The title Haxan is usually followed by "Witchcraft Through The Ages" but that wasn't added to this 1922 gem until 1968 when they tried to ruin the film.  But I'm getting ahead of my self.  Let's begin another way.

I believe witches have been neglected in films compared to their horror brethren like vampires, zombies, werewolves, etc.  I know, I know--you're thinking and shouting out movies:  The Witches, The Witches of Eastwick, Hocus Pocus,etc.  Decent movies but not scary.  If I am thinking movies like Rosemary's Baby and The Wicker Man--then I'd have to lump in all kinds of satan/cult movies.  I hate to bring up  the Witchboard or Witchcraft series--for any reason. The Devil Rides out is decent enough and then there was that old 70s one with Oliver Reed and orgies whose name I can't remember and one with Shatner and some yawnfest with Hot lips, Peter Fonda and an RV--not witches--not witches--people in hooded cloaks do not a witch make. 

Now that brings me to witch movies I actually like:  The Craft, Suspiria, Black Sunday, Blair Witch Project, and Bell, Book, and Candle. (I know--but Kim Novak was so hot) And don't get me started on Angelique of Dark shadows fame--I would have left Mary Ann and Ginger on the island and stuffed Jeanie back in her damn bottle to be able to take Angelique to the harvest dance.    OK, back to pupose.  But they're still not that Halloweeny, Old Crone, Macbeth, boiling cauldren, eye of newt, poison-apple, broomstick witch that we've had images of ever since we met The Wicked Witch of the West and her funky sock-wearing sister in the Land of Oz.  Can we have that type of witch action and still manage to scare someone?  My friends, the answer is Haxan.

It was filmed in 1921-1922 and yes--it is a silent movie, with subtitles in Swedish and English.  But in my opinion, it may be the most important silent horror film ever.  And yes, I've seen Nosferatu, The Cabinet of Caligari, The Lost World, and Der Golem.  For raw horror imagery and daring, it trumps them all.  The director, Benjamin Christensen, who also plays the Devil and a cameo as Jesus Christ, was brilliant, inventive, and for 1922, very,very bold and daring.  Eventhough it seems he was trying to educate his audience, I can't imagine the shock and horror they experienced in the theater and yes again--this movie was banned in many countries. It would be another 40 or so years before this much obsenity and blasphemy was included in a horror movie.  Universal certainly didn't go down some of these roads. It was shot in Denmark, but for for a swedish audience.  It wasn't allowed to be shown in Denmark until 1941.  And since we're getting the dates out of the way here, the 1968 version with narration by William Burroughs and a wacked out jazz soundtrack ruins the experience completely.  Do not watch that version or if you feel compelled to out of curiosity, don't do it til you've watched the original 1922 version first, with it's great classical score by the likes of Schubert, Mozart, Bach, Wagner, and Beethoven.

The imagery, sets, props, etc are like something out of a horror fan's dreams.  This is like experiencing the very beginnings of horror, I kid you not.  Imagine looking over Poe's shoulder as he wrote "The Fall of the House of Usher" or cuddiling up beside Shelley as she dreamed of Frankenstein or being one of Romero's zombies in the original NOTLD.  Yes--it is that kind of "witnessing the birth of horror" moment.  I have no problem stating that this movie is essential viewing as much as NOLTD, TCM, Halloween, the Exocist, etc

And lest you think me insane or on someone's payroll, let's get into the nasty , creepy facts upon which I build my gushing fanboy praise.

It's filmed in 7 acts,(called scenes in the movie) the first of which is like a slideshow of the old woodcuts and paintings that you've seen before with witches kissing the Devil's ass and being tortured, etc along with photos of relics and idols and such (watch for a cameo by the Exorcist's very own Pazuzu, the plague demon).  This is lecture -type stuff, complete with a pointer as he describes the ancient beliefs on Hell and demons. Fascinating stuff as a guy from the 1920s describes the mystical beliefs of the 15th century.

