10 Obscure Folk Horror Movies You Need To Watch

One of the earliest iterations of a folk horror outing happens to be one of the sub-genre's greatest triumphs: Finnish cinema staple, The White Reindeer.

While horror films tend to receive lukewarm critical reception on the whole, this hidden gem notably won the 1956 Golden Globe for Best Foreign Film. However, while the film remains one of the most notable outings for Finnish cinema, one would be hard pressed to find a casual viewer who has seen the 1952 classic.

Shot in black and white against a vast, sparsely populated landscape, The White Reindeer tells the tale of Pirita, a young woman who becomes unwittingly transformed into - you guessed it - a stunning white reindeer by a mysterious shaman, resulting in her relentless pursuit by men who wish to strip the beautiful creature of its meat and pelt. The catch? Pirita also becomes a vampiric entity, feeding on the men she lures into her trap.

The White Reindeer is a notably beautiful cinematic offering in every way conceivable unless one requires a full on dialogue to enjoy a movie. While the film is not a silent picture, the storytelling is all visual, using the haunting landscape and stirring score to bring a beautiful interpretation of Finnish folklore to life. One of the earliest triumphs of the sub-genre and a notable hidden gem to boot.