This Iconic Horror Movie Was Banned For Almost A Decade In The US

Movies get banned around the world for all kinds of reasons. Sometimes it's due to their stars aligning with divisive political causes and upsetting governments — which happened with Disney's controversial "Snow White" remake when it was outlawed in Lebanon. Other times, it's because a film is so disturbing and horrific that censors deem it unfit for public consumption, like all of the banned horror movies that found a home in the United States after upsetting the rest of the world.

That said, the U.S. hasn't always been lenient on horror movies. Back in 1922, Danish director Benjamin Christensen's "Haxan: Witchcraft Through the Ages" was released to positive feedback from critics, but some of the film's biggest supporters felt that it was too chilling for the public to handle. "Haxan" was banned in the U.S. — and several other countries — shortly after its release, mostly due to its so-called blasphemous, Satanic, and disturbing imagery. The documentary/fantasy explores the topic of witch hunts in the Middle Ages, detailing all of the injustices faced by women who were wrongfully accused of being in cahoots with the Devil. However, it also depicts actual witches flying around on broomsticks and committing atrocities, and some of those scenes really rubbed censors the wrong way.

"Haxan" was ultimately unbanned in 1929, but it's continued to shock and mesmerize viewers as the years progressed. 103 years have past Christensen's shocker first cast its deadly spell, but the film's disturbing power and bewitching charms remain intact. Given that the movie is pretty chilling by modern standards, it's understandable why it freaked people out in 1922. 

Benjamin Christensen made "Haxan: Witchcraft Through the Ages" with the goal of shedding light on history's injustices, and he didn't hold back when it came to the horror. For inspiration, the filmmaker turned to clergyman and inquisitor Henrich Kramer's "Malleus Maleficorum" text, which was written with the purpose of helping regular, God-fearing folks identify witches. However, the film is also a spellbinding work of dark and gruesome fantasy, with scenes that pushed the boundaries and then some back in the day.

"Haxan" is full of nudity and violence, with the latter transgression applying to men, women, and children. In what is arguably the film's most disturbing scene, a witch holds up a dead baby right after bleeding the infant for ritualistic purposes, so calling the film full-on is an understatement. Elsewhere, people are boiled alive and demons torture their victims with forks, so don't go into this one if you're easily squeamish.

A movie like "Haxan" was always going to get banned in 1922, but at least it's easy to view nowadays. What's more, Christensen's film has proven to be influential, as Robert Eggers cites it as a major influence on his 2016 masterpiece "The Witch" — another movie that was informed by ancient texts about witchcraft. Witchy flicks don't come much better or more controversial than "Haxan," even if some censors would rather have it removed from public consumption.