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IMDbPro

Häxan

  • 19221922
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 1h 31m
IMDb RATING
7.6/10
15K
YOUR RATING
Häxan (1922)
Watch Trailer [OV]
Play trailer2:12
1 Video
99+ Photos
DocumentaryFantasyHorror
Fictionalized documentary showing the evolution of witchcraft, from its pagan roots to its confusion with hysteria in Eastern Europe.Fictionalized documentary showing the evolution of witchcraft, from its pagan roots to its confusion with hysteria in Eastern Europe.Fictionalized documentary showing the evolution of witchcraft, from its pagan roots to its confusion with hysteria in Eastern Europe.
IMDb RATING
7.6/10
15K
YOUR RATING
    • Benjamin Christensen
    • Benjamin Christensen
  • Stars
    • Benjamin Christensen
    • Elisabeth Christensen
    • Maren Pedersen
    • Benjamin Christensen
    • Benjamin Christensen
  • Stars
    • Benjamin Christensen
    • Elisabeth Christensen
    • Maren Pedersen
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 107User reviews
    • 95Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Trailer [OV]
    Trailer 2:12
    Watch Trailer [OV]

    Photos129

    Benjamin Christensen in Häxan (1922)
    Maren Pedersen in Häxan (1922)
    Häxan (1922)
    Benjamin Christensen in Häxan (1922)
    Häxan (1922)
    Benjamin Christensen in Häxan (1922)
    Benjamin Christensen in Häxan (1922)
    Benjamin Christensen in Häxan (1922)
    Häxan (1922)
    Häxan (1922)
    Häxan (1922)
    Tora Teje in Häxan (1922)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Benjamin Christensen
    Benjamin Christensen
    • Djævlen…
    Elisabeth Christensen
    • En ældre bondekone
    • (as Elizabeth Christensen)
    • …
    Maren Pedersen
    Maren Pedersen
    • Heksen…
    Clara Pontoppidan
    Clara Pontoppidan
    • Nonne…
    Elith Pio
    Elith Pio
    • Heksedommer…
    Oscar Stribolt
    Oscar Stribolt
    • Graabroder…
    Tora Teje
    Tora Teje
    • En hysterisk kvinde…
    John Andersen
    • Chief Inquisitor
    • (as Johs Andersen)
    Poul Reumert
    • Juveler…
    Karen Winther
    • Anna's Sister
    Kate Fabian
    • Gammel jomfru…
    Else Vermehren
    • Nonne…
    Astrid Holm
    Astrid Holm
    • Anna
    Johannes Andersen
    • Heksedommer…
    Gerda Madsen
    • Nonne…
    Aage Hertel
    Aage Hertel
    • Heksedommer…
    Ib Schønberg
    Ib Schønberg
    • Heksedommer…
    Emmy Schønfeld
    • Marie, the Seamstress
    • (as Emmy Schönfeld)
      • Benjamin Christensen
      • Benjamin Christensen
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The Swedish film censors required numerous cuts in the film, before authorizing its release. Among the censored scenes were the closeup of the finger being removed from the hanged man's hand, the trampling of the cross in the witch's sabbath scene, the shot of the oozing infant held over a cooking pot, a closeup of a woman's face while she is on a torture rack, closeups of several instruments of torture being employed, and a shot of a demon embracing a nude woman (all these shots have since been restored to the film).
    • Goofs
      The skeletal horse-like creature wandering around during the Sabbath clearly is being moved about by a couple of stage hands, hidden under the blanket that covers its "body". The feet of the crew member at the front of the monster are visible in one shot.
    • Quotes

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

    • Crazy credits
      Director Benjamin Christensen personally thanks his cinematographer and art director through the opening titles.
    • Alternate versions
      Witchcraft Through the Ages (1968), the 76-minute version of Häxan, narrated by William S. Burroughs, with a soundtrack featuring Jean-Luc Ponty
    • Connections
      Edited into From Camille to Joan of Arc (1961)

    User reviews107

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    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.
    helpful•57
    1
    • Snow Leopard
    • Feb 28, 2005

    FAQ1

    • What are the classical selections performed by the ensemble credited at the end of the film.

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 27, 1929 (United States)
      • Sweden
      • Denmark
      • Swedish
      • Danish
    • Also known as
    • Filming locations
      • Copenhagen, Denmark
    • Production companies
      • Aljosha Production Company
      • Svensk Filmindustri (SF)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • 1 hour 31 minutes
      • Mono
      • Silent

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