Häxan: Witchcraft Through the Ages (The Witches) (Haxan) (1929)

Featured Audience Ratings

• First L

  
  Writer and director Benjamin Christensen paints a meticulous picture of witchcraft through the ages in his film (titled fittingly enough), "Haxan: Witchcraft Through the Ages". Part documentary-style narration, part dramatic "passion play", Haxan toys with the… More
  Writer and director Benjamin Christensen paints a meticulous picture of witchcraft through the ages in his film (titled fittingly enough), "Haxan: Witchcraft Through the Ages". Part documentary-style narration, part dramatic "passion play", Haxan toys with the idea of a real satan (played by Christensen himself) tempting virtuous people away from their holy christian lifestyles. Witchcraft is seen as the power one acquires from consorting with the devil, and various abilities, such as flying and casting spells are gained from worshipping the dark lord (and 'literally' kissing his ass). Eerie, sometimes shocking, sometimes horrific, Christensen uses light and shadow to his advantage, creating a dark fantasy world made real through the eyes of superstitious and backwards medieval folk. And really, far from glorifying belief in the supernatural, Haxan tells with great sadness the tale of mankinds brutality and mindless terror of the unknown. It's more a warning tale than anything. When we put our faith in supernatural superstitions, we sacrifice scientific knowledge and the analytical process, cutting out anything we've learned from the past. Those who put faith above all else will deny reality if it conflicts with their beliefs. Mankind can revert to the stone age at any time. In order to move forward as a species we must discern with an unflinching eye what is reality and what is fact. To do otherwise is to doom ourselves to the dark ages. Haxan is positively haunting in the spell it weaves.

• Graham J

  
  One of the first horror films, this silent masterpiece still has the ability to shock and entertain today's audience.

• AJ V

  
  There were some things I liked about this movie, but there were also things I didn't like. First I didn't like the documentary style history lessons. The movie would have been a lot better with just the stories and actors acting them out and everything. There were some… More
  There were some things I liked about this movie, but there were also things I didn't like. First I didn't like the documentary style history lessons. The movie would have been a lot better with just the stories and actors acting them out and everything. There were some nice visuals, and I really liked that. But overall, I thought it could have been better.

• Greg S

  
  Curious early "documentary" mixing fact with recreations of medieval witch hunts and diabolical fantasy sequences. There are five to ten minute stretches of this film---the phantasmagorical black sabbath with an old woman giving birth to monsters and witches cooking babies… More
  Curious early "documentary" mixing fact with recreations of medieval witch hunts and diabolical fantasy sequences. There are five to ten minute stretches of this film---the phantasmagorical black sabbath with an old woman giving birth to monsters and witches cooking babies and lining up to kiss the devil's arse---that are 5 star horror moments, but the documentary side doesn't hold up and the ending is a letdown. Enormous historical importance, however, and no one has ever created scarier-looking demons than these.

• Cassandra M

  
  I thought that Häxan was a very good film by Benjamin Christensen. The film is a documentary about the history of witchcraft, told in a variety of different ways, from slide shows to dramatized events of real-life events, up to the early twentieth century. when the film was first… More
  I thought that Häxan was a very good film by Benjamin Christensen. The film is a documentary about the history of witchcraft, told in a variety of different ways, from slide shows to dramatized events of real-life events, up to the early twentieth century. when the film was first premiered in 1922, it caused a lot of outrage from the general public and religious groups. by the way that it showed dramatized satanic activities and rituals. In the way that witches were tortured and killed. It was re-released in 1941 and there was a new release in 1968, which was a narrated film by William S. Burroughs called Witchcraft Through The Ages I found this quite a weird sort of film but it was still very interesting. <a href="http://photobucket.com/images/haxan" target="_blank"><img src="http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff289/jwarn0beags/haxan.jpg" border="0" alt="haxan Pictures, Images and Photos"/></a> <a href="http://photobucket.com/images/haxan" target="_blank"><img src="http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff273/mecha69/Haxan-3b.gif" border="0" alt="haxan Pictures, Images and Photos"/></a> <a href="http://photobucket.com/images/haxan" target="_blank"><img src="http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg155/gerdaaegesdotter/Haxan.jpg" border="0" alt="Muthafuckin Haxan Pictures, Images and Photos"/></a>

