The Wicker Man

Rating:
Summary: Watch it once, twice ... again and again....
Review: There aren't many movies like Wicker Man. It's not horror, it's not too intellectual, there's probably a lesson to be learned, but who know's what? A lot of questions stick in your head, like:
How did apparently conservative actors get cast for this?
Is there something about old English paganism we haven't really thought through (one for the modern Stonehenge Druid wannabes)?
Was there any SCPC (or Royal SPCA) oversight on this movie, especially in the last scenes, which I shall not describe?
This is a viscerally disturbing movie, and if you get the longer version, which I recommend, you'll love it even more.
It has the classic 70's opening, with bland theme music and the promise of a stodgy police caper, and doesn't really nail you until the pub scene, when the otherwise normal locals join in a bawdy song about banging the innkeeper's daughter. The police investigator's reaction is great. And gets better when he sees the little episode behind the hedges ... but I've said too much already.

But I've said too much.

Rating:
Summary: Pagans Vs. Presbyterians!
Review: It's Scotland. Police Sgt. Neil Howie ( Ed Woodward, seven years before he became a star with "Breaker Morant", another great film! ) has gotten an anonymous letter informing him that a child is missing from her home, presumably kidnapped--or worse. Is it a hoax or ot?

He lands, or rather alights, on a waterplane. A good touch that empahsises the remoteness of Summerisle, not even a small airport in this secluded island off the Scottish coast. He proceeds with his investigtion and soon comes to realize he's either out of his depth, or all the people on the island are nuts, or both. Tempted by the sultry blonde, Willow (Britt Eckland) and run around in circles by the townsfolk, he finally confronts the Lord of Summerisle ( Christorpher Lee ) but he's having fun playing mind-games against him to be of much help.

The good sargeant is having his hands full in doing his duty. Question: Is he a hero or a fool?

Christopher Lee said this cult classic was his favorite film of all. Of course! He's not the lead but he's got some of the juiciest dialogue on film:

Lord Summerisle: " We do not commit murder here..We are a deeply religious people"

Sgt Howie: " Religious! With children dancing naked? "

Lord Summerisle: "They do love their divinity lessons "

An intelligent script by Anthony Schaeffer about um...clash of cultures? Lesser actors would have drowned t in cliches ( Lord Summerisle's Eeeevill! or Howie is an uptight prude, etc. )

A film that is not quite a "horror" movie. It's--well, hard to say, people. But it is worth watching!

Rating:
Summary: FANTASY ISLAND GONE WRONG . . .VERY WRONG
Review: I like Sgt. Howie. Seriously. I think Edward Woodward, and his character, is sexier than Christopher Lee and his. Hypothetically, who would you rather be in a relationship with? A (likely) promiscuous pagan partner given over to wanton lust? Or a committed and devout man, ready to hand over his hot-blooded virginity? When it finally comes to fruition, those repressed Christians are always the hottest in matters of love. Why do you think there was a seduction attempt (what's with that chick bangin' her hand against the wall?!)? Why did the townspeople call upon him? I don't understand the psychology of my fellow critics who act as if he gets what he deserves. Yeah, let's condemn poor Sgt. Howie for his concern for the missing child, and having an idealistic Christian view of the world. I suspect it's the pagans still among us who share this opinion. Personally, I never thought his preaching, if you can call it that, went overboard. Be forewarned, though: this film is like a pack of Tarot cards: beautiful, strange, surreal, mystical, fascinating, intriguing, mysterious, but also like the cards, ultimately terrifying, and evil.

Rating:
Summary: Slow moving and a little bit silly...
Review: I finally saw the much lauded Wicker Man. It was pretty good but not at all deserving of the rapturous praise heaped on it. Basically it all hinges on the big surprise ending... It was interesting. It reaches its artistic highpoint when Christopher Lee is mincing around in a dress, wig, and make-up, followed by a parade of simpletons in animal masks, until they reach a cheap paper mache mock-up of Stonehenge, whereupon they all must stick their heads in a Motley Crue logo. No denying that it's weird. The music is engaging in the sense that it is so awkward that it initially commands attention, and then my brain lurches into a frenzy of confusion and embarrassment. And some of the deliberately "scary" imagery was really hilarious... Like the lady sitting on a gravestone with a baby on her lap, her facial expression at once blank and menacing... and in her outstretched hand sits... an egg? Funny! It is worth checking out but I doubt it will be a candidate for repeated viewings.

