Häxan: Witchcraft Through the Ages (1922)
"Häxan" (original title)

A historical view of witchcraft in seven parts and a variety of styles. First, there is a slide-show alternating inter-titles with drawings and paintings to illustrate the behavior of pagan... See full summary »

Director:

Benjamin Christensen

Writer:

Benjamin Christensen

Stars:

Maren Pedersen, Clara Pontoppidan, Benjamin Christensen

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Maren Pedersen	...	Heksen / The Witch
Clara Pontoppidan	...	Nonne / Nun
Elith Pio	...	Heksedommer / Witch Judge (The Young Monk)
Oscar Stribolt	...	Graabroder / Doctor (The Fat Monk)
Tora Teje	...	En hysterisk kvinde / Modern Hysteric (The Kelptomaniac)
John Andersen	...	Chief Inquisitor (as Johs Andersen)
Benjamin Christensen	...	Djævlen / The Devil
Poul Reumert	...	Juveler / Jeweler
Karen Winther	...	Anna
Kate Fabian	...	Gammel jomfru / Old Maid
Else Vermehren	...	Nonne / Nun
Astrid Holm	...	Anna
Johannes Andersen	...	Heksedommer / Witch Judge
Gerda Madsen	...	Nonne / Nun
Aage Hertel	...	Heksedommer / Witch Judge

Storyline

A historical view of witchcraft in seven parts and a variety of styles. First, there is a slide-show alternating inter-titles with drawings and paintings to illustrate the behavior of pagan cultures in the Middle Ages regarding their vision of demons and witches. Then there is a dramatization of the situation of the witches in the Middle Ages, witchcraft and witch-hunts. Finally the film compares the behavior of hysteria of contemporary (1921) women with the behavior of the witches in the Middle Ages, concluding that they are very similar.

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Plot Keywords:

witchcraft | demon | hysteria | pagan | reenactment | 

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Taglines:

Benjamin Christensens stora film.

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Genres:

Documentary | Horror

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

Sweden

Language:

Swedish Danish

Release Date:

27 May 1929 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Witches

Filming Locations:

Copenhagen, Denmark

Box Office

Budget:

SEK 2,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Aljosha Production Company, Svensk Filmindustri (SF)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

87 min 77 min (1968 re-release) 104 min (DVD)

Sound Mix:

Mono Silent

Color:

Black and White (Sepiatone)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Included among the '1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die', edited by Steven Jay Schneider.

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Goofs

The kleptomaniac and the jeweler enter through a door on the right-hand side of the room. In the next shot, they are standing on the left side on the room, and the objects on the shelf behind them have changed position. The shot in which they enter is flipped (look closely at the buttons on the actors' clothes).

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Quotes

Title Card: Poor little hysterical witch! In the middle ages you were in conflict with the church. Now it is with the law.

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Crazy Credits

Director Benjamin Christensen personally thanks his cinematographer and art director through the opening titles.

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Connections

Featured in Die Sprache der Schatten: Murnau - Die frühen Werke (2008)

User Reviews

A Visually Striking, Thought-Provoking Feature

The striking visuals would in themselves be sufficient reason to watch "Häxan", but in addition it is a thought-provoking feature that combines dark humor, some occasional chilling moments, and perceptive commentary on human nature. It's an unusual package and an unusual feature, and there aren't many films quite like it.

Simply on the surface, the series of unusual visuals and believable recreations of bygone eras would make for interesting viewing. Benjamin Christensen added a strong dose of the macabre to practically every scene, even in some of the smaller details that are only noticeable upon repeat viewings. Some of it is fascinating, some of it unsettling, all of it interesting.

But there is much more to "Häxan" than a mere collection of grotesque images and vignettes. Towards the end, in particular, the commentary becomes quite pointed. It is quite easy for anyone - film-maker, writer, commentator - to criticize and condemn the beliefs and practices of the Middle Ages or of any other long past era. But it is far more of a challenge to, as Christensen has done here, point out the sometimes devastating parallels to one's own era. It is always such a comforting fiction to believe that we are so much more enlightened than past generations have been, and yet it is rarely if ever true.

Christensen aptly illustrates the point that the inability to deal with the odd, the eccentric, and the unusual in our fellow beings is a perennial failing of humanity. Each generation simply devises its own means of stigmatizing and punishing those who cannot conform. (Nor is our own generation markedly better than was Christensen's.) This feature can certainly be viewed (either in the original silent version, or in the 1960s version with some spoken narration) for entertainment value alone. But it is even more pertinent in its observations on human nature. It's an often unsettling movie, with some images that might be bit too uncomfortable for some viewers. But for all that, it's an unusual and worthwhile viewing experience.