Carl Dreyer’s riveting masterpiece lies beyond normal criticism. In the early 1620s, an old woman, sentenced to death for witchcraft, curses the pastor who offers eternal salvation rather than a pardon. Is it her death or her curse that takes hold of the pastor, his much younger second wife, the grown son who is drawn to the girl, and the unforgiving grandmother who expects the worst? Turning assumptions on their head, Dreyer convinces us, especially in a brilliant last minute revelation/turnabout, that witches and witchcraft can be real, a powerful force whether or not you believe in the magic. A masterly display of composition, lighting, music (the "Dies Irae" gets a workout, hold tight for the boys choir at the old woman’s execution), restrained but angst-ridden acting, and deliberate/inevitable pacing.
No comments:
Post a Comment