Viy (Spirit of Evil[1] or Vii, Russian: Вий) is a 1967 Soviet Gothic horror fantasy film directed by Konstantin Yershov and Georgi Kropachyov.

Invoking the name of Christ, he forces her to land and beats her violently with a stick until she turns into a beautiful young woman, who cries out that he is killing her.

After the funeral rites, the villagers tell the story of a huntsman who was bewitched by the girl and asked her to ride him like a horse, reminding Khoma of his encounter.

The coffin rises into the air and bangs against the sacred circle's barrier, prompting a panicked Khoma to pray for God's protection.

As the rooster crows, the coffin returns to its place, and shortly after the girl lies down, she attempts to curse Khoma, causing his hair to turn grey.

Some of the "witch" scenes and the ending where Viy appears were toned down due to technological limitations as well as then current restrictions on Soviet film production.

"[5] Anne Billson wrote in Sight & Sound that "Thanks to effects that transcend the limitations of their time, the uncanny occurrences of 'Viy' can still generate a frisson" and that "this exquisite presentation is a must-see for every aficionado of folk-horror and dark fairytales.

"[6] Martin Unsworth of Starburst gave the film a five star rating, declaring that what "makes Viy so special isn’t so much the direction of Konstantin Ershov and Georgiy Kropachyov but the effects created by Aleksandr Ptushko alongside the cinematography of Viktor Pishchalnikov and Fyodor Provorov.

There are terrifying moments early on that stand out, especially the transgressive scene involving the old witch (played by male actor Nikolai Kutuzov), which is the stuff of nightmares alone.

The film gains its classic status, however, thanks to a bombardment of in-camera effects, jaunty camera angles, and a building sense of dread that explodes with an assault of strange, nightmarish characters.