We start with the juicy stuff in Act 2 in the witch's lair and I must say that it is like the ultimate witch's lair with pots, potions, animal skeletons, corpses, etc.  You'll see that graverobbers were bringing corpses from the gallows to witches before they were bringing them to Dr. Frankenstein.  And of course they needed to be well sniffed to sample their freshness.  Without watching Act 2, how would you know that a potion made from cat feces and dove hearts would soften the heart of any man? The special effects start here as well, and from what I've seen--Christensen was way ahead of his time in that department as you watch a little demon eat through a door.  The Devil makes his first appearance in this act too, and HELL Yeah!!--what a Devil he is, looking just like a Devil should as he pops up to call nude fat-bottomed girls out to play.  He also seems to enjoy watching old crones puke and the dance of the maidens and pig demons is not to be missed.  I'll try not to be this spoilerish with the rest of the Acts, but I wanted to keep your interest and anyway, this joyful ride is just beginning.

Act 3 is the accusation and capture, complete with rolling witch cage.  Let's just say that it sucks to be Maria the Weaver who begs from door to door.

Then Act 4 where all the gloves of everybody come off and we're told that "the burning of a witch is a sweet scent to God" (how do you not love that line?)  The persecution starts , complete with "good inquisitor" - "bad inquisitor" dynamics.  And what's a little cup of inquisition without a couple spoonfuls of good ol' torture.  And not only does poor old Maria start rolling over and laying accusations on everyone and their kin, Mr. Christensen, kind man that he is, decides to graphically show us in re-enactment fashion, all the stuff she's confessing to.

And yes that is 1922 ass above you embracing that lucky demon. There is much cavorting with Devils and Demons and if you want to know what Devils and Demons are supposed to look like, then watch this film.  The broomstick flights of the witches are right out of a child's nightmare and may seem tame by today's special effects standards, but in 1922 I bet you could hear screams around the corner as people ducked in their seats.  This is the Act to skip if you're offended by blasphemous imagery such as cross desecration, Demon molestation, bloody baby cooking and much more.  But no--not you--you want to watch--that's what I like about you.

In Act 5, everyone is getting rounded up and we learn that helping witches resist arrest, refusing to bear witness against a witch, or even admitting to having a sinful thought, can lead to dire consequences.  Also starring the little monk who likes to be whipped--oh he's such a little sinner.

Act 6 graces us with more pig demons and cats who like to soil altars.  We're also given the coolest demonstrations of some of the popular tools of the torture trade. 

SIDENOTE BREAK: I've wondered before about the individuals whose job it was in medievel times to come up with some of these devices.  Talk about some fucked up dudes--damn.

Oh--and the Devil is back in Act 6 with the purpose of corrupting a whole convent and making nuns do un-nunly things.  He's starting his corruption below by softening them up a little.

Then we come to Act 7, which from a horror standpoint is the weakest act.  Our lecturer is back with the morals of the story which is OK, but I don't think the burning times are quite on us again yet.  He's basically showing a few scenes to point out that common misfortunes today, like being ugly, twitchy, hunchbacked, or being a kleptomaniac!? could have gotten you killed in the 15th century.

We do find out that one of his actresses told Christensen during filming that Devils are real because she has seen them sitting at her bedside and the ending scene is almost magical in it's message.  And wait til you find out how to say "The end" in Swedish--I know--you'll just google it.  That's cool, but please watch this movie. 

I know I walked a fine spoiler line with this blog entry and probably crossed it once or twice, but in my experience, I've had a hard time getting folks to sit down and watch a black 'n' white, silent, foreign movie. It's got all three strikes against it.  But this needs to be the exception.  I will push very few movies this old, this hard.  True horror fans can sit back and just enjoy all the wonderful horror imagery, like the shot above, even if they don't want to get into the plot.  I can't imagine a true horror fan not liking this and you very well may consider it the best silent movie you've seen.  Now go try to scare yourself.  OO OO EE EE