Horror has always been a polarizing genre in the film industry, but there’s been a greater push towards “elevated horror” and genre films that strive for something more complex. Horror is such a rewarding and versatile genre of storytelling because there are so many different approaches for these terrifying tales.
Masked killers, deranged lunatics, or supernatural creatures are all par for the course in horror. However, these frightening stories can sometimes connect on a deeper level when they’re steeped in folklore or cultural mythologies that are based on some kernel of truth. There are some especially evocative horror movies that find strength in how they remix or subvert classic mythologies.
10 Antlers Depicts The Horrors Of The Wendigo Without Any Filter
A Wendigo is an anthropomorphic deer-like creature who has roots in First Nations folklore from Eastern Canada. This evil, unnerving monster has experienced a Renaissance in horror in recent years. More and more horror films feature Wendigo in forests, but 2021’s Antlers spends a considerable amount of time on the mythological beast's origins and how to conquer it.
Antlers is a very melodramatic and brutal horror movie, but this only accentuates the aggressive nature of its Wendigo and makes it truly terrifying.
9 La Llorona’s Weeping Woman Is A Child’s Worst Nightmare
La Llorona, otherwise known as the Weeping Woman, is a mythological spirit from Latin American folklore whose tragic name stems from the legend that she drowned her children and forever mourns them. Curiously, two movies about La Llorona came out in 2019. The Conjuring-connected The Curse of La Llorona was the more mainstream picture, but Jayro Bustamante's La Llorona is the more authentic and effective of the two. The Guatemalan horror film embraces real-life atrocities and cultural genocide so that this depiction of the Weeping Woman has genuine weight behind it.
8 Tim Burton’s Sleepy Hollow Makes The Headless Horseman A True Horror
Tim Burton has created an enviable filmography out of gothic imagery and creepy storytelling, which makes him the perfect person to take on the macabre folklore of Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman. The Headless Horseman is a morbid piece of mythology whose origins go all the way back to the Middle Ages.
There's a simple structure to the character and his limitations, which is why it's become such an effective piece of folklore to riff upon. Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow contains some of the director's most moving imagery.
7 Shadow Of The Vampire Provides A Unique, Raw Take On The Vampire Mythos
Vampires have become some of the most common creatures depicted in pop culture and there have been many permutations of the original vampire mythology from European folklore that they’ve taken on a life of their own.
E. Elias Merhige's Shadow of the Vampire is an incredibly underrated vampire movie that posits that F.W. Murnau’s 1922 film, Nosferatu, actually starred a real vampire. It’s a brilliant idea and Willem Dafoe’s performance as Max Schreck, a real creature of the night, provides one of the most compelling looks into the piece of mythology’s roots.
6 Leprechaun Turns The Holiday Myth Into A Conniving Killer
There are many horror movies that find strength in turning to lesser known mythologies in order to frighten oblivious audiences. It's always fun to learn about a chilling new piece of folklore, but more common mythologies also shouldn't go overlooked. Leprechauns have become somewhat friendly figures due to their association with St. Patrick's Day, or even breakfast cereals.
However, the Leprechaun franchise returns to the roots of this legend and exploits it for horror purposes. The Leprechaun movies use the creature's connection to gold and other antiquated customs to form the stringent rules required for this mischievous maniac’s defeat.
5 Krampus Represents A Fate Far Worse Than Being On Santa’s Naughty List
The horror genre has a fascinating relationship with Christmas and it's become a holiday that's ripe for twisted tales. Murderous Santas can dominate this variety of holiday horror, but there's been a recent push to embrace some of the creepier and lesser known mythologies that are connected to Christmas, such as the creature Krampus.
Krampus is a pagan beast connected to the winter solstice and is largely the antithesis of Santa. Michael Dougherty’s 2015 film, Krampus, features a family under attack by this mythological monster after he’s accidentally summoned. Krampus does a great job at breaking down the creature’s history.
4 Urban Legend Uses A Cornucopia Of Modern Mythologies To Build A Murderer
Many of the more powerful examples of folklore and mythology are rooted deep in the past, but modern society has also established its own brand of mythology in the form of urban legends. These contemporary tales may not necessarily be tied to a cultural monster, but Urban Legend finds such strength through the construction of a serial killer who uses the structure of urban legends to execute his victims.
Urban Legend works so hard to create believable scenarios where these contemporary folklores come into play. It's a strong idea that’s made better by the audience's familiarity with these modern mythologies.
3 Kandisha Lets Loose A Moroccan Mythological Monster Hungry For Murder
Alexandre Bustillo and Julien Maury's Kandisha is a recent horror film that reflects a fascinating mix of cultures. Kandisha is a French movie, but it digs into a vengeful figure from 14th century Moroccan folklore.
Kandisha functions as a successful and bloody slasher movie as the summoned Kandisha slowly thins the herd of teenagers, but depicts the beast with such disturbing ferocity. Bustillo and Maury are extreme filmmakers and this mythological creature of retribution is well within their wheelhouse. The spirit of Kandisha looks like a beautiful woman, but has cloven hooves, which fuels some very frightening setpieces.
2 Trollhunter Gets To The Root Of The Well-Known Norse Creature
Trolls are a fascinating piece of Norse and Scandinavian mythology who have become strangely appropriated into cute and musically-inclined children's mascots, but they're historically unkind to humans. Trolls have received all sorts of representation in movies, but Trollhunter is a staggering Norwegian faux documentary that gets rid of any sort of glamor and depicts trolls as gigantic and crude creatures.
Trollhunter’s raw look at these beasts makes them feel fresh and seen for the first time. The film is a very successful and beautiful piece of cinema.
1 The Ritual Showcases The Jötunn In All Of Its Chaotic Glory
David Bruckner is becoming one of the most exciting names in horror and Netflix’s The Ritual really highlights his expertise at mixing guilt and human drama with horror. The Ritual connects on a storytelling level, but the highlight is the phenomenal creature design for its monster, which is right up there with Alien’s Xenomorph.
The Ritual’s antlered monster is a Jötunn. These are monsters that come from Norse mythology and can be considered adjacent to Gods, with some readings of the creature even considering him an offspring of Loki. The Ritual does this symbolic monster justice.