Vij ou le Diable

Minimalistic story, minimalistic effects, amazing result. This what you' ll find watching the first Russian horror movie. A totally unusual movie, with an amazing atmosphere. I found it absolutely interesting to watch. I felt like exploring a new world.

Of course the movie isn't perfect. Of course most effects look odd and cheap. Yet, it's an interesting visual experience. It has beautiful nature pictures in it, and a few seriously impressive effects and a great set.

This movie is totally unusual and odd. It'll not be to the liking of most modern watchers. If you like watching the unusual (like me), this movie is for you.

"Vij" is a masterpiece of Russian cinema and a masterpiece of 60s horror. Having said that, it is perhaps a film that may not appeal to the gorehound variety of horror fan. Not only does it not possess any gore, but it plays for much of its length like a bucolic Russian fairy tale. The scary scenes when they come are in the last 20 minutes or so.

What makes "Vij" so wonderful are the lovingly shot scenes of rural Russia. The faces of all the peasants are shown in frequent close-up: ruddy, jovial, deeply lined with characterful wrinkles, blue-gray eyes twinkling. The camera is used to great effect in close-ups, blurry shots, spinning around our hero, zooming in and out, and those loving shots of farm houses and livestock. It often has a dream-like character and certain supernatural scenes are extremely surreal and effective. The blend of lighthearted comedy and echoes of folklore and a near-religiosity at times is also extremely effective. The lead does an excellent job as Khoma and his cohort of minders are equally good. Our deceased witch is a picture of beauty and reminds one of Snow White, such is her rosy-cheeked, fairytale beauty.

I could go on and on about what makes this film so wonderful. I'll suffice to comment on one more feature. The music by Karen Khatchaturian (nephew of the great Aram Khatchaturian, he of the "Sabre Dance" and the "Onedin Line" theme music) is very effective and draws on the sounds of several other Russian greats. One reviewer here mentioned both Prokofiev and Rachmaninov. I thought the exact same thing in the same scenes. There is an overall Prokofevian sound to the music and the choral numbers bring to mind Rachmaninov's "All-Night Vigil", most likely intentionally. The music in the demon scenes draws on Mussorgsky's "Nite on Bald Mountain" with its eerie string scratchings, again most likely intentionally. These are wonderful and evocative sources for Khatchaturian to draw from.

In summation, this is a cinematic masterpiece and is a must for fans of Russian cinema or classic cinema in general. Horror fans who can enjoy say, "Nosferatu", "The Cabinet of Dr Caligari", "Black Sunday", "Carnival of Souls" or other early greats, will no doubt want to seek this out. "Vij" is one of the early greats of the genre which it also transcends.

Since I missed the showings other posters have mentioned, it took awhile for me to catch up with this on DVD. Nine and a half out of ten; a really wonderful horror fantasy. I would add only that the young preists harrowing experience

might well have inspired the Western horror novel and film "The Exorsist." I like this one, however, much better. This film is funny, scary, and visualy impressive. A real gem.

Although the film starts off a bit in the fairy tale fashion, the film doesn't lack anything a great sixties horror movie, be it from Italy, England or the U.S. should have. I think it's wonderful that a Russian gem like this got re-released in the US, so that I could see it in Germany. If this movie had been distributed better, I think it would turn up in every horror movie history besides the works of Bava (yes, MASCHERA DEL DEMONIO was based on the same story...although the Russian version sticks a lot more to Gogol) and the Hammer and Roger Corman Productions. If you're a fan of atmospheric sixties horror, you definitely should see this one, if only for the unforgettable climax.

Three drunken Russian seminarians are going home and ask for lodging to an old woman. Actually, she is a witch, who captures one of them and uses him like a flying broom. The young priest fights and kills the witch. After her death, she becomes a young and beautiful woman. Her rich father calls the young priest and orders him to stay locked up with her body in a wooden church, praying for three nights, as per her daughter's wish before die. The witch summons many creatures from hell to fight the priest in the church.

"Viy" is a very interesting tale, weird and non-sense, having a wonderful cinematography and excellent special effects for a 1967 film. I dare to say that the story is a little crazy, maybe better understood by Russians, since it is based on their folklore. Anyway, I believe that fans of horror movies will like "Viy". The atmosphere in the church is very dark. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): 'Viy - O Espírito do Mal' ('Viy - The Evil Spirit')

Note: On 10 July 2022, I saw this film again.