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The 1952, Finnish film The White Reindeer is considered one of the great lost classics in the folklore horror style. Even though it won awards at the Cannes Film Festival and the Golden Globes back then, it remained overlooked until a stunning 4K restoration started doing the rounds in recent years.

Set on the desolate, snowbound hills of northern Scandinavia, the movie offers an uncanny, utterly otherworldly dark fairy tale. This territory is referred to as Lapland, though the indigenous Sámi population view that term as derogatory.

A Haunting Opening and Metamorphosis

In a memorable prologue, it is predicted that a recently born Sámi girl will transform into a sorceress. She grows into the character Piriti (portrayed by the actress Mirjami Kuosmanen), a determined female who chafes against her lonely existence as the wife of a roaming reindeer shepherd.

She seeks solace from a local spiritual healer, but likely owing to her inborn magical abilities, his love ritual backfires and changes her into a vampiric shape-shifter, fated to hunt and devour human males in the form of a snow-white reindeer.

Production Vision and Inspirations

Kuosmanen co-wrote the movie with her partner, director and cinematographer Blomberg. He combines breathtaking documentary footage of Sámi culture on this lunar terrain with powerful visual flair that recalls silent-movie expressionist filmmakers like Murnau and Lang.

Filmed in monochrome and mostly on site in the natural environment, White Reindeer contrasts the glaring snowy whiteness with dark Gothic tableaux, and shifts between them via the transitional dim light of the low Arctic sun.

Ambiguous and Dreamlike Plot

Although the narrative is uncomplicated and the events are plainly laid out, White Reindeer continues to be unclear and dreamlike. It’s not clear exactly which historical period it’s set.

The reasoning of the characters’ behavior can be obscure, and the figures appear detached, separated in the enormous negative space of their environment. Additionally that rare breed of monster movie that keeps its focus firmly and empathetically on the creature as its point-of-view character.

The lead actress embodies the silent greats in a performance consumed by repressed desire and a fierce craving she struggles to grasp.

Memorable Impact

Regardless of its brief 68-minute long running time, The White Reindeer can feel deliberate, thanks to its minimalist storytelling style. But the lead actress's vivid portrayal, Blomberg’s incredible cinematography, and the movie’s lingering metaphor for the way a repressive community can demonize feminine craving will linger in your thoughts for a extended period.