32 Days of Halloween IV, Movie Night No. 16: William S. Burroughs vs. Haxan

Well, tonight we normally do silent films. But, frankly, we’re running out of silent films that we haven’t already posted. So to help us out of this cul-de-sac we turn, once more, to William “Uncle Bill” Burroughs. Basically what we have here is a shortened version of the original 1922 film regarding witchcraft, Häxan. This version is from 1968. Not only is it shortened, but you have Uncle Bill providing narration and a crazed jazz musical score to go along with it. The whole thing is slightly mad, which just enhances its appeal.

Please be aware to be mindful of watching this in a cubicle…while the thing as a whole is not NSFW there’s enough weird stuff happening on your screen that somebody passing by or glancing over your shoulder might wonder what the hell you’re up to.

For the definitive release of this film, you’ve got to go with the Criterion Collection.

Last year we were watching Lon Chaney in The Penalty. In 2008, it was the 1922 Headless Horseman. Before we hit upon silent films, in Year One we were watching The Wasp Woman.