The Witch (1952)

Though billed as a horror movie, this gem from 1950s Finland is more of an acidic satire and screwball comedy. When an archaeological team digs up the corpse of a beautiful, naked witch, the superstitious villagers go crazy and paranoia sets in that she will awaken from her slumber and terrorize them once again. The leader of the dig, Dr. Hannu, at first laughs it off, but on a dark and stormy night, the witch really does come back to life.... What follows is a madcap, over-the-top farce. All of the men fall under the witch's spell, and try their damndest to be the lucky one to "relieve" her of three centuries of pent up sexual frustration. For a movie made in 1952, the content must have been shocking; we have plenty of nudity, profanity, and sexual shenanigans. And it is equally strange to see what Finland was like in the 1950s, a country that was still very rural and traditional, a far cry from the idea of the Scandinavian socialist paradise we have in our minds now. At times the film felt like a more deadpan version of a Kim Ki-young flick. And, oddly enough, the ending somewhat resembles that of The Housemaid; it feels a bit awkward and tacked on. Otherwise, definitely worth checking this one out.