Haxan
(Witchcraft Through the Ages)
1922
From Sweden /Denmark
Director- Benjamin Christensen
Cast- Benjamin Christensen, Clara Pontoppidan, Oscar
Stribolt, Astrid Holm, Maren Pedersen
Haxan is
a sort-of documentary. It takes a scholarly look at the view of witchcraft in
the middle ages but mixes in haunting and unsettling imagery that is comparable
to the best horror movies.
Those
silent films that have stood the test of time have done so not because of the
writing or acting but because of the imagery. This movie is a hundred years old
but the effects hold up because, unlike CGI that doesn’t age very well, they
rely on make-up and photography. The devil (played by the director himself) is
especially scary with his perpetually flicking tongue and gleeful expression,
The
first fifteen minutes or so is rather boring, being filled mainly with images
of medieval engravings but stick with it because the movie takes off after
that.
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The
movie was censored or banned in several countries, including the United
States. It takes a dim view of humanity.
Those that fear the devil seem to do so out of backwardness and stupidity but those
that serve the devil do so out of lust and greed. The church is naturally lumped in with this. Clergy are presented as just as stupid and
lustful as their flock, perhaps even more so.
But
again, it is the images not the plot, that leave a lasting impression; Satan
tempting a young woman as she lies next to her husband, a witches Sabbath where
they sacrifice and eat a baby, a skeletal horse, witches flying through the air,
grotesque demons prancing about in an orgy, women lining up to literally kiss
the devil’s ass, a young monk orgasmicly enjoying a flagellation and Satan
tempting a nun to defile a Eucharist wafer.
The end
of the film slows down as it tries to explain the demonic possessions of the
middle ages as modern day mental illness, but it’s difficult to reconcile that
with the utter realism with which the film depicts its diabolical subjects.
The film
was re-presented in 1968 with a narration by William Burroughs. The narration
adds to the film but the jazz musical score, though adding to the mood in places
tends to distract at other times. This version is shorter than the original but
I think that’s a product of the narration being quicker than reading as it
retains all the imagery of the original.
100 Years Later
Haxan premiered in September 1922. Now a century out, the
question is, is it still relevant? I would say that it’s at least as relevant
as it was a hundred years ago, perhaps more so.
A
hundred years ago the world was about 2 years removed from a global pandemic
that killed tens of millions of people. Russia was engaged in a civil war
brought on by the Bolshevik Revolution. The world was about 7 years away from
the Great Depression. In response to this chaos, fascism spread through the world
as people begged for someone to take charge of their lives. Any of this
sounding familiar?
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Beyond
the current events, we seem to be entering into a kind of New Dark Age. The rejection
of science and critical thinking, in favor of emotion and wishful thinking, is
a trend that started growing in the United States about 20 years ago and is now
spreading to the rest of the world.
Believing what can be supported has been rejected for believing what
makes us feel good. This same devaluing of knowledge is what led to the Dark
Ages that took Europe a thousand years to climb out of.
One
thing that has changed in the last hundred years is the general perception of
witchcraft. When most people see witchcraft now it’s in tandem with Wiccans
worshiping nature or someone peddling their grandmother’s home remedy for sore
throats. Most people aren’t living in fear of Satanic conspiracies spreading
through their neighborhood, though if you remember the 1980s, that was an
irrational belief that was perpetuated without a shard of evidence.
On the other hand, maybe
society has outgrown witches. Maybe black cats and pointed hats have become
quaint. Conspiracy theories have replaced church doctrine and members of the
opposing political party have become the unseen threat seeping into our daily
lives.
Of
course, that’s all pretty heavy, maybe too heavy for the first time viewing of
a silent film. Does Haxan entertain? Haxan won’t scare a modern audience. But
it will definitely show you images that you will never forget and give the
viewer an appreciation for the art of fine film making before the modern era of
special effects. Students of films or aspiring filmmakers will certainly
appreciate the careful crafting of effective, realistic, creepy imagery.
Want more? Read about the role of The Devil in film.
Still want more? Check out the review of Faust, a German film made around the same time as Haxan.
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