The White Reindeer (1952) directed by Erik Blomberg

This is a fantastic film debut for Erik Blomberg the director. The cinematography is stunning, turning the barren snow covered landscape into a mystical, beautiful land of mystery. It is the story of a young woman who feels her new marriage needs a little extra and goes to a shaman to get it but ends up with more than bargained for when the prescribed sacrifice goes wrong and she becomes an irresistible temptresses who also transforms into a white reindeer… and a supernatural killer. 

This killing spree leads to her being accused of witchcraft and she is chased by the village men leading to a sad end at the hands of her husband. 

This film is considered folk horror and I suppose that is as good a des as any. It also shows many of us a way of life alien and fascinating as the Finnish actors get around in skies and sleds and live in a world of perpetual snow and cold while living life to the fullest. Prita the doomed woman is a force of nature, skilled and strong and full of life. There is a real sense of companionship and love between her and her husband, making the events of the film more tragic. The folklore presented is a welcome breath if cold fresh air that doesn’t have any of the tropes of what we might traditionally think of as Gothic or folkloric horror. 

The Witch 2015 directed by Robert Eggers

SPOILERS

An overly devout family, in 1630s New England is too extreme, even for their Puriton town, and are banished to the woods where they build a small farm and live as they see fit. One day youngest child, a baby, suddenly disappears and it is revealed pretty much right away that it is killed and ground up for use by a witch in the woods. This sets in motion a series of accusations, spiritual doubts and strange occult events that end in violence and destruction for all but one member of the clan. 

Made for only 4 million dollars, this movie proves that budget is not everything when it comes to making a great film. Horror movies in general are masters of small budgets but this takes it to another level. The performances are dead on, the cinematography is amazing and the shots are lit entirely with natural light and candlelight. It is slow moving but never dull and relies on creeping you out and disturbing ideas over gore and jump scares. It uses the language of the era it takes place in, which, to be fair, might be hard to understand for many people, and it also goes DEEP into actual witch lore from that period. That was a detail I personally appreciated as someone who finds actual folklore much more fascinating than the water downed versions of tales we have to suffer through at Halloween every year. The use of animals in this film is pretty horrifying. I never though a bunny rabbit woudl be the stuff nightmares by simply looking into the camera. 

While the fact of witches existing or not is never a question in the film, who they are is left mysterious and also why they are attacking the family is up for debate. My take was it was the father's pride that got them banished and starving that attracted evil and doomed his own family. The lead character, Thomasin, played by Anya Taylor-Joy is the soul survivor - but only because she surrenders to Satan in a scene that is too wonderfully disturbing, subtle and visual to describe here. 

Do you want to live deliciously? See this movie.