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The White Reindeer

Play trailer Poster for The White Reindeer 1952 1h 14m Drama Horror Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 10 Reviews 61% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
A shaman turns a newlywed woman into a vampiric white reindeer after she seeks his help.

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The White Reindeer

Critics Reviews

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Anton Bitel Little White Lies 04/08/2019
Pirita represents a primal, pagan animal spirit... A feminine spirit resistant to the encroachment of Christianity and of more patriarchal values. The taming of her - an allegory of Sámi history - is as much tragedy as triumph. Go to Full Review
Ben Sachs Chicago Reader 10/18/2016
Blomberg makes the most of the Lapland locations: the wooded plains, seen under feet of snow, are forbidding-the horizon always seems distant. Against this backdrop, the movie's conflicts feel especially primal. Go to Full Review
J. Hoberman Village Voice 03/22/2005
Perhaps the world's only example of Sami gothic cinema. Go to Full Review
Alix Turner Ready Steady Cut 02/02/2021
4/5
A beautiful film from Finland presenting a story from Lapland mythology, which won the one-off "best fairytale" prize at Cannes in 1953. Go to Full Review
Jeremy Aspinall Radio Times 05/26/2019
4/5
Be careful what you wish for is the moral of this captivating 1952 fantasy horror, a rare genre movie from Finland. Go to Full Review
Jennie Kermode Eye for Film 04/06/2019
4/5
With [Mirjami] Kuosmanen featuring in nearly every scene, this is a film worth citing when people suggest that powerful, complicated female leads in horror films are a new thing. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Tyler B May 27 With a unique and challenging setting, it sure does takes it time to set the scene. But its worth it for the stark close ups. See more 12/31/2020 In What We Do In The Shadows, we're introduced to the concept that whilst witches and vampires are aware of each other, they don't get on. Here we have a witch with vampyric tendencies, so that blows that theory. The White Reindeer is bonkers and beautiful and mandatory Christmas viewing; a folk tale brought to screen with art and intensity, it feels raw, essential and actually a little scary. Could have done without the intro song though.... See more 03/30/2012 A visually stunning film set in the mythical Lapland. A newly-wed woman grows tired of her husband constantly going away on business trips and decides to seek the help of the local shaman (who, unfortunately, is portrayed as a bit of a loopy drunkard, which has since then become a terrible stereotype) to rid her of her loneliness. The shaman performs a spell which makes her irresistible to all reindeer herders...just not in the way she would have hoped. See more 01/05/2011 a story of vampire in the north of finland See more 06/24/2008 yksi parhaimmista kotimaisista. See more 04/11/2008 The supernatural horror elements are extremely odd. It's a vampire reindeer film from Finland. I'm not sure, but on first viewing it seemed like there were plot holes in regards to whether the woman (Kuosmanen) was cursed with vampirism from the day she was born, or if her visit to the shaman was really what unleashed the killer instinct. The whole tale is really one of those myths with the lesson of being careful what you wish for. A good portion of the film is light and romantic, but the newly wed woman becomes lonely and disgruntled when her shepherd husband is constantly away from home. It is definitely not the sort of film you see every day. In the small crew, the star Mirjami Kuosmanen (who was married to director/cinematographer/editor Erik Blomberg) is co-credited as writer with Blomberg as well as being in charge of makeup and wardrobe. With the locations in Finland, the costuming, and the prevalence of reindeer I felt like I was getting a secret look into the Nordic culture where Santa Claus may live. See more Read all reviews
The White Reindeer

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Movie Info

Synopsis A shaman turns a newlywed woman into a vampiric white reindeer after she seeks his help.
Director
Erik Blomberg
Producer
Aarne Tarkas
Screenwriter
Erik Blomberg, Mirjami Kuosmanen
Genre
Drama, Horror
Original Language
Finnish
Release Date (Streaming)
May 22, 2017
Runtime
1h 14m
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