Haxan [Special Edition Blu-ray]

Explore the legendary silent horror film Häxan (Witchcraft Through the Ages) with this comprehensive Special Edition Blu-ray from Radiance Films. Directed by and starring Benjamin Christensen, this unsettling brew mixes documentary and fiction forms to depict eerie vignettes of sorcery, occultism, religious hypocrisy, and a chilling witch hunt in the Middle Ages. This edition is significant as it collects four different versions of the film for the first time in the UK, including a 2K restoration overseen by the original production company, Svensk Filmindustri.

Key Features & Content

• Features four distinct versions of the film, including a 2K restoration by Svensk Filmindustri.
• The main 2K restoration is presented with three optional, distinct musical scores from Matti Bye (2006), Bronnt Industries Kapital (2007), and Geoff Smith (2007).
• Includes alternate cuts: Witchcraft through the Ages (1968, 77 mins) with narration by William S. Boroughs and soundtrack by Jean-Luc Ponty, and Häxan - The Esoteric Cut (84 mins) with English intertitles.
• Includes a French version, Witchcraft through the Ages (1990, 82 mins), featuring narration by Jean-Pierre Kalfon.
• Bonus materials include an introduction by director Benjamin Christensen (1941, 8 mins), outtakes (1922, 12 mins), and a recently discovered costume screen test (1922, 2 mins).
• Comes with a visual essay by Vito A. Rowlands and an audio commentary by Guy Adams and A.K. Benedict (both 2024).
• Limited edition packaging includes a reversible sleeve with original and newly commissioned artwork by Time Tomorrow, and a limited edition booklet featuring new writing by Pamela Hutchinson.

Specifications

Director: Benjamin Christensen

Actors: Benjamin Christensen, Elisabeth Christensen, Maren Pedersen

Format: Blu-ray (Region A)

Run Time: 1 hour and 45 minutes (main feature runtime may vary across included versions)

Release Date: 2025-06-23

Packaging: Full-height Scanavo packaging with removable OBI strip.

Edition Size: Limited edition of 3000 copies.

This definitive collection allows viewers to experience the evolution of Christensen's seminal work, prefiguring genres from Gothic horror to found footage film, through multiple historical edits and modern restorations.