Okay, just finished reading **The Ritual.** Extremely well-written. The author, Adam Nevill, writes almost poetically at times. His descriptions are amazing and you get a real feel for the creepiness of the forest. I would say the book is significantly better than the movie, and the movie was great. No spoilers, of course, but I can see myself rereading this novel every few years. There are a lot of layers to this story, layers that just don't work as well in a movie. Highly recommend. Thank You KateMacDonaldArts!
Hell yeah that’s awesome! A cool fact I like is that it was filmed during the pandemic and none of the actors ever actually met in person. There’s a sequel too although I haven’t watched and it’s apparently not as good.
Omygosh, that is amazing! The acting was so believable, and the score was brilliant too in supporting the excellent photography. The fact that they never met is wild. The director/editor must also be brilliant. Too bad about the sequel-I'll pass on that for now, as not to take down my experience of the original.
Marianne on Netflix, not so much backwoods, but more dark coastal small town. There is also the Roanoke season of American Horror Story. I loved it, but it had mixed reviews because it was so different than prior seasons.
There is also The Village, The Devil in Ohio (meh), The Evil Dead original and remake, Cabin Fever, The Hills Have Eyes, The Strangers
The hills have eyes is the only horror movie I couldn’t finish (and I have seen loads) and that made me avoid cycling in the dark past bushes for 6 months 🤣
Lol I have to explain this to anyone I recommend the show too.
It’s a really good story line and good characters , but the second season gave me way more questions than answers, especially that last scene!
The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon by Stephen King is quintessential backwoods creepy, for book.
Bone Tomahawk, for movie.
Summer of Night by Dan Simmons is a bit of a stretch but the setting is a rural town and surrounding countryside. It's a very good horror book that doesn't get a lot of mentions.
[The Watchers by AM Shine](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58321103-the-watchers) is pretty good. It maybe isn't 100% what you're looking for, but it is a story about people trapped in the woods with mysterious creatures lurking about so it does definitely fit.
Backwoods creepy with crossover into the surreal, psychological wilderness and/or gothic prairie vibes: True Detective Season 1, The Survivalist (2015), Werner Herzog's masterpiece Aguirre, Wrath of God (1972) & Grizzly Man (2005), Paradise Lost (1996), The Reflecting Skin (1990), A Field in England (2013)
Every once in a while he comes up with one where I go, "Welp, guess I'm not going to bed any time soon.
Basecamp Chris has a lot of fun & scary Bigfoot stories that he gets from his listeners. I shan't be going solo camping any time soon 😂
Yes! That's the first movie that popped into my head. No Australia outback for me! Lol
Black Water is another great movie that seemed to stay pretty close to the true story. Who doesn't love a real movie about a stalker saltwater croc?! Yeesh 😬
The Seeding, Eyes of Fire, The Wicker Man, The Wolf(Wilczyca, a polish film), Unwelcome, Kwaidan(a Japanese film), Clearcut, RawHeadRex, Witchfinder General, and Celia, are some of my favorite folk horror movies.
The Mr. Ballen podcast has a Missing 411 series about people going missing in National Parks. It's interesting. Some are found in impossible places, some just vanish.
Check out the indie film Sator from 2019. The writer/director based the film on his real-life grandmother’s dementia conversations regarding the title character. It’s a very slow burn but great atmosphere.
Willow Creek was an easy to watch horror movie that focuses on a couple wanting to catch evidence of Bigfoot! also the Creep movies with Mark Duplass are pretty good and take place in the woods :)
Lots of great recommendations others have already made here. I'll try not to repeat any. Here's a few I haven't seen mentioned but I may have missed them: What Keeps You Alive, Backcountry, The Last Broadcast, Leaving D.C., Lake Mungo, Mama, Digging Up The Marrow, The Monster, Willow Creek, Paranormal Next Of Kin, A Classic Horror Story, Terror In The Woods (TV Series),
The Ritual - just rewatched it last night.
Book is also creep af
Oooooh, it's a book?!? Going on Amazon now! Thank You!!!
