All the Haunts be Ours: A Compendium of Folk Horror Vol. 2 
Curated and produced by Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched creator Kier-La Janisse
13-Disc Blu-ray Box Set
Total Runtime 35 hours and 13 minutes
Released by Severin Films and available for purchase here

by Tori Potenza, Staff Writer

Synopsis:
In 2021, writer, historian, producer, and general horror expert Kier-la Janisse directed Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched. This over three hour documentary takes an extensive look at the folk horror subgenre covering various countries and decades to delve into the fascinating roots of these stories. To go along with this Severin Films released the documentary with nineteen films that make up the subgenre, the box set was entitled All the Haunts be Ours: A Compendium of Folk Horror. But there was still plenty of work to be highlighted so Kier-la and the Severin team continued acquiring films to come up with an even more extensive companion release. Volume 2 was released a few weeks ago and it is hard to believe that they created an even more in depth collection that includes incredible features along with other goodies. In total there are 24 films that represent 18 different countries. Similar to vol. 1 there are films that are well known along with hard to find or almost forgotten genre films. There are also several newer releases which show just how enduring the genre is. If that were not enough there is also a beautiful hardcover book of short stories all based on practices, beliefs, and lore from around the world. Writers such as Cynthia Pelayo, Sarah Gailey, Cassandra Khaw amongst others lend their talents to this gorgeously illustrated and lovingly curated collection. 

Features that make it special…

• 13 discs with 24 international folk horror films representing 18 countries 

• Blu Ray Restorations

•  55+ combined hours of new and archival Special Features including trailers, interviews, audio commentaries, short films, video essays, historical analyses and bonus feature-length films

• 252-page hardcover of newly commissioned folk horror fiction with illustrations by Drazen Kozjan

Why You Need to Add it to Your Library…
If you are a fan of Kier-la Janisse you know how much extensive work and research she puts into anything she works on. All the boxsets that she has worked on have been a true labor of love and this is no exception. As someone who considered myself well versed in the horror genre I was surprised just how many films in the collections I had never heard of. I have only scratched the surface of the box set myself but so far everything I have watched from it has been completely unique, gorgeously restored, and pushes the bounds of what many of us might consider horror. 

Bakeneko: A Vengeful Spirit was a fascinating entry into the vengeful ghost cat films of Japan. It is a 1968 film from Yoshihiro Ishikawa about a man who murders his lord to steal power. When he attempts to marry the wife of the murdered lord she drowns herself in a nearby river placing a curse on the land. Years later when history begins repeating itself the vengeful ghost is awakened to enact vengeance. It is a beautifully restored black and white film, for those who like classics like Koreneko you will want to check this out. 

The Czechoslovakian adaptation of Beauty and the Beast from 1978 is also included. It is directed by Juraj Herz, known for his highly acclaimed film The Cremator. For those who know the story of Beauty and the Beast you will know many of the beats of the story, but it has many of its own unique elements. I had never thought of the story as a gothic horror before but now it is hard to think of this tale in any other way. It is a dreamy and dazzling spectacle to behold and is probably my favorite adaptation of the story so far. I also watched the other film from Herz included, The Ninth Heart. A less familiar kind of fairytale about a pauper who takes on a quest to save a princess from an evil magician. It is just as gorgeous to watch as Beauty and the Beast and steeped in a similar dreamy surrealism. 

Sundelbolong is an Indonesian exploitation film from 1981 starring the “Indonesian Queen of Horror” Suzzanna. In the film she plays a young sex worker who is leaving her work behind after falling in love and getting married. After a group of attackers destroy her chances of future happiness she commits suicide and comes back from the grave for vengeance. Similar to Bakeneko it is about a vengeful ghost but it has a completely different tone and lore. Getting the chance to compare these different folktales from different countries is one of the many gifts this collection has to offer. And the film feels strangely prescient, as it ties to many of the abortion rights issues we face now. 

Another addition is the film Born of Fire from director Jamil Dehlavi. The film explores the Jinn tale from Arabic mythology. A Flautist and Astronomer are drawn together to face a mysterious quest that puts the fate of the entire planet in their hands as they face off against an evil that hopes to drown the Earth in flames. Many of the shots in the film look like incredible nature photography and the overall imagery is breathtaking.  The films I have watched have all been totally different and all of them remind me how expansive horror is, and how important restoring these international tales is. Collectors like myself are sure to want to have this in their collection. 

Physical media preservation is essential to cultural preservation, and the amount of work that goes into these kinds of special releases make them just as much their own piece of art as each of the films within it. This set makes a beautiful addition to anyone’s shelf and a great gift for those searching for something special for the horror and cinephiles in their lives. There is an additional special release bundle for those super fans out there, that also includes some of the beautifully made merchandise that pays homage to the films included. This includes zines, a Corpse Roads Tea Towel, a Hand of Glory tea diffuser, and the Ninth Heart puppet theater. And there is also an expansion pack of oracle cards to go along with the deck created with vol. 1. It is incredible how much work goes into these releases so if you really love the collection and supporting indie boutique labels like Severin there are even more items to enjoy. 

Purchase All the Haunts be Ours: A Compendium of Folk Horror Vol. 2 from Severin Films here