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.
On New Year's Eve, the convicted murderer, Strong Henry, escapes from prison and collects his son from the orphanage. When he breaks into a local manor to get some milk for his child, he is surprised by a young woman, Eva. Out of pity, she decides to help the stranger, but unfortunately some of the manor's other occupants wake up and call the police. Fourteen years later, Henry is released from prison. Convinced that Eva betrayed him, he sets out to take revenge and find his son.
Overwhelmed by personal and professional problems, biologist Friedrich von Kammacher decides to travel abroad in order to regain the joy of living. During his adventurous journey he will meet two very different women, one of whom will be the key to his fate.
