audio commentary with film historian Kat Ellinger; "The kid from a kibbutz," Daliah Lavi and the road to 'Il demonio' (27.5 min.); Once upon a time in Basilicata (23 min.) --

Dark waters / a Victor Zuev production ; a Mariano Baino film ; written by Mariano Baino and Andrew M. Bark ; produced by Victor Zuev ; directed by Mariano Baino. Cast: Louise Salter, Venera Simmons, Maria Kapnist (1993, 89 min., 1.85:1, color). In English. Summary: A woman investigates the disappearance of her friend and her own murky past when she travels to a mysterious convent on a barren island. Special features: audio commentary with writer/director Mariano Baino; Deep into the 'Dark waters' (50 min.).

Disc 11. A field in England / Film4 presents ; a Rook Films production ; written by Amy Jump ; directed by Ben Wheatley. Cast: Julian Barratt, Peter Ferdinando, Richard Glover, Ryan Pope, Reece Shearsmith, Michael Smiley (2012, 90 min., 2.35:1, black and white). In English. Summary: Amid the Civil War in 17th-century England, a group of deserters flee from battle through an overgrown field. Captured by an alchemist, the men are forced to help him search to find a hidden treasure that he believes is buried in the field. Special features: audio commentary with director Ben Wheatley, producer Andy Starke and sound editor Martin Pavey; "Letterboxd Magic Hour" episode one: Kier-La Janisse X Ben Wheatley (45 min.); "Please hear me," the music of 'A field in England' (6 min.); Ben Wheatley in conversation with Pete Tombs (23 min.); camera tests (10.5 min.); UK trailer; US trailer --

Anchoress / The British Film Institute and Corsan Productions present ; a BFI/Corsan film in association with The Ministry of the Flemish Community, BRTN, ASLK-CGER, Nationale Loterij-Loterie Nationale and Channel Four Television ; written by Judith Stanley-Smith, Christine Watkins ; producers, Paul Breuls, Ben Gibson ; directed by Chris Newby. Cast: Natalie Morse, Eugene Bervoets, Toyah Willcox, Peter Postlethwaite, Christopher Eccleston (1993, 108 min., 1.66:1, black and white). In English. Summary: In the 14th-century, a visionary girl is to become an Anchoress, a walled-in recluse, so that she can live in the Virgin's house forever. Over time she awakens to her own sensuality and explores her own female, earth-based spirituality. Special features: "Lockdown 1329," video essay by director Chris Newby that explores parallels between COVID lockdowns in the UK and Christine Carpenter's experience as an anchoress (13.5 min.); A short trip to Shere (2.5 min.).

Disc 12. Penda's fen / BBC ; written by David Rudkin ; producer, David Rose ; directed by Alan Clarke. Cast: Spencer Banks, John Atkinson, Georgine Anderson, Ron Smerczak (1974, 90 min., 1.33:1, color). In English. Originally broadcast as an episode of the TV series "Play for today." Summary: Through a series of real and imagined encounters with angels, demons, and England's pagan past, a pastor's son begins to question his religion and politics, and comes to terms with his sexuality. Special features: audio commentary with James Machin and Matthew Harle, editors of the book 'Of mud & flame: the Penda's Fen sourcebook'; The landscape of feelings: the road to Penda's Fen (16 min.); 'The pledge,' short film (Digby Rumsey, 1981, 22 min.) --

Robin Redbreast / BBC ; written by John Bowen ; producer, Graeme McDonald ; directed by James MacTaggart. Cast: Anna Cropper, Amanda Walker, Julian Holloway, Freda Bamford, Bernard Hepton, Andrew Bradford (1970, 76 min., 1.33:1, black and white). In English. Originally broadcast as an episode of the TV series "Play for today." Summary: A young woman moves to a quiet village after a break-up. The locals are warm enough at first and before long she is pregnant from a relationship with a local lad. But the sinister intentions of the locals are gradually revealed. Special features: audio commentary with William Fowler and Vic Pratt, curators and authors of 'The bodies beneath: the flipside of British film & television'; interview with John Bowen (12 min.); 'The sermon,' short filme (Dean Puckett, 2018, 12 min.).

Disc 13 (CD). Woodlands dark and days bewitched : original soundtrack / all tracks composed and performed by Jim Williams.

Discs 14-15 (CD). The white people / written by Arthur Machen ; read by Linda Hayden. Summary: Arthur Machen's short story, first published in 1904, in which a discussion between two men on the nature of evil leads to the revelation of a mysterious Green Book

the diary of a young girl, in which she describes her initiation into a secret world of folklore and magic.

Accompanying booklet. All the haunts be ours / edited by Kier-La Janisse: "Wouldst thou like to see the world?" / an introduction by Andy Paciorek --

The nature of folk horror / by Dawn Keetley --

Strange colonies / by Mitch Horowitz --

We aren't superstitious / by Stephen Vincent Benét --

Wrestling with witches: sticking pins in movie malevolence / by Stephen Volk --

The cult of death is a way of life: folk horror and the feminine in Mexican identity / by Sarah Chavez --

Tilbury / by Þórarinn Eldjárn --

The Serbian roots of the vampire family tree / by Dejan Ognjanović --

Genealogy of a legend: tracking the Fool-Killer / by Stephen R. Bissette --

Lamkin: the motivation of horror / by John DeWitt Niles --

The Hobyahs --

Appendix: The films.