The Wicker Man (1974)

 The Wicker Man (1974)

The Wicker Man is a horror film that will stay with you for ages, if not forever. You will never forget the shocking images, the battle between paganism and Christianity, and that unbelievable ending. Heading into the film, I was expecting something more visceral and bloody. Maybe the trailers for the 2006 ill-conceived remake brought different ideas into my head, but the chills here are more subtle. After the initial disappointment, I was entranced by this British folk horror film. It is an intelligent film that blends together a mixture of genres; horror, thriller, and musical. Yes, you have heard that last part correctly. As someone who studied history and religion, this film spoke measures to me.

In the 1950’s and 1960’s, actor Christopher Lee appeared in a series of films called Hammer Horror. While he did well in those roles, they were often devoid of much substance and Lee wanted to take on more challenging roles. He got his wish in 1971 when he met with screenwriter, Anthony Shaffer. They decided it would be fun to create a film based on “old religion.” Shaffer read a book called Ritual and the idea for this project was born. Later, director Robin Hardy joined the film. Everyone had to work quickly to release this film to help the studio, British Lion, avoid bankruptcy.

As almost as famous as this movie itself, is the story of making the film and the adventures since then. One of the most famous, and delightfully disturbing, sequences is the nude song-and-dance by Britt Ekland as she sung “Willow’s Song.” Apparently, Ekland’s voice and body image was dubbed for most of the film. While the most famous edition of the film is the brisk, 88-minute one, Hardy original cut had an additional 12 minutes…which was the one he intended to show. However, the prints were thrown away. Many people tried to find it and cobbled together different editions of the film to show the director’s original intention. Director’s cut or not, the film remains a terrifying tale.

Sergeant Neil Howie (Edward Woodward) is on his way to one of the islands outside Scotland to investigate the disappearance of a twelve-year-old girl, Rowan Morrison. Initially, the folks on the island tells him they do not know of the girl. As he roams the island and gets to know the people more, he increasingly becomes aware that the islanders are aware of the girl. He also sees they practice pagan worship, which differs from his strict Christian morals. He meets with Lord Summerisle (Christopher Lee) where he explains the paganism; the free use of the naked body, procreation before marriage, bonfire jumping, and lots of sex. In fact, the innkeeper’s daughter, Willow (Britt Eklund) attempts to seduce him. As the investigation grows deeper, Howie is led to believe that Rowan may have been murdered as a sacrifice for poor crop yield…and the islanders may not be done yet.

Edward Woodward’s faithful and bumbling cop carries the film throughout. We get under his skin and mind and of course if you are a strict religious person, you could easily understand the shock as he faces something that truly undermines his religion. And what he does in the final minutes of the film is unbelievable. He was a television actor prior to the film, and he deservedly got some great roles after the film. Lee’s character is more complex than the previous monster films he has done. His character is sinister, yet sympathetic. He makes you understand the behavior of his people. Britt Eklund, a horror veteran, will seduce your mind and soul throughout this film so be forewarned.

Without gore and blood, you can see why The Wicker Man is a horrifying feature. Not only that, it is a study of religion. This is the sort of thing you would see during the Middle Ages, so there is a sense of reality. Upon research for the film, The Wicker Man is actually a ritual the Romans had in France to deal with prisoners. The music is very haunting, very folkish. Paul Giovanni used the music to help this feature flow the way it did. The editing is unusual, sharp, and very effective. When the movie was originally released in America, it was widely ignored. It eventually became a cult classic. Whatever you do, do not seek out the remake. Seek this film out instead. It may move along at a slow pace, but unforgettable images will scorch across your mind I promise.

My Grade: B+