Häxan with Live Score by Tall Shadows

Tall Shadows Perform a Live Score for Benjamin Christensen’s Silent-era Classic, 'Häxan'

Step into the shadows at the Rio Theatre as Tall Shadows bring Benjamin Christensen’s legendary 1922 silent film HÄXAN  (aka “Witchcraft Through the Ages”) to life with an original live score, transforming the haunting masterpiece into a fully immersive experience. With its infamous depictions of witchcraft, demons, and superstition, HÄXAN has been shocking and fascinating audiences for over a century. Now, paired with an evocative new live soundtrack, the film’s surreal imagery becomes even more intense and unforgettable.

Tall Shadows is a duo exploring neo-classical, drone, industrial, electronic, and psychedelia. A skilled violinist, synthesist and sample artist, Woes, the primary composer, orchestrates a captivating atmosphere featuring the violin’s haunting melodies intertwining with hypnotic drones. This ‘avant-goth’ aesthetic blends the classical tradition with contemporary electronic experimentation. The duo have performed original live scores to several films, by classic directors such as Ingmar Bergman to the more experimental works of Kenneth Anger and E. Elias Merhige.

HÄXAN (Swedish for ‘witch’) is a 1922 silent documentary film that dramatises the European witch hunts of the Middle Ages, depicting alleged accounts of witch activity alongside the methods of torture used by Church officials. Ahead of its time in terms of narrative and filming technique, HÄXAN continues to shock audiences with its boldness of content.

Don’t miss your chance to experience what Variety Magazine once called “Unadulterated Horror!”

Saturday, November 1
Doors 6:45 pm | Show 7:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.

Early Bird Tickets
(Until October 13 – Limited number available) $23+ s/c HERE
General Admission $30+ s/c HERE

HÄXAN (Benjamin Christenson, 1922 / 100 mins / NR) Fictionalized documentary showing the evolution of witchcraft, from its pagan roots to its confusion with hysteria in Eastern Europe.


*Minors OK. Must be 19+ w/ID for bar service.
*Sorry, Rio Theatre Groupons and passes n/a for this event.
*We recommend purchasing your tickets in advance at www.riotheatretickets.ca. If a screening or live event is not sold out, the remaining tickets will be available for in-person purchase at the Rio Theatre’s Box Office prior to showtime (subject to availability).
*Our box office is typically open 30 minutes before showtime. All seating is General Admission; please arrive 20-30 minutes prior to showtime to ensure great seats, and time for treats at concession.

*All Rio Theatre tickets are final sale. No refunds, no exchanges, no transfers.

Grave robbing, torture, possessed nuns, and a satanic Sabbath: Benjamin Christensen's legendary film uses a series of dramatic vignettes to explore the scientific hypothesis that the witches of the Middle Ages suffered the same hysteria as turn-of-the-century psychiatric patients. But the film itself is far from serious-- instead it's a witches' brew of the scary, gross, and darkly humorous.

About The Rio

Voted the #1 Independent Theatre in Vancouver, the Rio Theatre is a multimedia venue featuring arthouse, mainstream and cult-classic cinemas as well as live entertainment. Built in 1938, the Rio has been fully restored with a state of the art digital projector, surround sound, a huge stage and 420 luxurious seats.

1660 East Broadway, Vancouver, BC

Phone: 604.879.3456

Info Line: 604.878.3456

Email: [email protected]

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