• Luke B

  
  Haxan does an excellent job of chronicling something that is still very much a part of our lives. Mass hysteria and paranoia. This film predates Joseph McCarthy and the mass media coverage of paedophiles and terrorists, that we have today. Then why is it people are still so stupid?… More
  Haxan does an excellent job of chronicling something that is still very much a part of our lives. Mass hysteria and paranoia. This film predates Joseph McCarthy and the mass media coverage of paedophiles and terrorists, that we have today. Then why is it people are still so stupid? The simple answer, fear. Haxan shows us the tragic fates awaiting "witches" and the things they had to do to survive. It contains some fantastic imagery for the time. With the demons being very disturbing. The story itself is patchy and it starts with still pictures and a lot of text. This is cinema in it's infancy, made almost 90 years ago, and yet, we can still apply it to today's social climate.

• Pierluigi P

  
  Daring and suggestive semi documentary with a plethora of dark, diabolical imagery.

• Saskia D

  
  The things that people are capable of through the process of dehumanization caused by fear and the basic human 'need' to explain and control the world around them (trough myth and religion) are exemplified in this movie focusing on the persecution of witches (mostly women)… More
  The things that people are capable of through the process of dehumanization caused by fear and the basic human 'need' to explain and control the world around them (trough myth and religion) are exemplified in this movie focusing on the persecution of witches (mostly women) in the middle ages. That's my take on it anyway, I'm not sure if the director intended to put it down like that. What surprised me is that he drew a parallel between the symptoms of hysteria in 'modern society' and the symptoms that indicated women as witches in the middle ages. "Poor little hysterical witch! In the middle ages you were in conflict with the church. Now it is with the law" Somehow that proves to me that he is missing the point. Any way, I'm glad psychology is more advanced today, although in some cases it's just a matter of putting a different label on it. I'm looking forward to seeing more movies like this, so if you read this and come up with one: fill me in!! <a href="http://s241.photobucket.com/albums/ff273/mecha69/?action=view&current=Haxan-3b.gif" target="_blank"><img src="http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff273/mecha69/Haxan-3b.gif" border="0" alt="haxan"></a>

• Stella D

  
  a surreal accounting of the medieval witch hysteria, one of the saddest chapters in the long history of the persecution of women. made in 1922 so it is somewhat dated; still well worth watching with many bizarre scenes. a really odd historical document. gotta love the psychotic… More
  a surreal accounting of the medieval witch hysteria, one of the saddest chapters in the long history of the persecution of women. made in 1922 so it is somewhat dated; still well worth watching with many bizarre scenes. a really odd historical document. gotta love the psychotic nuns.

• El Hombre I

  
  Part documentary on witchcraft and part dramatization of a woman accused of such, Häxan is full of innovative and outrageous imagery. The subject matter is enough to draw attention from horror fans but also historians with facts as it presents origins of religion and the belief in… More
  Part documentary on witchcraft and part dramatization of a woman accused of such, Häxan is full of innovative and outrageous imagery. The subject matter is enough to draw attention from horror fans but also historians with facts as it presents origins of religion and the belief in demons that caused plagues and discusses the nature of hysteria well into the twentieth century. The director declares the witch trials were humanity's greatest tragedy, but were also the result of an unenlightened, long-gone people and claims nothing similar could happen again, without any insight to the Holocaust. Fascinating historical document and an enjoyably watchable film way ahead of its' time in 1922. Included on the dvd is a 1968 version of the film with a soundtrack featuring Jean-Luc Ponty and narrated by William S. Burroughs. <a href="http://s273.photobucket.com/albums/jj203/goji9000/?action=view¤t=Haxan-3b.gif" target="_blank"><img src="http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj203/goji9000/Haxan-3b.gif" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

• Tim S

  
  I loved this movie! This is the definition of a movie being ahead of it's time.