Rating:
Summary: This is a great movie, with stunning performances.
Review: I could never imagine the lead roles in this movie being played by actors other than the magnificent Edward Woodward and Christopher Lee. They give the entire film a weight and importance in movie history that it might otherwise have missed. Woodward and Lee can act. Boy, can they ever.

I have some interest in the new age movement and its purported derivation from pre-Roman Celtic religion. Yet I'm well aware that the largely agrarian world of the Celts was a harsh and violent environment, with animal and sometimes human sacrifices often accompanying the more peaceful and hoistic spritual aspects.

This film depicts that blood-based world (put into a modern situation and context) magnificently.

As a depiction of modern communal paganism it is very realistic, even though most new-agers would despise the emphasis on sacrifice and blood-letting.

This is terrific movie-making.

Rating:
Summary: Shocks are so much better absorbed with the knees bent'
Review: So says Lord Summerisle in 'The Wicker Man,' a true cinematic rarity, an original, and 'intelligent,' horror film, just as Kubrick's '2001' is the quintessential 'intelligent' Sci Fi film. Boasting a superbly constructed story, an exemplary caste tailor made for their roles, and a truly shocking and disturbing ending, 'The Wicker Man' is a masterful exercise in escalating dread, with a harrowing climax that will leave you drained.

I once heard this film referred to as the 'Citizen Kane' of horror films, but if I were to compare it to one of Orson's greats, I would say it bares a closer resemblance to the 'Magnificent Ambersons.' The reason for this is plain when you've searched for the film in the database; you find two listings, 'The Wicker Man,' and 'The Wicker Man (Limited Edition).' The former is the original cinematic release of the film, butchered and incomplete, the latter is a restored version that gives us 11 minutes of unseen footage, most of it important back story fleshing out the central character of Sergeant Neil Howie, wonderfully played by Edward Woodward. I said 'a' restored version, because what's presented to us is still not the complete film, but for more on that you have to watch the excellent documentary included in the 'extras.'

Without giving too much away for those who haven't seen it, the basic story is as follows. Sergeant Howie - monstrously uptight and VERY Christian - a policeman on the Scottish mainland, receives an anonymous letter from Summerisle, off the Western Coast, telling him about the disappearance of a young girl, Rowan Morrison, and hinting at dire events to come. Howie flies off to the isle alone to investigate, and collides headfirst with the pre-Christian, or Pagan, belief system practiced there.

Everywhere is godless symbolism; pagan fetishes, rampant lasciviousness, a mother putting a frog into a child's mouth to cure a sore throat, the villagers, and even the Rowan's own family, denying all knowledge of the girl. As if that wasn't enough, the good Sergeant Howie discovers something that for him, is absolutely the final straw' a ruined and desecrated church.

With his search for the girl being stonewalled at every turn, and the realization that, from his point of view, the islanders are an utterly godless bunch, our hero turns, in high dudgeon, and extreme exasperation at the islanders beliefs and practices, to the head of the community, Lord Summerisle, played with relish and splendid urbanity by non other than Christopher Lee!

His assumption that a 'Lord of the Land' will behave in a civilized and Christian manner is rudely dashed when he sees young girls dancing naked 'round a fire in the Manor grounds. Incredulous at this wanton display, he takes his Lordship to task, to which his Lordship calmly replies, 'Well naturally! It's much too dangerous to jump through fire with their clothes on!' Poor Sergeant Howie really is out of his depth, his Lordship not only condones the godless rituals of the islanders, he's their spiritual leader, 'We are a deeply religious people,' he gently admonishes the blustering police officer.

With the knowledge that he is utterly alone, Sergeant Howie determines to discover the truth about Rowan Morrison. As distasteful as it is to him, he investigates the island religion in the local library, and becomes convinced that young Rowan is being held against her will, to be 'used' in some dreadful pagan ritual. From here the story accelerates to its harrowing conclusion, one that made my blood run cold when I saw it first, and still has the power to unsettle, all these years later.

