Rent The Wicker Man (1973)

Fancy watching Christopher Lee dance in a wig? - The Wicker Man review by HW

I saw this film years ago and didn’t fully appreciate it. Having rewatched it following its 50th anniversary, I agree with anyone who says it’s one of the most original and imaginative British horrors of all time. Not only does this film mix several genres seamlessly (mystery and folk musical along with horror) but it offers relevant and insightful comments on the nature of faith and belief, while adding tension to an already suspenseful, believable plot. Both hardcore Christian Sergeant Howie (Woodward) and the pagan Summerisle community he clashes with are blindly, arrogantly confident in their beliefs (the Summerisle lot dangerously so). Was this film predicting the one-sided, mostly internet-fuelled arguments of the 21st century? Regardless of its message on religion, this film remains a unique, disturbing and bewitching experience. The ending has to be one of the best-shot and visually stunning scenes in horror cinema, along with scenes from ‘The Shining’. Arguably the ending is more harrowing than anything from ‘the Shining’. The traditional folk soundtrack is triumphantly enchanting, despite the bizarre, horrific events the jaunty songs accompany.

Pagan Scotland. - The Wicker Man review by Steve

This landmark of British folk horror isn't really a scare film at all, more of a dystopian thriller. Only the inspired twist is that the machine of oppression isn't the remote, indifferent state, but the free, self-governing citizens. Edward Woodward plays a sexually repressed policeman who visits a remote Scottish island to investigate the disappearance of a young girl.

But instead discovers he is the fall guy. In their isolation, the islanders have adopted pagan rituals, which revolve around an uninhibited approach to sex and the fruitfulness of their crops. Soon the christian copper is being tempted by an enraptured Britt Ekland dancing naked and banging on the locked door of his hotel room.

Presumably there is some satirical intent, with the collective delusion of the free loving heathens reflecting the values of the seventies hippie movement. But also their beliefs have the effect of spoofing the pious sergeant's own faith. There's an original and intelligent script which constantly delights with its use of historical pagan traditions.

Woodward is perfect casting as the persevering dupe. Christopher Lee is ideal as the autocratic Lord, and the impudent, provocative- and naked- Britt Ekland is unforgettable. The photography of the sunny Scottish landscape and the evocative score of folk ballads both make crucial contributions. And the thrilling climactic appointment with the wicker man is the stuff of horror legend.

Unique Pagan Horror - The Wicker Man review by GI

A big British cult film and a pagan horror that has a huge fanbase. It is actually a quite unusual film and despite being placed in the horror genre it's more a psychological thriller as its creepy atmospheric build up leads to a frightening climax.
The film has a complex message about organised religion and challenges the dominance of christianity arguably mocking it in it's narrative themes of old religions being discarded for the more accepted, but equally ridiculous, religions.
The plot begins as a police mystery with religiously devout and humourless Police Sergeant Howie (Edward Woodward) arriving on the private Scottish island of Summerisle to investigate an anonymous report that a young girl has gone missing. The residents act strangely to his questions and he gradually uncovers what he believes is a cover up by the islanders of the girl's murder. The island's owner Lord Summerisle (Christopher Lee) seems to exert some control over everyone and Howie is disturbed by the free loving ways that the locals follow. He soon discovers he has been duped and that he has been set up as part of a sinister plan.
There's no real scares to be found here as this is more a moody, unsettling story where the main protagonist seems unable to escape and even has a unique opportunity to make himself ineligible for the islanders plans if only he'd accepted a sexual invitation from Willow (Britt Eckland). Watching the film will unravel this for you.
This is one of those films that you should see at least once as it's unique in the sub-genre of pagan horror and it remains an interesting and unsettling experience.