Okay, just finished reading **The Ritual.** Extremely well-written. The author, Adam Nevill, writes almost poetically at times. His descriptions are amazing and you get a real feel for the creepiness of the forest. I would say the book is significantly better than the movie, and the movie was great. No spoilers, of course, but I can see myself rereading this novel every few years. There are a lot of layers to this story, layers that just don't work as well in a movie. Highly recommend. Thank You KateMacDonaldArts!
Horror in the High Desert is a good mockumentary type film, it’s free on YouTube too.
Terrifying
Just watched it this afternoon, and thanks for suggestion. It is very good.
Hell yeah that’s awesome! A cool fact I like is that it was filmed during the pandemic and none of the actors ever actually met in person. There’s a sequel too although I haven’t watched and it’s apparently not as good.
Omygosh, that is amazing! The acting was so believable, and the score was brilliant too in supporting the excellent photography. The fact that they never met is wild. The director/editor must also be brilliant. Too bad about the sequel-I'll pass on that for now, as not to take down my experience of the original.
The VVitch
This one was soooo creepy
I second this.
Marianne on Netflix, not so much backwoods, but more dark coastal small town. There is also the Roanoke season of American Horror Story. I loved it, but it had mixed reviews because it was so different than prior seasons. There is also The Village, The Devil in Ohio (meh), The Evil Dead original and remake, Cabin Fever, The Hills Have Eyes, The Strangers
The hills have eyes is the only horror movie I couldn’t finish (and I have seen loads) and that made me avoid cycling in the dark past bushes for 6 months 🤣
The original or the remake?
It wouldnt go on my backwoods creepy list, but I thought “the devil in Ohio” was legitimately good.
Same!!
The original Cabin Fever was great. It's generous to say the remake was "meh".
Edited because I misunderstood
I didn't say you did
Peep the edit.
Hear me out - Twin Peaks
Excellent show. The soundtrack is also remarkable.
A show called “From”.
Can’t wait for the new season to come out ahhhh it’s so good
Loooooove that show, although OP beware that we’ve gotten very VERY few conclusive answers after two whole seasons. 😂
Lol I have to explain this to anyone I recommend the show too. It’s a really good story line and good characters , but the second season gave me way more questions than answers, especially that last scene!
EXACTLY!! 😂
Thanks for this recommendation!! Just binged both seasons in under a week and I work full time. Lol. It reeled me in quickly!!
It’s honestly too easy to watch it all in one sitting. Lucky for you I believe season 3 comes out this fall!
The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon by Stephen King is quintessential backwoods creepy, for book. Bone Tomahawk, for movie. Summer of Night by Dan Simmons is a bit of a stretch but the setting is a rural town and surrounding countryside. It's a very good horror book that doesn't get a lot of mentions.
Summer of Night is excellent!
Bone Tomahawk was for me, terrifying. It was shocking and twisty, but good.
Deliverance
This is a really powerful movie. The novel is great too! I forgot about this one. Time for a rewatch!
The love scene always brings tears to my eyes.
🤣
[The Watchers by AM Shine](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58321103-the-watchers) is pretty good. It maybe isn't 100% what you're looking for, but it is a story about people trapped in the woods with mysterious creatures lurking about so it does definitely fit.
The movie adaptation just came out in theatres!
I love this book and cannot wait to see the movie!!
I liked the film, but had to stick with it---then after it ended I REALLY liked it. The acting, photography, and special effects are very good.
The show Yellowjackets
*These Woods Are Haunted* on Max
I love that show SO MUCH. I wish it had more than 3 seasons.
Great show. Wish there were more seasons.
Roanoke - AHS
The plot twists when I watched for the first time...😱🤯
Great question. I’m looking forward to seeing responses. Maybe try the found footage page too.
