The Wicker Man (1973)
The Wicker Man (1973)
The Wicker Man is a 1973 folk-horror film, directed by Robin Hardy, with a screenplay by Anthony Shaffer, and is loosely based on the 1967 novel Ritual by David Pinner. The Film was produced and distributed by British Lion Films. The Wicker Man is about a devout Christian police officer from the Scottish mainland, who is sent to the remote Hebridean island Summerisle, to investigate reports of a missing young girl named Rowan Morrison. When he gets there by way of seaplane he discovers something is quite off about this island, and that the people have cast away their Christianity and began embracing the Pagan faith of the Celtic people, and have replaced the Christian god with the ancient Celtic Gods and Goddesses. No one seems to know of the young girl that he is looking for, even her own mother, and when he discovers that he thinks she is dead, he finds only a hare in her casket. No one is giving him straight answers, but it seems like everyone is hiding something, also the villagers seem to be putting is faith and purity to the test, and what he discovers in the end gives him the greatest shock of his life.
The Wicker Man stars Hammer Horror icon Christopher Lee as Lord Summerisle, Edward Woodward as Sgt. Neil Howie, Britt Ekland as Willow MacGregor (her singing voice was done by Rachel Verney, and because she was pregnant during the filming, she had a stunt double for the waist down in her dancing scene), horror legend Ingrid Pitt plays the Librarian, Diane Cilento as Miss Rose, Lindsay Kemp as Alder MacGregor, Russel Waters as Harbour Master, Aubrey More as Old Gardener/Gravedigger, Irene Sunter as May Morrison, Jennifer Marti as Myrtle Morrison, and Geraldine Cowper as Rowan Morrison. The film is well cast, and it is nice to see Christopher Lee play a role that differs from the typical style of horror monsters that he was usually cast as. This is a more literate horror film, whose horror is not based in the visceral nature of the traditional horror/monster/slasher films of the time, this film's horror is more of an internal horror, it isn't that you are scared through gross-out shock, but through a situation of true terror.
The Wicker Man has been referred to as the "Citizen Kane of horror films", though upon initial release the film was pretty much buried because the studio was being bought out by EMI, who didn't really want anything to do with the film, but couldn't stop it. In addition to having a very limited release over 20 minutes of the film were cut from the theatrical release, and also the originals of the film with the cut out scenes and the deleted scenes were disposed of when where it was stored was emptied during the making of the M-3 motorway, however later it was found out that when Roger Corman was trying to purchase the US distribution rights, he was given a copy of the original longer film, and they were able to through that re-release the film in its original intended length with the removed scenes restored. This film honestly has a really interesting history, and when it was released it gained this "the film they don't want you to see" mystique because of the way that EMI was trying to bury the film, which actually helped its cult status. In my opinion this is the greatest horror film of the 1970s, it was an intelligent well made film, that though making the Celts seem scary to Christians, did respectfully explain the Celtic May Day holiday, as the fertility festival (unlike the sexless Christian fertility holiday of Easter, the pagans didn't hide the importance of sex and its role in reproduction).
If you are looking for a great horror film, without all of the violence and gore, and one that is a bit more intelligent than your typical horror film, then I highly recommend checking out The Wicker Man. I also feel like The Wicker Man was likely a big influence on the modern horror film Midsomer. The Wicker Man also had a spiritual sequel with The Wicker Tree, and was remade in 2006 starring Nicholas Cage (the original creators disown this abysmal remake), as well as a 1978 novelization. There was also an attempt to make a stage musical version of The Wicker Man. Not sure if I would call it the "Citizen Kane of horror films" (especially since I feel like Citizen Kane is boring and overrated), but I would definitely say it is a must-see film. The Wicker Man also has some great music that is an integral part of the story, because of the importance that music plays in the culture that the film is set in. It is beautiful, well acted, interesting, and has a great story, if you have not yet seen it I highly recommend it, or if you have only seen the 2006 remake, then I very highly recommend checking out the original. This is one of my favourite films of all-time, and I highly recommend it.
The Wicker Man has been referred to as the "Citizen Kane of horror films", though upon initial release the film was pretty much buried because the studio was being bought out by EMI, who didn't really want anything to do with the film, but couldn't stop it. In addition to having a very limited release over 20 minutes of the film were cut from the theatrical release, and also the originals of the film with the cut out scenes and the deleted scenes were disposed of when where it was stored was emptied during the making of the M-3 motorway, however later it was found out that when Roger Corman was trying to purchase the US distribution rights, he was given a copy of the original longer film, and they were able to through that re-release the film in its original intended length with the removed scenes restored. This film honestly has a really interesting history, and when it was released it gained this "the film they don't want you to see" mystique because of the way that EMI was trying to bury the film, which actually helped its cult status. In my opinion this is the greatest horror film of the 1970s, it was an intelligent well made film, that though making the Celts seem scary to Christians, did respectfully explain the Celtic May Day holiday, as the fertility festival (unlike the sexless Christian fertility holiday of Easter, the pagans didn't hide the importance of sex and its role in reproduction).
If you are looking for a great horror film, without all of the violence and gore, and one that is a bit more intelligent than your typical horror film, then I highly recommend checking out The Wicker Man. I also feel like The Wicker Man was likely a big influence on the modern horror film Midsomer. The Wicker Man also had a spiritual sequel with The Wicker Tree, and was remade in 2006 starring Nicholas Cage (the original creators disown this abysmal remake), as well as a 1978 novelization. There was also an attempt to make a stage musical version of The Wicker Man. Not sure if I would call it the "Citizen Kane of horror films" (especially since I feel like Citizen Kane is boring and overrated), but I would definitely say it is a must-see film. The Wicker Man also has some great music that is an integral part of the story, because of the importance that music plays in the culture that the film is set in. It is beautiful, well acted, interesting, and has a great story, if you have not yet seen it I highly recommend it, or if you have only seen the 2006 remake, then I very highly recommend checking out the original. This is one of my favourite films of all-time, and I highly recommend it.
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