78 Häxan

[Finch]

A series of eerie vignettes depict images of sorcery and evil on screen, from representations of occultism and religious hypocrisy to a chilling witch hunt in the Middle Ages. Directed by and starring Benjamin Christensen as the Devil, Häxan mixes documentary and fiction forms to create an unsettling brew that prefigures everything from Gothic horror to the found footage film. This legendary horror film was released in numerous edits and this edition collects four such versions of the film for the first time in the UK, including a 2K restoration by the original production company Svensk Filmindustri.

LIMITED EDITION BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES

2K restoration by Svensk Filmindustri, presented with three optional scores, by Matti Bye (2006), Bronnt Industries Kapital (2007), and Geoff Smith (2007)
Witchcraft through the Ages - an alternate cut of the film featuring narration by William S. Boroughs and soundtrack by Jean-Luc Ponty (1968, 77 mins)
Häxan - The Esoteric Cut - an alternate cut of the film featuring English intertitles and soundtrack by Lawrence Leherissey (Date unknown, 84 mins)
Witchcraft through the Ages - a French version of the film featuring narration by Jean-Pierre Kalfon (1990, 82 mins)
Introduction by director Benjamin Christensen (1941, 8 mins)
Outtakes (1922, 12 mins)
Recently discovered costume screen test (1922, 2 mins)
Visual essay by Vito A. Rowlands, author of the forthcoming BFI Film Classics edition of Häxan (2024)
Audio commentary by Guy Adams and A.K. Benedict (2024)
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Time Tomorrow
Six postcards of original promotional stills
Limited edition 80-page book featuring new writing by Pamela Hutchinson, Daniel Bird, Kat Ellinger, Brad Stevens plus archival writing and extracts from the press book
Limited edition of 6000 copies, presented in rigid box and full-height Scanavo packaging with removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings

[therewillbeblus]

Is the commentary on the Criterion worth keeping it for? Otherwise this sounds like an easy double dip

[ryannichols7]

Is the commentary on the Criterion worth keeping it for? Otherwise this sounds like an easy double dip

I'm a huge fan of Casper Tybjerg and his commentaries for both this film and several of Dreyer's. he is super informative and clearly passionate (though with that typical Nordic dryness). personally think it's essential - happy to keep both, as often happens from films with Denmark and Sweden alike. I own both Passion of Joan of Arc, Vampyr, multiple Bergmans, and now Häxan will be next. this Radiance edition is clearly comprehensive, but the Criterion isn't without it's essentials too

[domino harvey]

Agreed 100%! Tybjerg is one of the best at giving commentaries (and I think this is the one where he does voices too, right?)

[ryannichols7]

Agreed 100%! Tybjerg is one of the best at giving commentaries (and I think this is the one where he does voices too, right?)

it is, one of the only times a commentator has done that and I enjoyed it. I also really liked how he structured his track with the prologue of the film and talking about Christensen, gave a lot of great context. I also have a bit of fondness for early DVD era Criterion scholarly tracks and Tybjerg is definitely in that field

it's funny, I had planned to revisit this movie soon and I had an inkling that a UK edition was coming - be it MOC #300 or somehow being the Radiance "landmark silent". I gotta give it to Fran, I didn't expect him to pull this one out, and he really did with all the stops. I'm really appreciative of there being three different scores - the MOC edition of Faust and the various Passion of Joan of Arc scores are all appreciated by me

[rapta]

I'm really appreciative of there being three different scores - the MOC edition of Faust and the various Passion of Joan of Arc scores are all appreciated by me

FWIW, I did ask if he was interested in a fourth score - the most recent one I know of, done my my own sister's friend and bandmate Nick Carlisle, for the film's 100th anniversary - but unfortunately Fran said this disc is about to start authoring and the QC operator has enough on his plate as is! A bit of shame as Nick's score is largely synth-based, something I'm quite keen on when it comes to film scoring.

If you're curious though, check it out here. He's been playing it live around the UK at screenings of the film over the last couple of years (I haven't had a chance to catch a screening yet).

[Aunt Peg]

Another double dip for me.

[Tuppence]

Extras have been updated. Headline additions reveal that it is now a two disc set, there is a new Guillermo del Toro interview and that Witchcraft through the Ages has been newly scanned in 2K.

LIMITED EDITION BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES

Disc 1:

2K restoration by Svensk Filmindustri, presented with a score by Matti Bye (2006)

Witchcraft through the Ages - an alternate cut of the film featuring narration by William S. Burroughs and soundtrack by Jean-Luc Ponty, newly transferred in 2K from a 16mm dupe negative (1968, 77 mins)

Introduction by director Benjamin Christensen (1941, 8 mins)

Outtakes - a reel of test footage shot by Benjamin Christensen featuring scenes for Häxan, Hævnens Nat [Night of Revenge] and other work by the filmmaker (1922, 12 mins)

Recently discovered costume screen test (1922, 2 mins)

Appreciation by filmmaker Guillermo del Toro (2024, 14 mins)

For Satan: The Convert’s Guide to Häxan - A visual essay by Vito A. Rowlands, author of the BFI Film Classics edition of Häxan (2024, 12 mins)

Audio commentary by horror experts Guy Adams and A.K. Benedict (2024)

Disc 2:

2K restoration by Svensk Filmindustri, presented with scores by Bronnt Industries Kapital (2007), and Geoff Smith (2007)

Häxan - The Esoteric Cut - an alternate cut of the film featuring English intertitles and soundtrack by Lawrence Leherissey (Date unknown, 84 mins)

Witchcraft through the Ages - a French version of the film featuring narration by Jean-Pierre Kalfon, sourced from the best surviving VHS (1990, 82 mins)

Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Time Tomorrow

Six postcards of original promotional stills

Limited edition 80-page book featuring new writing by Pamela Hutchinson, Daniel Bird, Kat Ellinger, Brad Stevens plus archival writing by Tom Milne and extracts from the press book

[dwk]

Why dont they just present the 2 other scores on the first disc?

[CSM126]

Why dont they just present the 2 other scores on the first disc?

Is it possibly alternate frame rates to match the different scores?

[tenia]

That would be my guess too.

[dwk]

If that is the case thay should mention that.