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Released in 1952, Finland's cinematic work The White Reindeer is considered one of the remarkable forgotten masterpieces in the folk horror category. Despite the fact that it earned prizes at Cannes and the Golden Globe Awards in its day, it remained ignored until a stunning 4K remaster was released in recent years.

Placed on the barren, snow-covered mountains of northern Scandinavia, the movie presents an eerie, completely supernatural macabre story. This territory is occasionally called Lapland, though the indigenous Sámi community view that designation as pejorative.

A Eerie Prologue and Change

Via a memorable prologue, it is foretold that a newborn Sámi female child will turn into a witch. She grows into the character Piriti (acted by the actress Mirjami Kuosmanen), a determined female who rebels against her isolated reality as the spouse of a wandering reindeer keeper.

She looks for comfort from a nearby spiritual healer, but likely owing to her inborn magical abilities, his love ritual fails and turns her into a vampiric metamorph, fated to hunt and consume men in the guise of a white reindeer.

Creative Vision and Roots

The actress co-wrote the film with her partner, director and director of photography Erik Blomberg. He merges stunning authentic recordings of Sámi life on this otherworldly environment with dramatic artistic style that recalls silent-movie expressionist filmmakers like F.W. Murnau and Fritz Lang.

Recorded in black and white and almost entirely on location in the wild, The White Reindeer opposes the blinding snowy whiteness with dark Gothic scenes, and shifts between them via the transitional dim light of the northern sun.

Unclear and Ethereal Plot

Even though the plot is straightforward and the action are clearly presented, White Reindeer continues to be unclear and surreal. It remains uncertain exactly when in history it’s set.

The motivation of the characters’ behavior can be hard to decipher, and the figures appear cut adrift, alone in the vast open landscape of their surroundings. Additionally that rare breed of monster movie that keeps its focus firmly and empathetically on the beast as its central figure.

The lead actress evokes the early cinema icons in a acting wracked with repressed desire and a fierce desire she cannot completely comprehend.

Enduring Effect

Despite its brief hour-plus runtime, The White Reindeer can seem leisurely, thanks to its sparse narrative approach. But the lead actress's powerful performance, Blomberg’s incredible cinematography, and the film's lingering metaphor for the way a oppressive community can demonize feminine craving will remain in your mind for a considerable time.