Viy (1967)

Directed by Konstantin Yershov & Georgi Kropachyov

When a seminary in Kiev lets the rambunctious students out for a vacation, they waste no time in getting into all sorts of mischief in town as they scatter to the four winds. A few of these students end up at an old farmhouse, beseeching the elderly farmer for food and shelter, offering spiritual rewards for these services. After a series of bizarre happenings at the farmhouse, the holy man in training, Khoma, flees into night, returning to his seminary but called back by a wealthy noble who reveals that his daughter’s dying wish was to have Khoma, who she mentioned by name, watch over her dead body and pray for her for three nights. Leaning more towards dark fantasy or fairy tale than pure horror, this is nonetheless a fascinating film, reportedly the first Soviet horror movie produced!

I had heard very little about Viy, picking it on a whim for its short length more than anything, and I was surprised by exactly how perfect this is for a spooky watch! Many of Viy’s effects are dated, which is to be expected considering it is more than fifty years old, but there’s an ambition to Viy that’s so charming I can’t help but love even the janky looking rear screen projections. Viy drips with imagination and eagerness, an earnest attempt to tell a story that’s half morality play and half campfire tale, one that kept me guessing as to what wild thing I was going to see next and delighted me with its strangeness. Sure, the dub is meh and the story is very simple, but Viy has a sense of wonder and fun that fans of strange cinema will enjoy.