• Ryan M

  
  9.0/10 "Haxan", a certainly controversial, at-the-time graphic, and flamboyantly intellectual documentary/horror film, appeals to me for so many reasons. For one: I like films that challenge the audience. "Haxan" is brilliant because not only does it want… More
  9.0/10 "Haxan", a certainly controversial, at-the-time graphic, and flamboyantly intellectual documentary/horror film, appeals to me for so many reasons. For one: I like films that challenge the audience. "Haxan" is brilliant because not only does it want to provoke through imagery; but it also wants to challenge our beliefs with its unbeatable sense of stylistic intelligence. Being the most expensive Scandenavian Silent film production, you'd think that "Haxan" would have had a bigger impact on horror films and documentaries alike. For some, it never stopped being disturbing, while for others, it never stopped being effective. "Haxan" is divisive, disturbing, scary, smart, and unique. There will never be another documentary like it, perhaps because nobody is quite as daring as the filmmakers involved in the production. For haters, all I can say is: Well, I loved it. And yes, I did love "Haxan". It's one of the best documentaries ever made. It blends the documentary style with my favorite genre; the horror film. This means that the film gets to be scary, stylistic, and unique in its own little ways. It's good to see that even though to many, it's not memorable; the flame never gets blown out to early whilst watching the film. I mean, it really is something. I don't think it's a film for everyone, and Christians will probably want to steer clear from such cinematic depths, but any cinephile worth his salt should see "Haxan" for its craft, its atmosphere, and its mastery of both the horror film and documentary filmmaking. The film deserves every bit of the controversy that it garnered, which is part of its raw charm, as well as part of its minor put-off. It's best to think of "Haxan" in whatever ways you want. I can't tell you to watch it; and I will by no means tell you to avoid it. It's a fine piece of daring, classic filmmaking that will linger with you for long after you've witnessed it. It may even take more than one viewing to appreciate what the filmmaker, Benjamin Christensen, has done here. Even I don't quite know all of what he was aiming for. Was he attempting to change our views, as many documentaries do? Did he want to impact us with his own? I'm not completely sure. But I do know this: "Haxan" is awe-inspiring, thus making it "awesome", and there will never be another documentary quite like it. I think that's food for thought, friends. "Haxan" takes us on a journey straight into the history of witchcraft. It begins basically enough, and the film eventually goes on to speculation. With speculation, of witchcraft in particular, comes talk of the devil; and "Haxan" is not afraid to say whatever it wants when it comes to the matter. And it does, which is just down-right admirable in my book. Like all documentaries, "Haxan" has a point; and it does not get it through by telling a straight-forward story. What we get is something far more unique, challenging, and memorable; something that's not easy to forget. For all it says of witchcraft, religion, and possession; "Haxan" is actually quite powerful. It doesn't try hard to be, but it does the job anyways. "Haxan" has enough brains to satisfy as only the best documentaries can. It's entertaining, intelligent, and unlike anything I've seen before. How many documentaries (that's right, NOT mockumantaries) can blend horror with the genre as well as this one? If you're still thinking, then your mind is in the right place, because "Haxan" does what it does so impeccably well that it's almost impossible for a cinephile/horror fan such as me to pass up such a great opportunity. So why, oh why, would you? Maren Pedersen plays "The Witch" in the film. The interesting thing about this actress is that she's not really an actress at all; but rather an elderly flower-seller. Perhaps this is what they mean when they say "Pulling people off the streets to make a movie", but in this case, it was a damn good move. The director, Benjamin Christensen, plays none other than the Devil himself; covered by impressive make-up and costume-design to make the act believable. Basically every-one in this film, REAL actor/actress or not, is very good at playing whichever character they are portraying. I stated those two important names because I find them particularly meritorious, among others. That's about it. "Haxan" is more visually-focused than it probably should be. The whole thing is like a disturbing, intelligent surrealistic gem that