The disturbing horror film Hagazussa – Curse of the Witch is currently available on Amazon Prime. An horror story in the tradition of The Witch unfolds in uncomfortable images.
Seven years ago, director Robert Eggers caused a stir with his bleak horror film The Witch. Long, quiet shots combine with eerie events. Something malevolent is creeping through the film, but it cannot be grasped. The Witch is an extremely uncomfortable cinematic experience.
The German-Austrian production Hagazussa – Der Hexenfluch, which was released in cinemas in 2018 and is currently available on Amazon Prime, takes a similar approach. If you want to know what is possible in local cinemas, a look at this idiosyncratic, unwieldy horror film is recommended.
What you need to know about Hagazussa on Amazon Prime
The horror: Don’t expect shocks, but extremely disturbing images.
What’s special: The film thrives on its very oppressive atmosphere.
The title: Hagazussa comes from Old High German and means witch.
The plot of Hagazussa in a nutshell
Hagazussa – The Witch’s Curse takes place in 15th-century Austria. Here we meet Albrun (Celina Peter), a goat herder who lives with her mother (Claudia Martini) in a lonely hut in the mountains. It is a lonely, quiet life – and becomes even lonelier when Albrun’s mother dies.
You can watch the trailer for Hagazussa here:
Years later, Albrun (Aleksandra Cwen) has a child of her own, but lives without a husband. As a result, she is ostracized by the village community and labeled a witch. Gradually, Albrun herself begins to suspect that something is wrong with her. Strange things are afoot in the mountains.
Hagazussa: Nightmarish horror on Amazon Prime
The Horror in Hagazussa – The Witch’s Curse develops slowly and tormentingly. For a long time, the camera observes people and nature – and especially how people move through nature. The Alpine panorama appears sublime, while at the same time the powerful images radiate something oppressive and threatening.
Hagazussa – The Curse of the Witch is a film that relies entirely on its atmosphere. This is no wild, fast-paced horror trip that relies on shocking effects. Instead, director Lukas Feigelfeld evokes a sense of the dark shadows on the horizon through the slowness of what is shown.
Hagazussa
As is so often the case in horror films, the most terrifying thing is not the supernatural events, but the people. In Hagazussa – The Witch’s Curse, they are driven by fear. Every encounter causes more mistrust. The world of the film feels like a prison. Despite the vastness of the landscape, there is no escape.
