Analysing Trailers from the Folk Horror Sub-genre - 'Midsommar', 'Starve Acre' and 'The Witch'

'Midsommar' - Teaser Trailer

The teaser trailer for 'Midsommar' contains the following conventions of the folk horror sub-genre:

• a focus on rituals and ceremonies (the shot of the sun, images on the walls of the barns, meal times)
• bird's-eye-view shots - to suggest characters are being controlled
• isolated, rural location
• slow, creeping camerawork
• dialogue/voiceover references the festival/ceremony
• costumes seem ancient, from a different time - all characters are dressed in robes with flower garlands, as if in a cult
• music is soft, ballad-like but creepy
• A24 logo has bright flowers growing out of it - links to the garland and the theme of nature at the heart of the folk horror sub-genre
• enhanced sound effects of nature
• scenes show strange rituals
• the focus/cinematography implies the influence of drugs - as if the characters are experiencing an out-of-body experience
• title card featuring the director's name - Ari Aster - associated with making films from the sub-genre
• the font is serif and has an archaic look to it
• repeated references to the 'Maypole'
• release date is 'Summer' or 'Sommar' - a time of rituals and festivities
• the tagline references festivities
• there are scenes of sacrifice - with blood being smeared down ancient runestones (with strange symbols carved into them)
• the montage at the end shows running, handheld camera movement, wide-eyed scared faces
• over the title of the film we can hear strange wailing

'Starve Acre' - UK Trailer

The UK trailer for 'Starve Acre' contains the following conventions of the folk horror sub-genre:

• opens in an isolated, rural location
• sinister non-diegetic music
• immediate reference to rituals (someone performing a seance)
• mise-en-scene includes animal bones
• vulnerable looking characters (it feels as if the mother is being exploited by the locals)
• we can hear the sounds of humming and chanting over the images
• images of dark skies and foreboding nature - flocks of birds, roots
• far-removed from conventional civilisation
• there are close ups of blood or animal entrails - suggesting sacrifice
• the font is an unusual serif
• reference to a legendary or mythological figure - 'Dandelion Jack' - and ancient drawings of trees
• death of a child - as if sacrificed to nature/taken by nature
• reviews on title card directly reference the folk horror sub-genre - other words link to the sub genre, such as 'atmospheric', 'freaky', 'unearths', 'primeval' and 'frightening'
• unexplained, supernatural events are shown

'The Witch' - TV Spot

The TV spot for 'The Witch' contains the following conventions of the folk horror sub-genre:

• isolated, rural setting (in ancient England)
• foreboding images of a harsh natural environment
• rituals shown through praying
• a mysterious disappearance of a young child is shown
• reviews reference 'horror', 'scary as hell', 'dread-soaked'
• font used is serif, old in appearance and scratched out
• slow, creeping camera movement
• sinister non-diegetic music that sounds like chanting
• animals appear sinister/associated with the Devil
• a brief scene of a ritual - naked women dancing around a fire at night