51: Viy (a.k.a. Vij – Hungarian title; Вий – Original Russian title; Spirit of Evil– U.S. DVD title)

I think it’s fair to assess Viy (1967), the first horror film produced by Soviet-controlled Mosfilm, as a solid “B-Movie.”  No, it isn’t particularly spectacular in any fashion by contemporary horror standards, but it is a sufficient work for its time.  While it feels overlong, even at a meager 77 minutes, its final 15 hold wonders that represent state of the art makeup and special effects of the late 1960s. 

            The Story follows Khoma, a young seminary student happy to be on holiday with friends.  When the three are lost in a field as they travel, they take shelter with an old hag whose farm seems lost amongst the wheat.  In the night the decrepit woman comes to Khoma, revealing that she is a witch when he spurns her advances.  She tortures him briefly, using him as a human broomstick, but he overcomes her in a struggle, beating her to death.  Remorse sets in quickly however for Khoma, when the corpse transforms into a beautiful young woman.

            Soon after the incident, Khoma is summoned to a remote village where the daughter of the local landlord has died.  Though he has no connection to the region, he specifically is requested to preside over the prayer ceremonies for the eerily familiar body.  Through three nights of reciting in the village’s ancient church, the lifeless body becomes more and more animated, drawing closer to Khoma and summoning ghouls to attack him.  On the final night, the ghostly woman casts a spell summoning the demon Viy from the underworld to consume his soul.

            These final scenes are effective in both their ability to convey terror and present compelling action, and they far surpass the quality of the picture’s build-up.  The early sequences leave much to be desired in terms of cinematography and production design, and aren’t quit offset by the caliber of the special effects of the film’s climax.  Viy himself is also something of a letdown, as he barely surpasses the spookiness of his aforementioned ghoulish minions.

            Overall, Viy is compelling because of its historical significance, and striking special effects, but it’s likely to draw more of a cult horror audience—those interested in the film specifically for these reasons—than to appeal to audiences of less specialized movie fandom.

Language: Russian

Runtime: 77 Minutes

Available @Youtube.com

Grade: 1.5 Hats Off