"Häxan: Witchcraft Through the Ages" is one of those films that you really cannot adequately describe--you just have to see it for yourself. And, while not all of the film is perfect and it's a bit uneven, the overall production is really quite amazing as you have a hard time believing that such special effects and makeup were possible almost a century ago.
The film purports to be a history of witchcraft, though the vast majority of the film is a supposed recreation of a case from the Middle Ages. So, early metaphysics and witchery were only given a very cursory and dull portion at the very beginning of the film--sort of like a stuffy college professor's lecture spiced up a bit with visual aids. Then, when it jumps to the Middle Ages, the case is acted out with extreme vigor--and the director, Benjamin Christensen, playing an incredibly memorable Devil. Again, this is something you just have to see for yourself. This portion features some gorgeous set designs with costumes that really look like they are from the year 1400. There also is quite a bit of gratuitous nudity (often edited out of the earlier releases of the film) and some incredibly silly scenes involving pigs and cats (again, you have to see this to believe it). And, there is a certain sado-masochistic bent to the Middle Ages portion that you just have to believe. Finally, the film ends with an epilogue attributing the belief in witches to the modern psychological disorder 'hysteria'--which was very popular in Freud's day but no such disorder is in the DSM manual today which lists all known mental illnesses.
This is one of the most unique and bizarre films I've ever seen. At times, it seems very dated and even silly, but at other times you can't help but feel amazed at the production...that, once again, you can't really describe. See this one...you'll know what I mean.
The DVD from Criterion has a great classical score. It also includes a terrible 1968 re-release that is narrated by William Burroughs. Though adored for his strangeness and beat generation poetry, Burroughs was a terrible narrator--dry and not the least bit interesting or professional. In addition, this modern version has HUGE chunks of the old movie removed--and I can't see why they would bastardize the original film like this. It certainly does not make it more watchable or enjoyable.
The film purports to be a history of witchcraft, though the vast majority of the film is a supposed recreation of a case from the Middle Ages. So, early metaphysics and witchery were only given a very cursory and dull portion at the very beginning of the film--sort of like a stuffy college professor's lecture spiced up a bit with visual aids. Then, when it jumps to the Middle Ages, the case is acted out with extreme vigor--and the director, Benjamin Christensen, playing an incredibly memorable Devil. Again, this is something you just have to see for yourself. This portion features some gorgeous set designs with costumes that really look like they are from the year 1400. There also is quite a bit of gratuitous nudity (often edited out of the earlier releases of the film) and some incredibly silly scenes involving pigs and cats (again, you have to see this to believe it). And, there is a certain sado-masochistic bent to the Middle Ages portion that you just have to believe. Finally, the film ends with an epilogue attributing the belief in witches to the modern psychological disorder 'hysteria'--which was very popular in Freud's day but no such disorder is in the DSM manual today which lists all known mental illnesses.
This is one of the most unique and bizarre films I've ever seen. At times, it seems very dated and even silly, but at other times you can't help but feel amazed at the production...that, once again, you can't really describe. See this one...you'll know what I mean.
The DVD from Criterion has a great classical score. It also includes a terrible 1968 re-release that is narrated by William Burroughs. Though adored for his strangeness and beat generation poetry, Burroughs was a terrible narrator--dry and not the least bit interesting or professional. In addition, this modern version has HUGE chunks of the old movie removed--and I can't see why they would bastardize the original film like this. It certainly does not make it more watchable or enjoyable.