rests somewhere among those few "surrealistic horror documentaries". It's a fun movie, as long as you find visually repulsive, and as I said, at-the-time-controversial stuff "fun". I know that I do, and I know that "Haxan" is made with intelligence, craft, and a sense of humanity. Many films are graphic, but without much artistry. The difference between THOSE films and "Haxan" is that here is a film made with art on its mind, and I can definitely admire that for what it is. So if you like art-films then see "Haxan". It's a diabolic experience with an abundance of intelligent life-forms, interesting visual inspiration, and that good ol' "one-of-a-kind" feeling. True, I can enjoy a documentary, but only if it's well-made, interesting, and insightful. But few can be as good as "Haxan" is; and this is as good as documentary filmmaking gets. I like the message of the film, and I like how the film does not seek to be influential. As a result, it didn't do a whole lot for horror films or documentary films, if only because it was banned in most places for its content. But now, we can admire it, on its prestigious Criterion Collection release, for what it was meant to be seen as; a unique, and overall quite good film. And to end this section, I will add that like all good silent films, "Haxan" has a nice, mellow soundtrack. Sometimes, it amounts to a darker, more-suspenseful feel. It creates a sense of dread; if not peaceful dread, in "Haxan". Oh, what the hell. Just see the thing already. So if you want witchcraft - documentary - filmmaking done right, "Haxan" is where the fun (and the intelligence) is at. As I said, it's not for everyone. But it was definitely a film that I enjoyed, if only for its understanding of the subject matter and unforgettable imagery. If only more horror films were this non-pretentious; and if only more films about witches and witchcraft could be so undeniably entertaining. "Haxan" is, like the Devil that plays as its villainous entity, seductive in its dark whimsy. You can't resist it, and you know it; but you may still want to steer clear if you are easily disturbed. No matter, there is much to like here. I can't find one thing wrong with the film, and while some will say it looses its merit after a while, it's consistently artistic and flamboyantly interesting. So once again, I've dug into the past and pulled out a rare gem. And I am going to be one of the first to tell you, assuming that your friends aren't as flamboyantly weird as I am, that "Haxan" is worth the time that you invest in it. Now, imagine how LONG the thing was, by the 1920's standards. I imagine that part of the controversy came from how long we were required to watch these images for. I think that "Haxan" was misunderstood, and required someone like me. I can appreciate, admire, and be entertained by these films. I've seen some daring pictures, and this is, luckily, one of them. And that's what I love about it.

• Marion R

  
  Really interesting at first you feel like you are watching a history channel special on witches, but then again I love the history channel. There are some really cool special effects/Makeup and a couple really neat segments. Really cool

• MJS M

  
  A really strange silent movie about witchcraft from Danish director Benjamin Cristensen. The film begins seeming like an academic documentary on the subject of the occult, using period artifacts and paintings it seems like an old precurser to something one would see on the history… More
  A really strange silent movie about witchcraft from Danish director Benjamin Cristensen. The film begins seeming like an academic documentary on the subject of the occult, using period artifacts and paintings it seems like an old precurser to something one would see on the history channel or something like Nova. Then the film begins using video vignettes and reenactments to make its points, which is when it gets off the charts weird. Satan, and other assorted demons pop up throughout the film, the effects and makeup used to create them are extremely impressive for this time period. One could view this as one of the first documentaries or horror movies (it was made the same year as both Nosferatu and Nanook of the North). It could also be seen as one of the first exploitation movies, as it may just be using an academic context in order to explore sensational subject matter.

• Christopher B

  
  Incredible film that mixes up documentary with fiction well before it became fashionable. Though it may not deal with hard, solid facts, it sure is damned entertaining. I love this film and thank you Criterion for putting out an amazing special edition.

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