This is an extraordinary film, literate and lyrical, part horror film, part investigative thriller; it is a film I think you could genuinely say is unique, just don't expect any chainsaws or psychos! The performances are all 5 Star, with Christopher Lee in particular stating in the documentary something I have heard often over the years, that it is his favorite performance' an opinion I certainly would NOT disagree with! In fact I would go so far as to say that I think Lee and Woodward have never been better.

As I said before, the 'Limited Edition' is, without a doubt, the version to watch, but be warned, whilst the transfer of the film is excellent overall, the restored footage is of noticeably inferior quality' although it does come in a very cool wooden box! Another element of the film that deserves recognition is the soundtrack; written especially for the production, it has a wonderful late 60's/early 70's folk feel about it, which adds immensely to the atmosphere of the film. And the documentary I've mentioned? Excellent! The makers managed to sit down with all the major player in the film, including Woodward and Lee, indeed, this is one of the most extensive interviews I've seen with Lee, who has his own theories as to what actually happened to the original 'Wicker Man' footage! If you are looking for an intelligent and unsettling film experience, then 'The Wicker Man' is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Rating:
Summary: Okay ... I didn't get it!
Review: A Pagan friend of mine suggested this movie. I am Pagan, and love to watch movies with Pagan subjects. This movie is strange! It is not a positive depiction of Pagans. In fact, it stays well in the stereotype of Pagans offering up live sacrifices. Although, the Christian was not a very likable person either. It is not a horror movie, more of a thriller. The acting is not very good, and the photography bad as well. Can't really think of a good reason to see the film.

Rating:
Summary: A rare gem
Review: They literally don't make films like this anymore, and even then there was a terrible struggle to get this movie properly distributed in unadulterated form. What survived is wonderful--a truly beautiful, eerie, thoroughly provocative story that stirs up strange and complex emotions. I don't think the nudity is gratuitous. What it is is highly erotic, primal, animalistic, heathen--all the good things in life! Pour yourself a dark glass of wine and stick this in around midnight. You'll be howling at the moon before you know it. Enjoy.

Rating:
Summary: "Literate" horror film delivers less than it promises
Review: "The Wicker Man" is yet another cult film that delivers much less than it promises. The problem is that the director - despite being the writer's friend! - doesn't understand how to turn a script that's almost all atmosphere and "suggestion" into an effectively scary film.

A Sturges or Mankiewicz script has almost everything spelled out in the dialog; even an incompetent director couldn't totally ruin it. But a mystery/horror film that builds to a surprise ending needs to start that build at the very beginning and not let up. "The Wicker Man"'s direction is far too flat and literal for this to occur. And when the trap is sprung (so to speak) at the end, the film slogs to its conclusion, rather than rushing to its violent shock ending.

"The Wicker Man" would have been far more effective had it had been directed by Jacques Tourneur, who repeatedly demonstrated he knew how to scare an audience without actually showing anything. Take, for example, "Curse of the Demon." Even without the "literal" beginning and ending tacked on by the producer, the film is creepily suggestive and even frightening, even though we see little of the supernatural - until the end.

Another good example is "Mimic." The basic idea is so preposterous that the film can work only on atmosphere - and del Toro delivers. The build-up is so effective that we accept the ridiculous, biologically impossible monsters when they appear.

The two-disk "Wicker Man" set contains the heavily cut theatrical release on the first disk, along with an excellent documentary about the making of the film. The transfer is crisp, with very clean, natural color. The second disk is the longer, less-heavily-cut cut, with the deleted scenes inserted from a 1" videotape transfer of that version. The insertions are plainly visible, with no attempt to sharpen the image or correct the color balance.

The deluxe set comes in a nice wooden box. Perhaps, when your pet gerbil dies, you could put him in the box and incinerate it.

Rating:
Summary: Superflous nudity, but a great film
Review: This film was exceptionally good as both a horror film (which it is, but in a cerebral way) and as a good mystery (which it also is). There's some nudity in the film which doesn't contribute to the story but seems to just be there to provide lewd entertainment value. Aside from that, it's a magnificent film and well worth the cost of the DVD.