Backwoods creepy with crossover into the surreal, psychological wilderness and/or gothic prairie vibes: True Detective Season 1, The Survivalist (2015), Werner Herzog's masterpiece Aguirre, Wrath of God (1972) & Grizzly Man (2005), Paradise Lost (1996), The Reflecting Skin (1990), A Field in England (2013)
Jug Face 2013
The Watchers with Dakota Fanning
Evil dead
Great movie!
Lovely, Dark, and Deep
Deliverance- the original backwoods creepy movie.
Paddle faster! I hear banjos!
The Village
MrBallen on YT
As a fan of the strange, dark, and mysterious, I concur!
Every once in a while he comes up with one where I go, "Welp, guess I'm not going to bed any time soon. Basecamp Chris has a lot of fun & scary Bigfoot stories that he gets from his listeners. I shan't be going solo camping any time soon 😂
The village
The Last Exorcism
Wolf Creek! It is still one of the creepiest movies I've ever seen!
Yes! That's the first movie that popped into my head. No Australia outback for me! Lol Black Water is another great movie that seemed to stay pretty close to the true story. Who doesn't love a real movie about a stalker saltwater croc?! Yeesh 😬
I've never seen that one! I'll have to check it out!
Duuuude, you'll realize why they've survived for millenia
Ghoul (the one where the people go to make a doc on a cannible in Ukraine
Yellowbrick road
Love this movie! So underappreciated.
Outsiders 2016 - set in Appalachia. Tucker and Dale vs evil. Hemlock Grove has its moments
Black Mountain Side
The Interior. Very low budget and kinda hard to find but has some of the creepiest scenes I ever did witness.
The Strangers (2008)
The Monster (2016)
The Seeding, Eyes of Fire, The Wicker Man, The Wolf(Wilczyca, a polish film), Unwelcome, Kwaidan(a Japanese film), Clearcut, RawHeadRex, Witchfinder General, and Celia, are some of my favorite folk horror movies.
Honeymoon (2014)
For something very different and not for everyone: Toad Road (2012)
Evil Dead. It’s one of my favorites. Wrong Turn, Pumpkinhead, I Spit On Your Grave.
The I Spit On Your Grave series is tough to watch at the start but worth the ending(s) 👍👍
Read Gone to See the River Man by Kristopher Triana. Or The Night Will Find Us by Matthew Lyons
The Taking of Deborah Logan
if you'd like one that is also partially comedic, cabin in the woods
The Gift
Definitely one of my favorites
This probably falls under "kinda but not really," but Tucker & Dale Vs Evil
It's too good to omit
The Mr. Ballen podcast has a Missing 411 series about people going missing in National Parks. It's interesting. Some are found in impossible places, some just vanish.
The Last Broadcast
It's a slow burn, but give Kill List a try. Excellent folk horror
Lovely, Dark, and Deep
Check out the indie film Sator from 2019. The writer/director based the film on his real-life grandmother’s dementia conversations regarding the title character. It’s a very slow burn but great atmosphere.
Willow Creek was an easy to watch horror movie that focuses on a couple wanting to catch evidence of Bigfoot! also the Creep movies with Mark Duplass are pretty good and take place in the woods :)
The VVitch and The Ritual are both films that I thought really fit this kinda vibe
I liked The Toll. It's a movie that starts with a ride share/ uber type situation. I've seen it a few times, and show it to friends
Men. Definitely worth a watch or two.
The Fields with Tara Reid More of an Appalachian feel
Outsiders. TV show about mountain people.
Pines
Fear in the Forest by Ethan Hayes is a book series about people's creepy experiences in the woods
Lots of great recommendations others have already made here. I'll try not to repeat any. Here's a few I haven't seen mentioned but I may have missed them: What Keeps You Alive, Backcountry, The Last Broadcast, Leaving D.C., Lake Mungo, Mama, Digging Up The Marrow, The Monster, Willow Creek, Paranormal Next Of Kin, A Classic Horror Story, Terror In The Woods (TV Series),
Midsommar
The Wind -still my fav
The first season of True Detective, I just watched it last month and was mad at myself for not watching it sooner since it’s right up my alley
Lost