- If, like me, you are amused by devils who constantly stick out their tongues and nuns going crazy, then you will probably enjoy parts of Benjamin Christensen's occult silent masterpiece Häxan. I debated whether or not to categorize this film as a documentary. Some parts of it certainly function as such, but other parts are just utterly wacky recreations of medieval encounters with witches, demons, and the like. Did I mention that there is a scene in which a woman gives a monk a love potion that transforms him into a sexual aggressor? Or one in which witches literally line up to kiss the devil's ass?? Some of the imagery is so absurd as to be unforgettable, while other parts are legitimately impressive in their visual flourish. An elderly actress named Maren Pedersen steals the show, both with her wizened countenance and her frank admission that she has seen the devil, too. I bet his tongue was sticking out.
- Christensen himself played the Devil, and he ended up making this the most expensive Scandinavian silent film ever.
