William S Burroughs Witchcraft Newsreel (video)

This is actually a remix of a remix, but the first half of it comes off as a 1930's newsreel on witchdraft, with croaking narration by William S Burroughs: download mpeg video (19 megs), or youtube it. The original satanic footage here is from a 1922 silent film which was re-released in 1968 with a soundtrack by Jean-Luc Ponty and narration by Burroughs. Either the 1922 original or the 1968 re-release was titled Superstition: Middle Ages and Now. For the brand new second half, your guess is as good as mine. via youtuber johnplex.

And while we're on the subject of Burroughs, here is an MP3 of him and the Eudoras, covering the Mortal Micronotz track Old Lady Sloan: download MP3 thanks Charlie!
 

Comments

[Harper]

Witchcraft Through the Ages (1968) from the classic film Haxan.

Criterion Collection has both available on DVD http://www.criterionco.com/asp/release.asp?id=134#synopsis

Last time I checked you could also see it on google video

[Shecky]

The previous comment is quite correct. To be clear, the images accompanying Burroughs' narration was never from a newsreel, but all shot for the 1922 feature "Haxan." Needless to say, the 3D movie tag at the beginning was added by the YouTube poster, along with the second half of that clip -- which I've no idea where it came from.

Fwiw, I'm not aware of any alternate title for "Haxan" as being "Superstition" or anything like that.

But MAN, what a great movie! Thanks for bringing it to folks' attention!

[Recordgeek]

...and how! "Haxan" is one of the most mindblowing movies ever made, and cannot be recommended enough. The Jean Luc Ponty soundtrack is just as excellent, and worth hunting for. The small, violin-led, modern jazz combo comes across as some sort of alternate universe Quintette du Hot Club de France playing free jazz.

[Scott]

The basic distinction is this: "Haxan" is the original 1922 Swedish film, directed by Benjamin Christensen, who played the hilarious tongue-wagging Devil in the film; and "Witchcraft Through The Ages" is the 1968 version of the same film, psychedelicized by the addition of Burroughs's narration and the groovy soundtrack. Criterion has released both on one disc, with bonus footage of Christensen many years later, defending the thing. I have no idea where the 2nd half of this video comes from, but it strikes me as via someone with a mega-church.