The White Reindeer (Erik Blomberg, 1952, Finland)

In the Christmas spirit, we’ve decided to watch The White Reindeer, a classic from 1952. Though hard to access until fairly recently in the US, the film was acclaimed in its era, receiving an award at the Cannes Film Festival in 1953 for Best Fantasy Film (Jean Cocteau led the jury), as well as a Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Film when it was released in the US a few years later. Erik Blomberg, the director, had an extensive career both in Sweden and his native Finland, but The White Reindeer is probably his best known film. The film is an exemplary exercise in folk horror.

Evoking both pre-Christian Finnish mythology and the traditions of the Sami people, the film tells the story of a woman named Pirita (Mirjami Kuosmanen), who enlists the help of a shaman to increase her desirability to the local men. He grants her this wish, but when the full moon comes, she transforms into a murderous white reindeer. Much like the film we previously reviewed, The Eve of Ivan Kupalo, the plot details here are largely secondary to the atmosphere, which in this case involves extensive footage of the Finnish winter landscape.

Kuosmanen’s face, as well as the faces of the other actors, does a great job as well of conveying the narrative force of the film. What is essentially a kind of werewolf story is elevated to the next level by the beautiful cinematography, costumes, and overall atmosphere. Blomberg was clearly a skilled craftsman. For those used to the deadpan arthouse features from Finnish auteur Aki Kaurismaki, this film will provide a contrast that is closer to neighboring auteur Ingmar Bergman in feeling. The presence of the reindeer and the winter atmosphere also make this great (and unconventional) viewing for the holiday season.

8/10