Introduction: Robin Hardy’s 1973 film The Wickerman and Ari Aster’s 2019 Midsommar are both distinctive folk horror films. They are incredibly recognisable, from the weird, unsettling atmosphere in The Wickerman, to the well-known actors that appear in Midsommar. These films have been chosen as they were made in contrasting eras of the folk horror genre, so the development of the genre can be clearly seen. It can be argued that Midsommar is inspired by The Wickerman, as many similar aspects can be seen in the two. Hardy’s film follows Sergeant Howie (Edward Woodward) who arrives on the small Scottish island of Summerisle to investigate the report of a missing child. A conservative Christian, the policeman observes the residents’ frivolous sexual displays and strange pagan rituals, particularly the temptations of Willow (Britt Ekland), daughter of the island magistrate, Lord Summerisle (Christopher Lee). The more Sergeant Howie learns about the islanders’ strange practices, the closer he gets to tracking down the missing child. Midsommar also features a similar scenario just with a different narrative, as a dysfunctional couple Dani and Christian, played by Florence Pugh and Jack Reynor, travel to Sweden with a group of friends for a midsummer festival, only to find themselves in the clutches of a sinister Scandinavian pagan cult.