Review of Häxan (1922) by Al M — 04 Aug 2010

Benjamin Christensen's original 1929 flim remains a masterpiece of horror in its exploration of witchcraft, satanism, and demonology. Alongside Nosferatu, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Vampyr, etc., Haxan represents one of cinema's first great horror films. While technically a documentary about the history of European and America concepts of witchcraft, Christensen's film is actually a series of horror tableaux tied together by this common theme. Across the course of the film, the viewer witnesses horrors that would not be repeated in cinematic history until at least the 1960s: witches' sabbaths (including witches kissing the ass of satan), corrupted nuns (yes, Haxan could arguably be the first nunsploitation flick), descents into nightmarish hellscapes, etc. Haxan also proves rather astute for drawing a connection between witches, demon possession, etc. and mental illness, a connection that will continue to be explored in later possession films such as The Exorcist.

Aside from the original version of the film, it becomes an even more interesting text in the 1960s when the Americanized version is released under the direciton of Wliliam S. Burroughs, Bryon Gysin, and friends. Featuring a stellar, experimental jazz score (with Jean-Luc Ponty on violen) and absolutely unforgettable, creepy, and brilliant narration from Burroughs, this American version of Haxan becomes a classic in its own right. It demonstrates Burroughs cut-up method for one thing--his (and Gysin's) belief that any two (or more) texts could be cut-up and recombined with another. In this case, Christensen's flim has been cut-up with Burroughs's narration and with the jazz score which create a level of humor and satire not as prevalent in the original film.

Fortunately, the Criterion edition of Haxan offers both cuts, so you can experience the original surrealistic horror of the silent documentary as well as the even more surrealistic, tongue-in-cheek horror of the 60s version.