History Literature / Viy

* ATasteOfTheLash: Both the rector and the lieutenant threaten Khoma with this. The former simply regards it as a school penalty. The latter strongly implies Khoma won't survive after "his lads"(cossacks) perform the act.
* TheUndead: The pannochka, a witch, rises from her coffin every night and tries to attack Khoma.[[spoiler: The [[OurVampiresAreDifferent oopyrs]] and [[OurGhoulsAreCreepier vurdalaks]] are quiet likely to be among the monsters that gather in the church on the third night]].

"Viy" is a hair-raising GothicHorror novella, written in 1835 by UsefulNotes/{{Russia}}n[=-=]UsefulNotes/{{Ukrain|e}}ian writer Creator/NikolaiGogol and published in his short-story collection "Mirgorod". It is one of the author's best-known works.

Gogol's novella had (and still has) enormous influence in Russia, but this influence is hardly limited to her borders. The 1909 movie adaptation is a [[MissingEpisode/{{Film}} Lost Film]], considered by historians to be the first Russian horror movie. The most famous (and faithful) cinematic adaptation was made in [[Film/{{Viy}} the USSR in 1967]], featuring Leonid Kuravlyov as Khoma and Natalia Varley as the witch; it is now considered to be the greatest Soviet horror film (not that there were many). Other adaptations include a 1990 Serbian film called "Sveto mesto", a 1996 Ukrainian cartoon and a 2006 Russian SettingUpdate adaptation called "The Witch". In 2014 came another Russian "Viy" flick (internationally known as ''Forbidden Empire'', and in the UK as ''Forbidden Kingdom''), which served as a direct sequel to Gogol's original story and uses a MaybeMagicMaybeMundane approach towards its events. Creator/MarioBava's 1960 film ''Film/BlackSunday'' is said to be an adaptation of "Viy", though it's a very [[InNameOnly loose description]]. Some also argue that the plot of ''Film/FromDuskTillDawn'' bears more than a passing resemblance to "Viy". Viy makes an appearance in the mobile game ''VideoGame/FateGrandOrder'' as a shadowy being at the beck and call of [[UsefulNotes/AnastasiaNikolaevnaRomanova Grand Duchess Anastasia]], who is something of a CompositeCharacter with this story's witch, as Viy took revenge on the soldiers who killed Anastasia through the same methods it used to torment Khoma.

* HowlingToTheNight: When Khoma goes to the church on the fateful third night the air is filled with loud howling. One of his companions notes that this howling does not belong to a wolf, and that "something else must be making the sound".

Gogol's novella had (and still has) enormous influence in Russia, but this influence is hardly limited to her borders. The 1909 movie adaptation is a [[MissingEpisode/{{Film}} Lost Film]], considered by historians to be the first Russian horror movie. The most famous (and faithful) cinematic adaptation was made in [[Film/{{Viy}} the USSR in 1967]], featuring Leonid Kuravlyov as Khoma and Natalia Varley as the witch; it is now considered to be the greatest Soviet horror film (not that there were many). Other adaptations include a 1990 Serbian film called "Sveto mesto", a 1996 Ukrainian cartoon and a 2006 Russian SettingUpdate adaptation called "The Witch". In 2014 came another Russian "Viy" flick (internationally known as ''Forbidden Empire'', and in the UK as ''Forbidden Kingdom''), which served as a direct sequel to Gogol's original story and uses a MaybeMagicMaybeMundane approach towards its events. Creator/MarioBava's 1960 film ''Film/BlackSunday'' is said to be an adaptation of "Viy", though it's a very [[InNameOnly loose description]]. Some also argue that the plot of ''Film/FromDuskTillDawn'' bears more than a passing resemblance to "Viy". Viy makes an appearance in the mobile game ''VideoGame/FateGrandOrder'' as a shadowy being at the beck and call of [[UsefulNotes/RedOctober Grand Duchess Anastasia]], who is something of a CompositeCharacter with this story's witch, as Viy took revenge on the soldiers who killed Anastasia through the same methods it used to torment Khoma.

In the middle of the night one of the students, philosopher Khoma Brutus, receives a visit from the old crone. Initially he interprets his hostess' intentions as a come-on. Afterwards (and too late), Khoma realizes the old woman is a WickedWitch. The witch (literally) mounts Khoma and forces him to carry her through the night around the countryside. Khoma manages to break the crone's influence by [[HolyBurnsEvil praying]] and then giving her a [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown good ass-kicking]]. To his horror, the old witch transforms into a heavenly beautiful young girl. Scared out of his wits, Khoma runs back to Kiev and tries to forget the whole adventure.

The cossacks transport Khoma to a small village right before the pannochka (how the witch is always referred to, meaning 'young lady/mistress' in Ukrainian) dies. The old lieutenant orders Khoma to read prayers over his daughter's corpse, just as she wished upon deathbed. If he does so, the cossack promises to have his efforts handsomely rewarded. The catch is that Khoma must perform praying rituals at night, while being locked inside a creepy old church with the body, which (surprise) is the sorceress that he inadvertently killed. Now Khoma must gather all of his courage, as the young witch is not going quietly, and hell-bent on avenging her death. There are three nights awaiting the philosopher, at the end of which he may meet something far more terrible and dangerous than the evil pannochka: a whole army of evil spirits from the Underworld along with their leader- Viy.

* AmbiguousTimePeriod: It is never revealed when exactly the action takes place, though considering the fact cossacks are running around and from some minor remarks it could be narrowed down from mid to late-18th century.

* HowlingToTheNight: When Khoma goes to the church on the fateful third night the air is filled with loud howling. One of his companions notes that this howling does not belong to a wolf, and that "something else must be making the sound"(a werewolf, most likely). [[spoiler: Werewolves are probably among the monsters gathered by the witch]].

* DanBrowned: Strangely enough, Gogol created the Viy himself using a basis not found in Slavic folklore, that of Balore from Myth/CelticMythology.

Gogol's novella had (and still has) enormous influence in Russia, but this influence is hardly limited to her borders. The 1909 movie adaptation is a [[MissingEpisode/{{Film}} Lost Film]], considered by historians to be the first Russian horror movie. The most famous (and faithful) cinematic adaptation was made in [[UsefulNotes/HistoryOfTheUSSR the USSR]] in 1967, featuring Leonid Kuravlyov as Khoma and Natalia Varley as the witch; it is now considered to be the greatest Soviet horror film (not that there were many). Other adaptations include a 1990 Serbian film called "Sveto mesto", a 1996 Ukrainian cartoon and a 2006 Russian SettingUpdate adaptation called "The Witch". In 2014 came another Russian "Viy" flick (internationally known as ''Forbidden Empire'', and in the UK as ''Forbidden Kingdom''), which served as a direct sequel to Gogol's original story and uses a MaybeMagicMaybeMundane approach towards its events. Creator/MarioBava's 1960 film ''Film/BlackSunday'' is said to be an adaptation of "Viy", though it's a very [[InNameOnly loose description]]. Some also argue that the plot of ''Film/FromDuskTillDawn'' bears more than a passing resemblance to "Viy". Viy makes an appearance in the mobile game ''VideoGame/FateGrandOrder'' as a shadowy being at the beck and call of [[UsefulNotes/RedOctober Grand Duchess Anastasia]], who is something of a CompositeCharacter with this story's witch, as Viy took revenge on the soldiers who killed Anastasia through the same methods it used to torment Khoma.