Haxan (1922)
November 7, 2022 12:21 PM - Subscribe
Grave robbing, torture, possessed nuns, and a satanic Sabbath: Benjamin Christensen's legendary film uses a series of dramatic vignettes to explore the scientific hypothesis that the witches of the Middle Ages suffered the same hysteria as turn-of-the-century psychiatric patients. But the film itself is far from serious-- instead it's a witches' brew of the scary, gross, and darkly humorous.
Written and directed by Benjamin Christensen.
91% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.
Currently streaming in the US on HBO Max, Criterion, Kanopy, and others. JustWatch listing. Both the 1968 version of 78 minutes and the restored 106 minute version are online. HBO Max, at least, has the restored version.
Written and directed by Benjamin Christensen.
91% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.
Currently streaming in the US on HBO Max, Criterion, Kanopy, and others. JustWatch listing. Both the 1968 version of 78 minutes and the restored 106 minute version are online. HBO Max, at least, has the restored version.
I watched this last night as part of our Halloween Challenge for Silent Films. Basically I came away with, "wow this is how you get boobs and explicit sexual innuendo in a film from 1922."
Also: medieval woodcutters lent no shortage of credibility to witch trials because witches show their boobs. "Look, Hans, witches, they show their boobs. In fact, I just made this etching of some Big Naturals, so that's how you know she's a witch."
posted by Kitteh at 7:25 AM on October 12, 2024 [1 favorite]
Also: medieval woodcutters lent no shortage of credibility to witch trials because witches show their boobs. "Look, Hans, witches, they show their boobs. In fact, I just made this etching of some Big Naturals, so that's how you know she's a witch."
posted by Kitteh at 7:25 AM on October 12, 2024 [1 favorite]
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And then suddenly they hit you with naked women cavorting in fields as a "dramatic recreation of a black mass" and you go "ah, maybe not."
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 12:37 PM on November 7, 2022 [1 favorite]