Häxan (1922)

Director:

Benjamin Christensen

Writer:

Benjamin Christensen (writer)

Release Date:

27 May 1929 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror

Tagline:

Benjamin Christensens stora film.

Plot:

A documentary about the history of witchcraft, told in a variety of styles, from illustrated slideshow...

Plot Keywords:

Witchcraft | Spell | Surrealism | Fake Documentary | Monastery

Cast

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

Also Known As:

Häxan: Witchcraft Through the Ages (USA) (DVD box title)
Heksen (Denmark)
The Witches (USA)
Witchcraft Through the Ages (International: English title) (short version)
La brujería a través de los tiempos (Argentina) (Spain) [es]
Czarownice (Poland) [pl]
Die Hexe (Germany) [de]
Häxan - A Feitiçaria Através dos Tempos (Brazil) [pt]
Hexen (Germany) [de]
I mageia mesa apo tous aiones (Greece) [el]
La sorcellerie à travers les ages (France) [fr]
La stregoneria attraverso i secoli (Italy) [it]
Noita (Finland) [fi]
O Haxan (Norway) [no]

Runtime:

Sweden:87 min | USA:77 min (1968 re-release) | 104 min (DVD version) | Argentina:87 min

Country:

Denmark | Sweden

Color:

Black and White (Sepiatone)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono | Silent

Certification:

UK:15 (1994) | UK:X (1968) | Argentina:13 | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Canada:G (Quebec)

Filming Locations:

Copenhagen, Denmark

Company:

Aljosha Production Company

Trivia:

To get dramatic skies for the scenes where actors are shown outside, in silhouette, Benjamin Christensen dispatched a cameraman to Norway to photograph the dramatic, cloudy skyscapes that appear in the finished product.

Goofs:

Continuity: The amount of, and position of, gold coins on the table and on the floor of the bedroom during the hag's dream.

Movie Connections:

Featured in God Damn Religion (2008) (V)

Criterion uncovers a gem

I found this 1922 "documentary" to be amazing in it's inovative and creative portrayal of witchcraft in the middle ages. Scenes of nudity and torture made this film very controversial in 1922 and caused it to be banned as well as greatly edited in later versions. Criterion has done a great job of preserving the film as it was intended to be seen with censored footage restored, an excellent tinted print, a corrected "projection" speed, a new score that recreates the music played at the original Danish premiere, and some interesting extras. The 1968 William Burroughs narrarated version is also included here and it's pretty ridiculous. The jazz soundtrack is just so very wrong. But still, it's interesting to see, kind of like the "Love Conquers All" version of Brazil. I think that anyone who is interested in film and film history will find this dvd facinating.