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Cameron Wright talks to Stephen Brotherstone and Bob Fischer about their folk horror obsession
Image: Stephen Brotherstone and Bob Fischer
When you look back through the decades, there are milestones encased in time that perfectly represent the time it was conceived. Disco in the 80s seems to capture the core discussions and mentalities of that moment, in the same way gothic fiction reveals something so quintessential to the late 18th Century. In a way, these themes become time capsules, little vessels to voyage back to a bygone era.
Another example is folk horror, the obsession of writer/broadcaster Bob Fischer and author/artist Stephen Brotherstone, which emerged in the early 1970s and enveloped the film industry in its own quiet, cult way, before vanishing as quickly as it arrived. Now, the two performers are delivering Scarred For Life, a presentation that unpacks the genre, delving into the lore behind it to understand what it is and why it was so impactful.
“Bob is fanatic about it,” concedes Stephen, “he has such a vast, encyclopaedic knowledge of the genre, it’s fascinating to delve in and have him educate me every day, it’s been eye-opening.”Bob candidly talks about his entry into the niche genre: “I lived out in the countryside, as a child most of my days were spent walking across the coast or up the hills and there were always folk stories that go with it. This tree was the resting place of a dragon or this cliff is where a sea-witch put a hex on the cliffs – it was impossible to avoid. But it wasn’t until I watched The Wickerman thatmy whole life changed. In a way, it provides me with a lot of comfort, making me think of home.”“It had the opposite effect of me,” Stephen sniggers. “I grew up as a city boy, so folk horror always chilled me and scared me about what might be out there in the countryside!”
The Wickerman may have become the cultural touchstone, but films like Blood On Satan’s Claw, Witchfinder General or TV series like Children of The Stone all forged a path for folk horror that is still being trodden today, with films like Midsommar bringing a host of new audiences back to this very British genre.
“What’s interesting to me is, folk horror wasn’t a genre in the 70s. Nobody was calling it that, it’s only a term we use now in retrospect.” Says Stephen, elaborating: “Nobody seemed to see that all these stories were happening organically, all sharing the same blueprint – it really asks the question as to what promoted this sudden cultural fascination.”
Touching on the weirdness of the 70s, Scarred For Life explores the factors that pushed out this obscure genre, from the political climate, issues of classism and the bygone era of the hippy movement, as well as digging into some essential viewing, along with a few deep cuts. “It’s something for everyone we hope, be it a younger audience knowing nothing or an older connoisseur – we aim to get everyone excited about it, as well as squeeze in a few laughs along the way!”
With costumes and anecdotes, and even their own parody play, Sex Witches Of The Fens, Scarred For Life will be a night of intrigue for anyone with a flair for the spooky!
