Rent Häxan (1922)
3.7 of 5 from 116 ratings
1h 44min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
- Since its premiere in 1922, Benjamin Christensen's exploration of the role of superstition in medieval minds has caused an outrage and protest from both the general public and religious groups. Dramatizing satanic activates and rituals including the ways in which suspected witches were tortured and killed, Haxan is a deliriously imaginative masterpiece. Not until its re-release in 1941 did the director earn belated fame and respect - proof that this genre-defying 'documentary' was far ahead of its time. In 1968, the film won further praise and a whole new audience when it was re-released with a William Burroughs narration, under the title Witchcraft through the Ages.
- Actors:
- Benjamin Christensen, Elisabeth Christensen, Maren Pedersen, Clara Pontoppidan, Elith Pio, Oscar Stribolt, Tora Teje, John Andersen, Poul Reumert, Karen Winther, Kate Fabian, Else Vermehren, Astrid Holm, Johannes Andersen, Gerda Madsen, Aage Hertel
- Directors:
- Benjamin Christensen
- Writers:
- Benjamin Christensen
- Aka:
- Haxan: Witchcraft Through the Ages
- Studio:
- Tartan
- Genres:
- Classics, Documentary, Horror, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Special Interest
- Collections:
- 10 Films to Watch Next If You Liked The Babadook, 100 Years of German Expressionism, All the Twos: 1902-62, Cinema Paradiso's 2022 Centenary Club, Film History, Films to Watch If You Like..., Horror, The Best Witchcraft Films, A Brief History of Film..., The Instant Expert's Guide, The Instant Expert's Guide to Carl Theodor Dreyer
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- 04/11/2024
- Run Time:
- 106 minutes
- Languages:
- Danish DTS 5.1, Danish DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, English Dolby Digital Stereo, Silent
- Subtitles:
- English
- Formats:
- Pal
- Aspect Ratio:
- Full Screen 1.33:1 / 4:3
- Colour:
- B&W and Tinted
- BLU-RAY Regions:
- (0) All
- Bonus:
- Three Optional Scores, Produced by Matti Bye, Bronnt Industries Kapital, and Geoff Smith
- Witchcraft Through The Ages - An Alternate Cut of the Film Featuring Narration by William S. Burroughs, Courtesy of the British Film Institute
- Haxan - The Esoteric Cut - A1968 Alternate Cut of the Film
- Witchcraft Through the Ages - A French Version of the Film Featuring Narration by Jean-Pierre Kalfon
- Intro by Director Benjamin Christensen
- Outtakes
- Recently Discovered Costume Screen Test
- Appreciation by Guillermo Del Toro
- Visual Essay by Vito A. Rowlands
- Audio Commentary by Guy Adams and A.K. Benedict
- Disc 1:
- This disc includes the following:
- Haxan (1922) with Matti Bye Score
- Witchcraft Through the Ages (1968)
- Special Features - Disc 2:
- This disc includes the following:
- Haxan (1922) with Bronnt Industries Kapital Score
- Haxan (1922) with Geoff Smith Score
- Special Features
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Reviews (2) of Häxan
Ahead of its time - at the time - Häxan review by NK
Interesting dramatised documentary contrasting the witch hunts of the middle ages, with everyone denouncing everyone else as the witch-finders raked in the money, to the modern-day psychiatric approach ("modern day" of course being 1922). I'm sure audiences at the time were probably wowed by some of the special effects. For clarity, this DVD contains both the original 1922/1941 version and the 1968 release with William Burroughs narrating - the 1968 version also has a way-out jazz score.
2 out of 2 members found this review helpful.
A Danish Cinematic Essay about Witches from 1921 with Images that'd get Trigger Warnings now - Häxan review by PV
I loved this. I watched the 1921 Danish version with subtitles. The option on the DVD Witchcraft Through The ages is the same whole film again, with a William Burroughs narration and a jazz score. I watched 10 minutes of that, but prefer the authentic Danish version with a score which tries as hard as possible to replicate what was heard at the November 1922 premier in Copenhagen.
Not a narrative film; more vignettes, a series of essays with still and moving pictures, in 7 chapters, some better than others. The actors are great and the costumes and scenes and special effects - theses are clearly all theatre actors and seem to be having a ball! The director plays the devil.
I loved the imagery - some so extreme TV would not allow it now. Reminded me of the best version of ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT from 1930 in that. Just shows what priggish prudish hysterical puritans we have become.
One thing about this 1921 film is the medical belief of then which were 'modern' - a believe in HYSTERIA which it talks about as a definitive explanation of people behaving oddly. Our modern medicine has rejected that utterly of course. One little mention of the effects of THE WAR (1914-18 Great War of course) reminds us this was made in 1921.
Excellent and fascinating stuff!
0 out of 0 members found this review helpful.