Summary of The True History That Created Folk Horror (Part 1)

00:00:00 - 00:35:00

The YouTube video "The True History That Created Folk Horror (Part 1)" discusses the origins of the folk horror genre, which can be traced back to human sacrifice in rural England. The video explores the influence of pagan traditions on Christian holidays, and how a murder committed in England in the 1950s inspired folk horror.

• 00:00:00 In this essay, the author discusses the true origins of the folk horror genre, which go much deeper than the book "The Witch Cult in Western Europe" by anthropologist Margaret Murray. The author discusses real-life murders and historical sources which had a direct influence on early focora stories and films.
• 00:05:00 Folk horror films, such as "The Temple of Death" from 1911, explore the fear of paganism and its associated violence.
• 00:10:00 The following is a transcript excerpt of a YouTube video titled "The True History That Created Folk Horror (Part 1)," which discusses the history of the wicker man ritual. The video discusses the sources of the ritual, which include books by historians Julius Caesar and Strabo, as well as Celtic coins. The ritual in the film, The Wicker Man, is different from the historical ritual. The purpose of the ritual in the film is to bring a bountiful harvest and fertility to the land.
• 00:15:00 The true history that created folk horror begins with human sacrifice in rural England. This creates the sense of horror and foreboding in many folk horror tales, as well as other examples of stories which concern folk rituals. The basis for so much folk horror is the mysterious survivorship of traditions and symbols from ancient times which are often obscured in the mists of time. The origins of the green man, a motif often seen on churches and buildings in the present day, are debated, but one theory is that it represents the wild man from English folklore, a spirit of the wild places.
• 00:20:00 In this video, the true history of folk horror is explored, beginning with the mystery of the figure known as the green man. This figure is a remnant of the past, and its presence in the present casts a sinister shadow over contemporary folk horror stories. Other important features of folk horror, such as traditions and rituals, landscapes and monuments, and ancient religious structures, are also discussed. Finally, the connection between past and present is illustrated by examples of ancient man-made structures and natural formations that create an eerie atmosphere in folk horror stories.
• 00:25:00 The video discusses the origins of folk horror, specifically citing the influence of pagan traditions on Christian holidays. It goes on to say that this could be one explanation as to why some pagan ceremonies were retained as Christian holidays instead of being replaced outright.
• 00:30:00 This essay discusses the history of Christianity and how it attempted to convert different cultures, including the Saxons in England. Beed discusses the importance of a softer approach in order to avoid backlash from the population. He argues that human nature does not change very much, and that it is impossible to erase all of the old beliefs from people's minds. A faith based on the moon and the stars, ancient deities, and the tides was slowly converted to Christianity, but there were periodic uprisings against the conversion. Force was often used during the conversions, particularly in Eastern Europe, and it is likely that this contributed to the preservation of pagan beliefs. While pagan groups exist today, they are a reconstruction based on what was known about the original religion. It is difficult for a religion to survive for more than a few generations when people are not able to openly practice it.
• 00:35:00 The video discusses how pagan folklore became incorporated into Christianity, and how a murder committed in England in the 1950s inspired folk horror. Parts two and three of the essay will be released soon, and they will cover different aspects of this topic.