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(More customer reviews)THE WICKER MAN
(UK - 1973)
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Theatrical soundtrack: Mono
First-time director Robin Hardy and acclaimed writer Anthony Shaffer (twin brother of Peter, and author of FRENZY and SLEUTH [both 1972], the latter based on his stageplay) attempted to revise the horror genre with this cult favorite concerning a deeply religious police sergeant (Edward Woodward, in a note-perfect performance) whose search for an apparently missing schoolgirl on a remote Scottish island exposes a Pagan society rooted in old superstitions and the worship of vengeful gods. To the accompaniment of a haunting score by Paul Giovanni, comprising variations on traditional songs and folk music, THE WICKER MAN depicts an isolated community at odds with the world at large, steeped in ancient beliefs and ruled with deceptive benevolence by a patriarchal figure (Christopher Lee, in unusually subtle form) whom the script suggests is a monstrous con man, maintaining the island's customs not through genuine convictions, but because the islanders - all of them true disciples of the cause - simply know no other way.
The central mystery (Woodward's search for the missing girl) is genuinely engrossing, and the bawdy songs which greet the sergeant's arrival are soon replaced by an earthy sensuality as the true extent of the islanders' belief in regenerative powers - divorced from traditional notions of 'morality' - become apparent. Lee's assessment of God verges on blasphemy ("He had His chance and... blew it!"), but ultimately, neither Christianity or Paganism emerges with any dignity from the devastating finale. There's real magic in every frame of this extraordinary film, though it's clearly not for everyone: If you don't 'get it' within the first ten minutes, then the careful pace and deliberate absence of familiar horror motifs may seem a little long-winded, even dull. Everyone else, however, will be enchanted by this unique, one-of-a-kind movie.
The filmmakers themselves have roundly condemned the shorter 'theatrical version' (88 minutes) which crept into UK theaters in 1973 as support for Nicolas Roeg's DON'T LOOK NOW. However, most viewers were first introduced to TWM via the shorter print, simply because it was the only available version for many years, and despite the makers' protestations to the contrary, it's still a remarkable experience.
The filmmakers' preferred print (100m) underlines the script's major themes and streamlines the narrative, and will be a revelation to anyone who's only ever seen the theatrical print or the 95m version unearthed by the BBC. There are a few bits and pieces in the theatrical version which are exclusive to that print, and the BBC edition includes an animated 'Sun God' which appears after the closing credits, filling the screen before shooting backwards into darkness. The loss of this brief, iconic fragment from most extant versions is inexplicable.
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The Wicker Man (Two-Disc Special Edition) (1975)Special 2 - Disc Collectors edition of the Original moviefilmed in 1973. Released to coincide with the release of the 2006 WickerMan starring Nicholas Cage. Features: Extended version with 11 minutes of additional footage Theatrical Version Brand new audio commentary with director Robin Hardy, actors Christopher Liee and Edward Woodward and moderator Mark Kermonde
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